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Diego Giacometti record auction at Christie's Paris design sale

market-auction · 2026-04-26

On December 3, 2024, Christie's Paris design auction achieved remarkable success, bringing in €19.4 million, exceeding expectations. A standout piece was Diego Giacometti's 'Promenade des Amis' console from 1976, which sold for an impressive €9.48 million, setting a new record for both the artist and design auctions in France. Two of Giacometti's 'Têtes de Lionne' from 1975 went for €1.6 million, while his 'Carcasse à la chauve-souris' table sold for €529,200. The sale also featured Jacques and Dani Ruelland's 'The Shaping Colors' collection, with a set of five bottles and three vases from the '60s and '70s fetching €44,100. The following day, Christie's sold the Antoine and Simone Veil collection for €3.7 million, including Giacometti's tables and Zao Wou-Ki's leading piece at €1,104,800. On December 12, a special auction will present 33 lots from various renowned artists.

Key facts

  • Christie's Paris design sale on December 3, 2024, achieved €19.4 million, nearly double the pre-sale estimate.
  • Diego Giacometti's console 'Promenade des Amis' (1976) sold for €9.48 million, a new auction record for the artist and a record for a design lot in France.
  • Two Giacometti 'Têtes de Lionne' (1975) sold for €1.6 million.
  • Giacometti's table 'Carcasse à la chauve-souris' reached €529,200.
  • The 'Shaping Colors' collection of 250 ceramic works by Jacques and Dani Ruelland was sold; a set of five bottles and three vases from the 1960s-70s fetched €44,100.
  • The Antoine and Simone Veil collection sale on December 4 totaled €3.7 million.
  • Zao Wou-Ki's 'Untitled (Vase of flowers)' led the Veil sale at €1,104,800.
  • The Jean Fournier collection sale 'Vivre la couleur: hommage à Jean Fournier' is scheduled for December 12, 2024, featuring 33 lots.

Entities

Artists

  • Diego Giacometti
  • Jacques Ruelland
  • Dani Ruelland
  • Zao Wou-Ki
  • Maria Helena Vieira da Silva
  • Jean-Paul Riopelle
  • Sam Szafran
  • Simon Hantaï
  • Sam Francis
  • Shirley Jaffe
  • Joan Mitchell
  • James Bishop
  • Claude Viallat
  • François-Xavier Lalanne

Institutions

  • Christie's
  • Christie's Paris
  • Artribune

Locations

  • Paris
  • France

Sources