Three Cézanne pictures from the inventory of the Langmatt Museum in Baden were auctioned in New York on Friday night for a total of $44.8 million.
The future of the museum is thus secured in the long term, as the museum foundation announced.
The proceeds were the equivalent of CHF40.32 million, as the foundation wrote in a statement early on Friday morning. The goal was to raise CHF40 million. The precision landing was a good result given the tense market environment, it said.
First, the painting "Fruits et pot de gingembre" (Fruits and Ginger Pot) went under the hammer at Christie's auction house in New York. It was auctioned for $33.5 million. The auction of the most valuable of the three Cézanne paintings started at $20 million.
Offers immediately skyrocketed, as could be seen on the live stream of the auction. Starting at the price of $33 million, two representatives discussed in more detail with the potential buyers on their cell phones.
The painting "Fruits et pot de gingembre" was previously estimated to be worth between $35 million and $55 million. The heirs of a former co-owner of the most valuable picture will also receive a share of the sales proceeds, as the museum had announced in advance. ...