Marlene Dumas's Miss January Sells for Record $13.6M at Christie's
On May 14, 2025, Christie's New York auctioned Marlene Dumas's oil on canvas titled Miss January for $13.6 million, establishing a new record for a living female artist. The piece was provided by Mera and Don Rubell, the founders of the Rubell Museum in Miami, who intend to utilize the funds to further their collection and support up-and-coming artists. Sara Friedlander, Deputy Chairman of Post-War and Contemporary Art at Christie's, hailed the painting as Dumas's magnum opus, commending its formal excellence and its role in freeing the female form from a history of oppression.
Key facts
- Miss January sold for $13.6 million at Christie's New York on May 14, 2025.
- The painting is by South African artist Marlene Dumas.
- It is the highest price ever achieved at auction by a living female artist.
- The consignors were Mera and Don Rubell, founders of the Rubell Museum in Miami.
- Proceeds will support the Rubells' continued collecting and support of emerging artists.
- Sara Friedlander is Deputy Chairman, Post-War and Contemporary Art at Christie's.
- Friedlander called Miss January Dumas's magnum opus.
- The work is an oil on canvas.
Entities
Artists
Institutions
- Christie's New York
- Rubell Museum
Locations
- New York
- United States
- Miami