Artist was 80 years old when he began the painting of a former Tate cataloguer

The institution failed to meet its $55m target at last month's auctions

The Romanian painter’s prices have increased 160-fold over the past decade. But who, or what, is behind this steep rise?

Sotheby's sale fell below estimate while Christie’s provided some cheer, showing there is still money in Monet – but only the right one

The art world has yet to tackle issues around works like Picasso’s $115m child-prostitute portrait

Sotheby’s auction includes personal works by Hirst gifted to Dunphy, or sketched on the back of restaurant menus

But the watercolours are currently at the centre of a closely watched restitution lawsuit

How soon is too soon? Private collectors are selling off works as little as a few weeks after lending them to high-profile shows

Belinda Neumann-Donnelly claims the work could have made an extra $15m if Hubert Neumann had not tried to block its sale

Object was returned to consigner not museum from where it was looted at the end of Second World War

Aguttes sold the fossil to an anonymous buyer, who may name the new species, despite protests from paleontologists

Hostile relations between Russia and the West following attempted poisoning of former MI6 spy may dampen bidding at London's Russian sales

The Chinese-French Modern master continues to lead art market in Hong Kong

The work’s owner, a retired nurse, chose not to attend the sale in person due to nerves “in case it was worth something”

The work is due to be auctioned in Toronto with a high estimate of $135,000—and will fund a Mediterranean cruise for the owner and her friend

Still no evening auction, but blue-chip artists make way for fresh talent in new day sale format

Blaming an ingrained culture, auction houses vow to correct imbalance in women’s pay and representation in the highest ranks

The US artist dominated the top prices during New York sales series, where the commercial appeal of attractive subjects showed through in prices

After a difficult first series of auctions last December, Drouot holds more sales in June to disperse holdings of bankrupt French firm

New record for Joan Mitchell as fresh artists join the $10m-and-up club—but Bacon and Basquiat still dominate top prices in New York

Rapper P. Diddy identified as buyer of the Chicago-based painter's Past Times

Even without a $150m-plus headliner, the auction topped rival Sotheby’s by $100m thanks to deeper, more even bidding

Dealing dynasty says that the painting bought in the Rockefeller sale will be loaned to the Musée d’Orsay

Sex sells—but only if it is guaranteed

Highlights include works by Cady Noland, Kerry James Marshall and Lyonel Feininger

Leaning on romance of Rockefeller name and its appeal to international and first-time buyers, the auction house triumphed in its marathon week of sales

The heads of Christie's, Bonhams and Phillips speak on market shifts, challenges and why they believe their model will succeed

We drill down into the big numbers from the Post-Impressionist and Modern sale in New York with Georgina Adam, talk to Professor Rachel Pownall about the wider market and look at a small gallery housed in Piccadilly Circus Tube station.

Painting is “one of the most important” by the Impressionist artist to be sold in London in the past 20 years

Evening auction featuring the family's most valuable works set new records for Monet and Matisse