And finally… Gogh away

La Mousmé, is one of eight works by artists that are being sold in New York by Thomas Gibson, a London-based art dealer, with a total valuation of almost $23 million (£16.3 million).

Mr Gibson and his three sons have decided to sell the sketch along with seven others because they fear an increase in capital gains tax in the upcoming budget in response to the pandemic. 

Mr Gibson said: “To be candid, nearly all the works offered for sale belong to my children and I think there was an anxiety that capital gains tax might be increased substantially during the next budget, and as the likelihood is these works would be sold anyway after my death, I think my boys and I decided it was probably as good a time as any to sell now as there is currently such a dearth of decent material on the market.”

The highest price paid for a van Gogh drawing is $8,574,000 for his Olive Trees with Les Alpilles in 1999, The Times reports.

La Mousmé has been given a pre-sale estimate of between $7 million and $10 million.