Painting sold for $4.8 mn in New York

New York, Nov 12 (IANS/EFE) A painting by a Spanish artist has been auctioned here at the Sotheby's for $4.8 million, making it his highest priced work ever sold in the US.

The painting titled "Buscando Mariscos" by painter Joaquin Sorolla was sold Friday.

Sorolla, who was born in Spain's Valencia city in 1868 and died in 1923, had established ties with the US in 1909 when he brought a collection of 350 paintings to New York.

"Since 'Buscando Mariscos' (Looking for Shellfish) arrived at Sotheby's this summer, we knew it would arouse great interest ... we set a new record for a Sorolla painting in the United States," Polly Sartori, vice president of Sotheby's, said after the sale.

Created by the Valencian master in 1907, the picture, which captures the moment when a little girl stirs the sand on the beach looking for clams, was initially assessed by the auction house at up to $1.5 million.

"Buscando Mariscos" is the only one of Sorolla's paintings that Sotheby's is putting up for auction in New York, while in London it will sell to the highest bidder "Playa de Valencia," "La Llegada de la Pesca" and "Barcas en la Playa," all featuring the sea and beaches of Valencia.