Art News. Vasari Codex

trending_up market schedule May 20, 2026 visibility 5 link 15 artists, 2 galleries

Phillips Modern & Contemporary Sale Nets $115.2 M., With Strong Results for Women Artists

Phillips’ modern and contemporary art evening sale on Tuesday achieved $115.2 million against a presale estimate of $84.2 million, its highest since 2022. All 40 lots sold, with standout results for works by living artists like Joseph Yaeger, whose painting fetched $477,300 against a $60,000 estimate, and Anna Weyant, whose work sold for $980,400. Works by 20th-century female artists including Lee Bontecou, Olga de Amaral, and Helen Frankenthaler also exceeded expectations, with Bontecou’s pastel setting a record for a two-dimensional work by the artist at $4.3 million.

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trending_up market schedule May 19, 2026 visibility 12 link 16 artists, 2 galleries

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.

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trending_up market schedule May 19, 2026 visibility 10 link 32 artists, 3 galleries

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.

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trending_up market schedule May 18, 2026 visibility 15 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 May 15, 2026 visibility 35 link 27 artists, 3 galleries

Robert Mnuchin's $85.7m Rothko leads Sotheby's $407.5m auction in New York

Sotheby's evening auction in New York on May 13, 2025, realized $407.5 million ($433.1m with fees), led by Mark Rothko's "Brown and Blacks in Reds" (1957) from the collection of the late dealer Robert Mnuchin, which sold for $74m ($85.7m with fees). The sale opened with all eleven lots from Mnuchin's collection achieving a 'white glove' result, totaling $140.7m ($166.3m with fees), and continued with a mixed-vendor contemporary section that added $223m ($266.8m with fees), setting four new artist records.

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trending_up market schedule May 18, 2026 visibility 13 link 29 artists, 4 galleries

The 16 Most Expensive Artworks Ever Sold at Auction

ARTnews published an updated list of the 16 most expensive artworks ever sold at auction, highlighting recent record-breaking sales such as Gustav Klimt's *Portrait of Elisabeth Lederer* (1914–16), which fetched over $236.4 million at Sotheby's, and Jackson Pollock's *Number 7A, 1948*, which sold for well above its $100 million estimate at Christie's in May 2026 from the S. I. Newhouse collection. The article traces the history of top auction prices, including Vincent van Gogh's *Orchard with Cypresses* (1888), which sold for $117 million during the Paul Allen sale at Christie's in November 2022, part of a record $1.5 billion single-evening auction.

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trending_up market schedule May 18, 2026 visibility 17 link 22 artists, 5 galleries

Consignors Revealed: The Mystery Sellers Behind the $1.8 Billion May Auctions

Sotheby's kicked off the May auction season with a $433 million sale, including an 11-lot group from the estate of late dealer Bob Mnuchin, led by an $86 million Mark Rothko painting. The three major auction houses are offering $1.8 billion worth of art by low estimate, a 50% increase from last year, driven by consignments from estates of key figures like Mnuchin, philanthropist Agnes Gund, and dealer Marian Goodman. Christie's will stage a sale from publisher S.I. Newhouse's collection expected to bring $450 million, potentially setting records for Jackson Pollock and Constantin Brancusi. The article reveals that many top sellers are anonymous, but unmasked names include the Dennison family and French collector John Sayegh-Belchatowski.

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trending_up market schedule May 15, 2026 visibility 29 link 10 artists, 5 galleries

The Most Expensive Jean-Michel Basquiat Works Ever Sold at Auction

ARTnews published a listicle ranking the most expensive Jean-Michel Basquiat works ever sold at auction, updated as of May 15, 2026. The article traces Basquiat's rise from street artist under the moniker SAMO to a major figure in the downtown New York scene, highlighting key relationships with Keith Haring, Diego Cortez, and curator Henry Geldzahler. It notes that Basquiat's entire mature output was created between 1981 and 1984, and that his 1983 painting *Museum Security (Broadway Meltdown)* sold at Sotheby's in May 2026 for $52.7 million, placing it among his top sales. The piece also details earlier top sales, including *Untitled* (1982) for $29.3 million at Christie's in 2013 and *Flesh and Spirit* (1982–83) for $30.7 million at Sotheby's in 2018.

