DHAKA: A floral masterpiece by Vincent van Gogh, painted in the closing stages of his life, has sold in New York for $61.8m.

Still Life, Vase with Daisies, and Poppies exceeded its estimate of up to $50m at the Sotheby’s auction.

A 1951 piece by Swiss sculptor Alberto Giacometti fetched more than $100m, but fell just short of the record $104.3m for the artist.

A sculpture by Amedeo Modigliani set a new benchmark for his work, reports the BBC.

Tete, an elongated head created in 1911-12 from a block of limestone scavenged from a Paris building site, was sold for more than $70m.

Van Gogh’s painting was created at the French home of his doctor just months before his death in 1890 and was one of the few works he sold during his lifetime.

But it fell far short of the auction record for a piece by the Dutch artist, which stands at $82.5m.

Sotheby’s said the painting was bought by a private bidder from Asia.

Portrait of Dr Gachet, the physician whose flowers he captured in this latest work to sell, went under the hammer for a record in 1990.

BDST: 1240 HRS, NOV 06, 2014