A Mark Rothko painting, *No. 15 (Two Greens and Red Stripe)* (1964), formerly owned by prominent art patron and Museum of Modern Art president emerita Agnes Gund, sold at Christie’s on Monday night for $98.4 million (including fees). The work, which Gund purchased directly from Rothko in 1967 and kept in her living room until her death last September, received about a dozen bids before hammering at $85 million to a buyer represented by Christie’s specialist Rachael White Young. The sale broke Rothko’s previous auction record of $86.9 million set in 2012 for *Orange, Red, Yellow* (1961), also at Christie’s New York.
This record-setting sale underscores the enduring strength of the top-tier art market, particularly for blue-chip Abstract Expressionist works with impeccable provenance. Gund’s status as a legendary collector and MoMA leader added significant cachet to the painting, which had never before been offered at auction. The result also highlights the competitive demand for Rothko’s work, coming just a week after another Rothko sold at Sotheby’s for $85.8 million, narrowly missing the record. The sale reaffirms Christie’s dominance in high-value single-owner auctions and signals continued investor confidence in trophy artworks.