Cézanne painted several versions of The Card Players in the 1890s; this one was held by the Greek shipping family of George Embiricos for decades before its private sale.
Its rarity and provenance made it one of the most sought-after paintings still in private hands at the time.
The deal was so secretive that the exact price was never officially confirmed — reports settled on a figure between $250 million and $300 million.
Even billionaires, apparently, sometimes prefer their nine-figure purchases stay off the record.
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