Market & Auctions

Market trends, sales, auction results, major lots, records, and analysis from Christie's, Sotheby's, Phillips and others.

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Rare Michelangelo drawing to be auctioned at Christie's Paris in May market-auction
Christie's has announced the sale of Michelangelo Buonarroti's drawing 'A nude young man (after Masaccio) and two figures behind' for May 18 in Paris, where it will be the sole…
Russian Oligarchs' Art Investments: Soft Power and Kleptocracy market-auction
Russian oligarchs have long used art as a vehicle for wealth opacity and soft power. Roman Abramovich spent $122.9 million in two days on Lucian Freud's Benefits Supervisor…
Louvre blocks Chardin still life sale, claims national treasure status market-auction
The Louvre has exercised its right of preemption to halt the sale of Jean Siméon Chardin's "Il cestino di fragole selvatiche" (1761), which was auctioned by Artcurial for over €24…
Sotheby's Returns to Live Auctions in Milan with Gnoli, Schifano, Burri, and Hirst market-auction
On April 13, 2022, Sotheby's is set to conduct its first live auction in Milan since the onset of the pandemic, taking place at Palazzo Serbelloni, with a preview scheduled for…
Artemisia Gentileschi's Madonna and Child up for auction in Rome market-auction
A rare autograph replica of Artemisia Gentileschi's Madonna and Child will be auctioned by Babuino Auction House in Rome from April 5 to 7, 2022. The oil on canvas (117×100 cm) is…
Abu Dhabi Revealed as Buyer of $32M T-Rex 'Stan' market-auction
The buyer of the Tyrannosaurus Rex skeleton 'Stan', sold by Christie's in 2020 for $32 million, has been revealed as the Department of Culture and Tourism of Abu Dhabi. The fossil…
Rare Mickey Mouse Charlie Hebdo tribute cover goes to auction in Turin market-auction
A rare Mickey Mouse comic book cover dedicated to Charlie Hebdo, never officially published, will be auctioned by Little Nemo Art Gallery in Turin on April 30, 2022. The cover,…
Blindarte Milano's EUK Selling Exhibition Supports Ukraine market-auction
Blindarte Milano is hosting EUK, a selling exhibition supporting Ukraine, opening March 29, 2022 at Via Palermo 11. The show combines the acronyms of European Union and Ukraine to…
Christie's and OpenSea Launch NFT Collection fRiENDSiES by FriendsWithYou market-auction
Christie's has partnered with OpenSea to auction a new NFT collection called fRiENDSiES, created by the artist duo FriendsWithYou. The collection features colorful, whimsical…
Rare Fang Ngil mask to auction in Montpellier market-auction
A rare Fang mask from the Ngil secret society, known as the "Gouverneur Fournier" mask, will be auctioned at Hotel des Ventes in Montpellier on March 26, 2022, with an estimate of…
Basquiat's 'Untitled (Devil)' from Modena Period Heads to Phillips New York Auction market-auction
Phillips has announced the sale of Jean-Michel Basquiat's monumental painting 'Untitled (Devil)' (1982) as the highlight of its 20th Century & Contemporary Art Evening Sale in New…
Canova's 'Maddalena giacente' bought for £5,000 as garden statue, now estimated at £5-8m market-auction
A long-lost marble sculpture by Antonio Canova, the 'Maddalena giacente' (Reclining Magdalene), will be auctioned by Christie's in London during its Classic Week in July 2022. The…
Met to Sell Picasso Sculpture for $30M to Fund New Acquisitions market-auction
The Metropolitan Museum of Art is selling Pablo Picasso's bronze sculpture 'Tête de femme (Fernande)' (1909), one of the artist's earliest Cubist works, at Christie's New York in…
Phillips London Evening Sale Raises £30 Million, Donates Buyer's Premium to Ukrainian Red Cross market-auction
On March 3, 2022, Phillips wrapped up a three-day auction series in London, which had commenced with Christie's on March 1 and continued with Sotheby's. The contemporary art…
Italian Masterpieces at Sotheby's Auction: Repatriation Debates market-auction
The article discusses the recurring issue of Italian artworks sold abroad and the calls for their repatriation. It highlights that wealthy Italians rarely purchase these works for…
Art-Rite auction of Italian comics masters includes Artribune commission by Maicol&Mirco market-auction
On March 17, Art-Rite auction house in Milan will offer 121 lots of original drawings and illustrations by Italian comic masters. The sale features Andrea Pazienza with plates…
London auction records: Christie's and Sotheby's rake in £470 million in single week market-auction
In March 2022, auction houses Christie's and Sotheby's in London recorded unprecedented sales surpassing £470 million. On March 1, Christie's conducted two auctions, breaking…
Christie's 2021 Report: Record Sales of $7.1 Billion and Digital Innovation market-auction
Christie's released its 2021 annual report, revealing record aggregate sales of $7.1 billion, the highest in five years, with an 87% sell-through rate. The 20/21 century art…
Record Magritte sells for £51.5 million at Sotheby's London market-auction
René Magritte's 'L'Empire des Lumières' sold for £51.5 million (€62 million) at Sotheby's London, tripling the artist's previous auction record. The painting, executed in 1961 for…
Sotheby's London auctions feature major Italian masters and emerging artists market-auction
