This post was originally published on artnews.com
In a story that feels more than a bit surreal, a recently discovered drawing by René Magritte that was picked up on eBay for just $1,580 will now headline Rago/Wright’s Post War & Contemporary Art auction on May 21. The untitled work on paper is estimated to sell for between $100,000 and $150,000.
Executed in ballpoint pen, colored pencil, and pencil, the drawing depicts oversize chess pieces amid a sky of soft clouds. Both the chess pieces and the clouds were images Magritte repeatedly depicted throughout his career.
The piece once belonged to Mora Henskens, the longtime companion of international lawyer Harry Torczyner, one of Magritte’s closest friends, advocates, and occasional legal counsel. Henskens acquired the drawing directly from Magritte’s widow, Georgette Berger Magritte, during a visit to Belgium after the artist’s death in 1967.
The work stayed in Henskens’s collection until 2022, when it was sold through a smaller auction house. According to Rago/Wright, the work later resurfaced on eBay.
“This certainly isn’t an everyday thing in the auction world,” said Joe Stanfield, senior specialist and fine art director at Rago/Wright. “It’s always exciting to help resurface unknown, and underknown, works from legendary artists—that our consignor found this Magritte on eBay just adds to the thrill.”
Whether it was keen instinct or a very lucky bid, the find promises a healthy return: The drawing will lead Rago/Wright’s May sale, a reminder that it’s still worth scrolling internet every once in a while.