A painting by Belgian surrealist master René Magritte has set a new auction record, selling for an astounding $121.16 million at Christie’s in New York on Tuesday, November 19.
The piece, titled Empire of Light (L’Empire des Lumières), became the most expensive surrealist artwork ever auctioned following a nearly 10-minute bidding war. The final sale far exceeded its pre-auction estimate of $95 million.
This milestone also establishes a new record for Magritte, surpassing the previous high of $79 million achieved in 2022.
Created in 1954, Empire of Light depicts a paradoxical scene of a house illuminated by a streetlamp at night, juxtaposed against a serene, daylight-blue sky. The artwork is part of Magritte’s celebrated series exploring contrasts between light and darkness.
The painting was formerly owned by Mica Ertegun, a celebrated interior designer and arts patron who passed away in 2023. Ertegun, originally from Romania, was married to Ahmet Ertegun, the founder of Atlantic Records.
The sale was a highlight of New York’s fall auction season, despite a slowdown in the art market compared to prior years. Christie’s reported $2.1 billion in sales for the first half of this year, a decline from the $4.1 billion reported in 2022.
In the same auction, Ed Ruscha’s Standard Station, Ten-Cent Western Being Torn in Half also made headlines, selling for $68.26 million and setting a new auction record for the American pop artist.
The sale of Empire of Light not only reinforces Magritte’s enduring legacy but also signals continued demand for iconic surrealist works.
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