A masterpiece by the celebrated 19th-century Italian painter Francesco Hayez has shattered expectations at Christie’s Old Masters Evening Sale in London, setting a new world auction record for the artist. Bathsheba, an evocative oil painting dating back to 1827, sold for an astonishing $1,893,348, nearly doubling its pre-sale estimate! Bathsheba is hailed not only for its technical brilliance but also for its storied provenance. The painting was first acquired directly from Hayez by King William I of Württemberg at Milan’s Brera Academy. According to Hayez’s memoirs, the king, captivated by the painting’s beauty and mastery, paid the artist’s full asking price on the spot.