The painting ‘The Empire of Light’ by the Belgian surrealist artist René Magritte has been sold for more than 114 million euro at an auction in New York. This is a record price for a work by Magritte.
Magritte’s ‘Empire of Light’ sold for more that 114 million euro at auction in New York
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The 1954 painting went under the hammer at Christie’s auction house in Manhattan. Christie’s says that never before had a surrealist painting sold for more. Bidding lasted just 10 minutes. The buyer is an American collector whose identity is not being disclosed.
Charly Herscovici of the Magritte Foundation told journalists that the price paid was a record for a Magritte sold at auction but work by the Belgian surrealist has sold for more through private sales. Prior to auction the painting had expected to fetch 95 million US dollars.
The oil painting, which measures 146 cm by 114 cm, comes from the collection of the late interior designer Mica Ertegun. She was married to Ahmet Ertegun, the co-founder of Atlantic Records and a well-known art collector. Her collection also includes works by Joan Miró and David Hockney.