Fontana del Nettuno by John Singer Sargent – $150,000 (£116,280) at Skinner
The American artist John Singer Sargent (1856-1925) is best known for the high-society ‘swagger’ portraits that had earned him fame and fortune, but the watercolours he produced in greater number are more commonly available at auction.
Most recently, two fine examples which dated from the artist’s later period when he painted for pleasure as he travelled through Europe appeared at Skinner (23/20/12% buyer’s premium) in Boston. Both had been in a private American collection for nearly a century and their market freshness helped them draw strong interest.