"MICA: THE COLLECTION OF MICA ERTEGUN"

This fall, Christie's New York is honored to present "MICA: THE COLLECTION OF MICA ERTEGUN, a historic series of auctions that offer bidders from across the globe the chance to own artistic creations and collectibles from "Mica Ertegun's" precious personal collection. The late Romanian-American interior designer was not just a collector but also an "epitome of style".

The dedicated Single-Owner Auction Series started with Jewelry, Design and Decorative Arts sales will follow on December 13.

MICA: THE COLLECTION OF MICA ERTEGUN exemplifies Mrs. Ertegun's sensitivity, elegance and multicultural heritage. It took the stylish icon more than half a century to acquire remarkable items for this impressive collection.

Encompassing various genres, media and historical periods, this collection features the most important Surrealist work ever to appear at auction, along with rare examples of Russian and Ukrainian Modernism, Purism, de Stijl and Color Field. Included are the artworks by Rene Magritte, Joan Mir?, David Hockney, and Ed Ruscha.

Ornaments, furniture and decor items from Mrs. Ertegun's homes in Manhattan, Southampton and Paris, with their Chekhovian echoes, that once formed the laboratory for her life as a designer and as a hostess will also appear at the upcoming auctions.

A significant portion of the seller's sale proceeds is intended to benefit philanthropic initiatives, which were funded by Mrs. Ertegun in her lifetime.

Marc Porter, Chairman of Christie's Americas, remarks, "We are grateful to be the stewards of the collection of Mica Ertegun, whose life and legacy is an inspiration. Mrs. Ertegun was a devoted patron of the arts and education worldwide. With these sales, we pay tribute to Mrs. Ertegun and the Ertegun legacy of sharing."

Max Carter, Christie's Vice Chairman of 20th and 21st Century Art, comments that, "Mica Ertegun was the epitome of style. Everything in her homes, from the masterpieces to the functional objects, was exquisite and personal. Her generous embrace of other cultures is reflected in the collection's diverse range."

Leading Highlights of MICA: THE COLLECTION OF MICA ERTEGUN

The biggest highlight to be presented by Christie's New York at the upcoming auction series is L'empire des lumieres (1954) by Rene Magritte. Its estimated price is in excess of $95 million.

Rare and beautiful, this surrealist oil on canvas shows a nocturnal landscape under a sunlit sky. "L'empire des lumieres most nearly captures her aesthetic philosophy in its balance and restraint. An icon of Surrealism, the Ertegun Magritte is arguably the finest, most deftly rendered and hauntingly beautiful of the series. Like Mica's eye, it is perfect," Mr. Carter says.

Other highlights include:

"Peinture (Amour)" (1925) by Joan Mir?

Mica Ertegun Photograph by Andy Warhol

"La cour d'amour" (1960), another prominent oil on canvas by Rene Magritte

"Three Chairs with a Section of a Picasso Mural" (1970), an outstanding oil on canvas by David Hockney that once adorned Mrs. Ertegun's home in Southampton

Chaise Longue by Ingrid Donat, which was a long chair inside the living room of Mrs. Ertegun's home in New York

"Still Life on a Glass Table" (1971-1972), another outstanding oil on canvas by David Hockney that once decorated Mrs. Ertegun's home in New York

Schedule of Live Sales:

The live sales in New York have three parts. While the first two parts have already concluded, MICA: THE COLLECTION OF MICA ERTEGUN | Part III is scheduled to start at 10am EST, December 13, 2024 (10.00 pm, December 13, 2024, Bangkok Time).

Schedule of Online Sales::

-MICA: THE COLLECTION OF MICA ERTEGUN | New York Online, December 4 - 17, 2024

-MICA: THE COLLECTION OF MICA ERTEGUN | Paris Online, December 4 - 18, 2024

Mica Ertegun: Icon of Style and Sophistication

Miss Ioana Maria Banu Ertegun (1926-2023), widely known as "Mica," was the only child of a prominent Romanian family. Due to political and administrative changes in her native country, she migrated to Switzerland in 1948. From there, she later moved to Paris and then settled down in Canada.

After divorcing her first husband, she met Mr. Ahmet Ertegun, co-founder of Atlantic Records, and married him in 1961. The couple established their life in New York in their now

historic Manhattan residence. Here, they regularly hosted events attended by figures from across the globe, crosspollinating worlds of art, music, fashion and media. For the next sixty years, Mrs. Ertegun built her legacy as an arbiter of style.

In 1967, she founded the extremely successful design business MAC II alongside Vogue contributor Chessy Rayner. For decades, the two envisioned and executed the interior design for the world's most tasteful and enlightened figures. Mrs. Ertegun and MAC II have both been recognized among the AD100, the highly esteemed list of designers and architects.

Deeply generous, Mrs. Ertegun understood the importance of sharing with the global community. Her contributions to organizations in the realms of art, music, education, and religion were innumerable, ranging from efforts to preserve heritage sites including Constantin Brancusi's Endless Column in Romania and the Edicule of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem to the establishment in perpetuity of the Ertegun Graduate Scholarship Programme in the Humanities at Oxford University.

Era-defining Art at "The 20th and 21st Century Auctions"

Also held proudly by Christie's New York are "The 20th and 21st Century Auctions", which feature era-defining art.

To go under the hammer during the event are Ed Ruscha's tour-de-force, which has already enjoyed a ground-breaking retrospective, and Rene Magritte's ode to Surrealism from the collection of designer and philanthropist Mica Ertegun.

Joining the masterpiece duo are works by leading artists such as Alberto Giacometti and Jean-Michel Basquiat, both among the finest examples of the artistic movements that shaped this extraordinary period of art history.

Interested persons can browse the auctions from November 9, 2024, with bidders requested to attend the live auctions between November 19 and 22, 2024 at Christie's New York office at Rockefeller Center.

The 20th and 21st Century Auctions offer rare opportunities to see and indulge in inspiring artworks that have the true power to change the world.