Prised open

摘要

After resisting injunctions from Brus-sels for almost a decade, the dusty world of French art auctions is at last facing transformation. The much-awaited decree shattering the centuries-old monopoly of state agents—or commissaires priseurs—over public art auctions was at long last published in July, more than a year after the law liberalising the market had been approved. Now, once the recently created conseil des ventes has approved them, international auction houses such as Christie's and Sotheby's expect to be banging the hammer in France from the start of next year.