New York- A drip painting by American painter Jackson Pollock was sold for about 140 million dollars to Mexican financier David Martinez, the highest price so far for a painting, the New York Times said Thursday. Known as "No. 5, 1948," the Pollock painting was owned by Hollywood entertainment magnate David Gellen, who declined to comment on the sale when asked by The Times. The Times said it obtained the information from experts with knowledge of the transaction.

The highest price before the sale of the Pollock was that of "Adele Block-Bauer," a painting by Gustav Klimt owned by cosmetic heir Ronald S. Lauder, which was sold in June for 135 million dollars.

Art experts identified the Mexican buyer of the Pollock as Martinez, The Times said. Martinez recently bought a two-floor apartment in the Time-Warner Center, a luxury building south of Central Park in Manhattan.

The sale of Pollock "No.5, 1948" made news before the opening next week of the fall art sale by major auction houses in New York, Christie's and Sotherby's. The two firms will present Impressionist, Modern and contemporary art works, including those of masters like Picasso, Gauguin, Cezanne, Klimt, de Kooning and Warhol.

Guy Bennett, director of Impressionist and Modern art at Christie's, said the auction house had received more than 350 requests for tickets for evening sale, an unusually high demand.