Hockney painting exceeds $90 million at Christie’s auction, breaks record

British painter David Hockney ‘s 1972 painting “Portrait of an Artist (Pool With Two Figures)” reached a new record price for a living artist’s work when it was sold Thursday for more than $90 million, including taxes and fees, at a Christie’s auction in New York.

The painting, bidding for which already reached $60 million within a few seconds, easily surpassed the previous historical figure of $58.4 million, which was paid for one of the “Balloon Dog” of American Jeff Koons in 2013.

Hockney’s large work is considered one of the three most important pieces by the 81-year-old British artist and is the only time he has combined two of his favourite themes: a swimming pool and a double portrait.