The article reports on the best-selling Old Master paintings at auction in 2025, highlighting Canaletto's "Venice, the Return of the Bucintoro on Ascension Day" which sold for $43.8 million at Christie's—three times the next-highest Old Master price. Other notable sales include a $7.55 million triptych of Jesus performing miracles by an unknown 15th-century artist, noted for its pristine condition. The analysis draws from the Artnet Intelligence Report: Year Ahead 2026.
This matters because the strong performance of Old Masters, especially the Canaletto's crossover appeal to ultra-wealthy buyers, signals a resilient segment of the art market amid broader uncertainty. The record sale demonstrates that exceptional quality, provenance (the Canaletto once hung at 10 Downing Street), and condition can drive demand even from collectors who typically avoid this category, offering insights into shifting collector behavior and market dynamics.