The article previews five major lots coming to auction in New York in May 2025, spanning Phillips, Sotheby's, Christie's, and Bonhams. Highlights include Gerhard Richter's 'Mann mit zwei Kindern' (1966), a portrait of Sigmar Polke estimated at $4–6 million; Frans Post's 'View of Olinda with Ruins of the Jesuit Church' (1666), estimated at $6–8 million and expected to break the artist's record; Andy Warhol's 'Big Electric Chair' (1967–68), estimated around $30 million; and Fernando Botero's 'The Bed' (1982), estimated at $700,000–$1 million. Each work is making its auction debut or is a rare market appearance.
This roundup matters because it signals a strong spring auction season with high-value, fresh-to-market works from blue-chip artists. The Richter and Warhol pieces connect to major art-historical narratives—Richter's ties to Polke and Palermo, Warhol's Death and Disaster series—while the Post rediscovery story underscores the enduring appeal of provenance and connoisseurship. Together, these lots will test current demand for modern and contemporary masters at a moment when the art market is closely watched for signs of resilience or correction.