Picasso's 'Sylvette' Sells For $6.9M In Sydney Auction

Sydney, Australia (AHN) - A 1954 masterpiece from Pablo Picasso broke auction records in Australia when it sold for $6.9 million.

"Sylvette 1954" was auctioned off at Deutscher-Menzies Galleries in Kensington on Wednesday. Gallery art head Tim Abdullah had predicted the painting would fetch between $5 and $ 7 million.

Picasso painted "Sylvette" in 1954 while living in the Cote d'Azur. The master was reportedly so taken with the model that he created 40 paintings and drawings of her in a span of one month.

"Sylvette is an exciting pivotal late work in the career of the artist, that shows the 72-year-old at his most innovative and best," said Abdullah in describing the masterpiece toThe West Australian, adding, "The briskness of paint application, a loose and free visual richness, spatial compression and coloristic vitality are all exciting aspects of the work."

Deutscher-Menzies Gallery director Rodney Menzies was the original owner of the painting.