Eric Clapton to sell painting worth up to $23.3 million

LONDON (REUTERS) - Should Eric Clapton ever decide to hang up the guitar, he might try his hand at art dealing.

The 67-year-old British rocker is selling an abstract painting by German artist Gerhard Richter at Sotheby's next month which is expected to fetch US$14 million to US$19 million (S$17 million to S$23.3 million) .

The price itself may raise barely an eyebrow in auction house circles, where Richter has long been one of the world's most sought after living painters with an auction record of US$21.8 million set in New York in May.

But even amid soaring prices for top contemporary art, Clapton has done exceptionally well - the canvas on offer is one of three the former Cream musician acquired at Sotheby's in 2001 for a total cost of US$3.4 million.