A large bronze sculpture of a woman’s back by Henri Matisse sold Wednesday for nearly 49 million dollars, setting a new record for the French impressionist.

Measuring 74.5 inches (189.2 cm), “Nu de dos” was the star of the auction at Christie’s in New York.

It went under the hammer just a day after rival Sotheby’s auctioned an Amedeo Modigliani painting for a record 69 million dollars.

“Nu de dos, 4 etat (Back IV),” had been estimated to sell for between 25 and 35 million dollars, before a bidding war sent the price spiraling to 48,802,500 dollars.

A painting of a nude by Amedeo Modigliani fetched nearly 69 million dollars at a Sotheby’s auction in New York, setting a new record for the Italian painter.

The circa 1917 canvas, titled “Nu assis sur un divan (La Belle Romaine),” had been estimated before the auction to go for more than 40 million dollars.

Five bidders on Tuesday competed over what Sotheby’s called the “iconic” and “stunning nude,” driving the final price to 68,962,500 dollars.

The massive sale highlighted the first of the autumn art auctions in New York at Sotheby’s and rival Christie’s, with both houses predicting a surge in demand.

As part of the 2011 update to Louis Vuitton‘s City Guide, illustrator Ruben Toledo has been commissioned to create this beautiful series of 100 postcards.

Illustrated in black and white and accented with vibrant fluorescent colors, each image aims to capture the unique experience of the depicted destination.

Ruben Toledo was born in Havana, Cuba, in 1961 and is a painter, sculptor, illustrator and fashion chronicler in one. He now lives in New York.

Chanel is to donate the exhibition pavilion designed by Iraqi-born British architect, Zaha Hadid, to the Arab World Institute.

The pavilion showcased artworks by contemporary artists inspired by Chanel’s iconic 2.55 handbag in 2008.

Chanel will thereby perpetuate this work designed by one of the greatest contemporary architects.

Range Rover is to become the latest auto brand to enter the world of pop-up art, commissioning a series of installations on the streets of Paris.

The four installations have been created by French artists to celebrate the launch of the Range Rover Evoque at the Paris Motor Show.

The concept is reminiscent of the London tattooed ice sculpture unveiled by Nissan and celebrity tattooist Henry Hate to mark the UK launch of the Nissan Cube in February this year.

After announcing the teaser for the new ad campaign for Dior Homme cologne signed by director Guy Ritchie, here is the full commercial starring Jude Law.

The ad also includes Slovak fashion model Michaela Kocianova, and the music of Muse as the musical background for the Parisian setting.