Rabbit (Koons)
Three identical stainless steel sculptures by Jeff Koons.
Wikipedia / Wikimedia Commons
Rabbit is a set of three matching stainless steel sculptures made by Jeff Koons in 1986. One of these copies became one of the priciest artworks ever sold at auction by a living artist, fetching $91.1 million in May 2019.
The sculpture that set that record came from the estate of magazine publisher S. I. Newhouse. It was the last of the three editions (plus one artist's proof) still in private hands. Art dealer Robert Mnuchin bought it for billionaire hedge fund manager Steven A. Cohen.
When the works first sold, Koons’s dealer Ileana Sonnabend kept one edition and sold the other two for $40,000 each: one to advertising magnate Charles Saatchi, and one to painter Terry Winters. In 1991, Saatchi sold his piece to American collector Stefan Edlis for $945,000. Around the same time, Larry Gagosian arranged the sale from Winters to Newhouse for $1 million. Gagosian later called it his favorite art deal, regretting he didn’t buy it himself, noting that a million dollars was a startling price then.
After Sonnabend died in October 2007, her heirs sold her edition as part of a $400 million art package to GPS Partners—a firm set up by dealers Philippe Ségalot, Lionel Pissarro, and Franck Giraud for a consortium including Carlos Slim, Sammy Ofer, François Pinault, and Qatar’s Al Thani family.
In 2000, Edlis’s edition was partially donated to the Museum of Contemporary Art in Chicago, where it remains on display. The other edition is in the permanent collection of The Broad in Los Angeles, on public view.
- artist
- Jeff Koons
- year
- 1986
- medium
- Stainless steel
- edition
- 3 (plus an artist's proof)
- auction record
- $91.1 million (May 2019)
- current locations
- Museum of Contemporary Art, Chicago; The Broad, Los Angeles
Lore & Background
In May 2019, the sculpture was auctioned for $91.1 million, breaking the auction record for an artwork by a living artist. The work, which was sold by the estate of the late magazine publisher S. I. Newhouse, was one in an edition of three (plus an artist's proof) and the last still held in private hands. It was later revealed that the art dealer Robert Mnuchin purchased the work for the billionaire hedge fund manager Steven A. Cohen.
In the initial sale of the work, Koons's art dealer Ileana Sonnabend kept one edition and sold the other two for $40,000 each: to the advertising magnate Charles Saatchi, and the painter Terry Winters. In 1991, Saatchi sold the piece to American collector Stefan Edlis for $945,000. Around the same period, Larry Gagosian brokered the deal between Winters and Newhouse, for $1 million. In 2011, at Abu Dhabi Art, Gagosian remembered it as his favorite art deal and 'the one transaction that stands out the most.' Gagosian regretted not being able buy the piece himself, stating it was 'a startling price at the time, a million dollars.'
After Sonnabend's death in October 2007, her heirs sold her edition of the piece as part of a package of art works for $400 million to GPS Partners – set up by the art dealers Philippe Ségalot, Lionel Pissarro, and Franck Giraud, on behalf of a consortium of collectors including Carlos Slim, Sammy Ofer, François Pinault, and Qatar's ruling Al Thani family. In 2000, Edlis's edition of Rabbit was given as a partial donation to the Museum of Contemporary Art in Chicago, where it is still on display. The other edition of Rabbit is part of the permanent collection of The Broad in Los Angeles, where it is on view to the public as part of the museum's collection of Koons works.
Reader's Guide
Rabbit (1986) is a landmark work in Jeff Koons's career, exemplifying his signature use of reflective stainless steel and readymade imagery. Its significance lies in its record-breaking auction price of $91.1 million in May 2019, which at the time made it the most expensive work sold by a living artist. The sculpture's journey through private collections—from Sonnabend to Saatchi, Edlis, Winters, and Newhouse—illustrates the escalating market for contemporary art. The work's three editions now reside in major institutions (Museum of Contemporary Art, Chicago; The Broad, Los Angeles) or private hands, cementing its status as a cultural and financial benchmark. Its legacy is tied to debates about value, commodification, and the role of the artist in late capitalism.
Did You Know?
- One edition of Rabbit sold for $91.1 million in May 2019, a record for a living artist at auction.
- The sculpture was originally sold by Ileana Sonnabend for $40,000 each to Charles Saatchi and Terry Winters.
- Larry Gagosian brokered the $1 million sale of an edition from Terry Winters to S. I. Newhouse.
- In 2000, Stefan Edlis's edition was partially donated to the Museum of Contemporary Art in Chicago.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Jeff Koons' Rabbit?
Rabbit is a 1986 sculpture by Jeff Koons depicting a stylized rabbit figure rendered in polished stainless steel. The work was produced as three identical editions plus one artist's proof, so it is a limited-run piece rather than a single unique object.
How much did Jeff Koons' Rabbit sell for at auction?
In May 2019, one of the three editions crossed the hammer at $91.1 million, making it one of the priciest works ever sold at auction by a living artist. That particular copy had been held in the estate of magazine publisher S. I. Newhouse before entering the market.
Where can I see Jeff Koons' Rabbit in person?
Two of the three editions are on public display: one is housed at the Museum of Contemporary Art in Chicago, and the other belongs to the collection at The Broad in Los Angeles. The third edition, which sold at auction in 2019, sits in a private collection.
How many versions of Jeff Koons' Rabbit exist?
Koons produced three identical stainless steel editions of Rabbit in 1986, along with a single artist's proof. When the works first went on the market, his dealer Ileana Sonnabend kept one copy and sold the other two for $40,000 each.
Who bought the record-setting Rabbit at auction in 2019?
Art dealer Robert Mnuchin acquired the sculpture on behalf of hedge fund manager Steven A. Cohen at the May 2019 sale. It was the last of the three editions still in private hands at the time.
More in Sculptures And Statues 1-24
Spotted an error? Know more?
This is a living reference — every entry is fact-audited, and reader corrections feed straight into our audit queue. Suggest an edit · See this site's audit record