Richter's $35.1M Candle Leads Marian Goodman Collection Sale at Christie's

Gerhard Richter's 'Kerze (Candle)' sold for $35.1 million at Christie's New York, leading the 'Breaking Ground: The Private Collection of Marian Goodman' auction. The 1980s painting, part of Richter's iconic candle series, fell below pre-sale estimates of up to $50 million but underscored the enduring value of works from Goodman's personal collection. Goodman, a legendary gallerist who introduced Richter to the US market in the 1980s, died in January. Other Richter works in the sale included 'Mohn (Poppy)' (1995) at $20.07 million, 'Abstraktes Bild' (2009) at $6.54 million, and a 1999 abstract painting at $2.88 million. The auction also featured works by Mark Rothko (estimates up to $100 million), Jackson Pollock, Jasper Johns, and Joan Mitchell, reflecting sustained demand for postwar and contemporary masters despite a global market slowdown. The sale served as a posthumous tribute to Goodman, whose gallery shaped Richter's international career.