The hyper-dynamic market for auctions of works of art in New York has again broken a record claimed by Sotheby’s: 922 million dollars for the very famous Macklowe collection sold twice, last November and Monday 16 may.
Sotheby’s, which moved from London to New York and has been owned since 2019 by Franco-Israeli telecom mogul Patrick Drahi, topped the fall season in November by totaling $676.1 million in sales in a single evening alone. ‘with the first batch of 35 works from this Macklowe collection, which notably included Rothko, des Warhol et des Pollock.
On Monday, May 16, Macklowe’s remaining 30 plays sold out within 90 minutes for $246.1 million. With a “total of $922.2 million”, it actually “the most expensive collection ever sold at auction”, welcomed Sotheby’s. It was put on the market in two batches following the divorce of the wealthy couple formed by Harry Macklowe, a real estate developer, and Linda Burg, an honorary administrator of the Metropolitan Museum of Art (Met) in New York.
Among the successful sales of the evening, the painting Untitled of Mark Rothko left for 48 million dollars, the seascape by Gerhard Richter sold for $30.2 million and the Self Portrait by Andy Warhol which reached $18.7 million, according to Sotheby’s.
In November, The nose by Alberto Giacometti was sold for $78.4 million, N°7, minimalist painting by Mark Rothko, 82.4 million and Number 171951 by Jackson Pollock sold for $61.1 million.
The art market is doing wonderfully in New York. The spring sales season began on May 9 at Sotheby’s competitor Christie’s (owned by French wealthy François Pinault), which sold a portrait of Marilyn Monroe Shot Sage Blue Marilyn by Andy Warhol for $195 million.
Thursday, May 12, Christie’s had also sold for 831 million dollars of works, including the Fourteen year old dancersculpture by Edgar Degas, sold for 41.6 million dollars, the highest ever at auction for the French artist.
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