#sothebys

#sothebys

In many instances the importance of these paintings has only recently been recognised, thanks to the enormous amount of research my colleagues have done, working-in some instances for months, even years-with outside scholars to shed new light on their authorship and history. The galleries look stunning, filled with an array of beautiful paintings, each with a fascinating story to tell. They are already working their magic on art lovers from across the globe, and we hope everyone c

In just over an hour and half, Sotheby's auctioneer Oliver Barker, sheathed in a tuxedo and black bowtie to celebrate the house's inaugural sale at the Breuer building, coaxed in $527.5 million in sales, breezily surpassing the pre-sale low estimate of $379 million. That included the season's most talked about piece of treasure, Gustav Klimt's portrait of Elisabeth Lederer for which sold for $236.4 million, earning Klimt an auction record and the portrait the distinction of being the second most expensive work at auction.

The night started with a sale of 13 lots from the estate of the late Chicagoan collectors Cindy and Jay Pritzker that surpassed Sotheby's high estimate of $88.5.m to bring in $91.7m ($109.5m with fees). A stellar group of 24 works by Surrealist heavy-hitters from an unnamed collection (marketed as "Exquisite Corpus") followed, generating $81.9m ($98m with fees), squarely within the group's estimate range ($66.7m-$98.9m).

The $690 million that Christie's took on Monday night during its 20th/21st century sale in New York was a staggering figure, but it still came up short of the $731.5 million pre-sale high estimate. That may have curbed any high-fives and backslapping meant to salute an art-market resurgence after two rickety years, but Sotheby's double-header on Tuesday evening gave people reason to believe that the top end is truly on the up.

The renowned auction house Sotheby's is preparing to hold one of its most anticipated annual events, the Royal & Noble Jewels auction, on November 12 at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel in Geneva. The collection contains extraordinary pieces that after years in private hands or royal collections are now seeking new owners. Although the online bidding has been active since the end of October, the auction will officially begin Wednesday.

The Breuer Building"s adaptive reuse for Sotheby's, undertaken by Herzog & de Meuron with New York-based PBDW Architects, is approached with respect for its legacy as a New York icon. The architects retain the weight and texture of Marcel Breuer's bush-hammered concrete, which continues to express itself as both surface and structure. Along Madison Avenue, a subtle lighting scheme renews the facade's sculptural presence after dark.

New York City's cultural institutions have been amping up dining by partnering with known chefs and restaurants to attract New Yorkers, particularly those with deep pockets. Just this month, cult-favorite film production company A24 (behind Oscar-winning picture Everything Everywhere All At Once) reopened West Village neighborhood theater Cherry Lane with Wild Cherry, a new French restaurant run by chefs Lee Hanson and Riad Nasr, the duo behind Frenchette and Le Veau d'Or.

Douglas Elliman is facing significant challenges, including stock decline and lawsuits, leading to a merger proposal from Anywhere Real Estate, valuing it above $4 per share.