AMSTERDAM.- On Dec. 13th at Sotheby’s Amsterdam, during the sale of 19th Century European Paintings, a group of exceptional masterpieces from the Besselaar Collection, are sold for a total of €2.1 million/ £1.8 million/ $2.8 million, a figure within the pre-sale expectations of €1.4 million – 2.1 million. The star of the evening was Andreas Schelfhout’s, Winterscape with skaters, one of the finest paintings appeared on the market of the artist. Four clients on the phone and two in the room began to battle. In all, it took almost 5 minutes, when the widding bidder, a buyer from Europe bought the lot at €480,750/ $640,162, well in excess of pre-sale expectations of €280,000 – 450,000. Painted in 1857, Winterscape with skaters is without any doubt one of the artist’s masterpieces. The wonderfully detailed figures, some gathered around a refreshment stall, others