Christie’s Modern British and Irish Art evening sale in London on Wednesday achieved £17.3 million ($23 million), a 20 percent increase over the equivalent sale in 2024. The top lot was Barbara Hepworth’s *The Family of Man (Figure 9, The Bride)* (1970), which sold for £3.9 million ($5.2 million). The sale had a 90 percent sell-through rate by value and 81 percent by lot, with 39 percent of works exceeding their high estimates, though the total fell short of the £22.6 million high estimate. Other notable results included Hepworth’s *Vertical Wood Form* (1968) at £1.4 million, Stanley Spencer’s *The Meeting* (1933) at the same price, and Bridget Riley’s *Dendera* (1983-2002) at £1.2 million.
This sale matters because it signals sustained international demand for Modern British and Irish art, a category that Christie’s continues to lead. The strong results, particularly for Hepworth and L.S. Lowry’s *Bourton-on-the-Water* (1947), which sold for over 60 percent above its high estimate, demonstrate collector enthusiasm and market resilience. The auction also sets a positive tone for Christie’s upcoming 20th/21st century sales in Paris during Art Basel Paris week.