AMERICAS 
Bacon triptych breaks auction record
Thursday, 15 May, 2008
Francis Bacon's Triptych, 1976 (Getty)
A three-panel painting by Francis Bacon has gone under the hammer for US$86.2 million, shattering the previous record for the artist's work.
Bacon's Triptych, 1976 had been expected to sell for about US$70 million, but a frantic telephone bidding war between two fans of his work pushed the price way beyond auctioneers' estimates.
The painting had been in the same European collection since it was first bought in 1977, and had been hailed as the most important work by the artist in private hands.
The previous record for a work by Irish-born Bacon, who died in 1992 at the age of 82, was $52.68 million, set last year.
Wednesday's sale, at Sotheby's in New York, also set a new benchmark figure for post-war art.
The previous record was held by Mark Rothko's White Center (Yellow, Pink and Lavender on Rose) that sold for $72.84 million at Sotheby's a year ago.
Source: SBS staff and agencies
