The painting "Les Poseuses, Ensemble (petite version)" was painted between 1886 and 1888. The work is considered the pinnacle of pointillism and changed hands for $149,240,000

DLNews Art:

It is a complete record: The auction for the art collection of Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen, who died in 2018, has exceeded one billion dollars.

Five works were each sold for more than 100 million dollars, as the auction house Christie's New York announced on Wednesday. According to Christie's, the entire sale sum will be donated to charity.

The most expensive painting of the evening was "Les Poseuses, Ensemble (petite version)" by French painter Georges Seurat. The work is considered the pinnacle of pointillism and changed hands for around $149 million.

Paul Cézanne's "La Montagne Sainte-Victoire" fetched $137 million, an auction record for the French painter. The sale of paintings by painters Vincent Van Gogh and Gustav Klimt also set new highs for works by the artists.

Although only 60 of a total of about 150 works were sold on Wednesday - the auction continues on Thursday - the collection's value has already exceeded the previous record for a private art collection auction. In the spring, the collection of U.S. couple Harry and Linda Macklowe fetched $922 million.

Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen died of cancer in 2018 at age 65. He founded the company in 1975 together with Bill Gates. In 1983, he left the software giant for health reasons and because of tensions in his relationship with Gates, but he remained active as an entrepreneur and investor.

Nevertheless, Allen signed the Gates "Giving Pledge" initiative. With it, the billionaire pledged to donate a large part of his fortune.

"Concarneau. Calm Morning" (Concarneau. Calme du Matin, 1891) by Paul Signac, now sold at auction for $39,320,000

"La voix du sang" (1948) by René Magritte realized US$26,725,000

Alexander Calder, Untitled standing mobile (ca. 1942) sold for $7,832,500

Wassily Kandinsky painted "Deep Brown" in 1924, realized $23,290,000 at auction

"Le spectre de Vermeer" by Salvador Dali (ca. 1934) changed hands for $4,860,000

Francis Bacon, Three Studies for Self-Portrait, Triptych (1979) sold for $29,015,000.

Lucien Freud painted "Large Interior" 1981-1983, now sold for $86,265,000

David Hockney's "Queen Anne's Lace Near Kilham" was painted from 2010 to 2011, now went under the hammer for $18,710,000

Paul Cézanne's "La Montagne Sainte-Victoire" was painted around 1886, auction price: 137,790,000 US dollars

"Apple Trees" (1987) by Gerhard Richter was sold for 9.779.000 US-Dollar

LEFT: Joseph Mallord William Turner, "Depositing of John Bellini's Three Pictures in La Chiesa Redentore" (1841): sold for $33,595,000. RIGHT: Edouard Manet, "Le Grand Canal à Venise" (1874) realized $51,915,000.