René Magritte’s ‘Empire of Light’ smashed auction records on Tuesday, selling for over $121 million at Christie’s in New York. The 1954 masterpiece, initially valued at $95 million, surpassed the surrealist artist’s previous record of $79 million set in 2022.
The painting, featuring a bright house under a blue daytime sky contrasted with a dark night, captivated collectors. Part of a series on light and shadow, it is one of Magritte’s most iconic works.
The piece belonged to the late Mica Ertegun, a Romanian-born interior designer and arts patron. Ertegun, who passed away in 2023, was a significant figure in the American cultural scene and the wife of Ahmet Ertegun, founder of Atlantic Records. The sale marked a highlight in the autumn auction season, with the buyer’s identity remaining undisclosed.
This achievement places Magritte among an elite group of artists whose works have surpassed the $100 million mark at auction, alongside figures such as Picasso and Warhol. Marc Porter, chairman of Christie’s Americas, described the event as “a historic moment in our saleroom.”
What is surrealism?
Surrealism, is a 20th-century art movement, aimed to unlock the unconscious mind by blending dreamlike imagery with reality. Originating in the 1920s, the movement was heavily influenced by Sigmund Freud’s psychoanalytic theories. It encouraged the use of unexpected juxtapositions and illogical scenes to challenge conventional perspectives.
Artists like René Magritte, Salvador Dalí, and Max Ernst became synonymous with surrealism, crafting works that often provoked deep introspection or unease. Magritte, in particular, was celebrated for his ability to present ordinary objects in extraordinary contexts, forcing viewers to question their perceptions of reality.
Elsewhere, a conceptual artwork by Italian artist Maurizio Cattelan, sold for $6.2 million at Sotheby’s in New York. The piece, a single banana duct-taped to a wall, drew widespread attention during its 2019 debut at Art Basel Miami Beach, where debates raged over its artistic value.
The latest sale, made to cryptocurrency entrepreneur Justin Sun, represents a staggering increase from its original price of $150,000. Sun purchased a certificate of authenticity permitting him to recreate the piece, which he announced he plans to “consume as part of the art experience.”