The Painting That Set Roberto Matta's Auction Record
3 min read · 29 Jan 2025
La révolte des contraires. Image courtesy of Christie's
Roberto Matta, La révolte des contraires (1944), sold for $5.01m at Christie's in New York on May 22, 2012. The oil on canvas work had been traded 7 times before.
Born in Chile, Roberto Matta (1911-2002) was an ambitious young architect when he traveled to France in 1935. There he became a visual artist and member of the Surrealists. Fleeing Paris in 1939, Matta soon made his mark in New York with solo shows at the Julian Levy Gallery in 1940 and the Pierre Matisse Gallery in 1942. La révolte des contraires dates from that high point in his career.
His record breaking painting also dates from the time when Matta abandoned his wife, fellow Surrealist Ann Clark, and their twin sons, one of whom became the artist Gordon Matta-Clark.
In 2024, the Ca’ Pesaro International Gallery of Modern Art in Venice organized "Roberto Matta: 1911-2002", a major exhibition ranging from his large-scale paintings to the artist's lesser known bronzes.
Endless Nudes. Image courtesy of Sotheby's
The sale beat Matta's previous auction record by $2.52m, a 100% rise. His previous record was set by Endless Nudes (Undated), which sold for $2.49m at Sotheby's on November 18, 2009. The work had not been traded before.
A Brief History of Roberto Matta at Auction
Sale Date | Title | Price | Record Increase | Venue | City |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2012-05-22 | La révolte des contraires | $5.01m | 101 % | Christie's | New York |
2009-11-18 | Endless Nudes | $2.49m | 31 % | Sotheby's | New York |
2007-05-31 | Tige verte les possessions | $1.9m | 27 % | Christie's | New York |
1995-11-21 | Disasters of mysticism | $1.5m | 43 % | Sotheby's | New York |
1990-05-02 | Disasters of Mysticism | $1.05m | 75 % | Sotheby's | New York |
1990-05-01 | Untitled | $600,000 | 150 % | Christie's | New York |
1989-11-21 | Snamers | $240,000 | 12 % | Christie's | New York |
1987-11-18 | Psychological Morphology No 34 | $215,000 | 13 % | Sotheby's | New York |
1987-05-19 | L'interrompu | $190,000 | 19 % | Christie's | New York |
1983-11-29 | Disasters of mysticism | $160,000 | 66 % | Christie's | New York |
1976-10-20 | Je m'honte | $55,000 | 57 % | Sotheby's | New York |
1974-05-03 | Quand les roses sont belles | $35,000 | - | Sotheby's | New York |
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