Christie’s New York held a trio of postwar and contemporary art evening sales on Wednesday night, totaling $162.7 million with fees, just meeting expectations. The auction was led by a Gerhard Richter painting, *Kerze (Candle)*, which sold for $35.1 million, and featured a collection of eight Richter works from the estate of revered dealer Marian Goodman, which collectively hammered at $66 million. Other highlights included a Donald Judd stack from the estate of collector Henry S. McNeil, selling for $12.8 million, and a Richter *Mohn (Poppy)* that achieved $20.1 million. Only one lot, an Ed Ruscha canvas, failed to sell.
The sale capped a New York auction season that saw mixed but generally strong results, with top-end works performing well despite broader economic uncertainty. The $162.7 million total was the highest for an equivalent sale in five years, signaling that the blue-chip art market has emerged from a slump, even as speculative capital remained subdued. The event underscored the enduring appeal of established postwar masters like Richter and Judd, while the Marian Goodman collection drew significant attention, reflecting her lasting influence on the art world.