Cezanne Painting of Card Players Reaches Record Sum

Qatari royalty pays $250 million for the masterpiece

This week’s reports in Vanity Fair include a story about the purchase of one of five Cezanne impressions of card players painted in the 1890's – an interesting story indeed, considering that the price paid for the painting has reached a new record: $250 million.

The masterpiece, believed to be the best in the series, was previously owned by Greek shipping magnate George Embiricos, who now sold it to a Qatari royalty who obviously knew its worth. As an art analyst put it: "$250 million is a fortune. But you take any art-history course, and a 'Card Players' is likely in it. It's a major, major image."

Prior to this, the art piece price record was held by a Jackson Pollock painting ($140 million) that sold privately in 2006 to Mexican financier David Martinez.

As for The Card Players series, its five sequences come in different sizes and number players, each depicting Provencal male peasants focused on the game of cards. The paintings are distinctive by their difference from the typical style of paintings with drunken crowds, rows and lots of action, as they display a still atmosphere, lacking the conventional characterisation.

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