Art Basel Paris opened its 'Avant Première' day at the Grand Palais on October 21, 2025, with strong early sales led by Hauser & Wirth's sale of Gerhard Richter's *Abstraktes Bild (Abstract Painting)* (1987) for $23 million. Other notable sales included Julie Mehretu's *Charioteer* (2007) for $11.5 million at White Cube, Amedeo Modigliani's *Jeune fille aux macarons* (1918) for just under $10 million at Pace Gallery, and a Ruth Asawa sculpture for $7.5 million at David Zwirner. The fair, running through October 26, features 203 galleries and introduced the exclusive preview day as a new scheduling element.
This strong opening underscores the resilience of the high-end art market amid broader economic uncertainty, with major galleries reporting multimillion-dollar sales on the first day. The $23 million Richter sale coincides with the artist's retrospective at Fondation Louis Vuitton in Paris and a solo show at David Zwirner, highlighting the synergy between museum exhibitions and commercial demand. The 'Avant Première' preview, described by Art Basel CEO Noah Horowitz as 'for the market, by the market,' signals a strategic shift to cater to top collectors and sustain momentum in the fair circuit.