Art auction: Record-breaking painting collection sold

Gustav Klimt's 1903 'Birch Forest' painting sold for more than $100 million

A collection of paintings and sculptures have sold for a record-breaking $1.6 billion (£1.36bn).

The items belonged to Paul Allen, who co-founded the computer company Microsoft in 1975 with his friend Bill Gates.

The collection is the largest art auction in history, according to auction house Christie's, with 155 pieces up for sale, and features art by famous painters like Vincent van Gogh, Georges Seurat, Paul Gauguin, Paul Cezanne and Gustav Klimt.

The money earned from the auction will be donated to charities that Paul Allen supported before he passed away in 2018.

Paul Cézanne's La Montagne Sainte-Victoire, sold for a record-breaking $137.8m

The paintings and sculptures were split into two auctions, with the first earning around $1.5 billion, and the second around $115 million.

Five of the paintings sold for more than $100 million each.

The most expensive piece of art to be sold was a painting by Georges Seurat called Les Poseuses, Ensemble (small version) which sold for a whopping $149.2m (£131m), including fees, according to Christie's.

The total value of Paul Allen's art collection beat the record set earlier this year, which was set by a wealthy New York couple - whose art collection sold for $922m (£810m).