A stone sculpture by Amedeo Modigliani, Tête, smashed several records after selling for €43.2m ($53m), nearly 10 times its estimate, at an auction in Paris yesterday.

At the Impressionist and Modern Art sale held at Christie's Parisien auction room last night, the sculpture prompted a frenzy of bids from nearly 20 prospective buyers - among them 15 telephone bidders - that lasted over 10 minutes.