A painting by American Abstract Expressionist Jackson Pollock sold for a staggering $181.2 million (€156.2 million) with fees at Christie's in New York on Monday, leading a blockbuster auction week from the collection of publishing magnate S.I. Newhouse.

The roughly three-by-one-meter oil and enamel work on canvas, titled 'Number 7A, 1948,' was painted at Pollock's Long Island studio when the artist was 36. Christie's described it as a key early example of his drip technique, stating: 'It is with this work that Pollock finally frees himself from the shackles of conventional easel painting and produces one of the first truly abstract paintings in the history of art.'

The sale eclipsed Pollock's previous auction record of $61.2 million from 2021, making it the fourth most expensive artwork ever sold at auction. The top spot remains Leonardo da Vinci's 'Salvator Mundi,' which fetched $450 million in 2017.

Other notable sales included Mark Rothko's 'No. 15 (Two Greens and Red Stripe)' for $98.4 million, Joan Miró's 'Portrait of Madame K.' for $53.5 million, and Constantin Brâncuși's bronze 'Danaide' (ca. 1913) for $107.6 million—the second most expensive sculpture ever sold at auction.

The three-hour sale at Christie's brought in a total of $1.1 billion. The 16 lots from the Newhouse collection alone accounted for $630.8 million, while a separate sale of 20th-century works added $490.3 million.

Pollock, born in 1912 in Wyoming, studied at the Art Students League in New York and later worked for the WPA Federal Art Project. He gained national fame after a Life magazine feature asked, 'Is He the Greatest Living Painter in the United States?' He died in a car crash in 1956 while driving under the influence. His works are now held by major museums worldwide.

Source: www.dw.com