Paul G. Allen Collection Shatters Records with $1.5 Billion Christie's Auction
The first part of Christie's auction of the Paul G. Allen collection, held at Rockefeller Center on November 9, 2022, achieved a total of $1.5 billion, surpassing previous single-owner sale records. The sale, titled 'Visionary: The Paul G. Allen Collection,' featured 60 of 150 lots spanning 500 years of art history. All 60 lots sold, with third-party guarantees in place. Five paintings exceeded $100 million: Georges Seurat's 'Les Poseuses, Ensemble (Petite version)' at $149.24 million, Paul Cézanne's 'La Montagne Sainte-Victoire' at $137.79 million, Vincent van Gogh's 'Verger avec cyprès' at $117.18 million, Paul Gauguin's 'Maternité II' at $105.73 million, and Gustav Klimt's 'Birch Forest' at $104.585 million. Auction records were set for Bruegel the Younger, Cézanne, Max Ernst, Jasper Johns, Klimt, Signac, Seurat, and van Gogh. The collection belonged to Paul G. Allen, co-founder of Microsoft, who died in 2018. Proceeds from the sale will go to charity per Allen's wishes. A second part of the auction was scheduled for November 10.
Key facts
- The first session of Christie's Paul G. Allen collection auction totaled $1.5 billion.
- The sale took place at Rockefeller Center in New York on November 9, 2022.
- Five paintings sold for over $100 million each.
- Georges Seurat's 'Les Poseuses, Ensemble (Petite version)' achieved $149.24 million.
- Paul Cézanne's 'La Montagne Sainte-Victoire' sold for $137.79 million.
- Vincent van Gogh's 'Verger avec cyprès' fetched $117.18 million.
- Paul Gauguin's 'Maternité II' sold for $105.73 million.
- Gustav Klimt's 'Birch Forest' reached $104.585 million.
- Auction records were set for multiple artists including Bruegel the Younger, Cézanne, Max Ernst, Jasper Johns, Klimt, Signac, Seurat, and van Gogh.
- All 60 lots in the first session sold, with third-party guarantees.
- The collection belonged to Paul G. Allen, co-founder of Microsoft, who died in 2018.
- Proceeds from the sale are designated for charity.
- A second part of the auction was held on November 10, 2022.
Entities
Artists
- Paul Gardner Allen
- Georges Seurat
- Paul Cézanne
- Vincent van Gogh
- Paul Gauguin
- Gustav Klimt
- Bruegel the Younger
- Max Ernst
- Jasper Johns
- Signac
Institutions
- Christie's
- Microsoft
- Sotheby's
- Rockefeller Center
Locations
- New York
- United States
- Rockefeller Center