Sotheby’s Modern evening auction on 19 May in New York achieved $303.3m with fees, falling within its pre-sale estimate of $244m to $322.8m. The standout lot was Henri Matisse’s 1919 painting *La Chaise lorraine*, which sold for $48.4m after a ten-minute bidding battle, becoming the second most valuable Matisse painting at auction. Other highlights included Alberto Giacometti’s *La Clairière (Composition avec neuf figures)* at $23.1m, Pablo Picasso’s *Arlequin (Buste, 1909)* at $42.6m, and a Mark Rothko untitled work on paper at $9.27m. The sale also saw strong demand for works by female Surrealists Leonor Fini and Leonora Carrington, while a Rodin sculpture was passed and a Gottlieb painting was withdrawn.
The auction underscores the continued strength of the high-end modern art market, with major prices achieved for blue-chip artists like Matisse, Picasso, and Giacometti. The results also highlight growing Asian buyer interest and the enduring appeal of works on paper, as seen with Rothko and van Gogh. While lacking the record-breaking moments of rival Christie’s, Sotheby’s solid performance reflects a market that remains robust for trophy works, even as some lots failed to sell.