A Jackson Pollock painting has sold for a record $181.2 million at Christie’s in New York on Monday evening. The work, titled Number 7A, 1948, is now the artist's most expensive artwork ever sold at auction and the fourth most expensive work ever sold at auction overall.
The piece is a prime example of the Abstract Expressionist's style, featuring his famed painted swoops, swirls, pours, and drizzles.
The painting was part of a billion dollar sale from the collection of publishing magnate S.I. Newhouse. This blockbuster estate sale led auction week at Christie's and signaled renewed confidence at the top of the art market.
The evening was a night of records for several artists, including Mark Rothko and Joan Miro.