A painting by New Zealand artist Bill Hammond has sold at auction for $1.35 million.
Auction house fees took the final purchase price to $1.65m, said Megan Shaw, art department manager at Webb's.
That makes the artwork, Zoomorphic Lounge III, the second most expensive Hammond work sold, Shaw said.
"It misses out on the top spot by about $20,000."
Hammond's painting Melting Moments sold for $1.7m in 2023.
Webb's had estimated the work could fetch up to $1.8m at Tuesday night's auction.
While it did not reach that mark, the work is now in the top ten most expensive artworks sold in the New Zealand secondary art sales market, Shaw said.
Hammond's work was one of 100 pieces by 39 artists that Webb's auctioned for a private collector.
They were selling part of their collection in order to support a new generation of artists, Shaw said.
While she could not disclose who the buyer is, Shaw said the work will be staying in New Zealand.
"The work has found a happy home where it will be a centrepiece of their collection for years to come."
Shaw said the work had already been on loan to major galleries, including Auckland Art Gallery, for a decade.
"It would be up to the purchaser if they wanted to make the work public."
Shaw said 5% of the sale price goes to the artist, or their estate if they've passed away in the last 50 years.
SHARE ME