Market & Auctions

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• Russian art market plummets 58% amid sanctions and economic crisis market-auction

  In December 2014, auction sales in the Russian art market plummeted by 58%, amounting to £17.2 million, a stark contrast to the £40 million recorded in 2013. Contributing factors…

• Minerva Auctions sets record with €1M sale in Rome market-auction

  Minerva Auctions achieved a record total of over €1 million at its Modern and Contemporary Art sale held on April 28, 2016, at Palazzo Odescalchi in Rome. The auction house,…

• National Portrait Gallery Acquires Unfinished Lucian Freud Self-Portrait via Tax Scheme market-auction

  An unfinished oil-on-canvas self-portrait by Lucian Freud, valued at around £600,000, has been acquired by the National Portrait Gallery in London through the Acceptance in Lieu…

• Hayez 'Il bacio' sells for nearly $2M at Christie's New York market-auction

  A version of Francesco Hayez's iconic Romantic painting 'Il bacio' sold at Christie's Rockefeller Plaza in New York for nearly $2 million (€1.655 million), setting a new world…

• Perry Rubenstein Arrested in Santa Monica for Theft and Embezzlement market-auction

  Los Angeles art dealer Perry Rubenstein was arrested in Santa Monica last week on charges of theft and embezzlement, following complaints from collectors Michael Ovitz and Michael…

• David Geffen dona 100 milioni di dollari al MoMA market-auction

  Il magnate e collezionista David Geffen ha donato 100 milioni di dollari al Museum of Modern Art di New York, una cifra inimmaginabile per qualsiasi altro museo al mondo. La…

• Frieze signs strategic partnership with talent agency WME-IMG market-auction

  Frieze Art Fair has announced a strategic partnership with William Morris Endeavor-IMG (WME-IMG), a major talent agency representing athletes like Novak Djokovic, Maria Sharapova,…

• Minerva Auctions: crescita del 20% nel 2015 e asta di Moderno e Contemporaneo market-auction

  Founded in 2012 by Fabio Massimo Bertolo, Minerva Auctions achieved a 20% increase in revenue in 2015, approaching 6 million euros. The growth is attributed to its departments…

• San Francisco emerges as new art hub as Gagosian, Pace, Untitled, and Art Miami expand to Silicon Valley market-auction

  San Francisco is positioning itself as a rising star in the contemporary art world, attracting major galleries and art fairs. Larry Gagosian, encouraged by the reopening of the…

• Marco Trevisan stays at Christie's in new strategic role; Cristiano De Lorenzo named Milan managing director market-auction

  Marco Trevisan, outgoing managing director of Christie's Milan, has denied leaving the auction house, clarifying that his role is being refocused. Following a report by Roberta…

• Sotheby's Spring Auctions Promoted with Imaginary Artist Jam Sessions market-auction

  Sotheby's has launched a promotional campaign for its spring auctions, featuring a video that imagines conversations between artists from different eras. The campaign, titled…

• Christie's Dubai 10th Anniversary Auction Behind the Scenes market-auction

  Christie's Michael Jeha gave Canvas Magazine's Ali Khadra an exclusive behind-the-scenes tour of the artworks featured in the Christie's 10th Anniversary Auction in Dubai, held at…

• Jasper Johns' 1960 Sculpture Painted Bronze Promised to MoMA by Marie-Josée and Henry R. Kravis market-auction

  A 1960 sculpture by Jasper Johns titled Painted Bronze has been pledged as a future donation to The Museum of Modern Art in New York. The work, measuring 13-1/2 inches in height…

• Catherine Opie's 2012 portrait of Lawrence Weiner enters private collection market-auction

  A 2012 pigment print portrait by Catherine Opie depicting artist Lawrence Weiner has entered a private collection. The photograph, titled 'Lawrence (Black Shirt)', measures 33 by…

• Charline Von Heyl's 2013 painting Carlotta pledged as gift by Michael Ovitz market-auction

  Michael Ovitz has committed to donating Charline Von Heyl's 2013 painting Carlotta as a promised gift. The artwork, measuring 82 by 76 inches, was created using oil, synthetic…

• Arte Fiera 2015: 16 opere acquistate con fondo da 100mila euro market-auction

  BolognaFiere ha annunciato l'acquisto di 16 opere d'arte per un totale di 100mila euro, destinate ad arricchire la collezione della fiera. Le opere sono state selezionate dai…

• Robert Gober's 1989 Untitled sculpture acquired by Art Institute of Chicago market-auction

  The Art Institute of Chicago has recently expanded its collection with the addition of Robert Gober's 1989 artwork, Untitled. This acquisition was made possible by a generous…

• Six artist records at Christie's Italian Sales as Italian postwar art booms market-auction

  Christie's Italian Sales on October 16 achieved £27 million, exceeding the £22 million low estimate, with six new artist records. Alighiero Boetti's Colonna was the top lot at…

• Sigmar Polke's 1975 Photograph Acquired by MoMA Through Wachenheim and Lauder Donations market-auction

  The Museum of Modern Art in New York has added a gelatin silver print by Sigmar Polke to its collection. Created around 1975, the untitled photograph measures 7 1/16 by 9 7/16…

• Sigmar Polke's 'Watchtower' Acquired by MoMA as Lauder Gift market-auction

  The Museum of Modern Art in New York has acquired Sigmar Polke's 1984 painting 'Watchtower (Hochsitz)' as a fractional and promised gift from Jo Carole and Ronald S. Lauder.…

