Art News. Vasari Codex

trending_up market schedule May 18, 2026 visibility 43 link 9 artists, 3 galleries

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.

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trending_up market schedule Feb 3, 2026 visibility 13 link 3 artists, 1 gallery

work of the week frederic remington

Frederic Remington's 1905 painting *Coming to the Call* sold for $13.3 million at Christie's in New York, setting a new auction record for the artist. The work was part of the two-part sale "Visions of the West: The William I. Koch Collection," which became the most successful Western art auction ever, realizing $84.1 million.

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trending_up market schedule Nov 27, 2025 visibility 29 link 23 artists, 5 galleries

9 artists whose markets artnet pro appraised in depth in 2025

Artnet Pro has published a roundup of nine artists whose markets it appraised in depth during 2025, including Dorothea Tanning, Gertrude Abercrombie, Emily Kam Kngwarray, Jack Whitten, and Olga de Amaral. The article highlights key market developments for each artist, such as record auction prices, growing international recognition, and shifts in collector interest, drawing on data and expert commentary from dealers, auction-house specialists, and advisors.

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trending_up market schedule Jan 8, 2026 visibility 20 link 3 artists, 1 gallery

li hei di market analysis

Li Hei Di, a young Chinese-born painter based in London, has emerged as one of the most closely watched artists in the ultra-contemporary market despite its recent downturn. Since joining Pace Gallery in September 2024 as its youngest artist, Li's works have appeared at auction 12 times, with eight sales in Hong Kong. Nearly every lot has exceeded expectations, often doubling or tripling high estimates. A standout was the painting *There Was One Summer Returning Over and Over; There Was One Dawn I Grew Old Watching* (2023), which sold at Sotheby's Hong Kong for HK$2.67 million—more than double its high estimate—setting a new auction record. Auction specialists and dealers emphasize that Li's market reflects a slow, sustained buildup rather than a speculative spike, with bidding and buying activity spanning Asia, Europe, and the United States.

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trending_up market schedule May 15, 2026 visibility 16 link 7 artists, 1 gallery

The Works, Trends, and Artists Artnet Specialists Can’t Stop Thinking About

Artnet Auctions has three sales currently live: Post-War and Contemporary Art (through May 20), Contemporary Editions (through May 29), and Private Sales for immediate purchase. Three Artnet specialists highlight key lots: Robert Rauschenberg's 'Corridor (Hoarfrost)' (1978), Emily Mason's 'Express Report' (1988), and Andy Warhol's 'Double Mickey Mouse' (1981). The specialists discuss market trends, including the growing importance of artist foundations in supporting scholarship and market health, the rapid revaluation of post-war women abstractionists like Mason, and shifts in the prints market as consignors leverage demand.

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trending_up market schedule Apr 26, 2025 visibility 25 link 28 artists, 5 galleries

Charge of the Indian art brigade

At a Christie’s auction in New York’s Rockefeller Center, an untitled work (Gram Yatra) by MF Husain sold for over Rs 118.7 crore ($13.8 million), becoming the most expensive modern Indian painting ever sold. The buyer is reportedly collector and philanthropist Kiran Nadar. Other record-tying sales include Amrita Sher-Gil’s The Story Teller and Tyeb Mehta’s Trussed Bull, each fetching Rs 61.8 crore at SaffronArt auctions, while a Jagdish Swaminathan painting exceeded estimates at Sotheby’s. These results come amid a 19% rise in the top 50 Indian artists’ sales to $36.2 million, per the 2024 Hurun India Art List.

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trending_up market schedule May 22, 2026 visibility 13 link 9 artists

Andy Warhol’s Patek Philippe Poised for $400,000 Sale—and Other Hot Finds on the Market

Christie's will auction a Patek Philippe Calatrava Ref. 570 watch formerly owned by Andy Warhol on June 12, with an estimate of $200,000–$400,000. The timepiece, double-signed by retailer Hausmann & Co., was first sold in Sotheby's 1988 sell-off of Warhol's estate and later resold at Christie's in 2021 for $150,000. The article also highlights other market offerings, including a collection of John Keats letters estimated at $1.5–$2.5 million at Sotheby's, celebrity-painted garden gnomes for a Chelsea Flower Show charity sale, and spy-themed memorabilia at Bonhams.

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trending_up market schedule Mar 12, 2026 visibility 26 link 12 artists

scarcity rarity artnet 20th century art auction

Artnet Auctions has launched its "20th Century Art" sale, featuring works by blue-chip masters including Joan Miró, Yves Klein, and Andy Warhol. The auction, curated by specialists Sylvie François Sturtevant and Jason Rulnick, highlights the distinction between "rarity"—objects that are unusual due to limited production or historical loss—and "scarcity"—where high market demand outstrips the available supply of editioned works.

