A painting by Irish born artist Francis Bacon has become the most expensive work of art ever auctioned.
The work by the figurative artist,, had never before been put under the hammer until Christie's flagship evening sale. It was bought by a New York gallery.
Bidding lasted six minutes and was split by would-be buyers on three continents, opening at $80 million and escalating in seconds.
It sold for around 22 million dollars more than the previous most expensive work - The Scream by Edvard Munch
The triptych, the only one not in a museum to date and executed almost 25 years after Bacon and Freud met, is the most expensive single lot offered in the New York November auction season.
Officials said it was particularly special because Freud, a close friend of Bacon, went on to become a hugely important artist himself in later years.
The previous record for a Bacon painting was $86 million in 2008.
Auctioneer Jussi Pylkkanen says it's a record price:
