A Pablo Picasso painting has set a new record for the most expensive art work sold at auction¹, fetching $106m (£70m).

一副毕加索油画在拍卖会上刷新最昂贵的艺术品记录，成交额1.06亿美元。

The Brodys bought the painting in the 1950s

The Spanish artist's 1932 picture Nude², Green Leaves and Bust³（半身像，胸部） was sold at Christie's auction house in New York.

It had belonged to the late Los Angeles collectors Frances and Sidney Brody since the 1950s.

The winning bid was made by an unnamed telephone bidder⁴. It breaks the record held by Giacometti's Walking Man I, which sold in February for $104.3m.

Another work by Picasso, Garcon a la Pipe, had previously⁵ held the record when it sold for $104.1m in 2004.

Nude, Green Leaves and Bust had been expected to sell for $70m-$90m.

The record-breaking sum, which includes Christie's commission, is being taken as a sign that the art market has recovered from the global financial crisis.

"The Brodys bought it in the 50s. It was only exhibited once in 1961," said Conor Jordan, the head of Christie's impressionist（印象主义者） department.

"When we got into Brody's house in November it was quite an experience," he was quoted as saying by AFP news agency.