Record-Breaking Bidding Battle Hits $28.5 Million for Leonora Carrington Surrealist Masterpiece

[@corgeousgeorge]

Nice. I like how the auctioneer gave the person in the room the benefit of the doubt and not wasting any more time. Sometimes it pays to have something done in person, on site.

[@claredelamer7940]

Wonderful to have her magical work fully appreciated.

[@javskrew5841]

The fact that in 1945 she was 28 and pregnant when she was creating this painting is a +

[@markdarnell614]

Absolutely Superb Surrealist painting! I think these auctions are obscene, but - I am happy to see her incredible work finally being valued!

[@vox95831]

Pleased to see a female artist fetching such high prices. I love this painting by Leonara.

[@tipsysmichigander6483]

Many female artist paintings sell for high prices... What would be nice is if the family of said artist received some sort of compensation for their families art that is being sold and resold and resold and resold...

[@小林薫-i5j]

レオノーラカリントンはマックスエルンストの奥さん。長い間、無視されて来た。やっと見つけた。

[@sjwilloughby-greene8214]

I am homeless and I can see the beauty and the investment in art. ✌️

[@liasisboa]

Prayers for you🙏❤️🙏. Keep focused on beauty and hold on to your positive attitude. Things will get better.

[@MichaelChengSanJose]

Each bid increment of $1M is enough to set up a person for life. The price of bragging rights among the super rich.

[@ajadegirl]

say whatever u want to say, its all just noise to him :)

[@gaiamorgosi7181]

I understand the concept behind the comment, but some pieces are going to museums to provide for the citizens who live there and that live off of tourism.

[@dongiogarciasantiago2864]

0145 Sat 18/05/24 ..just saw video interview of buyer constantini posted by sotheby's...amazing story of love of art paintings...well done for waiting 30 years to try your luck again and win the bid this time...great story...

[@wacamole76]

why does the description say 28.5 and the auctioneer says 24.5??

[@shreeragaviagencies6649]

Thats the tax and auctioneer fees

[@dongiogarciasantiago2864]

n commission

[@rosannekatonwalden1620]

This painting was found on an Antiques Road Show!

[@Amazing_Treasures]

cool

[@keycuz]

Looks like a Bosch study

[@jlasf]

I have an odd reaction watching this: there should be a revolution. I am rich, but seeing people so casually tossing around millions for a single painting to hang on a wall when most people scrape by living paycheck to paycheck. It seems obscene.

[@k.y.6148]

If it's any consolation, most art at this level is being purchased by consortiums or museums for public display. I look at it that, rather than hoarding their money, it puts this money back in play for many other people to benefit. And if you are a billionaire, why not share the wealth?

[@jlasf]

@@k.y.6148 Possible. But I have walked into the house of a friend and seen a $10M Warhol on the wall. So there's that....

[@liasisboa]

I share your reaction. I am not rich, but I’m generally a believer in free market capitalism… so when I watch paintings go for many millions I feel conflicted. I know it’s simply a market functioning, and yet it does seem, as you said, obscene. I guess the downside of capitalism is that it does produce obscenities: athletes making 50 mil/year, Jeff Bezos’s ridiculously excessive yacht, 30,000 sq. ft. houses… and 20 million dollar art. The sad reality.

[@jlasf]

@@liasisboa It's also the scale/speed of the bidding: in $1M increments! One loses perspective of what $1,000,000 means and how much that could change people's lives.

[@liasisboa]

@@jlasf You’re right - something I hadn’t thought of but it is the pace of increments that seems so unreal.

[@rsybing]

I read the negative comments and think we want to value art but we become disgusted when people pay for art. Perhaps we should pick a lane.

[@gaiamorgosi7181]

Honestly yes, but I also do understand the duality of the thing, because on one hand you have an original painting, you can every little brush, every single scribble and it has to be a magical thing, you know, but we live in a world where some people cannot afford to eat. So maybe this current world just needs some kind of balance at times, but that’s my opinion.

[@siyonqoba4810]

How can u not be inspired to know, theres people out here who can piss away $28M on art

[@CountDankula0]

its stunning, so much going on in this painting

[@lomein9320]

Curious if the auctioneer makes a commission as they really do an amazing job of trickling up the price tag ?

