René Magritte's 'L’empire des lumières' Sells for Record $121 Million

The 1954 surrealist masterpiece becomes the most expensive Magritte painting and surrealist artwork ever sold at auction.

René Magritte's 'L’empire des lumières' sold for $121.2 million at a Christie’s auction in New York, surpassing its $95 million estimate.
The sale broke the previous record for a Magritte painting ($79 million in 2022) and set a new auction record for surrealist art.
The painting was part of the late interior designer Mica Ertegun's collection, which featured other notable works by modern artists.
The artwork, one of a series of 27, juxtaposes a nocturnal streetscape with a bright daytime sky, showcasing Magritte's exploration of paradoxical imagery.
The sale highlights a rare bright spot in a slowing global art market, with the buyer remaining anonymous after a tense 10-minute bidding war.