Magritte painting set to break auction record in New York
René Magritte’s iconic 1954 painting l’Empire des lumières is set to be auctioned at Christie’s in New York on 19 November. Experts suggest it could fetch up to 95 million USD, a record figure for the Belgian surrealist’s work.
Magritte, born in 1898 in Lessines, Belgium, is celebrated as one of the most influential figures in the Surrealist movement. His work often juxtaposes ordinary objects in unusual contexts, challenging viewers’ perceptions of reality. L’Empire des lumières demonstrates his style, depicting a serene nighttime street scene illuminated by a single lamp under a bright blue sky.
The anticipated sale could surpass the current record for his work, set in 2022, when another version of L’Empire des lumières sold for 79.4 million USD. The piece comes from the collection of Mica Ertegun, a Romanian-American interior designer and philanthropist who died in 2023.
Other artists whose work will go under the hammer next week include Picasso, Matisse, Miró, Kandinsky, Moore, Basquiat, Rothko, Lichtenstein, Giacometti and Haring.
Magritte's L’empire des lumières © PHOTO KENA BETANCUR / AFP
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