ART

Is Slump Over?: A Claude Monet seascape, “The Jetty at Le Havre,” was sold for $9.7 million Tuesday night at Christie’s New York, meeting the auction house’s pre-sale estimate and fueling hopes that the art market is finally rising out of a three-year slump. Edgar Degas’ pastel “Russian Dancers” brought $6.3 million, more than double its $3-million estimate, and seven other works commanded more than $1 million apiece in the $49-million auction. Twelve of the 60 works offered failed to sell but overall results were “better than we could have possibly expected,” Christie’s president Christopher Burge said. “It’s very encouraging for the market.”