The Macklowe Collection of Modern and Contemporary Art's first night of auction at Sotheby's in New York totaled $676 million, including a Mark Rothko painting at over $80 million, putting it on the road to a historical record. The highlight of this season in one of the world's auction capitals, the sale lasted more than two hours, during which all 35 pieces were sold, including four above 50 million dollars. A performance greeted by the applause of the public, between 200 and 300 people again authorized to attend the sale at the headquarters of Sotheby's, after several virtual seasons because of the pandemic. Two lots were in the race to be the most expensive of the evening: it was finally a painting by the American expressionist Mark Rothko (1903-1970), N°7 , which won with 82.4 million dollars, in front of Le Nez by Alberto Giacometti (1901-1966), an impressive suspended bronze. Both works were purchased remotely by Asian collectors, Sotheby's said. In New York, the sale of two paintings by the master of pop art Andy Warhol was also expected: his famous Nine Marilyns (1962), a series of faces of the American star Marilyn Monroe , in black and white, was sold for 47, $3 million, while a Sixteen Jackies , about Jackie Kennedy, sold for $33.8 million. This auction is the consequence of the divorce pronounced in 2018 between the real estate developer Harry Macklowe and his wife Linda Burg, who formed a very wealthy couple who amassed an impressive collection of works of art. Only 35 of the 65 pieces in the collection were sold on Monday evening, with the rest expected to be sold during the next auction season in spring 2022. But with 676 million dollars in one evening, the total could exceed the record reached by the Rockefeller collection sold in 2018 at Christie's for $835 million. Seen in Le Point.