Yesterday, the Times ran an op-ed that condemned museums like the LACMA for selling off pieces from their permanent collections as if they were "investments." We noted last week that the Art Institute had similar, though far less extensive plans; the Sun-Times later received assurances that proceeds would only support the curatorial collections from whence the work came. Last night, for better or worse, the paintings saw a highly receptive market: the Renoir went near the top end of its estimated selling price, while the Chagall significantly exceeded expectations, bringing in over $4 million.