Christie's Navigates the Art Market with Confidence in 21st Century Evening Sale
The art world witnessed a stellar performance from Christie's at their 21st Century Evening Sale, where the auction house secured a total of $123.6 million across 45 lots. The sale, which took place on November 20, showcased a curated selection of post-war and contemporary works from esteemed collectors, including Stefan Edlis and Gael Neeson.
While the evening may not have delivered record-breaking results like Sotheby's Evening Sale earlier in the week, it was still marked by sustained bidding activity, with competition unfolding across multiple geography and platforms. The success can be attributed to a well-calibrated mix of irrevocable bids and third-party guarantees that fostered a sense of excitement and participation among bidders.
The Edlis-Neeson collection kicked off the sale, featuring post-war icons tracing the evolution of modern art. Works by Andy Warhol, Cindy Sherman, and Diego Giacometti were particularly notable, with Warhol's "Untitled (RIOT)" selling for $8.1 million after an intense bidding match against Alex Rotter on the phone.
Giacometti's low table, which surged to $3.65 million hammer from a modest estimate of $1.5-2.5 million, was another standout lot, showcasing the artist's enduring popularity in the market. The sale also saw notable results for artists with solid institutional profiles and exhibition histories, such as John Currin and Jeff Koons.
In addition to these established names, emerging and established women artists like Firelei Báez and Amy Sherald secured impressive prices. Báez's "Untitled (Colonization in America, Visual History Wall Map)" set a new record price for the artist, eclipsing the previous benchmark at Phillips by more than five times.
The success of this sale reinforces Christie's position as a leading player in the art market, with Fall Marquee Week currently standing at $870 million. As bidders continue to demonstrate strong enthusiasm for quality works from post-war and contemporary eras, it remains to be seen how the market will evolve in the coming months. For now, however, Christie's has certainly established itself as a force to be reckoned with in the world of art sales.
The art world witnessed a stellar performance from Christie's at their 21st Century Evening Sale, where the auction house secured a total of $123.6 million across 45 lots. The sale, which took place on November 20, showcased a curated selection of post-war and contemporary works from esteemed collectors, including Stefan Edlis and Gael Neeson.
While the evening may not have delivered record-breaking results like Sotheby's Evening Sale earlier in the week, it was still marked by sustained bidding activity, with competition unfolding across multiple geography and platforms. The success can be attributed to a well-calibrated mix of irrevocable bids and third-party guarantees that fostered a sense of excitement and participation among bidders.
The Edlis-Neeson collection kicked off the sale, featuring post-war icons tracing the evolution of modern art. Works by Andy Warhol, Cindy Sherman, and Diego Giacometti were particularly notable, with Warhol's "Untitled (RIOT)" selling for $8.1 million after an intense bidding match against Alex Rotter on the phone.
Giacometti's low table, which surged to $3.65 million hammer from a modest estimate of $1.5-2.5 million, was another standout lot, showcasing the artist's enduring popularity in the market. The sale also saw notable results for artists with solid institutional profiles and exhibition histories, such as John Currin and Jeff Koons.
In addition to these established names, emerging and established women artists like Firelei Báez and Amy Sherald secured impressive prices. Báez's "Untitled (Colonization in America, Visual History Wall Map)" set a new record price for the artist, eclipsing the previous benchmark at Phillips by more than five times.
The success of this sale reinforces Christie's position as a leading player in the art market, with Fall Marquee Week currently standing at $870 million. As bidders continue to demonstrate strong enthusiasm for quality works from post-war and contemporary eras, it remains to be seen how the market will evolve in the coming months. For now, however, Christie's has certainly established itself as a force to be reckoned with in the world of art sales.
$123m across 45 lots is no joke. but gotta say, the edlis-neeson collection was straight fire 
andy warhol, cindy sherman, diego giacometti... those names are still big in my book 
what's crazy is the bidding on that giacometti low table - from $1.5-2.5m to $3.65m 
not bad for a night out at art auction
Christie's is really killing it right now! I mean, $123.6 million in one night is crazy talk 
. And can we talk about how exciting it was to see emerging artists like Firelei Báez and Amy Sherald getting such high prices? It's great to see women artists finally getting the recognition they deserve 
!
I'm totally stoked about this sale! The way Christie's mixed it up with both classic and modern pieces was pure genius. I mean, who wouldn't want to see Andy Warhol's "Untitled (RIOT)" go for $8.1 mil? 
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Here's a quick sketch of my thoughts: 
and what makes Andy Warhol's "Untitled (RIOT)" so special that it sold for $8.1 million?! 
can't wait for the next sale to see how it all unfolds! 
guess you gotta have the right ppl buying these masterpieces 
warhol is insane, who else can pull off a $8.1 mil painting? 
is it based on collector interest or something else entirely? 
And what's up with the prices for women artists? $5+ million for Firelei Báez's work is crazy... shouldn't there be more diversity in who gets priced in the stratosphere? 
i mean i know some people think sothebys is still the queen but christies is definitely giving them a run for their money 
plus its awesome to see women artists like firelei baez and amy sheridan getting the recognition they deserve 
they're not just playing safe, they're making a statement. and i love how they featured women artists - that's the kind of innovation we need in every field. it shows us that even when things get intense (like bidding wars!), we can still have fun and enjoy the ride