An oil painting by the renowned impressionist painter Henri Martin has been sold for £96,000 at a Stansted auctioneers.

The painting, of the south west French village of Saint-Cirq-Lapopie, was auctioned off at Sworders Fine Art Auctioneers last Tuesday.

It was last sold at Sotheby’s in New York for $137,500 and was expected to fetch over £80,000. The masterpiece was bought by a Turkish bidder over the telephone.

Sworders’ managing director, Guy Schooling, said: “We have a reputation for sourcing good quality items which is illustrated by the rise in international bidders who are buying on the basis of a condition report and our detailed research.

“There is currently a general shortage of excellent stock on the market but we are bucking that trend. Our Spring Country House Sale was tremendous with plenty of exceptional pieces attracting buyers from across the globe.”

Another highlight of the sale was three 18th Century paintings by Thomas Hudson – one of England’s most celebrated portrait painters of his time.

The portraits came from a country house in Norfolk, and had not been out of the family since they were painted. The trio sold for £33,000 – well above their estimates ranging from £3,000 to £12,000.

Mr Schooling added: “These paintings were outstanding on a number of levels.

“The subjects were Sir William Browne who was President of the College of Physicians, his wife Mary and his daughter also called Mary.

“They are the best examples of Hudson’s work and two of the portraits are in their original 18th century frames.”

Sworders’ next specialist sale for Fine Wine and Port takes place on Tuesday, March 24 at the Stansted Mountfitchet auction rooms.