Giacometti sculpture sale breaks record

Sculptor Alberto Giacometti remains the most expensive Swiss artist after his work fetched a record price at a New York auction.

Grande femme debout II (Large woman standing II) sold for $27.5 million (SFr29 million) at the Impressionist and Modern Art sale at Christie’s on Tuesday.

Five of the artist’s sculptures went under the hammer, with other final bids ranging from $657,000 for Figurine to $14.6 million for his work La Place II.

A spokesman for the auction house said Swiss artists were becoming “increasingly desirable among collectors”. Félix Vallotton and Ferdinand Holder have also sold for world records at Christie’s auctions.

L’homme qui chavire by Giacometti was previously the most expensive Swiss work ever sold.

Giacometti studied in Geneva and Paris, where he later settled and developed an interest in the human figure. He gained fame in the mid-1950s and had exhibitions of his work in Europe and the United States.