Jamie Wyeth dog picture sells for $218,500 in NYC

[March 04, 2011]  NEW YORK (AP) -- A Jamie Wyeth work depicting his yellow Labrador with a black circle around his eye has sold for $218,500 in New York City.

Christie's said "Study of Kleberg" brought more than five times the $40,000 pre-sale estimate.

It was purchased Thursday by private art dealer Ann Richards Nitze on behalf of a client who was not identified.

Wyeth said he painted the circle around Kleberg's eye in the 1980s after the pooch got too close to his easel. Wyeth's a big fan of the old comedy "Little Rascals," which featured a pit bull with the same marking.

Wyeth is the son of the great American painter Andrew Wyeth and grandson of classic novel illustrator N.C. Wyeth.

He lives in Pennsylvania and Maine and has a studio in Delaware.

[Associated Press]

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