New York (AP) – The art collection of Linda and Harry Macklowe put up for auction due to their divorce has brought in almost $ 700 million in New York.
This makes it the auction with the highest total value in the history of the auction house, announced Sotheby’s. The most expensive piece was the painting “No. 7” by the US artist Mark Rothko (1903-1970), which was sold for around $ 82.5 million. The sculpture “Le Nez” by the Swiss artist Alberto Giacometti (1901-1966) brought in around 78.4 million dollars. Around 35 other works were auctioned for double-digit million amounts, bringing the total to a good 676 million dollars.
Linda and Harry Macklowe were married for almost 60 years. The New York real estate mogul and the art expert argued long and bitterly in court about the details of their divorce. A judge eventually ordered that the couple’s art collection – dozens of modern and contemporary masterpieces gathered over decades – must be largely sold.
The first part of the collection was now the final highlight of the traditional New York autumn auctions, the second part is to be auctioned at Sotheby’s next year. Meanwhile, competitor Christie’s announced that it had auctioned art worth more than one billion dollars in the fall auctions.
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