London Post-Brexit Auctions: Christie's and Sotheby's February 2020 Sales Report

London's first major post-Brexit auctions saw Christie's and Sotheby's hold impressionist and contemporary art sales in February 2020. Christie's impressionist evening sale reached nearly £107 million, driven by 'The Art of the Surreal' and a record £16.3 million for Tamara de Lempicka's 'Portrait de Marjorie Ferry'. Sotheby's impressionist sale totaled £49.9 million, with Camille Pissarro's 'Gelée blanche, jeune paysanne faisant du feu' selling for £13.3 million (including premium). In contemporary art, Sotheby's dominated with £92.5 million, led by David Hockney's 'The Splash' at £23.1 million. Christie's contemporary sale reached £56.2 million, with Andy Warhol's 'Muhammad Ali' selling for £4.2 million. Notable records included George Grosz's 'Gefährliche Straße' at £9.7 million (six times previous record), Jean Metzinger's 'Le cycliste' at £3 million, and Pyke Koch's 'Florentin Garden' at £555,000. Banksy's 'Vote to Love' sold for £950,000. The market held steady with conservative choices.