Empire of Light becomes the most expensive painting ever sold in Europe

Belgian surrealist artist Rene Magritte’s (1898-1967) painting “Empire of Light” (L’empire des lumières, 1961) sold for £59.4 million (about $79.8 million).

Painted in 1961, the painting became the most expensive painting ever sold in Europe, according to Sotheby’s. Three collectors fought for the painting – and bargained over the phone. “Empire of Light” was sold three times more expensive than another painting of the artist.

The “Empire of Light” depicts a villa at dusk, where the lights have already been lit, and a lantern is lit in front of the building itself, on the contrary, a bright sky with white clouds is depicted.

This painting is one of several variants painted as part of the Empire of Light series, begun in 1948 for Baroness Anne-Marie Crowe. She was the daughter of the Belgian surrealist collector Pierre Croft.

 

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