Maurizio Cattelan’s Golden Toilet Fails to Make a Splash

Maurizio Cattelan's 223-pound solid gold toilet, 'America' (2016), sold for $12.1 million at Sotheby's contemporary auction, despite an awkward bidding process. The piece, previously displayed at the Guggenheim Museum, was purchased by Mets owner Steve Cohen in 2017 and later sold at a time when gold prices had significantly increased. The auction, held at Sotheby's new Breuer Building, also featured other notable sales, including Gustav Klimt's portrait of Elisabeth Lederer for $236.4 million and various works by contemporary artists.