Card Player Art Fetches $250 Million

This story was published more than 12 years ago.

One of French artist Paul Cezanne's impressions of card players has sold for a record $250 million, according to a report by Vanity Fair.

The painting was purchased by a royal family from Qatar from Greek shipping magnate George Embiricos. The sale is a new record for a piece of art, surpassing the $140 million paid for a Jackson Pollock painting.

While the sum may seem exorbitant to many, one art analyst said "$250 million is a fortune. But you take any art-history course, and a 'Card Players' is likely in it. It's a major, major image."

The Card Players is an oil painting that was made in the early 1890's. The image depicts peasants playing card games. Paul Cezzane used farmhands in his paintings to act as models. The image is very popular and often cited in books on art.