In the second week of November, highlights and records came together at Christie's in New York. Three evening sales with modern and contemporary art fetched a total of $971.1 million, with 22 works selling in the eight-figure range and 15 new auction records bring made.
A special highlight on 11 November was the auction of 23 works of Impressionist art from the extraordinary Cox Collection. The top lots included three works by Vincent van Gogh, all of which achieved eight-figure prices: the paintings Cabanes de bois parmi les oliviers et cyprès ($71.3 million), Jeune homme au bleuet ($46.7 million) and the gouache Meules de blé, which set a new record for a work on paper by the artist at $35.8 million.
The works all came from van Gogh's final artistically significant period. "It’s a once-in-a-career opportunity to work with a collection that has three works that tell the story of Van Gogh’s mature period in such a beautiful and profound way," enthused Vanessa Fusco, co-director of 20th Century Evening Sales.
See also: This Van Gogh Watercolour Could Set a New Record
Other big-ticket lots were the paintings L'Estaque aux toits rouges by Paul Cézanne, which sold for $55.3 million, and Claude Monet's Le bassin d'Argenteuil, achieving $27.8 million.
New artist records were set for Gustave Loiseau, Hugh Henry Breckinridge and Gustave Caillebotte, with Jeune homme à sa fenêtre, selling for $53 million. In total, the 23 works in the Cox Collection brought in an impressive $332 million, surpassing expectations.
The 20th Century Evening Sale also saw strong results, with 92% of the 54 lots finding a new owner. Lee Bontecou's sculptural masterpiece Untitled from 1959-60, achieved a new auction record for the American artist. Further highlights came from Gerhard Richter, Cy Twombly, Pablo Picasso and Andy Warhol, whose famous portrait of Jean-Michel Basquiat from 1982 achieved the equally impressive price of $40 million.
See also: The 10 Most Expensive Living Artists
"Andy Warhol’s portrait of Jean-Michel Basquiat celebrates the remarkable friendship between the two iconic artists," said Emily Kaplan, Co-Head of the 20th Century Evening Sale. "It’s a culmination of Warhol, the established master of Pop art, and Basquiat – it was a true joy to bring this to market."
At the 21st Century Evening Sale, Jean-Michel Basquiat was a highlight not as a model, but as an artist whose work The Guilt of Gold Teeth fetched a similar sum as his portrait by Andy Warhol: $40 million.
The auction, in which all of the 40 lots were sold, raised a total of $219 million and ten new records for the artists Xinyi Cheng, Hilary Pecis, Nicholas Party, Issy Wood, Stanley Whitney, Jacqueline Humphries, Barbara Kruger, Rashid Johnson, Kenny Scharf and Peter Doig.
See also: World’s Largest Painting Sells – for a Record Price
Artist Beeple, who made headlines in March with his NFT EVERYDAYS: THE FIRST 5000 DAYS, was represented with his kinetic video sculpture HUMAN ONE, which changed hands for $28.9 million. The owner can look forward to regular updates and adjustments in the artwork by Beeple.
The Head of the 21st Century Evening Sale, Ana Maria Celis, summed up the success of the varied auction: "Having a 100 per cent sell-through rate, plus ten artist records, is a phenomenal achievement. With outstanding results for emerging artists, female artists, diverse artists, NFTs, and works for charitable causes, we are proud to have created a sale that represents our time and the future."
The three auctions that Christie's presented in its new auction hall in New York's Rockefeller Center (and the first time with live audience) were watched by 1.2 million people around the world via various online platforms. Bidders from 27 countries were connected by telephone.
