The Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA) will receive a significant donation of artwork from the estate of Elaine Wynn, the late casino resort billionaire and renowned art collector who passed away at age 82 in April 2025. The centerpiece of the collection is a Francis Bacon triptych that Wynn famously purchased for $142.4 million in 2013, which made headlines as one of the most expensive art acquisitions of that year.
Christie's auction house has been selected to handle the sale of additional pieces from Wynn's extensive art collection, with an auction scheduled for November that is expected to generate more than $75 million in total sales. The auction will feature various works that were part of Wynn's carefully curated collection, though specific details about which pieces will be included have not yet been fully disclosed.
As a collector, Elaine Wynn gained international recognition not only for her substantial financial investments in art but also for her discerning taste and commitment to supporting major cultural institutions. Her 2013 purchase of the Francis Bacon triptych represented one of the highest prices ever paid for the British artist's work and demonstrated her willingness to acquire masterpieces of exceptional quality and historical significance.
Wynn's philanthropic vision for the arts extended beyond personal collecting to institutional development. She was instrumental in advancing plans for a long-awaited Las Vegas Museum of Art, a project that moved forward significantly in December 2023 with LACMA serving as a key partner. The ambitious $150 million institution is planned to encompass as much as 90,000 square feet of exhibition and educational space, potentially transforming Las Vegas into a more significant destination for fine arts.
The donation of Wynn's Francis Bacon triptych to LACMA represents not only a major acquisition for the museum but also fulfills part of her legacy of supporting public access to world-class art. The transfer of this masterpiece ensures that one of the most expensive privately-owned artworks of recent decades will be available for public viewing and scholarly study, contributing to LACMA's already impressive collection of modern and contemporary art.
