Christie’s closed out a successful marquee week of 20/21 sales on Monday at Rockefeller Center. The week comprised of six live auctions and one online sale, generating a total of $1,109,415,750, including two white glove sales. In addition to 31 new auction records, 22 artists, from van Gogh to Beeple, achieved 8-digit prices. The week marked the return of live bidding to Christie’s newly redesigned saleroom, presenting an immersive global auction experience that drew registered bidders from across the Americas, APAC and EMEA. Christie’s livestreamed the sales across nine platforms, attracting 1,200,000 viewers. For the first time ever, those streaming could watch from the auctioneer’s point of view, enabling viewers to experience the best – and busiest – seat in the house.

The week opened with the 21st Century Evening Sale on Tuesday, November 9. The sale was 100% sold, achieving $219,278,750, selling 114% hammer against low estimate and establishing 10 new records. The top lot, The Guilt of Gold Teeth, a monumental 1982 canvas by Jean-Michel Basquiat, sold for $40,000,000. HUMAN ONE, the first hybrid physical and digital artwork by NFT sensation Beeple, sold for $28,985,000, and Peter Doig’s Swamped achieved $39,862,500, setting a new record.

The evening of Thursday, November 11, The Cox Collection: The Story of Impressionism was 100% sold, totaling $332,031,500, 160% hammer against low estimate, 91% of lots selling above their high estimates. Vincent van Gogh’s Cabanes de bois parmi les oliviers et cyprès, headlined the sale and achieved $71,350,000. The auction concluded with the sale of Gustave Caillebotte’s Jeune homme à sa fenêtre, which sold for $53,030,000—a new record for the artist—to the J. Paul Getty Museum in Los Angeles.

Immediately following the Cox Collection, the 20th Century Evening Sale realized $419,866,500; 92% by lot, 96% by value, 113% sold against low estimate. Leading the sale was Andy Warhol’s Jean-Michel Basquiat, from the Collection of Peter Brant which achieved $40,091,500.

Bonnie Brennan, President of Christie’s Americas, remarked: “After a year of so much change and innovation, the energy in the salesroom was absolutely electric. This is the second season for the new 20/21 format, and its success shows that it sparked great interest and passion amongst our clients. The 20/21 format is an extraordinary example of how Christie’s is embracing digital art, NFTs, and increasing representation of women and BIPOC artists, while raising more than $13 million for charitable causes.”

Friday’s Post-War and Contemporary Art auction continued the week of stellar results, establishing 15 new artist records and totaling $94,180,125, selling 93% by lot and 96% by value, 155% sold hammer by low estimate. Mark Rothko’s Untitled from the Collection of June Roth headlined the sale and sold for $8,489,500 – the highest price ever achieved by Rothko during a Day Sale.

Live sales concluded on Saturday, November 13; the Impressionist and Modern Art Day Sale achieved $29,290,000, selling 93% by lot and 96% by value, 135% by low estimate. Leading the sale, Joan Miró’s Le serpent glisse vers l’azur parsemé de flèches sold for $2,790,000. The Day Sale followed the morning’s Impressionist and Modern Art Works on Paper Sale, which totaled $13,019,875, selling 95% by value, 91% by lot, 120% by low estimate. Marc Chagall’s Autoportrait sold for $1,050,000 and was the sale’s top lot.

The online auction of Picasso Ceramics was 100% sold and realized a total of $1,749,000. Leading the sale was Taureau (A.R. 255), selling for $212,500.

Notable Private Collection Sales

The Cox Collection: The Story of Impressionism | Week Total: $332,212,750

Including top lot of the Week: Vincent van Gogh’s Cabanes de bois parmi les oliviers et cyprès, sold for $71.3 million

IMAGE WORLD: Property from an American Collection | Week Total: $43,768,250

Highlighted by two works by Christopher Wool in the 21st Century Evening Sale; each sold for $7.8 million

The Stella Collection | Week Total: $32,127,500

Highlighted by Pablo Picasso’s Femme accroupie en costume turc II (Jacqueline), sold for $25.6 million

Collection of Elene Canrobert Isles de Saint Phalle | Week Total: $21,060,000

Highlighted by Edgar Degas’s La Coiffure (La Toilette), sold for $7 million

 Always in Style: The Collection of Herbert Kasper | Running Total: $15,656,625

Highlighted by Fernand Léger’s La femme à la toilette, sold for $4.7 million

RECORDS

21st Century Evening Sale:

1. Peter Doig, Swamped, Sold for $39,862,500
2. Xinyi Cheng, Darling, Sold for $300,000
3. Hilary Pecis, Upstairs Interior, Sold for $870,000
4. Nicolas Party, Landscape, Sold for $3,270,000
5. Issy Wood, Over Armour, Sold for $468,750
6. Stanley Whitney, Untitled, Sold for $1,230,000
7. Jacqueline Humphries, Untitled, Sold for $687,500
8. Barbara Kruger, Untitled (Your Manias Become Science), Sold for $1,170,000
9. Rashid Johnson, Bruise Painting “Or Down You Fall”, Sold for $2,550,000
10. Kenny Scharf, Travel Time, Sold for $870,000 

The Cox Collection:

1. Hugh Henry Breckenridge, The Open Garden, Sold for $250,000
2. Gustave Loiseau L’hôtel de Mademoiselle Ernestine, Saint-Jouin (Finistère) ou Le verger de Mademoiselle Ernestine, Saint-Jouin, Sold for $774,000
3. Gustave Caillebotte, Jeune homme à sa fenêtre, Sold for $53,030,000
4. Vincent Van Gogh, Meules de blé, Sold for $35,855,000 | WORK ON PAPER

20th Century Evening Sale:

1. Lee Bontecou, Untitled, Sold for $9,176,500

Post-War & Contemporary Day Sale:

1. Danielle Orchard, Two Bathers, Sold for $287,500
2. Deborah Roberts, I Do Solemnly Swear (Nessun Dorma series), Sold for $275,000
3. Noah Davis, Temptations: Original, Sold for $475,000
4. Trevor Paglen, Discarded Rocket Body Approaching the Disk of the Moon (SL-8 R/B), Sold for $43,750
5. Ernie Barnes, Ballroom Soul, Sold for $550,000
6. Amy Sillman, Your Affection, Sold for $870,000
7. Oluwole Omofemi, Metamorphosis III, Sold for $118,750
8. Marley Freeman, Muscular, Sold for $52,500
9. Jennifer Guidi, Elements of All Entities (Universe Mandala SF #6G, Green, Black Sand), Sold for $625,000
10. Tseng Kwong Chi, Jean-Michel Basquiat, New York, 1987, Sold for $125,000
11. Rashid Johnson, Untitled Anxious Bruise Drawing, Sold for $437,500 | WORK ON PAPER
12. Salman Toor, Blonde and Brunette, Sold for $200,000 | WORK ON PAPER
13. Lee Krasner, Earth No. 6, Sold for $966,000 | WORK ON PAPER
14. Christina Quarles, Up ‘N Out, Sold for $262,500 | WORK ON PAPER
15. Eddie Martinez, Untitled, Sold for 118,750 | WORK ON PAPER

Impressionist & Modern Day Sale:

1. Suzanne Valadon, Nu à la draperie, Sold for $475,000