Le Brocquy water-colour earns record price

A veil of secrecy was tonight drawn over the Irish buyer who paid a record price for a painting by one of the country’s greatest living artists.

The new owner of Louis le Brocquy’s water-colour – Study of Francis Bacon - paid more than 10 times the minimum estimate for the work at an auction in London.

Speculation was mounting among the art world as to who paid €229,048 for the work – which was guided to fetch as little as €22,369 before today’s sale.

The price broke all records for a work on paper by the Dublin-born artist, who is celebrating his 90th birthday this year.