Turner painting sets auction record Wed, 05 Apr 2006

A painting, which sold for US$35.8m (£20.5m) at a New York auction, has set the record for highest auction price ever to be paid for a British arist.

Described as the finest old master to be sold at Christie's in New York since 1989 and a perfect example of J.M.W Turner's enduring fascination with Venice, the work was one of three oil paintings made for the Royal Academy of Arts Exhibition of 1841.

JMW Turner's view of Venice called Giudecca, La Donna della Salute and San Giorgio smashed the previous record which was held by John Constable. His painting The Lock, sold for $21.2m (£12.1m) in 1990.

The auction ended in a contest between two collectors bidding by phone and the final price drew gasps from the room!

The sale confirms the renewed worldwide interest in traditional pictures.