Francis Bacon’s “Three Studies of Lucian Freud” has been sold for a whopping $142,4 million at Christie’s evening sale of post-war and contemporary art and thus become the most expensive work of art ever sold at auction. Bacon’s triptych painting from 1969 sold after six minutes of fierce bidding, easily surpassing the previous record of $119.9 million set in May 2012 for Edvard Munch’s “The Scream.” The winning bidder who chose to remain anonymous was the subject of months of speculation but was never identified. Untill now. Art world sources say the buyer was Elaine P. Wynn, ex-wife of Las Vegas casino owner Stephen A. Wynn.
According to Forbes, Elaine has a net worth of $1.9 billion, and is an avid art collector. She already owns another Bacon’s painting and over the years has expressed interest in buying other triptychs by him as they came on the market. Elain and Stephen Wynn, divorced in 2010.
The previous record for Bacon’s artwork sold at auction was the British artist’s 1976 “Triptych”, which was sold for $86 million in 2008.
