The Kansas City Star (http://bit.ly/1Q0oeBl) reports Colleen Thielen, director of collections for Leslie Hindman Auctioneers, says the buyer is a private collector. The collection was amassed by Richard M. and Carol Levin, both of whom are deceased.

One painting called “Discussion,” depicting a laborer and a union representative, by Thomas Hart Benton was bought for over $1 million. Its presale estimate was as high as $400,000.

The collection features other pieces by Benton, who taught at the Kansas City Art Institute, as well as pieces by John Steuart Curry and Charles Burchfield.

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Information from: The Kansas City Star, http://www.kcstar.com