The auction of the collection of architect Ieoh Ming Pei is a success

The estimate had been established by the experts of the auction house at 22,6 million euros. The catalog brought together an exceptional selection of paintings, drawings, works on paper and sculptures signed by great western and oriental artists, all assembled by the famous Sino-American architect, designer of the Louvre Pyramid, and his wife, during their 72 years of marriage.

The "top lot", a painting by Barnett Newman, reached 948.000 euros in New York. In Paris, Tuesday evening, bidders from twenty countries competed for three works by Jean Dubuffet including "La Brouette" (1964) finally sold for 634.000 euros, significantly more than the high estimate at 550.000 euros.

"Voyage of the Big Cloud" (1955) reached 125.000 EUR and "La Chaise bleue" (1967) sold for 262.000 EUR. In Hong Kong, a work by the painter Zao Wou-Ki of Chinese origin, one of the masters of lyrical abstraction, was sold for some 6,2 million euros.

Great scholars, both from prestigious Chinese families, the architect Ieoh Ming Pei and his wife Eileen were married in 1942. 1983 Pritzker Prize, the architect died on May 16 at the age of 102 at New York, five years after his wife.

They were both very knowledgeable of avant-garde artists and had around them a very close-knit group of friends and fellow artists, notably from Europe and China.

Pei is considered one of the greatest architects of the XNUMXth century: in addition to the Pyramid, the Tower of the Bank of China in Hong Kong, the Museum of Islamic Art in Doha, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland and the East building of the National Art Gallery in Washington DC are among his most famous achievements.