Three of Norman Rockwell’s best-known paintings sold at Sotheby’s American Art auction on Wednesday morning. The three paintings were sold for a total of more than $57 million.
Rockwell’s “Saying Grace,” was sold for $46 million, The New York Times reported. This painting was considered Rockwell’s personal masterpiece. The bidding for this work of art spanned over nine and a half minutes.
The painting shows a boy and an old woman bowing their heads in prayer. This painting was sold for more than double its high estimate. The artist was paid $3,500 for the painting, in 2013 adjusting for inflation that would be $30,500.
The AP added this sale broke the existing record that was set for an American painting. George Bellows’ work titled, “Polo Crowd” went for $27.7 million.
Another Rockwell painting, "The Gossips," sold for$8.5 million, while the third Rockwell painting, "Walking to Church," was sold for a little more than $3.2 million.
For the past two decades, all these of these works had been on loan at the Normal Rockwell Museum in Stockbridge, Mass. The museum contains the largest collection of original Rockwell work. Stockbridge is also the artist’s hometown.