It was a historic night at Christie's in New York on Tuesday as the 19th & 20th Century Art Evening Sale, the first sale in the series from the Collection of Peggy and David Rockefeller, totaled $646,133,594, exceeding the collection estimate by $100 million.  

Quote from Marc Porter, Chairman Americas, “The Rockefeller legacy has resonated strongly and we are thrilled with the results achieved for the first evening in this series of sales, already over our expectations. With new price levels set for Monet, Matisse, Corot, and others, the bidding was testament to the taste, connoisseurship and standing of the Rockefeller family combined with a shared goal to achieve a great result for the charitable beneficiaries of the sale.”

The top lots of the sale were Picasso’s, Fillette à la corbeille fleurie, which realized $115,000,000, Monet’s Nymphéas en fleur, which totaled $84,687,500, and Matisse’s Odalisque couchée aux magnolias, which sold for $80,750,000.

In total, 7 works sold above $30 million, and 7 world auction artist records were set for Monet, Matisse, Corot, Delacroix, Seguin, Morandi and Redon. Collectors from Europe, Asia, North and South America, and Australia participated in the sales, representing 34 different countries.

Sales of The Collection of Peggy and David Rockefeller continued with English & European Furniture, Ceramics and Decorations Part I  and the Art of the Americas Evening Sale  on 9 May, which are followed by the Fine Art Day Sale, English & European Furniture, Ceramics and Decorations Part II  and Travel and Americana  on 10 May. The Online only sale continues until Friday 11 May.