Baku. 24 June. REPORT.AZ/ A Claude Monet study of mauve irises swaying against a pale blue sky in his Giverny garden was the star lot at $17 million. A 1969 Pablo Picasso head, with all the startling vigor of his old age, came in next at $7 million, Report informs citing foreign media.
Jay Vincze, international director and head of department, said the results showed the super rich were still keen to buy art after two weeks of sales in New York in May brought in well over $2 billion at Christie's and rival Sotheby's.
Buyers routinely remained anonymous but Vincze said they came from across 32 countries, with Asia still strong and combining with interest from Russia and the United States.
"We saw good strong American buying in February (in London) and that was reflected again tonight," he told Reuters after the evening sale.
Sotheby's holds its equivalent London impressionist and modern evening sale on Wednesday.