“This truly is a transformative moment in the life of our school, and it is exciting to imagine how this gift will shape our school as it moves forward into the coming decades,” Headmaster Walter C. Johnson said.
The paintings, “Nymphéas (The Water Lilies)” by Claude Monet; “Pommiers et faneuse, Éragny” by Camille Pisarro; and “L’allée des peupliers à Moret au bord du Loing” by Alfred Sisley, were among several Impressionist and modern works sold at the New York City auction house.
Monet's “Nymphéas” garnered the top price at the auction and the second-highest price for a Monet at auction, according to Christie's. An American private bidder purchased the piece via telephone for about $43.7 million.
The paintings were a bequest to Hackley from Ethel Strong Allen, whose late husband Herbert Allen served as trustee and honorary trustee to the school for nearly 45 years. The $50.8 million would be used to benefit the school's long-term development goals, school officials said.
“Now that the sale has been completed, we have the information needed to inform discussions with the Allen family on how the funds might support Hackley's programs,” Johnson said.
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