Qatar: Breaking art records

Qatar is thought to be the mystery buyer of Paul Gauguin’s 1892 oil painting Nafea Faa Ipoipo (When Will You Marry?), which has reportedly sold for $300m, beating the previous record for a private sale – around $250m which Qatar is believed to have payed for Paul Cézanne’s The Card Players in 2011. The Gauguin’s previous owner, retired Sotheby’s executive Rudolf Staechelin, has confirmed the sale, though neither the price nor the buyer. On 5 February, the International New York Times quoted dealers as saying the painting was sold to a Qatari buyer; Qatar Museums