Christie’s $1.1 Billion Night Signals a Stunning Rebound for the Art Market

Christie’s achieved $1.1 billion in sales during a single evening auction on Monday, marking a dramatic rebound from the previous year when the three major New York auction houses combined sold that amount over the entire May season. The sale featured trophy works from the collections of S.I. Newhouse and Agnes Gund, with Jackson Pollock’s *Number 7A (1948)* selling for $181.2 million and Mark Rothko’s *No. 15 (Two Greens and Red Stripe)* fetching $98.4 million. Despite the strong overall results, seven of the 16 works in the Newhouse sale hammered below their low estimates, and Constantin Brancusi’s *Danaïde* failed to reach its $100 million estimate, indicating price resistance even for top-tier art.

Christie's nets $1.1bn from back-to-back S.I. Newhouse and 20th century evening sales in New York

Christie's held back-to-back evening auctions in New York, featuring the esteemed S.I. Newhouse collection and a 20th-century evening sale, achieving a combined total of $950 million (or $1.1 billion with fees). The Newhouse sale was a white-glove affair, 100% sold, though entirely backed by third-party guarantees. Highlights included Constantin Brancusi's bronze 'Danaïde' (1913) selling for $107.5 million with fees, a record for the artist, and Pablo Picasso's 'Tête de femme (Fernande)' fetching $48.3 million. Other top lots included works by Piet Mondrian, Joan Miró, Henri Matisse, Francis Bacon, Jasper Johns, Andy Warhol, and Jackson Pollock, with many going to anonymous telephone bidders.

Christie’s Double-Header Totals $1.1 B., With Several Trophy Works Notching New Records

Christie’s held two evening sales on Monday—the S.I. Newhouse collection and a 20th-century art sale—that together generated $1.1 billion across 64 lots. The Newhouse tranche alone made $630.8 million, bringing the cumulative total of the collection to over $1 billion, making it likely the most expensive collection ever sold at auction after Paul Allen’s $1.7 billion blockbuster. Top lots included Jackson Pollock’s *Number 7A, 1948* at $181.2 million (the fourth most expensive painting ever sold at auction), Constantin Brâncuși’s *Danaïde* at $107.6 million, and a Mark Rothko work at $98.4 million.

Mark Rothko Painting Agnes Gund Hung in Her Living Room Sells for $98 M., Setting a Record

A Mark Rothko painting, *No. 15 (Two Greens and Red Stripe)* (1964), formerly owned by prominent art patron and Museum of Modern Art president emerita Agnes Gund, sold at Christie’s on Monday night for $98.4 million (including fees). The work, which Gund purchased directly from Rothko in 1967 and kept in her living room until her death last September, received about a dozen bids before hammering at $85 million to a buyer represented by Christie’s specialist Rachael White Young. The sale broke Rothko’s previous auction record of $86.9 million set in 2012 for *Orange, Red, Yellow* (1961), also at Christie’s New York.

Tracey Emin, Katharina Grosse, and More Rally to Raise $2.7 Million for South London Gallery

Christie’s is partnering with the South London Gallery (SLG) on a special selling exhibition featuring works donated by 28 artists, including Tracey Emin, Frank Bowling, Katharina Grosse, Alvaro Barrington, and Ryan Gander. The exhibition is part of SLG’s “SLG Forever” fundraising campaign, which aims to raise £2 million ($2.7 million) to renovate the gallery’s historic Victorian building and support its outreach programs. The show will be open to the public at Christie’s London from June 5–25, with extended hours during London Gallery Weekend, and will continue online until September 30.

17 New Artist Auction Records Set in May 2026

New York's spring auction week, starting May 18, 2026, saw record-breaking sales led by Christie's, which realized over $1.1 billion across two opening night sales. Major estate consignments from Condé Nast owner S.I. Newhouse, MoMA trustee Agnes Gund, dealer Marian Goodman, and financier Robert Mnuchin fueled the market, resulting in 17 new artist auction records.

The shifting market for luxury: can legacy brands navigate new trends and buyers?

Bénédicte Épinay, president and CEO of Comité Colbert, is organizing 'Hidden Treasures,' an exhibition of French luxury brands at The Shed in New York in late May 2025, timed after Frieze art fair and auction week. The show features 96 French luxury brands, 17 cultural institutions, and six European luxury brands, including Musée du Louvre, Balenciaga, Louis Vuitton, and Cartier. The initiative is part of a broader cultural diplomacy strategy, following a similar exhibition in Shanghai in 2024 that helped reduce tariffs on cognac. The article also notes shifting luxury market dynamics, with strong US sales growth projected at 8% in 2026, while Europe remains stagnant, and emerging markets like India show new wealthy buyers driving auction house growth.

