By anyone’s measure, last week was exceptional for Australia’s secondary art market, with $25.8 million in sales, 16 artist records set and a new high for an internet bid.

Not only was a new record set for Arthur Streeton for his romantic vision of Venice, The Grand Canal, which hammered $2.5 million at Deutscher and Hackett in Melbourne, but the painting sold to an internet bidder, establishing yet another record. Deutscher and Hackett charges a 25 per cent buyer’s premium, including GST, on the hammer, which gave the Streeton a total price of $3.068 million.