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trending_up market schedule Feb 12, 2026 visibility 16 link 2 artists

henry moore sculpture worth 15 m to headline christies 20th 21st century evening sale in london this spring

A major bronze sculpture by Henry Moore, 'King and Queen' (1952-53), will be the top lot at Christie's 20th/21st Century evening sale in London on March 5. The work, estimated at £15 million ($20.5 million), is the first cast from an edition and the only one remaining in private hands, having been acquired directly from the artist by its current anonymous owner.

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trending_up market schedule Feb 6, 2026 visibility 26 link 3 artists

drawing of foot michelangelo record christies

A previously unknown red-chalk drawing by Michelangelo, a study for the foot of the Libyan Sibyl from the Sistine Chapel ceiling, sold for $27.2 million at Christie’s New York on Thursday, far exceeding its $1.5–$2 million estimate. The work was submitted to Christie’s online estimate portal last March by an anonymous owner who inherited it from their grandmother; it had hung on a wall for years, assumed to be a copy. After months of authentication using infrared reflectography and cross-referencing with drawings at the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Uffizi Gallery, Christie’s specialists confirmed it as an authentic Michelangelo. The sale set a new auction record for the artist, surpassing the previous $24.3 million record set at Christie’s Paris in 2022.

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trending_up market schedule Nov 19, 2025 visibility 21 link 5 artists

gustav klimt portrait of elisabeth lederer auction record

Gustav Klimt's 'Portrait of Elisabeth Lederer' (1914–16) sold for $236.4 million at Sotheby's New York on November 18, 2025, after 20 minutes of bidding. The painting, which started at $130 million, was won by a phone bidder represented by Sotheby's specialist Julian Dawes, with the hammer price at $205 million. The work was the highlight of the Leonard A. Lauder Collection sale, a 55-work trove valued at over $400 million, and proceeds will go to the Lauder trust. The portrait had been restituted after Nazi-era confiscation and was acquired by Lauder in the mid-1980s.

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trending_up market schedule May 29, 2025 visibility 20 link 7 artists, 2 galleries

3 key insights from the art business conference new york

The sixth edition of the Art Business Conference took place in Midtown Manhattan on May 22, drawing over 200 art professionals including gallery staff, auction-house specialists, and lawyers. Chaired by former Artnet executive editor Julia Halperin and founded by Louise Hamlin, the event featured keynotes and panels addressing the state of the art market, legal challenges, and the impact of tariffs. Christie’s CEO Bonnie Brennan reported a $700 million haul from recent auctions, noting a thin top end but strong activity for female Surrealists and Simone Leigh sculptures. Advisors Megan Fox Kelly and Alex Glauber described the market as 'recalibrating' rather than in crisis, with buyers showing increased selectivity.

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trending_up market schedule Dec 1, 2025 visibility 23 link 10 artists, 6 galleries

A time portal in 11 characters: On Kawara's "NOV. 27, 1984" sells for US$1.1m at Bonhams Hong Kong

On November 27, 2025, On Kawara's date painting "NOV. 27, 1984" from his Today series sold for HK$8.5 million (US$1.1 million) at Bonhams' Modern and Contemporary Art Sale in Hong Kong, becoming the top lot of the auction. The work, executed exactly 41 years earlier on November 27, 1984, features the date in white sans-serif lettering on a dark canvas and was acquired by a client represented by Bonhams specialist Ryo Wakabayashi, likely destined for a private collection in Japan.

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trending_up market schedule Nov 25, 2025 visibility 17 link 1 artist

michelangelo drawing sistine chapel christies new york

A five-inch-tall red chalk drawing of a foot, attributed to Michelangelo (1475–1564), is set to be auctioned at Christie’s New York in February with an estimate of $1.5–2 million. The work was discovered when Giada Damen, a specialist in Old Master drawings at Christie’s, flagged it from a public online submission; after extensive provenance research, technical analysis, and comparison with known sketches, Christie’s has declared it a preparatory study for the Sistine Chapel ceiling (1508–1512). If authenticated, it would be one of only two such Michelangelo drawings remaining in private hands.

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trending_up market schedule Jul 3, 2025 visibility 17 link 11 artists

diana de rosa

A rediscovered Baroque painting by 17th-century Neapolitan artist Diana de Rosa, titled *Salome with the Head of Saint John the Baptist*, sold for £317,500 ($436,086) at Sotheby’s Old Masters and 19th Century Paintings sale in London on July 2, more than quadrupling its high estimate. The work, previously unknown to scholars, set a new auction record for the artist and was described by Sotheby’s specialist Elisabeth Lobkowicz as a powerful image comparable to Caravaggio’s treatment of the same subject.