Sotheby’s Buoyant $303.4 Million Modern Art Evening Sale: By the Numbers

Sotheby’s modern art evening sale on Tuesday night generated $303.4 million, with a 97.6% sell-through rate and a hammer total of $256.5 million. The top lot was Henri Matisse’s *La Chaise Lorraine* (circa 1919), which sold for $48.4 million after a prolonged bidding war. The house withdrew three lots before the sale to improve optics, and 85% of the lots were guaranteed, mostly by third parties. Asian collectors were active at seven-figure price points, contrasting with sparse high-end bidding at Christie’s the previous night.

S.I. Newhouse’s 11-Foot-Wide Jackson Pollock Drip Painting Sells for Record-Breaking $181.2 M.

A Jackson Pollock drip painting, *Number 7A* (1948), formerly owned by media magnate S. I. Newhouse, sold at Christie’s on Monday night for a hammer price of $157 million, totaling $181.2 million with fees. The work, measuring nearly 11 feet wide, received over 60 bids in a 10-minute bidding war and set a new auction record for the Abstract Expressionist artist, surpassing the previous high of $61 million set in 2021. The winning bid was placed by a buyer represented by Christie’s global president Alex Rotter, with Swiss mega-dealer Iwan Wirth acting as an underbidder, possibly for collector Laurene Powell Jobs.

Behind Christie’s $1 B. Blockbuster Result, the Market Still Looks Uneven

Christie’s New York achieved over $1 billion in sales during a two-part evening auction, led by Jackson Pollock’s *Number 7A, 1948* which sold for $181.2 million. The sale, the first billion-dollar night since the Paul G. Allen collection in 2022, also saw records for other works and active bidding from a small group of buyers, including dealer Jeffrey Deitch. However, the blockbuster results mask a more cautious middle market, where works priced between $100,000 and $1 million remain slow to sell.

Waddington’s Spring Sale Spotlights Canadian Masters

Toronto-based auction house Waddington's will hold its Major Spring Sale on May 28, 2026, marking its 176th anniversary. The sale comprises three sessions: Canadian & International Fine Art, First Nations Art, and Inuit Art. Highlights include works by Lawren Stewart Harris (Lake Superior Sketch, VI, est. $700,000–$800,000 CAD), David Brown Milne (Heavy Forms, 1913, est. $80,000–$120,000), Rudolf Ernst (Finishing Touches, est. $100,000–$150,000 CAD), Emily Carr (Somewhere, ca. 1942, est. $350,000–$450,000), and Norval Morrisseau (Young Shaman with Powers, 1978, est. $100,000–$150,000 CAD). The sale spans diverse periods and mediums, with a focus on Canadian masters and Indigenous art.

Sotheby’s $304M Modern Evening Auction Confirms the Market Has Found Its Footing

Sotheby's Modern Evening Auction on May 19 achieved $304 million with a 98% sell-through rate across 45 lots, more than doubling the total from the equivalent sale in November. The auction was anchored by fresh-to-market masterpieces, including Henri Matisse's "La Chaise Lorraine" from the Barbier-Müller collection, which sold for $48.4 million—the second-highest price for a Matisse painting at auction. Other highlights included works from the Enrico Donati collection, which generated a combined $58.9 million, and Pablo Picasso's "Arlequin (Buste)" (1909) selling for $42.6 million. The sale contributed to a running combined total of $839.6 million for Sotheby's marquee sales, following strong results from the Mnuchin collection and Contemporary Day Auction.

Christie’s Kiran Nadar Exhibition Is the Latest Indicator of the South Asian Art Market’s Growing Importance

Christie’s London will host “The Meeting Ground,” a non-selling exhibition of works from the Kiran Nadar Museum of Art (KNMA) in New Delhi, from July 16 to August 21, 2025. The show features Indian modernists such as M.F. Husain, S.H. Raza, K.G. Subramanyan, and F.N. Souza, alongside contemporary South Asian artists, Indigenous art practitioners, and diaspora artists. Admission is free. The exhibition follows a series of record-breaking auction sales for South Asian art, including Husain’s *Untitled (Gram Yatra)* (1954) sold at Christie’s New York for $13.8 million in March 2025 and Raja Ravi Varma’s *Yashoda and Krishna* (ca. 1890s) sold at Saffronart for $17.9 million.

