Sotheby’s will offer Alberto Giacometti’s 1955 bronze bust *Grande tête mince (Grande tête de Diego)*, hand-painted by the artist as a tribute to his brother Diego, at its May 13 modern art evening sale in New York with an estimate exceeding $70 million. The 25-inch-tall work, one of six casts, is being sold anonymously through the Soloviev Foundation and comes from the estate of real estate magnate Sheldon Solow. It was exhibited at the 1956 Venice Biennale and spent nearly two decades at the Fondation Maeght before Solow acquired it in 1980. The sale also includes a Piet Mondrian painting estimated at $50 million at Christie’s as part of the Leonard Riggio collection.
The auction arrives at a critical moment for the art market, which has seen declining totals for two consecutive years amid global economic uncertainty, tariffs, and stock market volatility. The Giacometti bust’s high estimate reflects both its exceptional painted surface and the artist’s rising market profile, following records like *Pointing Man* ($141.3 million in 2015). The sale will test market confidence, as few major estates have consigned works and many private sellers are holding back. The Soloviev Foundation has also pledged works by Modigliani and Rothko as collateral for a loan through Christie’s art financing program, signaling continued financial maneuvering in the high-end market.