Pablo Picasso Painting Sold At World Record Price In Auction

Picasso's Nude, Green Leaves and Bust has sold for $106m (£70m) at Christie's in New York on Tuesday, setting a new world record for a work of art sold at auction.

The vibrant large-scale depiction of Picasso's mistress and frequent subject, Marie-Therese Walter, was the highlight of a world-class collection assembled by the late Los Angeles art patrons Frances and Sidney Brody.

It had been estimated to sell for more than $80m, but many art experts predicted in recent weeks it would ride growing confidence in a recovering art market and break the previous record of $104.3m set in February by Giacometti's Walking Man I at Sotheby's in London.

More than half a dozen people bid on the 1932 canvas, which the Brodys acquired in the 1950s from Picasso's dealers, with the winning bid taken by a Christie's executive via telephone. The final price of $106,482,500 included the auction's house's commission.

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Be Sincere Not Serious

Don't just have career or academic goals. Set goals to give you a balanced, successful life. I use the word balanced before successful, balanced means ensuring your health, relationships, and mental peace are all in good order. There is no point of getting a promotion on the day of your break-up. There is no fun in driving a car if your back hurts. Shopping is not enjoyable if your mind is full of tension.

Life is one of those races in nursery school where you have to run with a marble in a spoon kept in your mouth. If the marble falls, there is no point coming first.. Same is with life where health and relationships are the marble.

Your striving is only worth it if there is harmony in your life. Else, you may achieve the success, but this spark, this feeling of being excited and alive, will start to die.

One thing about nurturing the spark - don't take life seriously. Life is not meant to be taken seriously, as we are really temporary here. We are like a prepaid card with limited validity. If we are lucky, we may last another 50 years. And 50 years is just 2,500 weekends. Do we really need to get so worked up?  

It's ok, bunk a few classes, scoring low in couple of papers, goof up a few interviews, take leave from work, fall in love, little fights with your spouse. We are people, not programmed devices.

"Don't be serious, be sincere."

God gave me nothing I wanted; He gave me everything I needed.