By William Stolerman

Martial Raysse’s Last Year in Capri has sold at Sotheby’s for £4 million, making it the most expensive work of art by a living French artist.

Painted in 1962 – the same year Warhol held his first pop art exhibition of Campbell’s soup cans – the painted collage was probably taken from a fashion magazine and places Raysse at the very beginning of the pop art movement. It was purchased by New York-based advisor, Christopher Eykyn.

Ai Weiwei’s 100kg pile of ceramic sunflower seeds also far exceeded Sotheby’s £100,000 estimate when it sold for almost £350,000. If valued by weight, one seed would now be worth £3.50 and the whole installation, £350 million.

The price also sets a benchmark for Weiwei’s dealers who have nine more 100kg piles to price and distribute.

Via [telegraph]

www.sothebys.com