Going once, going twice, going 27 million times

"Mr. Giraud was glued to his cellphone, steadily raising his hand as Christopher Burge, the evening’s auctioneer, took bids in $500,000 increments. It seemed as though neither bidder would give in.

When the price hit $27 million ($7 million over the high estimate) with no end in sight, Mr. Burge jokingly said, “At some point I’m going to have to sell it.”

Mr. Bennett won out at $30 million ($33.6 million, including Christie’s buyer’s premium), a record price at auction for Matisse. The salesroom burst into applause." From reports on the recent Christie's auction in the New York Times