orney ▁who ▁was ▁Mas iel lo ' s ▁chief ▁of ▁staff ▁at ▁the ▁time ▁Dev lin ▁was ▁appointed ▁to ▁the ▁court . ▁ ▁The ▁sale ▁also ▁raised ▁questions ▁about ▁how ▁museum s ▁can ▁remain ▁vital ▁when ▁they ▁are ▁situated ▁in ▁econom ically ▁decl ining ▁regions ▁and ▁have ▁limited ▁means ▁for ▁raising ▁funds ▁for ▁operations ▁and ▁ac quis itions . ▁ ▁Au ction ▁The ▁sculpt ure ▁was ▁au ction ed ▁at ▁S othe by ' s ▁New ▁York ▁by ▁Hugh ▁H ild es ley ▁on ▁ 7 ▁June ▁ 2 0 0 7 . ▁ ▁Est im ated ▁to ▁reach ▁between ▁$ 5 ▁and ▁$ 7 ▁million , ▁Ar tem is ▁and ▁the ▁St ag ▁broke ▁records ▁when ▁it ▁was ▁sold ▁for ▁$ 2 8 . 6 ▁million . ▁ ▁It ▁became ▁the ▁most ▁valuable ▁sculpt ure ▁ever ▁sold ▁at ▁au ction , ▁breaking ▁the ▁ 2 0 0 5 ▁record ▁of ▁$ 2 7 . 4 ▁million ▁for ▁Constantin ▁Br ân cu și ' s ▁Bird ▁in ▁Space ' '. ▁ ▁The ▁sale ▁price ▁has ▁since ▁been ▁sur pass ed ▁by ▁several ▁modern ▁works , ▁but ▁the ▁only ▁other ▁sculpt ure ▁from ▁anti qu ity ▁to ▁fetch ▁a ▁higher ▁price ▁is ▁the ▁Gu enn ol ▁Lion ess . ▁ ▁The ▁winning ▁bid der ▁remained ▁anonymous , ▁employ ing ▁art ▁deal er ▁Giuseppe ▁E sk en azi ▁to ▁complete ▁the ▁au ction . ▁ ▁In ▁January ▁ 2 0 0 8 ▁the ▁sculpt ure ▁was ▁initially ▁l ent ▁to ▁the ▁Metropolitan ▁Museum ▁of ▁Art