Eric Turquin, who sells Old Master paintings at Artcurial, called the Jean-Simeon Chardin still life of strawberries a trophy picture.
Today the work received a trophy price when a dealer paid a €20.5 million hammer price. The painting had been held in the same family for generations. The descendants ofm19th-century collector Eudoxe Marcille, whose father François also owned important works by Boucher and Fragonard, were the consignors.
The painting was estimated at €12m.
