ARTFEED — Contemporary Art Intelligence

Rockefeller Collection Auction Shatters Records at Christie's New York

market-auction · 2026-05-04

On the first evening, Christie's New York auctioned the Peggy & David Rockefeller collection for over $646 million, surpassing projections. Every item was sold rapidly, establishing seven new records for various artists. The extensive collection features more than 1,600 items, including jewelry, furniture, silver, ceramics, carpets, and artworks. Notable sales included Picasso's "Fillette à la corbeille fleurie" (1905) at $115 million, Monet's "Nymphéas en fleur" (1914-1917) for $84.6875 million, and Matisse's "Odalisque" nearing $81 million. A Morandi still life set a record at $4.3 million. The second evening, dedicated to American art, raised $106 million, with Rivera's "The Rivals" selling for $9.7625 million. Proceeds will benefit David Rockefeller's estate, and Christie's anticipates exceeding $1 billion.

Key facts

  • First evening total: over $646 million
  • 7 new artist records set
  • All lots sold in minutes
  • Picasso's 'Fillette à la corbeille fleurie' sold for $115 million
  • Monet's 'Nymphéas en fleur' sold for $84.6875 million
  • Second evening total: $106 million, highest for American art auction
  • Diego Rivera's 'The Rivals' set artist record at $9.7625 million
  • Gilbert Stuart's George Washington portrait sold for over $10 million (estimate $800k–$1M)
  • Proceeds go to charity via Estate of David Rockefeller

Entities

Artists

  • Pablo Picasso
  • Claude Monet
  • Henri Matisse
  • Giorgio Morandi
  • Eugène Delacroix
  • Jean-Baptiste-Camille Corot
  • Armand Seguin
  • Diego Rivera
  • Frida Kahlo
  • Willem de Kooning
  • Edward Hopper
  • John Singer Sargent
  • Gilbert Stuart
  • Gertrude Stein
  • Ernest Hemingway
  • Abby Aldrich Rockefeller
  • David Rockefeller
  • Peggy Rockefeller
  • John D. Rockefeller

Institutions

  • Christie's
  • MoMA
  • Sotheby's
  • Artribune

Locations

  • New York
  • United States
  • Giverny
  • France
  • Venice
  • Italy
  • Bologna
  • Mexico

Sources