• Vermeer's 'Saint Praxedis' to be auctioned at Christie's London for €7 million market-auction

  The painting 'Saint Praxedis', attributed to Johannes Vermeer and exhibited at the Scuderie del Quirinale in Rome, will be auctioned at Christie's London on July 8. The work, long…

• Detroit Museum Collection Valued at $900M by Christie's Amid Crisis market-auction

  Christie's estimates the Detroit Institute of Arts collection at $900 million, raising the possibility of selling off assets to address the city's debt, as reported by Italia…

• Auction to Save Alda Merini's House Museum in Milan market-auction

  An auction titled 'Una piuma per Alda Merini' will be held on November 29, 2013, at Spazio Amira in Nola, near Naples, to raise funds for reopening the Casa Museo dedicated to…

• Christie's Online Auction of Picasso Ceramics Includes Rita Hayworth Wedding Set market-auction

  Christie's is holding an online auction of approximately ninety Picasso ceramics until October 29, with a physical exhibition at its King Street location in London from October…

• Christie’s and Saatchi Gallery Partner for No-Reserve Auction of Monumental Sculptures market-auction

  So, during Frieze Week in London, there’s this cool auction called Thinking Big, put together by Christie’s and Saatchi Gallery. The goal is to support the gallery’s free entry…

• Christie's Makes Historic Shanghai Debut with $25M Sale, Cai Guo-Qiang Leads at $3.4M market-auction

  On September 26, 2013, Christie's conducted its inaugural auction in mainland China, specifically in Shanghai, generating $25 million in sales, surpassing the $16 million forecast…

• Christie's London to auction 58 Kate Moss-inspired works from Gert Elfering collection market-auction

  On September 25, Christie's London will host an auction featuring 58 artworks influenced by supermodel Kate Moss, curated by Gert Elfering. The estimated value of the sale ranges…

• Jack Goldstein's 1984 painting Untitled acquired by Orange County Museum of Art market-auction

  The Orange County Museum of Art acquired Jack Goldstein's 1984 acrylic painting Untitled through museum purchase. Funding for the acquisition came from a prior gift by Mrs. Ethel…

• Charles Saatchi sells 50 large-scale works at Christie's during Frieze Week amid divorce from Nigella Lawson market-auction

  Charles Saatchi is auctioning around 50 large-scale works from his collection at Christie's on October 17, 2013, during London's Frieze Week. The sale includes pieces by Tracey…

• Metropolitan Museum of Art Acquires Jackson Pollock's 'Number 7, 1952' market-auction

  The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York acquired Jackson Pollock's painting 'Number 7, 1952' in 1987. This work, measuring 53 by 40 inches, was created using enamel and oil on…

• Christie’s to Hold First Auction in Mumbai This December market-auction

  Christie’s has announced its first auction in Mumbai, scheduled for December, making it the only foreign auction house to operate in India. The move follows a 15% growth in Asian…

• Nahmad Family Sells Kandinsky for £13.5M at Christie's London market-auction

  Christie's London Impressionist and Modern Art evening sale on June 18, 2013, achieved £64 million ($100 million) with 7 of 44 lots unsold. The top lot was Wassily Kandinsky's…

• Impressionist and Modern Art Sales Heat Up London Ahead of Contemporary Auctions market-auction

  On June 18 and 19, 2013, Christie's and Sotheby's will conduct significant auctions for Impressionist and Modern art in London. Christie's evening auction showcases 44 lots, with…

• Los Angeles County Museum of Art acquires Ken Price's ceramic sculpture Zizi market-auction

  The Los Angeles County Museum of Art has added Ken Price's 2011 sculpture Zizi to its collection. This acrylic-on-ceramic work measures 16.5 by 24 by 17 inches. Acquisition…

• FBI Raids Helly Nahmad Gallery in $100 Million Money-Laundering and Gambling Scandal market-auction

  On April 19, 2013, the FBI conducted a raid in the early hours, leading to the arrest of Hillel "Helly" Nahmad, the proprietor of the Helly Nahmad Gallery situated at the Carlyle…

• Leonardo DiCaprio's Art Collection Heads to Auction for Environmental Foundation market-auction

  Actor Leonardo DiCaprio is auctioning artworks from his personal collection to raise $15 million for his environmental foundation. The auction, titled 'The 11th Hour,' will be…

• FIAC 2012: Art Market Defies Crisis with Mega-Gallery Expansions market-auction

  The art market shows no signs of crisis, with major galleries expanding into vast new spaces. Thaddaeus Ropac opens a 4,700 m2 space in Pantin on October 15, 2012, designed by…

• Christie's London Sale: Olympic-Themed Selling Exhibition Opens July 27 market-auction

  Christie's is seizing the opportunity presented by the 2012 London Olympics with an exhibition called 'The London Sale,' which will be held from July 27 to September 3 at its…

• Basquiat's 'Museum Security' Withdrawn from Christie's Amid Legal Dispute Between Churchill Heir and Mugrabi Family market-auction

  A legal battle has erupted over Jean-Michel Basquiat's 1983 painting 'Museum Security (Broadway Meltdown)' after it was withdrawn from Christie's London evening sale. The work was…

• Christie's London to Auction South Asian Modern and Contemporary Art with New Focus on Pakistani Artists market-auction

  Christie's London will hold its annual South Asian Modern and Contemporary Art auction on June 11, featuring 112 works valued from £1,500 to £18 million. The top lot is Tyeb…