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trending_up market schedule Jun 9, 2025 visibility 16 link 1 artist

clara peeters only self portrait comes to auction

Sotheby’s London will auction what is believed to be the only known self-portrait by Clara Peeters, a pioneering Flemish still life painter from the early 17th century. The painting, a vanitas still life featuring a presumed self-portrait and a still life of flowers in a glass vase, carries a presale estimate of £1.2 million to £1.8 million ($1.6 million–$2.4 million) and will be offered in the “Old Master and 19th Century Paintings Evening Auction” on July 2. The work was previously downgraded to the artist’s circle but is now accepted as an autograph Peeters, with a provenance dating back to 1767.

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trending_up market schedule Nov 18, 2025 visibility 29 link 17 artists

christies marquee fall 20th century evening sale report

Christie’s fall marquee 20th-century evening sales on Monday night generated a combined $690 million across two auctions, far exceeding the pre-sale low estimate of $534.7 million. The first sale featured 18 lots from the collection of the late Robert and Patricia Ross Weis, including works by Picasso, Matisse, Mondrian, and Rothko, while the second 62-lot sale included pieces by Calder, Hockney, Chagall, and Giacometti. Bidding wars drove 16 lots to sell at or above their high estimates, with adviser Ralph DeLuca winning several high-profile battles, including a Matisse painting for $32.3 million and a Max Ernst sculpture for $20.2 million. The sell-through rate was 97% by value and 96% by lot, with only one withdrawn lot and three unsold works.

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trending_up market schedule Aug 26, 2025 visibility 16 link 3 artists, 1 gallery

A Guide to David Hockney’s Most Important Print Series

Lougher Contemporary, a UK-based specialist in blue-chip editions, has identified David Hockney's five most important print series for collectors. The series include the iconic Pool Series, inspired by Los Angeles swimming pools; the iPad Drawings, which began with the iPhone and evolved into works like 'The Arrival of Spring'; and The Weather Series, a set of six color lithographs influenced by Japanese Ukiyo-e prints. Other series are also highlighted for their market value and artistic significance.

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trending_up market schedule Mar 20, 2026 visibility 39 link 24 artists, 2 galleries

Important private collections feature in Strauss & Co March sales of modern and contemporary

Strauss & Co has announced its upcoming Evening Sale of Modern and Contemporary Art scheduled for March 24, 2026. The auction features 96 lots, headlined by significant private consignments including the Stan and Li Boiskin Art Collection and the Patricia Fine Art Collection. High-value works from South African masters such as Irma Stern, J. H. Pierneef, and Gerard Sekoto will lead the sale alongside a robust selection of contemporary pieces by artists like William Kentridge and Mary Sibande.

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trending_up market schedule Feb 13, 2026 visibility 26 link 18 artists

The must-see lots from Contemporary New York

Christie's is promoting its upcoming Contemporary New York auction series, highlighting key lots from the sale. Specialists from the auction house provide commentary on featured works by artists including Josef Albers, Julie Mehretu, William Edmondson, Maria Pergay, Jeff Koons, and Cy Twombly, detailing their artistic significance and notable provenance.

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trending_up market schedule Dec 17, 2025 visibility 18 link 24 artists

AIG × The Value Quarterly Special: Expert insights from New York’s November auction week

The article, published by TheValue.com in partnership with AIG, provides expert analysis and insights from New York’s November auction week. It covers key sales, market trends, and notable results from major auction houses including Christie's, Sotheby's, and Phillips, with commentary from specialists and market observers.

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trending_up market schedule Oct 23, 2025 visibility 22 link 21 artists

Modern & Contemporary African and Middle Eastern Art at Olympia Auctions

Olympia Auctions will hold a sale of Modern & Contemporary African and Middle Eastern Art on 29 October 2025, featuring 66 lots curated by specialists Janet Rady and Elikem Logan. Highlights include works by Ben Enwonwu, Oluwole Omofemi, Johnson Ocheja, Jacob Hendrik Pierneef, and South African women weavers from the Rorke’s Drift Art and Craft Centre, with estimates ranging from £1,000 to £25,000.

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trending_up market schedule Apr 6, 2026 visibility 33 link 9 artists, 1 gallery

Fair Warning Expands With Saara Pritchard, Doubling Down on ‘Conviction’ in a Crowded Art Market

Loïc Gouzer’s boutique auction app, Fair Warning, is expanding its leadership by appointing Saara Pritchard, a veteran specialist from Christie’s and Sotheby’s, as a partner. Since its 2020 launch, the platform has carved out a niche by rejecting the high-volume model of traditional auction houses in favor of a highly curated, "one work at a time" approach. This strategy has proven lucrative, recently achieving a record $16.7 million for an Andy Warhol portrait and a $4.07 million record for Elizabeth Peyton.

