norman lebrecht
May 04, 2026
Artsworld sources are reporting that Sothebys have been given the go-ahead to sell two Marc Chagall murals at the Metropolitan Operas, under certain conditions.
The murals, commissioned for the new Met building in 1966, are valued by Sotheby’s at $55 million.
The sale has not yet been flagged on the Sotheby’s website, where 12 other Chagall works are presently up for auction. The conditions are incontrovertible.
Any prospective buyer will be required to agree to leave the paintings in place during the opera season. A plauqe beside them would declare the donation.