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trending_up market schedule May 14, 2026 visibility 40 link 10 artists, 2 galleries

How Christie’s Recruited Nicole Kidman to Sell S.I. Newhouse’s $100 Million Brancusi

Christie's has released a promotional video featuring actress Nicole Kidman to advertise the upcoming auction of Constantin Brancusi's bronze sculpture *Danaïde* (1913), estimated at $100 million. The sculpture comes from the collection of the late media mogul S.I. Newhouse, who purchased it for $18.2 million in 2002. The nearly two-minute film, shot at Christie's Rockefeller Center headquarters, shows Kidman interacting with the work and was conceived by former Sotheby's auctioneer and Newhouse estate advisor Tobias Meyer. The sale is scheduled for May 18 in New York.

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trending_up market schedule May 14, 2026 visibility 35 link 38 artists, 12 galleries

$2.2 million El Anatsui work leads Frieze New York 2026 sales.

Frieze New York 2026 opened its 15th edition at The Shed in Manhattan on May 13th with a VIP preview, drawing collectors, museum directors, artists, and celebrities like Leonardo DiCaprio, Julia Fox, and Sharon Stone. The fair features 68 galleries from 25 countries and runs through May 17th, with a $2.2 million work by El Anatsui leading reported sales.

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trending_up market schedule May 15, 2026 source 2 sources visibility 32 link 14 artists, 7 galleries

For young dealers, being in New York is key to surviving and thriving

The article examines how young art dealers in New York are adapting to the city's high costs and competitive market during the May art season. It highlights galleries like Europa, Esther, and Gordon Robichaux participating in multiple fairs simultaneously, such as Frieze New York and Independent New York, to maximize sales and visibility. Dealers like Pali Kashi and Silke Lindner emphasize strategic resourcefulness, with some sales already covering fair costs, while referencing artist Josh Kline's essay on how real estate pressures stifle artistic risk-taking.

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trending_up market schedule May 18, 2026 visibility 7 link 2 artists, 1 gallery

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.

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trending_up market schedule May 15, 2026 visibility 9 link 25 artists, 5 galleries

'Reflection of resilience': Art Dubai's war-postponed edition opens to healthy sales

Art Dubai's 20th anniversary edition opened at Madinat Jumeirah after being postponed from April to May due to the US-Israel war in Iran and regional missile threats. Around 75 exhibitors dropped out, leaving roughly 50 participants, mostly from the region. The fair was reorganized in just eight weeks under executive director Benedetta Ghione and new director Dunja Gottweis, who created a new floor plan in a day and a half. The scaled-back format includes an embedded digital section, and initial sales have been strong, with works by Samira Badran, Mostafa Al Hallaj, Safeya Sharif, Alyazia Al Nahyan, Roudhah Al Mazrouei, and Nabil Anani selling at prices ranging from $3,500 to $360,000.

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trending_up market schedule May 15, 2026 source 2 sources visibility 9 link 10 artists, 1 gallery

Landmark Works Lead Cowley Abbott’s Sale of Indigenous and International Art

Cowley Abbott is staging its major spring sale, 'Select Masterworks of Indigenous and International Art,' at the Globe and Mail Centre in Toronto on May 27. The auction features a diverse range of works, including Pierre-Auguste Renoir's 'Paysage du Midi' (ca. 1900), Vincent van Gogh's 'Homme à la Pipe: Portrait du Docteur Gachet' (1890), Philip Russell Goodwin's 'Camping – Canadian Club' (1916), Emily Carr's 'Wind' (1936), and Lawren Stewart Harris's 'Above Coldwell Bay, North Shore, Lake Superior (Lake Superior Sketch XV)' (1925), with estimates ranging from CA$150,000 to CA$700,000.

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trending_up market schedule May 20, 2026 visibility 1 link 10 artists

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.

