Andreas Gursky's photo of the Rhine River sold for $4.3 million on Tuesday, making it the priciest photograph ever sold at an auction.
The photo is titled "Rhein II" and set records at Christie's in New York City when it exceeded sales expectations. Sellers originally thought it would go for between $2.5 and $3.5 million. The buyer was not disclosed.
The photo is one of a six-part series, and its similar works can be found in the Museum of Modern Art in New York City, the Pinakothek der Modern in Muchich, the Glenstone art museum in the U.S. and the Tate Modern in London, according to the BBC. Rhein II is the largest.
The chromogenic color photo captures a still moment along the Rhine, and shows not much more than strips of a hazy sky, green grass and water. Christie's said the simplicity was meant to evoke not a particular spot along the beautiful body of water, but an idyllic image of the Rhine as it runs through the plush landscape.
Gursky, who gained notoriety in the late 1980s, said he had been working on the series for more than a year and eventually decided to digitalize the photos. His is known for his technical approach to photography that attempts to showcase the regular world from a new point of view. He focuses on preparations for his photos, studying the best times for lighting and other elements at a certain spot, then works hard to digitally enhance the pieces.
