LONDON (Reuters) – Multi-millionaire artist Damien Hirst wildly exceeded expectations on Tuesday with a record-breaking sale of 218 items for 111 million pounds ($198 million), underscoring the resilience of the high-end art market.
A further two items were sold privately on Monday and three remained unsold on Tuesday after the unprecedented sale that bypassed the traditional dealer network and instead went direct to the auction rooms of Sotheby’s in London.
“It is iconic; inherently British,” said one bidder at the Sotheby’s auction who asked to remain anonymous. “His work challenges people, and visually it is stunning.”