Sotheby’s Pulls In $303.9 M. in a Solid but Subdued Modern Evening Sale Led by $48 M. Matisse

Sotheby’s Modern Evening Auction on Tuesday night achieved $303.9 million in total sales, with 98% of lots sold, led by Henri Matisse’s *La Chaise lorraine* at $48.4 million—the second-highest price ever for a Matisse painting at auction. Other top lots included Pablo Picasso’s *Arlequin (Buste)* (1909), which sold for $42.6 million, and works by Alberto Giacometti and Vincent van Gogh. However, bidding was often cautious, with few prolonged contests, and the total fell below the presale high estimate of $320.2 million, reflecting a tempered market atmosphere.

Phillips Posts $115.2 Million ‘White Glove’ Sale, Big Gain Over Last Year

Phillips’s evening sale of modern and contemporary art on Tuesday achieved a 'white glove' result, selling all 41 lots for a total of $115.2 million with fees, near the $121.7 million top estimate. The sale marked a 119 percent increase over the same sale last year, driven by strong bidding on works by Salman Toor, Lee Bontecou, P.S. Krøyer, Joseph Yaeger, Helen Frankenthaler, Anna Weyant, and Pat Passlof. Two works were withdrawn before the sale, and about half of the lots had third-party guarantees. Despite some lots hammering below their low estimates, including works by Andy Warhol, Francis Picabia, Henri Matisse, and a Jackson Pollock at the center of a lawsuit, the overall result signals renewed market confidence.

Sotheby’s Hauls In $304 Million at Modern Art Auction, as Market Momentum Continues

Sotheby’s achieved $303.9 million in its modern art auction in New York, led by Henri Matisse’s *La Chaise Lorraine* (circa 1919) at $48.4 million and Pablo Picasso’s *Arlequin (Buste)* at $42.6 million. The sale included an auction record for a painted bottle, René Magritte’s *Femme-bouteille* (1955), which sold for $974,000. The auction featured conservatively priced material from smaller estates, with a 97.6% sell-through rate and a 63% increase over a similar sale last year.

Marianna Simnett schafft eine exklusive Edition für Monopol

Marianna Simnett, one of the most radical contemporary artists known for exploring metamorphosis, myth, ecstasy, sex, and pain, has created an exclusive edition titled "The Healer" for the German art magazine Monopol. The work is a watercolor depicting a naked female figure licking a lion lying on the ground, with other lions roaring in the background. The edition is an archival pigment print in a size of 60 x 79 cm, published in an edition of 25 plus two artist's proofs, priced at 950 euros plus VAT.

Who Won New York’s $2.1 Billion Auction Week?

New York City's spring auction week generated approximately $2.1 billion in sales across Christie's, Sotheby's, and Phillips, more than doubling the $1 billion total from May 2024. Christie's led with a $1.3 billion haul, driven by the $630.8 million S.I. Newhouse collection and record prices for works by Jackson Pollock ($181.2 million) and Constantin Brancusi ($107.6 million). Sotheby's netted around $737 million, including a Rothko from the Robert Mnuchin collection, while Phillips rebounded with $115.2 million in a white-glove sale, its strongest New York spring result since 2022.

Bidding battle for Matisse leads Sotheby’s $303.3m Modern art evening sale in New York

Sotheby’s Modern evening auction on 19 May in New York achieved $303.3m with fees, falling within its pre-sale estimate of $244m to $322.8m. The standout lot was Henri Matisse’s 1919 painting *La Chaise lorraine*, which sold for $48.4m after a ten-minute bidding battle, becoming the second most valuable Matisse painting at auction. Other highlights included Alberto Giacometti’s *La Clairière (Composition avec neuf figures)* at $23.1m, Pablo Picasso’s *Arlequin (Buste, 1909)* at $42.6m, and a Mark Rothko untitled work on paper at $9.27m. The sale also saw strong demand for works by female Surrealists Leonor Fini and Leonora Carrington, while a Rodin sculpture was passed and a Gottlieb painting was withdrawn.

