The organizers of the auction expected to gain a picture of about 3 million dollars. But when the lot had been declared and the initial price, the hall has not risen a single hand. Most others claimed lots were bought for a price slightly more than expected, or even below it.

At the last auction Sotheby's has developed a dual situation. On the one hand the proceeds of the Impressionist paintings amounted to 223,8 million dollars, which is the fifth result the history of bidding auction of the period from Impressionism to contemporary art, on the other side - the expected amount ranged from 337 to 475 million dollars.

The global financial crisis is forcing collectors more cautious approach to the acquisition of lots. The reason for falling sales of Russian art at auction organizers called the reduction of the number of buyers from Europe, Russia and the Middle East. The main buyers at the auctions are now the Americans, although more recently it was all the contrary.

This situation leads and owners of works of art waiting for a more convenient time for sale. In late October, at the request of the owner of Sotheby's auction was withdrawn Picasso "Harlequin"