The Breuer building is the new global headquarters for the esteemed auction houseSotheby’s at 945 Madison Avenue in New York City, opening this month. Designed by the iconic Marcel Breuer, it was acquired in June 2025 for about US$100 million. The structure is a masterpiece of Brutalist architecture with its distinctive building shape and signature lobby. The lobby ceiling was designed by Marcel Breuer along with Edison Price featuring dome-shaped fixtures and shallow disc reflectors. It is now modernized with LED lamps that mimic the original incandescent bulbs. Among the inaugural works on display were familiar artists such as Andy Warhol, Jean-Michel Basquiat, Alexander Calder, Alberto Giacometti, Henri Matisse and Frank Stella to name a few. The Leonard A Lauder Collection is the highlight of the opening with his Gustav Klimt painting of Elisabeth Lederer selling for over US$200 million, a record at auction.
The Breuer lobby featuring Jean Arp’s Ptoléméé III in bronze. Conceived in 1961 and cast in an edition of 3. This example numbered 3 in the edition and cast in February 1969 by the Susse Foundry, Paris.Gustav Klimt: Bildnis Elisabeth Lederer (Portrait of Elisabeth Lederer), from 1914-1916, oil on canvas. The painting sold for a record breaking $236.4 million, with fees. Part of the Leonard A. Lauder Collection.Alexander Calder: Untitled, 1941, sheet metal and paint.Joan Mitchell: Untitled, 1989, oil and acrylic monotype on paper.Andy Warhol Ads, 1985.Jean-Michel Basquiat: Crowns (Peso Neto), 1981, acrylic, oilstick and paper collage on canvas.Alberto Giacometti: Busto De Diego, bronze. Conceived circa 1956 and cast between 1957-59.Claude Monet: Vue De Rouen Depus La Côte Sainte-Catherine, 1892, oil on canvas.Edgar Degas: Trois Danseuses, 1897, pastel on tracing paper mounted on card.Yayoi Kusama: Net-Obsession, 1964, oil on canvas. Maurizio Cattelan: America, fabricated from 1012 kilograms of 18-karat gold.Edvard Munch: Sankthansnatt (Midsummer Night), 1901-03, oil on canvas. Part of the Leonard A. Lauder Collection.Reggie Burrows Hodges -Hurdling: Sky Blue, 2020, acrylic and pastel on canvas .Frank Stella: Concentric Square, 1966, acrylic on canvas.Henri Matisse: La Serpentine, bronze. Conceived in Issy-les-Moulineaux in 1909 and cast in 1951. Part of the Leonard A. Lauder Collection.Henry Taylor: Before Gerhard Richter There Was Cassi, 2017, acrylic on canvas. Simone Leigh: Sphinx, 2021, bronze and platinum leaf. In the background Barkley L. Hendricks: Arriving Soon, 1973, oil and acrylic on canvas, in two parts.Coles Phillips: The Magic Hour – Afternoon Tea, 1924, gouache on paperboard.François-Xavier Lalanne, 1976, copper, maillechort, stainless steel, brass, painted wood.
Sotheby’s new location offers a more convenient setting compared to its previous York Avenue premises. For those familiar with its rich history, the new space retains pleasant and evocative memories of its former tenants, the Whitney Museum and The Met Breuer. However, the venue lacks the expansive gallery spaces of the former location, which can result in a somewhat crowded experience during heavily trafficked exhibitions. This is a relatively minor drawback considering the prestige of occupying such an iconic building. Sotheby’s now stands in excellent company, joining the area’s premier Upper East Side art galleries, pedigree retailers and other established cultural institutions.
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