Comprising a total of 14 live auctions and online sales, with works of art dating from antiquity to the 20th century, Christies London Classic Week sales in July 2018 collectively realised £72,376,000 / $95,809,981 / 81,738,228. The top lot of the series was a gift from Louis XIV to his son, the Grand Dauphin, Hercules Overcoming Acheloüs, circa 1640-50 by Florentine sculptor Ferdinando Tacca (1619-1686). The bronze sold in The Exceptional Sale 2018 for £6,758,750 / $8,935,067 / 7,637,387, setting a new world record price for the artist at auction (estimate on request: in the region of £5 million). This was followed by Ludovico Carraccis Portrait of Carlo Alberto Rati Opizzoni in armour which sold for £5,071,250 / $6,704,193 / 5,730,513 in the Old Masters Evening Sale, becoming the
|