Luxury Store Sotheby’s Opens on Madison Avenue

**Maurizio Cattelan’s Gold Toilet Highlights Sotheby’s New Breuer Building Opening**

Sotheby’s is set to open its new headquarters at the iconic Breuer Building, showcasing an array of multimillion-dollar artworks, with Maurizio Cattelan’s 18-karat gold toilet, “America” (2016), taking center stage. This unusual piece, consigned by hedge fund billionaire Steve Cohen, is expected to fetch around $10 million at auction. The gold toilet, fully operational, gained fame during its installation at the Guggenheim, but it will not be used by visitors at Sotheby’s.

The Breuer Building, renovated by architects Herzog & de Meuron and PBDW, offers expanded exhibit spaces while maintaining its distinctive Brutalist charm. Sotheby’s aims to make fine art and luxury objects more accessible to the public, as highlighted by CEO Charles Stewart during the press preview.

The building’s purchase from the Whitney Museum for $100 million underscores Sotheby’s commitment to expanding its audience. Unlike traditional museums, the auction house invites collectors to acquire pieces directly from exhibitions, including notable artworks from collectors like Cindy and Jay Pritzker and the late Leonard Lauder.

Upcoming auctions feature high-profile works such as Gustav Klimt’s society portrait, “Bildnis Elisabeth Lederer,” anticipated to sell for $150 million. Alongside traditional artworks, the galleries feature modern and contemporary pieces by artists including Kerry James Marshall and Frida Kahlo.

Sotheby’s also mingles the art world with luxury consumer goods, placing Hermes handbags and high-end jewelry alongside fine art, thus creating a unique shopping experience for elite buyers.

The Breuer Building is now a prominent site for art lovers and collectors on Madison Avenue, continuing the legacy of showcasing iconic artworks while offering them for ownership.