Ivan Yakovlevich Bilibin, 1876-1942, The Hunt, signed in Latin in full and with initials in Cyrillic l.r. and dated 1929, oil on canvas. 120,000 GBP - 180,000 GBP. © Sotheby's Images.

LONDON.- At the request of the family of Galina Vishnevskaya, Sotheby's announced today that the Rostropovich-Vishnevskaya Collection has been acquired privately in its entirety and that the new owner intends to bring the Collection to Russia. The Collection was acquired for an undisclosed sum that was substantially higher than the highest presale expectations. As a result, the auction, which had been scheduled for the 18th-19th September in London, will not take place. Lire la suite http://www.artdaily.com/section/news/index.asp?int_sec=2&int_new=21733

Georg Christoph Grooth, 1716-1749, Grand Duke Petr Fedorovich on Horseback (detail), oil on canvas, 40,000 GBP - 60,000 GBP. © Sotheby's Images.