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trending_up market schedule May 20, 2026 visibility 4 link 18 artists, 3 galleries

Sold-out Phillips auction in New York brings in $115.2m, more than double 2025 result

Phillips’s marquee spring auction in New York achieved a sold-out result, bringing in $91.73 million hammer ($115.2 million with fees), more than double the equivalent sale from a year ago. The top lot was Andy Warhol’s *Sixteen Jackies* (1964), which sold for $13.5 million ($16.2 million with fees), while a Jackson Pollock drip painting that had failed to sell in a previous auction found a buyer at $7.4 million. Fierce bidding occurred for contemporary works by artists with tightly controlled primary markets, such as Salman Toor, whose *Two Friends* (2020) surpassed its high estimate.

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trending_up market schedule May 19, 2026 visibility 2 link 11 artists, 2 galleries

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.

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trending_up market schedule May 15, 2026 visibility 8 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 May 19, 2026 visibility 2 link 6 artists, 1 gallery

Queer art, bowler hats and an Annie Hall script: inside Diane Keaton’s archive as treasures go on sale

Diane Keaton is auctioning a vast archive of personal effects through Bonhams, including a massive collage she created over decades, clothing, scripts, and art. The sales, titled "Diane Keaton: The Architecture of an Icon," span multiple categories—from her menswear-inspired wardrobe to her photographic works and home design objects. Highlights include her original Annie Hall script, a sequined Gucci suit, and works by artists like David Wojnarowicz. The auction will be held live in New York City on 8 June, with previews in West Hollywood.

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trending_up market schedule May 14, 2026 visibility 17 link 7 artists, 3 galleries

Robert Mnuchin’s Rothko Sells at Sotheby’s for $85.8 M., Narrowly Missing a Record

A Mark Rothko painting, *Brown and Blacks in Reds* (1957), formerly owned by the late influential art dealer Robert Mnuchin, sold at Sotheby’s on Thursday night for $85.8 million. The work hammered at $74 million, falling short of the upper end of its $70–$100 million estimate, but with premium fees it became the second-most expensive Rothko ever sold at auction, narrowly missing the artist’s record of $86.9 million set by *Orange, Red, Yellow* (1961) in 2012. The painting was part of a sale devoted to Mnuchin’s collection, which also included works by Willem de Kooning, Pablo Picasso, Franz Kline, and Jeff Koons.

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trending_up market schedule May 20, 2026 visibility 4 link 24 artists, 1 gallery

Phillips’ $115.2 Million Evening Sale Was a Testament to the Power of Pre-Planning and Priority Bidding

Phillips’ Modern & Contemporary Art Evening Sale on May 19 achieved a white-glove result, totaling $115.2 million across 41 lots—a 122 percent increase from May 2025. The sale saw strong performances from works by Lee Bontecou, Salman Toor, and Cecily Brown, with Bontecou’s 1985 pastel on canvas setting a record for a two-dimensional work by the artist at $4.2 million. Other top lots included Andy Warhol’s *Sixteen Jackies* (1964) at $16.2 million, a Monet landscape at $9.3 million, and a Joan Mitchell at $6.9 million. Notably, less than half of the lots were guaranteed, with Phillips’ Priority Bidding incentive—offering a 4 percent discount on buyer’s premium—contributing to the strong results, as more than half of the lots attracted such bids.

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trending_up market schedule May 18, 2026 visibility 7 link 57 artists, 32 galleries

Frieze New York 2026 Reports Major Sales and Acquisitions

Frieze New York 2026 closed its 15th edition at The Shed on May 17, drawing 25,000 visitors from 75 countries and featuring 68 galleries from 26 countries. The fair reported strong sales across market levels, including seven-figure transactions such as El Anatsui's *LuwVor I* sold by White Cube for $2.2 million and Georg Baselitz's *Stunde der Nachtigall* sold by Thaddaeus Ropac for €1.4 million. The inaugural Sherman Family Foundation Acquisition Fund enabled acquisitions by the Brooklyn Museum and the Baltimore Museum of Art, with works by Bettina, Reika Takebayashi, Seba Calfuqueo, and Joanne Burke. Several galleries, including Johyun Gallery and James Cohan, reported sold-out or near-sell-out booths.

