Rene Magritte's Auction Record Jumps 53%
3 min read · 20 Nov 2024
L'Empire Des Lumières. Image courtesy of Christie's
Rene Magritte, L'Empire Des Lumières (1954) sold for $121.2m, more than the low estimate at Christie's in New York on November 19. The oil on canvas work has been traded twice in the past. It was reportedly bought by the billionaire Ken Griffin.
The sale beat the artist’s previous auction record by $42.21m, a 53% rise.
L’empire des lumières. Image courtesy of Sotheby's
The previous record was set by L’empire des lumières (1961), which sold for $78.95m at Sotheby's on March 02, 2022. The work had not been traded before.
| Sale Date | Title | Price | Record Increase | Venue | City |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-11-19 | L'Empire Des Lumières | $121.2m | 53 % | Christie's | New York |
| 2022-03-02 | L’empire des lumières | $78.95m | 194 % | Sotheby's | London |
| 2018-11-12 | Le Principe Du Plaisir | $26.83m | 30 % | Sotheby's | New York |
| 2017-11-13 | L’empire des lumières | $20.56m | 15 % | Christie's | New York |
| 2017-02-28 | La Corde Sensible | $17.95m | 39 % | Christie's | London |
| 2014-02-05 | Le Beau Monde | $12.92m | 12 % | Sotheby's | London |
| 2002-05-07 | L’Empire des lumières (IV) | $11.5m | 77 % | Christie's | New York |
| 1998-11-19 | Valeurs personnelles | $6.5m | 83 % | Christie's | New York |
| 1996-06-25 | L'Empire des lumières | $3.54m | 75 % | Christie's | London |
| 1989-11-27 | La condition humaine II | $2.03m | 35 % | Christie's | London |
| 1989-05-09 | L'evidence eternelle | $1.5m | 25 % | Sotheby's | New York |
| 1988-11-11 | Chant de la violette | $1.2m | 96 % | Sotheby's | New York |
| 1987-06-30 | La Clairvoyance | $612,800 | 47 % | Sotheby's | London |
| 1987-06-29 | Le chant d'Amour | $416,200 | 8 % | Christie's | London |
| 1984-12-04 | La Corde Sensible | $386,700 | 2 % | Sotheby's | London |
| 1981-05-21 | At the threshold of liberty | $380,000 | 41 % | Sotheby's | New York |
| 1979-11-05 | La Chambre D'Ecoute | $270,000 | 17 % | Sotheby's | New York |
| 1979-04-02 | La grande Guerre | $231,500 | 34 % | Sotheby's | London |
| 1970-11-12 | La geante | $172,800 | 147 % | Sotheby's | London |
| 1970-10-28 | La duree poignardee | $70,000 | 36 % | Sotheby's | New York |
| 1969-12-10 | Le Palais d'une Courtisane | $51,600 | 59 % | Sotheby's | London |
| 1969-04-30 | Le seducteur | $32,400 | - | Sotheby's | London |