Anna Chan:
Christie's art auction on Tuesday has proved that the art world is not short of cash. In New York works from French impressionists Monet and Rodin were sold at record prices. Let's take a look at all the action.

The art world can take heart. A Monet and a Rodin pulled in record prices at a Christie's auction Tuesday, putting aside fears for now that the global credit crunch would crush art prices.

The auction of Impressionist and Modern art reaped 277 million dollars.

The highlight: Monet's painting of this railroad bridge from his early period. "Le Pont du chemin de fer a Argenteuil" sold for $41.5 million, topping the previous high for a Monet by nearly $5 million.

Christie's auctioneer Christopher Burge says this is the finest of the four bridge paintings done by the impressionist master.

[Christopher Burge, Christie's Auctioneer]:
"It's very rare to get an 1870s Monet of this quality on the market and the result proved that tonight."

The hammer shattered records for Giacometti's bronze sculpture of a standing woman. It pulled in 27 million, nine million more than the previous record. And this Rodin sculpture called "Eve" went for nearly 19 million, more than double the previous record.

[Christopher Burge, Christie's Auctioneer]:
"Generally speaking, for the very best things, the market was still red hot and top prices were more than we expected."

Top prices, but cheaper in the eyes of many foreigners. Aided by the weak dollar, Europeans accounted for more than half of the purchases last night.