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trending_up market schedule May 18, 2026 visibility 8 link 128 artists, 45 galleries

New York Art Week 2026 Frieze And TEFAF Report

New York Art Week 2026 featured major art fairs including Frieze New York at The Shed, which drew 25,000 visitors from 75 countries and launched the Sherman Family Foundation Acquisition Fund, placing works by four artists into the Brooklyn Museum and Baltimore Museum of Art. TEFAF New York at the Park Avenue Armory presented over 90 international galleries across historic period rooms, while satellite fairs Independent, NADA New York, and 1-54 Contemporary African Art Fair offered focused alternatives. Auction houses Sotheby's, Christie's, and Phillips opened free spring sale previews featuring highlights such as Roy Lichtenstein's 'Anxious Girl' and the Lewis Collection.

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trending_up market schedule May 15, 2026 visibility 16 link 58 artists, 22 galleries

New York Is About to Sell $3 Billion in Art. Who’s Buying?

Vanity Fair's Nate Freeman reports on New York's spring art season, where auction houses are poised to sell at least $2.6 billion in art alongside major museum exhibitions (Raphael at the Met, Duchamp at MoMA, Matisse at Acquavella) and the opening of Frieze New York at The Shed. The article follows the social and commercial frenzy, highlighting a David Shrigley gong installation at Anton Kern Gallery's booth and the enduring dominance of New York, where nearly 90% of U.S. art sales occur.

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trending_up market schedule May 15, 2026 visibility 18 link 30 artists, 2 galleries

Sotheby’s $433 Million Contemporary Evening and Mnuchin Sales Kicked Off New York’s May Marquee Auctions

Sotheby's held two major evening sales in New York—the Mnuchin collection sale and The Now & Contemporary Evening Auction—generating a combined $433.1 million. The Mnuchin sale achieved a white-glove result of $166.3 million, led by Mark Rothko's *Brown and Blacks in Reds* (1957) which sold for $85.8 million, while the contemporary auction reached $266.8 million, with Jean-Michel Basquiat's *Museum Security (Broadway Meltdown)* as the top lot. The results fell within presale estimates but marked a 133% increase over last May's contemporary sales.

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trending_up market schedule May 18, 2026 visibility 5 link 5 artists, 1 gallery

A $433 Million Boost for the Market

Sotheby's May 2026 auctions in New York generated $433.1 million in sales over under three hours, a 132.7 percent increase compared to the same period last spring, despite offering fewer lots. This strong performance signals a top-heavy recovery in the art market after three years of contraction. Separately, the Neue Galerie will merge with the Metropolitan Museum of Art in 2028, and Art Dubai continues despite disruptions from the U.S.-Iran war.

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trending_up market schedule May 20, 2026 visibility 2 link 27 artists, 1 gallery

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.

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trending_up market schedule May 20, 2026 visibility 3 link 9 artists

How Did Phillips Pull Off a $115.2 Million ‘White Glove’ Sale? Here’s What the Numbers Say

Phillips achieved a $115.2 million 'white glove' evening sale in New York on Tuesday night, with 41 of 43 lots sold and a 100% sell-through rate after withdrawals. The auction more than doubled last year's $52 million total, led by Andy Warhol's *Sixteen Jackies* (1964) at $16.2 million. Only three records were set—for P.S. Krøyer, Pat Passlof, and Joseph Yaeger—but the sale's success was driven by third-party guarantees on 21 lots and newly launched priority bids.

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trending_up market schedule May 20, 2026 visibility 3 link 17 artists, 1 gallery

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.

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trending_up market schedule May 19, 2026 visibility 5 link 5 artists

Cindy and Howard Rachofsky’s Dallas Home Could Be Yours at a Discount, for $17.5 M.

Cindy and Howard Rachofsky, prominent art collectors and mainstays on the ARTnews Top 200 Collectors list, have reduced the asking price of their Dallas home, the Richard Meier–designed Rachofsky House, from $23 million to $17.5 million. The property, completed in 1996 and located in the affluent Preston Hollow neighborhood, has been on the market since October 2024. The Rachofskys, whose collection includes over 800 works, previously hosted the Two x Two gala in support of AIDS- and art-focused initiatives in Dallas, but stopped hosting the event in 2024.

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