The artist’s iconic 1969 triptych Three Studies of Lucien Freud reached the record-breaking price after six minutes of fierce bidding. The sale shattered the old record of $119 million, which was set by Edvard Munch’s The Scream, which sold at Sotheby’s last year.

New record: The triptych Three Studies of Lucien Freud is an image of Lucien Freud sitting on a wooden chair in different positions. Pic/AFP