Arts

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Every three years, the National Portrait Gallery holds a contest showcasing the best efforts in the country in portraiture. Out of 3,300 entries to the Outwin Boochever Portrait Competition, an exhibition of the top 49 is now on display.

In the first autumn auction held Tuesday evening at Christie's in New York, total sales fell short of pre-sale estimates -- only $65.6 million instead of $68.6 to $97.1 million -- making for a slow start to the U.S. art…