Cezanne masterpiece sold for $20.5 million in London

A Paul Cezanne painting of a southern French town sold for $20.5 million (18 million euros) in a London auction on Wednesday, the first time the artwork had been sold since 1936.

"Vue sur L'Estaque et Le Château d'If", rare among Cezanne works as a vertical-format landscape was painted during a visit to the town of L'Estaque.

The painting, sold at auction by Christie's, captures a view from the hill above the town, with pine trees framing the fishing port's terracotta rooftops and the Mediterranean Sea.

The "Chateau d'If" fortress of the title is located on one of the Frioul islands visible in the background of the painting, which had a pre-sale estimate of £8-12 million pounds ($12.2-18.3 million).

Dating from around 1883-1885, the artwork was bought in 1936 by collector Samuel Courtauld and remained in his private collection.

Cezanne moved to L'Estaque with his family due to the outbreak of the Franco-Prussian war in 1870, and returned to the town several times. The painting was created during one of his last visits.