By Halle O'Hern
In January 2026, the Metropolitan Opera announced it may sell its two Marc Chagall murals, The Sources of Music and The Triumphs of Music.[1] The paintings are located in the Grand Tier of the opera house facing the plaza.[2] The giant thirty-six by thirty feet paintings were commissioned for the Metropolitan Opera upon its construction.[3] The works have been features of the building since 1966. Sotheby’s recently valued the now iconic paintings at a total of $55 million.[4] However, interestingly, the proposed sale entails that “the paintings would need to remain in place at the opera, and the owner would be recognized in a plaque.”[5]
Credit: Enric Domas
Financial Struggles
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