Pablo Picasso's "Woman Sitting Near a Window (Marie-Therese)" was sold yesterday for USD 103.4 million at Christie's in New York.<br />'' <br />''Christie's said, the painting, completed in 1932, was sold after 19 minutes of bidding for USD 90 million, which rose to USD 103.4 million when fees and commissions were added.<br />'' <br />''Christie's had estimated the painting would sell for USD 55 million.<br />'' <br />''The sale confirms the vitality of the art market despite the COVID-19 pandemic — but also the special status of Picasso, who was born in 1881 and died in 1973.<br />'' <br />''Bonnie Brennan, president of Christie's America said, that, the generally good performance of yesterday's auctions, totaling USD 481 million, signals a real return to normal and also a message that the art market is really back on track.<br />'' <br />''The painting, depicting Picasso's young mistress and muse, Marie-Therese Walter, was acquired only eight years ago at a London sale for GBP 28.6 million (about USD 44.8 million), less than half the price offered Thursday.<br />'' <br />''Five works by the Spanish painter have now crossed the symbolic threshold of USD 100 million.<br />''<br />''This is the first time in two years that a work has broken the USD 100 million mark since an 1890 Claude Monet "Meules" painting reached USD 110.7 million at Sotheby's, also in New York. <br />