May auctions highlight Mitchell diptych, rare Judd stack, Basquiat, and Rothko
The May 2026 auctions in New York feature major works from Joan Mitchell, Donald Judd, Jean-Michel Basquiat, and Mark Rothko. Mitchell's diptych "Plain" (1989) is estimated at $5-7 million at Phillips on May 19, from the collection of late Miami art patron Tina Hills. Judd's "Untitled (Stack)" (1969), a rare copper and red Plexiglas stack, leads Christie's evening sale on May 20 with a $10-15 million estimate; it is the only such stack in private hands. Basquiat's "Museum Security (Broadway Meltdown)" (1983) is estimated at over $45 million at Sotheby's on May 14, having previously sold for £9.3 million in 2013. Rothko's "Brown and Blacks in Reds" (1957) leads Sotheby's Robert Mnuchin collection sale on May 14 with a $70-100 million estimate; it was acquired by Joseph E. Seagram & Sons and linked to the Seagram Murals. All estimates are in USD.
Key facts
- Joan Mitchell's diptych 'Plain' (1989) estimated at $5-7 million at Phillips New York on May 19
- Mitchell diptych acquired from Robert Miller Gallery in October 1989, remained in same private collection
- Work offered from collection of Tina Hills, late Miami art patron who helped transform Miami Art Museum into Pérez Art Museum Miami
- Another Mitchell diptych sold for HK$137 million ($17.6 million) at Sotheby's Hong Kong in March 2026
- Donald Judd's 'Untitled (Stack)' (1969) estimated at $10-15 million at Christie's New York on May 20
- Judd stack is one of only two with copper and red Plexiglas; only example in private hands
- Formerly installed in Philadelphia home of late Tylenol heir Henry S. McNeil Jr.
- Judd stack could exceed artist's auction record of $14.1 million set in 2013
- Jean-Michel Basquiat's 'Museum Security (Broadway Meltdown)' (1983) estimated at over $45 million at Sotheby's New York on May 14
- Basquiat painting last sold for £9.3 million in 2013; on long-term loan to Fondation Beyeler and included in Fondation Louis Vuitton retrospective
- Mark Rothko's 'Brown and Blacks in Reds' (1957) estimated at $70-100 million at Sotheby's New York on May 14
- Rothko painting acquired by Joseph E. Seagram & Sons, linked to Seagram Murals commission
- Work included in Rothko's Fondation Louis Vuitton retrospective in Paris in 2023
- Rothko painting part of Robert Mnuchin collection for over 20 years
Entities
Artists
- Joan Mitchell
- Donald Judd
- Jean-Michel Basquiat
- Mark Rothko
- Grégoire Billault
Institutions
- Phillips
- Christie's
- Sotheby's
- Robert Miller Gallery
- Pérez Art Museum Miami
- Miami Art Museum
- Fondation Beyeler
- Fondation Louis Vuitton
- Joseph E. Seagram & Sons
Locations
- New York
- Miami
- Hong Kong
- Philadelphia
- Basel
- Paris
- Los Angeles
- London