Jasper Johns Flag Piece Sells for Record $36 mn

One of contemporary artist Jasper Johns' well-known pieces depicting an American flag sold at auction Tuesday for a record 36 million dollars, Sothebys announced.

The 30 by 45 cm (12 by 18 inch) piece "Flag" was painted in 1983 by Georgia-born Johns, who is now 84. It by far topped predictions that it might sell for about 20 million.

The artist's previous record was 28.6 million dollars -- also for one of his flags -- back in 2010.

The other star of the night was Mark Rothko's abstract "No. 21 (Red, Brown, Black and Orange)" which was sold for 44.96 million dollars as collectors jostled for control of the work by the Latvian-born American painter.

On Monday, two of his works sold for a hefty $76.5 million also at Sothebys.