Heard on The StreetJanuary 20, 2004

For the first time, a work by Diego Velasquez was auctioned in Madrid.

It is Cabeza de apóstol, oil on canvas, 38 x 29 cm, dated 1619-20. The piece comes from a private collection in Madrid, and it is known to have belonged to the Marqués de Casa Torres collection and to the Countess of Saltes. The auction took place in early December, in Madrid, organized by Alcalá Subastas, and it is a fragment of a somewhat larger work. The piece is considered non-exportable and it has been documented, also considered an Object of Cultural Interest. The final price of the painting was of 2.400.000 euros and to everyone's surprise, the painting was not acquired by the state.
For the first time, a work by Diego Velasquez was auctioned in Madrid. | artnexus