By William Stolerman

Roman Abramovich is rumoured to have bought Francis Bacon’s iconic Three Studies for a Portrait of Lucian Freud which sold for $37 million at Sotheby’s earlier this month.

It sailed past its pre-sale estimate of $14 million with speculation rife that Abramovich – who is a known Bacon-lover and is also furnishing his new $230 mansion in London – purchased the evocative piece. It’s unlikely we’ll ever know the buyer’s identity as they wish to remain anonymous.

Another highlight of the sale was Salvador Dali’s Portrait de Paul Eluard which sold for $21.6 million, a new auction record for a surrealist work of art.

Via [luxist]

www.sothebys.com