A Brâncuşi sculpture, "Danaida," which belonged to S. I. Newhouse, a media mogul and one of the world's most significant art collectors, sold for $93 million at Christie's auction on Monday evening. This sale shattered the artist's auction record. Including commissions, the final price reached $107.6 million.

The auction began with an opening bid of $82 million and attracted half a dozen offers before it was sold to a buyer represented by Maria Los, vice president and head of the client consultation department in America. After the sale, applause was heard, according to News.ro.

"Danaida," a bronze head from 1913, was pre-auction estimated at $100 million. This estimate placed it well above Brâncuşi's current auction record.

In 2018, Christie’s New York sold "La jeune fille sophistiquée (Portrait de Nancy Cunard)," a polished bronze and marble sculpture from 1928/32, for $71.2 million. Prior to this, "La muse endormie," a patinated bronze sculpture with gold leaf, sold for $57.3 million in 2017 at Christie’s New York. "Madame L.R. (Portrait de Mme L.R.)," a wooden sculpture, fetched $29.2 million at Christie’s Paris in 2009, and "Oiseau dans l’espace," a marble and stone sculpture, sold for $27.5 million at Christie’s New York in 2005.

"Danaida"

The title "Danaida" draws inspiration from a Greek myth where Danaids, the 50 daughters of Danaus, were condemned to fetch water in a sieve for eternity. This mythological reference adds a layer of depth and intrigue to Brâncuşi’s work.