Published on: November 20, 2025, 11:50 AM.
Updated on: November 20, 2025, 12:35 PM.
This week, six artworks previously owned by the late Elaine Wynn were auctioned at Christie’s, totaling an impressive $70,335,000, narrowly missing the auction house’s $75 million projection.
The top sale from “Elaine: The Collection of Elaine Wynn” was Richard Diebenkorn’s “Ocean Park #40,” which commanded $17,655,000, exceeding its estimate of $15-$25 million.
Following closely was Joan Mitchell’s “Sunflower V,” from 1969, which Wynn acquired for $1.5 million in 2005 and sold for over $16.7 million to dealer Jonathan Boos.
Lucian Freud’s late-career work, “The Painter Surprised by a Naked Admirer,” painted between 2004 and 2005, secured third place with a sale price of $14,435,000, just shy of its $15 million low estimate.
The auction showcased all six pieces as follows:
| Artist | Title & Year | Sale Date | Price w/ Premium | Notable Details |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Richard Diebenkorn | “Ocean Park #40” (1971, oil & charcoal on canvas) | Nov 17, 2025 | $17,655,000 | Estimated at $15–25M; sourced from her LA residence. |
| 2. Joan Mitchell | “Sunflower V” (1969, oil on canvas) | Nov 17, 2025 | $16,735,000 | Acquired by Wynn in 2005 for $1.5M; sold to dealer Jonathan Boos. |
| 3. Lucian Freud | “The Painter Surprised by a Naked Admirer” (2004–05, oil on canvas) | Nov 18, 2025 | $14,435,000 | Estimated at $15–25M |
| 4. J.M.W. Turner | “Ehrenbreitstein” (1835, oil on canvas) | Nov 17, 2025 | $11,905,000 | Estimated at $12–18M |
| 5. Fernand Léger | “Les Confidences” (1931, oil on canvas) | Nov 17, 2025 | $5,687,000 | Estimated at $6–8M |
| 6. Wayne Thiebaud | “River Stretch” (1995, oil on canvas) | Nov 17, 2025 | $3,918,000 | Estimated at $3–5M |
Wynn passed away at 82 due to heart failure on April 14, 2025, following a brief illness.
Her passing left a significant void at the Las Vegas Art Museum, which is set to open in 2028, as she was its primary driving force and visionary founder.
“My mother had an innate passion for collecting art that has reached, if not already attained, significant cultural value,” mentioned her daughter, Gillian Wynn, in an essay featured in the Christie’s auction catalog. “In this respect, she curated a collection that was not only deeply personal but also truly valuable.”
Artworks spanning the 19th to 21st centuries were auctioned from November 17-20 amidst what Christie’s described as “a vibrant and bustling saleroom” at Rockefeller Center, Manhattan.
One notable piece from Wynn’s collection, Francis Bacon’s “Three Studies of Lucian Freud” (1969), acquired for a record $142.4 million at Christie’s in 2013, was not on the auction block but instead donated to LACMA.
Though unconfirmed, it is anticipated that the auction proceeds will primarily benefit Wynn’s estate, estimated to be valued at $2 billion as reported by Casino.org’s Devin O’Connor in June. The estate executors are Wynn’s daughters, Gillian and Kevyn, along with Andrew Pascal, her nephew, and entrepreneur Bobby Kotick.