Sebastian VRANCX & Jan II BREUGHEL

The price index for Old Masters reached its peak of the decade in October 2008. Thus, like a number of other art segments, it benefited from the auction room euphoria that developed between 2004 and 2008 and then suffered from the meltdown as the economic crisis chased confidence out of the market. However, since the end of 2009 the major works withheld from auctions when the market was weak have started to return.