Nicole Kidman's Billion-Dollar Breakfast at Christie's

Christie's held a record-setting evening sale on May 18, 2025, that generated over $1 billion, featuring a promotional video starring Nicole Kidman. Jackson Pollock's drip painting "Number 7A, 1948" sold for $181.2 million, nearly tripling the artist's previous auction record, while Constantin Brancusi's bronze bust "Danaïde" (c. 1913) fetched $107.6 million, becoming the second most expensive sculpture ever sold. The works came from the collection of late magazine magnate S.I. Newhouse, and a Rothko from Agnes Gund's collection also set a new artist record at $98.4 million.

Robust Sales at Sotheby’s, Phillips Suggest Art Market Upswing

The May 19 evening sales at Sotheby’s and Phillips generated a combined $419.1 million, signaling a potential recovery in the contemporary and modern art market. Sotheby’s brought in $303.9 million—60% more than the previous year—led by a record-breaking $48.4 million Matisse, while Phillips achieved $115.2 million, more than double its 2025 sales. Both auctions saw high sell-through rates, with 98% and 100% of lots sold respectively. Notable lots included a $42.6 million Picasso, a $29.4 million van Gogh drawing, and strong performances by female artists like Lee Bontecou, Joan Mitchell, and Helen Frankenthaler.

Tutto venduto e il doppio del ricavo rispetto all’anno scorso. A New York fa boom anche l’asta di Phillips

Phillips held its Modern & Contemporary Art Evening Sale in New York on May 19, 2026, achieving a complete sell-out with a total of $115.2 million. All 41 lots were sold, doubling the result from May 2025 ($52 million). Top lots included Andy Warhol's *Sixteen Jackies* ($16.2 million), Claude Monet's *La Route de Vétheuil, effet de neige* ($9.9 million), and Jackson Pollock's *Untitled* (1948) ($9.2 million). New auction records were set for Lee Bontecou, Pat Passlof, P.S. Krøyer, and Joseph Yaeger, while works by Salman Toor and Cecily Brown also sold above estimates.

Christie’s New York surpasses $1 billion

Christie’s New York kicked off its 20th and 21st Century Art sales week on 18 May 2026 with a record-shattering evening, generating over $1.12 billion across two sales: Masterpieces: The Private Collection of S.I. Newhouse and the 20th Century Evening Sale. The top lot was Jackson Pollock’s *Number 7A, 1948*, which sold for $181.2 million, setting a new auction record for the artist. Other artist records were set for Constantin Brancusi, Joan Miró, Alice Neel, and Mark Rothko. The S.I. Newhouse collection alone achieved $631 million, selling 100% of lots, and its cumulative total across four Christie’s sales reached $1.05 billion, making it the second-highest collection ever sold at auction after Paul Allen’s.

A Rediscovered Beato Angelico Takes Center Stage at Pandolfini's Old Masters Auctions in Florence

Un Beato Angelico riscoperto protagonista alle aste di arte antica di Pandolfini a Firenze

Pandolfini auction house in Florence will auction a rediscovered fragment of Beato Angelico's *Tebaide* on May 20, 2026, after it had been missing for fifty years. The attribution was confirmed by comparison with the version held at the Museo di San Marco and formerly at the Galleria degli Uffizi. The auction house's Old Masters department, led since 2025 by young director Nicolò Pitto, has achieved strong results, including over €5 million in total revenue for the year, with top lots such as Artemisia Gentileschi's *Cleopatra* (€595,600) and a French School *Saint Catherine of Alexandria* (€620,000).

Could TikTok become the place to buy and sell works of art?

TikTok potrà diventare il posto dove comprare e vendere opere d’arte?

TikTok Shop has launched a new "Fine Art" category, allowing users to buy and sell artworks directly within the app. The initiative was spearheaded by British artist-influencer Sophie Tea, who sold a series of 20 oil paintings titled "Bric-a-Brac" during a three-hour live stream that combined performance art, studio visits, and televised sales. Each piece sold for around £2,800, with TikTok taking a 9% commission. The move applies discovery commerce—where products find users through social feeds rather than active searches—to the art market, bypassing traditional gallery intermediaries.

How an unsuspecting couple found £11,000 worth of cat paintings in a skip

An unsuspecting couple in their sixties from Pembrokeshire, South Wales, discovered two paintings by 19th-century cat artist Louis Wain in a skip while walking their dog. The works—'Blue Cat Among the Flowers' (estimated at £5,000) and 'Psychedelic Cats' (a double-sided piece valued at £6,000)—were initially considered as a gift for their cat-loving daughter-in-law. The paintings are now being auctioned by Rogers Jones Auctioneers & Co as part of the British and European Fine Art Sale in Cardiff on May 21.