Ken Griffin Paid $250 Million For Leonardo Da Vinci's“Madonna Of The Yarnwinder”

(MENAFN- USA Art News) Ken Griffin, the billionaire collector, reportedly paid $250 million for Leonardo da Vinci's“Madonna of the Yarnwinder” (circa 1505), according to art market observer Kenny Schachter. The painting was recently loaned to the Metropolitan Museum of Art in August, a detail previously reported by Artnet's Katya Kazakina.

This acquisition marks one of two Leonardo paintings currently in the U.S. The other is the portrait “Ginevra de' Benci” (1474–78), which is held by the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C. Griffin's spokesperson declined to comment on the reported purchase price.

In other art market news, Gabriel Kilongo, formerly associated with Jupiter Gallery, was detained by ICE. Kilongo, who fled the Congo Wars of the 1990s and early 2000s and was raised in Israel, has since been released from detention. James Snyder, director of the Jewish Museum in Manhattan, confirmed his release, stating Kilongo can now address his various financial obligations. Jupiter Gallery was administratively dissolved on September 25, 2026, due to a failure to file an annual report. Kilongo did not respond to requests for comment.

Separately, Mattia de Luca, an Italian gallerist, has established a permanent gallery space in New York City. Located in David Zwirner's former uptown premises on East 69th Street, this follows his previous space in Rome and international pop-up exhibitions, including a major Morandi show in New York in 2024. De Luca, 41, was previously known as a singer-songwriter and professional dancer.

Additionally, more than $100 million worth of art from Jeff Koons's personal collection is slated for upcoming auctions, a sale that has been widely reported. This follows Koons's history of selling works from his collection and primary pieces through private sales at institutions like Sotheby's and Christie's, as well as via commercial galleries. For instance, René Magritte's“Les idées claires” (Clear Ideas) (1955), once part of Koons's collection, is now owned by London's Reuben Collection and is on view at the Fondation Beyeler in Basel.

The Reuben Foundation made a £30 million ($40 million) donation to the Courtauld Institute of Art last year, marking the largest gift in the institution's 93-year history. Portions of the Reuben Collection are also exhibited at the Courtauld.

Source: Artnet News

MENAFN05112026005694012507ID1111923799