Sotheby’s London kicked off its Spring 2026 marquee season with a series of high-energy auctions, totaling £154 million across its Modern & Contemporary sales. The week was highlighted by a "white-glove" evening auction that achieved a 100% sell-through rate, led by Francis Bacon’s 1972 Self-Portrait which sold for £16 million. Significant records were set for British masters, most notably Leon Kossoff, whose painting "Children’s Swimming Pool" shattered estimates to reach £5.2 million.
These results signal a definitive recovery for the London art market, effectively silencing post-Brexit anxieties and economic concerns. The success of the "School of London" painters and blue-chip Modernists like Giacometti and Monet suggests a "flight to certainty" among global collectors. By reaffirming London's status as a premier hub for high-value trade, the Spring 2026 season serves as a vital course correction for the UK's position in the international art landscape.