Can You Believe THIS Painting Is Worth $95 MILLION? 1954 Magritte Set To Break Records!
A rare René Magritte painting could fetch $95M at Christie’s, breaking records and shaking up the art world this fall. 🌐 #News #Lifestyle #Art #History
ST. PAUL, MN – What would you do with $95 million? That’s the question swirling around the art world as a rare painting from René Magritte’s iconic “L’empire des lumières” series heads to auction in New York. Experts predict the artwork could shatter records by fetching a jaw-dropping price, and it’s poised to become a major victory for Christie’s auction house. This 1954 masterpiece, featuring Magritte’s signature juxtaposition of light and shadow, is more than just a collector’s dream—it’s a potential history-maker.
Magritte’s Multi-Millions Masterpiece
The painting is expected to sell for over $95 million this fall, potentially setting a new benchmark for the Belgian surrealist.
“L’empire des lumières” stands out among 27 other works in the series, famous for their eerie mix of daylight skies above dark, shadowy streets. One piece from the series already made waves in 2022 when it nearly tripled Magritte’s previous auction record, selling for $79.7 million at Sotheby’s in London. Now, this painting could take things even further.
The artwork comes from the estate of Mica Ertegun, a renowned interior designer and wife of Atlantic Records co-founder Ahmet Ertegun.
Over her lifetime, Mica built an impressive art collection, featuring works from celebrated artists like Joan Miró, David Hockney, and even a quirky Polaroid photo of herself taken by Andy Warhol. But it’s Magritte’s haunting vision of light and darkness that truly captured her aesthetic.
From Mica Ertegun’s Estate to Christie’s Auction Block
Christie’s will host a dedicated evening sale of Ertegun’s collection on November 19, followed by several additional sales both in-person and online. A “significant portion” of the proceeds will go to charitable causes that Ertegun was passionate about, from supporting education at Oxford University to preserving historical sites through the World Monuments Fund.
For Christie’s, this sale could be a financial windfall after a sluggish 2024, where their total auction revenue dropped by 22% compared to the previous year. Despite softened sales, the auction house has managed to keep other metrics stable, such as sell-through rates.
In a strategic move, Christie’s has also recently acquired Gooding & Company, a car auctioneer, in an effort to broaden their market offerings. All eyes will be on this Magritte masterpiece, not just for its artistic value, but for the boost it could bring to the art auction industry as a whole.
As the art world braces for the fall auction season, Magritte’s work promises to be the shining star. A once-in-a-lifetime sale with proceeds that will continue to shape cultural and philanthropic landscapes long after the gavel falls.
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