[@Tripletreasure]

Regardless of the final bid it has a value beyond the monetary price.

[@1hayes1]

Art auctions always seem to me to be the way really rich people show that they hate each other.

[@nawshlovestodance]

Taylor I want this painting can you get it for you

[@guillem4630]

¡Bien Eduardo!

[@JOSEPHXsMusic]

Love it!

[@paulgilliland2992]

It’s strange watching the way that millions are spent here. Keep in mind that add another 25% for Christie’s and that’s the total .

[@mattbrehe9781]

this is sotheby's and they recently revamped their premium structure to be 20% up to 6 million and 10% after that.

[@S_Edward_Burns_ArtsEditor]

Worth every million. #SothebysMatter

[@davidhunternyc1]

This sale was clearly THE story of the 2024 auction season. It was nail biting. Sell prices are about supply and demand. Like real estate, manipulation in the art market does exist but this is not the case with Leonora Carrington. Her accolades have been a long time coming. "Women surrealists" are in vogue and Carrington is leading the charge. Respectfully, I bow, but she is not the best of this school. Carrington's Bosch-like subject matter is discussed extensively. What isn't discussed is Carrington's lack of compositional skills, coloration, and the collapsing of negative space, as if these skills don't matter. Among this noise, there is nowhere for the eye to rest. This observation is not a critique. It's a matter of fact and not my preference. Carrington's vision is free flowing, not bound by traditional norms of artistic excellence. Some critics say Carrington is an amateur, others a genius. Pick your poison, Chopin's Nocturnes or Tool's Aenima? There is another lesser known surrealist in this school, Gertrude Ambercrombie. Her magic is as spellbinding as Carrington's but whose grasp of composition, color, and negative space is as charged as her subject matter. Gertrude Abercrombie's paintings are singular, nightmares in a Ikebana basket.

[@davidschmidt5507]

Admittedly this is not my favorite of Carrington. I think “Minotaur…” is a much better piece and uses negative space in a way that this painting does not

[@davidhunternyc1]

@@davidschmidt5507 Agreed.

[@imnotyourp]

My prepaid cell phone died on me...I was trying to bid $25 million....

[@janeflip1]

It bears all the hall,arks of a really great peyote trip!

[@aadilghanchi4927]

Very nice

[@agnesf2659]

Comparing to those rich but stingy to their employees while showing off their lavish vacations all the time, these ultra rich who understand and collect art works are much more appreciated.

[@angelchen5480]

現場的買走了，厲害😂😂😂

[@jacobohernandez6343]

Hola cordiales saludos . porque no contestan .

[@dongiogarciasantiago2864]

1148 Tue 21/05/24 BREAKING NEWS....christies brought back social commentary online...and realised sotheby's doing better on viewing ratings and PR, Publicity, People Person Skills..🇬🇧❤️🇬🇧..well done sotheby for being ahead of the game...💪👍❤️🇬🇧

[@MyLifeInDallas]

My bid 24 million and a penny! 😂

[@tinorodriguez3473]

Soo sad that she never got this money when she was alive and could have used that amount of cash to further her Art career : (

[@alfredmashao8071]

Was it sold for $24,5 or $28,5m? I heared $24,5m.

[@davidschmidt5507]

24.5 + fees to the auction house = 28.5

[@dongiogarciasantiago2864]

n commission + VAT TAX

[@aaronxalapa]

Finally

[@dodgygoose3054]

Holy damn....

[@mantronixtube]

24?

[@gmalda]

Think of all the people you could feed with $28,500,000.00 …………………………..

[@idiotsloveboxes]

Is the older man who got it the wealthy person himself? Or does he represent a rich person or an investor group or a corporation? Do the obscenely wealthy get their hands dirty by actually touching an auction house paddle & sitting in a chair next to other humans?

[@roypries2387]

Eat the rich .

[@iosefgarcia7499]

#ShothebysHauseInEngland And Hause.

[@TeacherAri]

The world is insanely unfair 😢This is disgusting 😢

[@shadowfilm7980]

Not for me. 😬

[@weeverob]

applause for merely writing a big check

[@jacobohernandez6343]

Hola cordiales saludos .bla bla bla

[@Jorr235]

It’s awful