L.S. Lowry painting sells for $8.8 million

[November 17, 2011]  LONDON (AP) -- An L.S. Lowry painting has matched a world record price for the artist at a London auction, Christie's auction house said Wednesday.

Christie's said "Picadilly Circus" fetched 5.6 million pounds ($8.8 million) at an auction of 14 Lowry oil paintings.

That matched the previous record set for Lowry's work in May 2011 with the sale of "The Football Match."

The auction house had estimated "Picadilly Circus" would sell for between 4-6 million pounds ($6.3-$9.5 million).

The 1960 piece -- one of Lowry's rare London works -- captures the bustling scene around the capital's iconic landmark.

In total, the Lowry collection garnered 17.7 million pounds ($27.8 million).

Adding to a banner night for sales of the late artist's work, Sotheby's said it had sold Lowry's 1953 depiction of commuters, titled "Railway Platform" for 1.1 million pounds ($1.7 million).

[Associated Press]

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