Paul Gauguin's 1892 $200m painting becomes most expensive piece of art ever

Paul Gauguin's 1892 oil painting called Nafea Faa Ipoipo (When Will You Marry?) has fetched 200 million dollars at an auction making it the most expensive piece of art ever.

The artwork sold by retired Sotheby's executive Rudolf Staechelin declined to name the buyer but it is believed to have been purchased by a group of state museums in Qatar, the Daily Express reported.

The Ganguin painting had been hanging in Basel's Kunstmuseum on loan for more than 60 years but Staechelin has withdrawn all of his works from it.

The Swiss art museum said that they are painfully reminded that permanent loans were still loans.

Nafea Faa Ipoipo by the French impressionist depicts two Tahitian girls dressed in bright colours in a picturesque landscape.

The painting's price tag would eclipse the 164 million dollars paid by Qatar once again for Paul Cezanne's The Card Players three years ago.