Turner masterpiece purchased by US museum for nearly $45 million
By APThursday, July 8, 2010
Turner masterwork sold at auction for record price
LONDON — A moody depiction of the city of Rome by one of Britain’s most famous artists fetched nearly 30 million pounds ($44.9 million) at auction when it was bought by a U.S. museum.
Auctioneers Sotheby’s called the 1839 painting “Modern Rome — Campo Vaccino” by J.M.W. Turner one of the most important works by the landscape painter.
It had a guide price of 12 million to 18 million pounds ($18 million to 27 million), but when the hammer fell Wednesday in London the price tag was 29,721,150 pounds ($44,935,558).
Sotheby’s says it was purchased by dealers on behalf of the J. Paul Getty Museum in Los Angeles. It was sold by a descendent of 5th Earl of Rosebery, who acquired the work in 1878.
Turner’s view of Venice fetched 20.5 million pounds at auction in 2006.
