Christie’s London Evening Sales Reach £163m Within Estimate
Christie’s recent back-to-back 20th/21st century and Art of the Surreal evening sales in London saw modest results. The total sales amounted to £163.3m (£196.7m with fees) from 112 lots, falling within the pre-sale estimate range of £160.3m to £233.1m. Despite an 18.5% increase from last year’s equivalent auctions, the market has yet to fully recover to its former heights.
The top performer of the evening was René Magritte’s “L’ami intime” (1968), selling for £29m (£33.7m with fees). Other highlights included Meret Oppenheim’s “Tisch mit Vogelfüssen” and Victor Brauner’s painting. In the 20th/21st century sale, Monet’s “Matinée sur la Seine, temps net,” Francis Bacon’s “Landscape near Malataba, Tangier,” and David Hockney’s “California” were the standout lots.
The “ultra-contemporary” works also had mixed results, with some pieces exceeding estimates while others fell flat. Allison Katz’s “Snowglobe” and Jadé Fadojutimi’s “The Woven Warped Garden of Ponder” were among the successful lots, while works by other younger artists struggled to attract strong bids.
Overall, the market for ultra-contemporary art at auction shows signs of softening, possibly influenced by shrinking waiting lists for sought-after artists on the primary market. Despite the mixed results, Christie’s remains optimistic about the future of the art market, with a focus on securing high-quality masterpieces to attract collectors.
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Cillian O’Rourke, studied at the National College of Art and Design in Dublin, Ireland, where he majored in Visual Communication. His work spans graphic design, illustration, and branding, with a distinct minimalist style that emphasizes simplicity and impact. Cillian has collaborated with international brands and runs his own design studio focusing on creative solutions for startups.