Sotheby's London is set for a major auction day on March 2, 2022, with two key sales: the debut of The Now Evening Sale, focusing on works from the last 20 years by emerging…
Charity Auction for Stroke Research at Artcurial market-auction
On March 9, 2022, Artcurial in Paris will host a charity auction to benefit the Vaincre l'AVC endowment fund, founded by Sophie and Pierre Amarenco. The auction, led by auctioneer…
Mega Galleries Rush to Open in Los Angeles After Frieze LA market-auction
In the wake of Frieze Los Angeles, more than seven galleries from New York are set to establish themselves on the West Coast. Pace Gallery is scheduled to launch in April…
Banca Popolare di Vicenza to Sell Its Art Collection market-auction
On January 21, 2022, the liquidators of Banca Popolare di Vicenza announced the sale of the bank's extraordinary art collection. The bank was placed under compulsory…
Sotheby's to Auction 104 CryptoPunks in Single Lot, Estimated $20-30 Million market-auction
Sotheby's New York is set to auction a single lot of 104 CryptoPunks on February 23, 2022, with an estimate of $20-30 million, the highest ever for an NFT. The collection, from an…
Tuscan wineries Ornellaia and Frescobaldi merge wine with contemporary art market-auction
Two wineries in Tuscany, Ornellaia and Frescobaldi, merge the worlds of wine and contemporary art. Since 2009, Ornellaia has been running the Vendemmia d'Artista initiative, which…
Valentina Cortese's collection auctioned for charity in Milan market-auction
Il Ponte auction house is set to auction the wardrobe, artworks, and furnishings of the late actress Valentina Cortese at Palazzo Crivelli in Milan on March 1-2, 2022. This…
Bonhams acquires Scandinavian auction house Bukowskis market-auction
Bonhams, one of the oldest international auction houses, has acquired Bukowskis, the leading Scandinavian auction house, following its recent expansion into Paris. Founded in 1870…
Francis Bacon Market Down 80% Since 2014 Peak market-auction
Despite Francis Bacon's enduring popularity, his auction market has declined 80% from its 2014 peak of $306 million in annual sales. The artist's record remains the $142.4 million…
Hubert de Givenchy's Collection to Be Auctioned by Christie's in Paris market-auction
Christie's will auction over 1,200 lots from the collection of the late fashion designer Hubert de Givenchy, spanning furniture, sculptures, and paintings by French and European…
Sotheby's Old Masters auction disappoints despite Botticelli highlight market-auction
Sotheby's Master Paintings and Sculpture Part I sale on January 27 in New York fell short of expectations, with Sandro Botticelli's 'The Man of Sorrows' selling for $45.4 million…
Picasso's Rare Surrealist Painting Heads to Christie's with £14-24m Estimate market-auction
Christie's will offer Pablo Picasso's 'La fenêtre ouverte' in its The Art of the Surreal Evening Sale on March 1, 2022, with a pre-sale estimate of £14-24 million. The painting,…
Fashion brands embrace NFTs as luxury market shifts to digital-physical experiences market-auction
Luxury fashion labels are increasingly utilizing NFTs to merge digital and physical realms, with Morgan Stanley estimating the market could reach €50 billion by 2030. On December…
Damien Hirst Admits Diamond Skull Was Never Sold market-auction
Damien Hirst has admitted that his diamond-encrusted skull, For the Love of God, was never actually sold for $100 million in 2007. In a New York Times interview, the artist…
Art Basel substitui FIAC no Grand Palais em Paris market-auction
Art Basel is set to launch a new modern and contemporary art fair at the Grand Palais in Paris, scheduled for October. This event will be the group's fourth, following successful…
Wannenes Auction House Reports €24.7M Revenue for 2021, Up 47% in Online Sales market-auction
Italian auction house Wannenes closed 2021 with €24.7 million in total revenue, a 65% sell-through rate by lot and 210% by value, with growth across all departments. Online…
NFT Market: Speculation, Environmental Concerns, and Italian Crypto Art market-auction
The NFT market exploded in 2021, with Christie's selling Beeple's 'Everydays: The First 5000 Days' for $69.3 million on March 12, 2021. However, NFTs are essentially digital…
Phillips expands digital sales and fiduciary services for collectors market-auction
Following strong 2021 results and the announcement of a new Hong Kong venue, Phillips is refining its strategy by relaunching Gallery One and introducing Fiduciary Services.…
NFTs Explained: Market, Value, and the End of Material Chauvinism market-auction
In March 2021, during the NFT boom, Beeple (Mike Winkelmann) sold 'Everydays: The First 5000 Days' for $69 million at a Christie's online auction, making it the sixth most…
Il Ponte's Rare Book Auction: From Dante to Dalì market-auction
Il Ponte Casa d'Aste in Milan opens 2022 with a dedicated auction of rare and artist books, following a record turnover of over €1.5 million in 2021. The sale features an…
Microsoft Acquires Activision Blizzard for $68.7 Billion in Record Gaming Deal market-auction
Microsoft has announced the acquisition of video game giant Activision Blizzard for $68.7 billion, the largest deal in both Microsoft's history and the gaming industry. The…

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