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Gold Toilet 'America' Up for $10 Million Auction

10/31/2025

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Summary

Story summary

Sotheby's will auction Maurizio Cattelan's solid gold toilet, 'America,' on November 18 in New York, with a bid near $10 million.
The sculpture gained fame at the Guggenheim Museum in 2016, where 100,000 visitors used it.
A similar version was stolen from Blenheim Palace in 2019 and has never been recovered.
Cattelan's work critiques wealth and the art market, drawing on Marcel Duchamp's urinal.

History

Historical Context

In 1917, Marcel Duchamp submitted "Fountain," a porcelain urinal signed "R. Mutt," to the Society of Independent Artists in New York, challenging traditional art definitions. This pivotal Dada piece sparked debates about art's value and meaning, influencing contemporary artists like Maurizio Cattelan, whose gold toilet "America" sold for nearly $10 million, continuing the discourse on art's commodification.

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Story summary

Sotheby's will auction Maurizio Cattelan's solid gold toilet, 'America,' on November 18 in New York, with a bid near $10 million.
The sculpture gained fame at the Guggenheim Museum in 2016, where 100,000 visitors used it.
A similar version was stolen from Blenheim Palace in 2019 and has never been recovered.
Cattelan's work critiques wealth and the art market, drawing on Marcel Duchamp's urinal.

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