The previous record for a work of art sold at an auction was Edvard Munch 's `` The Scream , '' painted in 1895 . `` Three Studies of Lucian Freud , '' painted in 1969 , sold for $ 142,405,000 . The painting was a gift to the United States from his friend and fellow artist Paul Klee ( who had died earlier that year ). The previous record for a work of art sold at an auction was Edvard Munch 's `` The Scream '' The sale was part of an auction with the highest sale total in history .
`` Three Studies of Lucian Freud , '' painted in 1969 , sold for $ 142,405,000 . The painting was a gift to the United States from his friend and fellow artist Paul Klee ( who had died earlier that year ). The previous record for a work of art sold at an auction was Edvard Munch 's `` The Scream '' The sale was part of an auction with the highest sale total in history .