Elaine Wynn Named as Buyer of $142 Million Francis Bacon
- January 15, 2014 22:51
When Francis Bacon's massive triptych "Three Studies of Lucian Freud" sold to a telephone bidder for $142.4 million at Christie's New York in November, the unnamed buyer fueled speculation.
Becoming the world's most expensive painting ever sold at auction, the Bacon had five bidders actively in battle. Elaine Wynn, the ex-wife of casino mogul Steve Wynn, is said to be the winning bidder, according to the New York Times' sources.
Wynn has homes in Las Vegas and New York. Bacon is said to be one of her favorite artists, and she was looking for a triptych.
Known for their art collections, the Wynns divorced in 2010. Forbes estimated Elaine Wynn's net worth at $1.9 billion in September. She is a co-founder of the Wynn Casino Empire.
The painting is on loan anonymously at the Portland Art Museum in Oregon, though March 30.
