Beatriz Milhazes' 1993-1994 "Machina," (est. $200-$300,000) sold for $722,500 at Christie's. Photo: Courtesy Christie's Images Ltd. 2010

By Mackie Healy, Art Market Views Contributor

The Latin American art market’s pudgy Colombian sweetheart, Fernando Botero, led last night’s sale at Christie’s. His portly bullfighter family fetched $1.7 million, above the high $1.5 million estimate. The work sold to an anonymous phone bidder.

The sale totaled $18.7 million, with a lackluster 73 percent of lots finding buyer. Christie’s is developing a specialty in the marathon evening auction, and last night was no different: 84 lots were on offer. Buyers gravitated to market stalwarts like Botero, Op Art, and modern, geometric abstract works.

The night before, Sotheby’s evening Latin sale made $14.8 million, bringing the week’s two-sale total to $33.5 million, less than hedge funder Steve Cohen paid for his Warhol Coke bottle during the contemporary sales the week prior, and well under the projected $50 million high estimate.

A number of living artists fared well, including Brazilian painters Beatriz Milhazes and Adriana Varejao.

The second half of the evening generated the most excitement, with works from the 1960s and 1970s  fetching some of their highest auction prices.

Argentinian kinetic artist Julio Le Parc achieved an auction record $506,500 for his nearly six-foot high disco ball-like mobile, Seuil de Perception, Continuel-lumiere-Mobile (1960-62).

Mexican painter Rufino Tamayo had a bit of a bounce, after a finding less success at recent sales. His 1984 painting, Dos personajes (1984) went for $842,500 to a phone bidder, the highest auction auction for the artist’s later works with oil and sand on canvas.

The top ten:

Title/Date/Artist/Selling Price/Estimate/Buyer Info provided by auction house

1. Family Scene (1985) by Fernando Botero $1.7 million (est. $1 – $1.5 million) Anonymous Buyer
2. S’Enroseer (1956) by Matta $866,500 (est. $250,000 – $350,000) Anonymous Buyer
3. Seated Woman (1932) by Fernando Botero $842,500 (est. $650,000 – $850,000) European Private
4. Untitled (1942) by Matta $842,500 (est. $800,000 – $1.2 million) Anonymous
5. Dos personajes (1984) by Rufino Tamayo $842,500 (est. $400,000 – $600,000) Anonymous
6. Claustrophobia (1957) by Rufino Tamayo $782,500 (est. $600,000 – $800,000) Anonymous
7. Machina (1993-94) by Beatriz Milhazes $722,500 (est. $200,000 – $300,000) Anonymous
8. Danza al sol (1948) by Rufino Tamayo $662,500 (est. $400,000 – $600,000) South American Private
9. A Couple (Una Pareja) (2003) by Claudio Bravo $662,500 (est. $600,000 – $800,000) International Trade
10. Paisagem canibal (2003) by Adriana Varejao $602,500 (est. $250,000 – $350,000) Anonymous

Rufino Tamayo 1984 "Dos personajes," (est. $400-$600,000) sold for $842,500 at Christie's. Photo: Courtesy Christie's Images Ltd. 2010

Fernando Botero's 1985 "Family Scene," (est. $1M-$1.5M) sold for $1.7M at Christie's. Photo: Christie's Images Ltd. 2010