2002day.year
The Massacre of the Innocents, a painting by Peter Paul Rubens, is sold at a Sotheby's auction for £49.5 million (US$76.2 million) to Lord Thomson.
Peter Paul Rubens’s painting The Massacre of the Innocents sold at Sotheby's in 2002 for £49.5 million, setting a record for a masterpiece at auction.
On July 10, 2002, The Massacre of the Innocents, a dramatic Baroque masterpiece by Peter Paul Rubens, was auctioned at Sotheby’s in London. The painting fetched £49.5 million (US$76.2 million) and was purchased by British media magnate Lord Thomson. The work depicts the biblical story of King Herod’s massacre of Bethlehem’s male infants, rendered in Rubens’s vigorous and emotive style. Its record-breaking price underscored the booming art market of the early 21st century. The sale sparked debates about the value of cultural heritage and the role of private collectors. Museums and public institutions lamented the relocation of such significant works into private hands. The auction highlighted the intersection of art, politics, and commerce on the global stage.
2002
The Massacre of the Innocents
Peter Paul Rubens
Sotheby's
Lord Thomson