René Magritte, L’empire des lumières, 1954
$121,160,000
A century after André Breton published his Surrealist Manifesto, René Magritte’s L’empire des lumières (1954) became the most expensive Surrealist artwork ever to sell at auction, achieving $121.16 million at Christie’s New York in November. The painting—hailed as the “crown jewel” of American interior designer Mica Ertegun’s collection by the auction house—shattered the artist’s auction record, previously set at Sotheby’s London in 2022 for L’empire des lumières (1961), which sold for £59.42 million ($79.24 million).
Measuring approximately 5 by 4 feet, this painting is one of the largest works in Magritte’s famed “Empire of Light” series, which comprises 27 variations on the surreal theme of juxtaposed day and night imagery. The serene scene features a house lit by a single streetlamp, its warm yellow glow reflected in a body of water below, while the sky above remains a daytime blue scattered with clouds. Slightly shrouded by silhouetted trees, the painting evokes a dreamlike contrast between light and shadow, day and night.
Another version of the Belgian artist’s “Empire of Light” series gained attention when it was showcased in the Belgian pavilion at the 1954 Venice Biennale before joining Peggy Guggenheim’s collection. Magritte subsequently expanded the theme into a series over the following 15 years to satisfy demand from eager collectors.
I would!
Here's a list of the top 10 most expensive works of art sold at auction in 2024.
https://www.artsy.net/article/artsy-editorial-10-expensive-works-sold-auction-2024
Meanwhile, enjoy this photo of my Camelia Bloom from My Patio
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