Record price paid for painting in Maine

PORTLAND — A painting by Reginald Marsh sold at an auction Wednesday for $231,000, the highest price ever paid for one painting in Maine, according to the gallery co-owner.

The unidentified buyer bought the painting at Barridoff Galleries, which topped the $1 million mark for the first time in its 12 years of auctioning art, said co-owner Rob Elowitch.

He said a painting by Eugene Boudin went for $132,000 to a Maine collector who asked to remain anonymous.

The auction was intended to test the health of the art market, which has softened in recent months amid the weakened economy.

“I think this is the first good sale in some months,” Elowitch said. “I have no real explanation for what happened today except to say it looks like fresh paintings of good quality which are realistically priced seem to sell better than ever.”