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trending_up market schedule Apr 24, 2025 visibility 19 link 8 artists, 2 galleries

Comment | Trims to Sotheby's African Modern and contemporary art department are just one unwelcome sign for this previously healthy market

Sotheby's has disbanded its dedicated African Modern and contemporary art department, a move that comes as auction sales in the category plummeted 45% in 2024 to $43.9 million, according to an ArtTactic report. The department, launched in 2016 with specialist Hannah O'Leary from Bonhams, was a major boost for the sector, but its small sales totals made it vulnerable during Sotheby's wider cost-cutting. O'Leary will now integrate African art into broader contemporary and Modern auctions, while other houses like Bonhams and Strauss continue to hold dedicated sales, focusing increasingly on 20th-century artists.

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trending_up market schedule Apr 28, 2026 visibility 26 link 5 artists

Wildenstein dispute over Monet work highlights art market opacity

A long-running dispute involving the Wildenstein art dynasty has resurfaced over a 2004 transaction for Claude Monet's *Adolphe Monet Reading in a Garden* (1867). The painting was acquired by Guy Wildenstein through a €4.5m deal that included works by Pierre Bonnard and Alfred Sisley, among them Monet's *Marine, Amsterdam* (1874). That work was later resold via Christie's, but a 2020 sale attempt revealed that the original canvas had been lost during a transfer process, significantly reducing its value. Court-appointed specialists concluded in 2024 that the alteration predated the transaction and that the gallery likely knew of the damage. The sellers have filed a claim alleging "vitiated consent" under French law, with a court date set for 7 May in Rouen. The disputed Monet now reportedly belongs to billionaire Larry Ellison.

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trending_up market schedule Apr 25, 2026 visibility 24 link 3 artists

How Art Firms Are—or Should Be—Using A.I. Right Now

Art firms are increasingly experimenting with artificial intelligence, but concrete use cases remain limited and industry-specific tools are still in their infancy. A new partnership between Bonhams and tech company ARTDAI aims to apply AI to market analytics, valuation, and specialist research, while companies like Artsy and Artnet are integrating AI capabilities into their platforms. Industry experts, including former Art Basel chief Marc Spiegler, note that the art market's small size has historically discouraged tech development, but AI now makes high-performance tools accessible to smaller businesses.

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trending_up market schedule Dec 1, 2025 visibility 10 link 3 artists

rediscovered rubens painting sells france

A long-lost painting by Peter Paul Rubens, unseen for four centuries, was sold at auction in Versailles for €2.94 million ($3.4 million), nearly double its high estimate. Created in 1613, the work depicts Jesus Christ on the cross and was discovered in a private Paris townhouse by auctioneer Jean-Pierre Osenat. The painting was authenticated by German art historian Nils Büttner through X-ray imaging and pigment analysis, and its provenance traces back to the 19th-century French painter William-Adolphe Bouguereau.

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trending_up market schedule Nov 29, 2025 visibility 15 link 6 artists

sothebys london lifts lid on its old master and 19th century evening sale with half of works unseen for a century

Sotheby's London has announced the full lineup for its Old Master and 19th century evening sale on December 3, featuring 31 works defined by exceptional scholarly significance and rare discoveries. Half of the lots have been hidden from public view for over a century, and 12 have not appeared on the secondary market in 40 years. Top lots include Hans Eworth's portrait of Thomas Howard (estimate £3 million), Pieter Brueghel the Younger's The Census at Bethlehem (£5 million), a rediscovered Peter Paul Rubens oil sketch (£3 million), and a Rembrandt portrait of Saint John on Patmos (£7 million). The sale also includes works from the collection of Dr Hinrich Bischoff, such as Lucas van Valckenborch's Autumn: Landscape with Archduke Matthias of Austria (£800,000).

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trending_up market schedule Sep 23, 2025 visibility 8 link 2 artists

banksy loan dispute brandler metamorfosi

John Brandler, a British street art specialist, loaned three Banksy works to Metamorfosi, a Rome-based touring exhibition company, for shows in Italy and Switzerland. After a two-year contract expired and was extended with a monthly fee, Brandler claims Metamorfosi has fallen behind on payments and has not returned the artworks, including the mural "Season's Greetings" (2018), "Heart Boy," and "Computer Robot." Another Banksy dealer, Acoris Andipa, says he is owed £45,000 for curatorial services. Metamorfosi disputes the claims, stating it has paid monthly installments and attempted to return the works, blaming storage issues for the delay.

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trending_up market schedule Apr 15, 2026 visibility 14 link 17 artists, 7 galleries

The Art Market Check by Melanie Gerlis

Art market specialist Melanie Gerlis has launched a new editorial series titled "The Art Market Check," produced in collaboration with Art Basel. The series features Gerlis, a prominent columnist for the Financial Times and editor-at-large for The Art Newspaper, providing expert analysis and commentary on various sectors of the global art trade throughout the annual calendar.

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