John Singer Sargent's Girl Fishing (1913) made $4.3m in Christie's sale of work from the Clark family collection in New York on June 18.
Best known for his revealing portraits of Edwardian era notables, in his later years Sargent (1856-1925) turned primarily to landscapes, allowing him to fully explore his inimitable talent for capturing light on canvas.
 John Singer Sargent's Girl Fishing was executed in 1913 |
He lived most of his life in Europe, returning to the US occasionally. The setting of the work is unclear, but it was acquired directly from the artist by a London based dealer - an indication that it may have been executed in the UK.
His auction record stands at $23.5m, set for Group with Parasols at Sotheby's New York in 2004. In May last year, his Marionettes achieved $5.3m.
A first edition copy of Walt Whitman's Leaves of Grass achieved a world record $305,000 against a $150,000 estimate - an increase of 190.4%.
The book is one of only 795 first editions published in 1855 and features five rare broadside adverts, which were inserted into a handful of copies.
Andrew McVinish, head of private and iconic collections, commented: "The success of An American Dynasty: The Clark Family Treasures cements the lasting legacy of Senator William Andrews Clark and his family as discerning collectors with an impeccable eye who were also tremendously important to the Industrial growth of our nation."
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