TURNER MASTERPIECE SOLD FOR RECORD $47 MILLION

 “Rome, from Mount Aventine” (below), depicting the river of the Italian capital bathed in morning light, was painted in 1835.

J.M.W. Turner oil painting was sold for $47 million at Sotheby’s in London, breaking a previous record for the artist.

Four bidders competed for the 1835 painting, described by the auction house as one of Turner’s “supreme achievements”.

“This painting, which is nearly 200 years old, looks today as if it has come straight from the easel of the artist,” said Alex Bell of Sotheby’s old master paintings department.

“The hairs from Turner’s brush, his fingerprint, the drips of liquid paint which have run down the edge of the canvas, and every scrape of his palette knife have been preserved in incredible detail.”

It was the highest price paid for a pre-20th century work by a British artist and beat the previous record set for a Turner painting — £29.7 million paid for “Modern Rome – Campo Vaccino” in 2010 (above).

Here you can see more paintings of the artist.

Arundel Castle, with Rainbow(1824)

Eruption of Vesuvius(1817)

The Shipwreck(1805)

Calais Pier(1803)

Without a doubt great pieces of art. Amazing paintings!