From a $157 million Modigliani to a record-breaking Kerry James Marshall, Sotheby's recorded historic sales in a week of auctions.
It was a week for the books beginning with the sale of Modiglianis Nu Couch in the Impressionist & Modern Evening Sale, which became themost expensive artwork auctioned in Sothebys history at $157 million. Two days later, the Morton and Barbara Mandel Collection a survey of 20th century art was 100 percent sold,led by a record-setting work on paper by Rothko.The collectionrealized an impressive $107.8 million with full proceeds to benefit the Mandel Foundation and the causes the Mandel's have championed throughout their lives.
A feverish Contemporary Art Evening Auction saw new highs for artists includingKerry James Marshall, David Hockney and Cecily Brown.Led by Jackson Pollock's iridescent drip painting,Number 32, which sold for $34.1 million, the auction totaled an impressive$392.3 million.The most significant work by the renowned artist to ever come to auction, Kerry James Marshall'sPast Timesofficially quadrupled the artist's auction record, achieving $21,114,500.
Forty-five auction records were set over the Contemporary Art Evening and Dayauctions, many of those setting new benchmarks for black artists in particular. Among them were Barkley L. Hendricks, Njideka Akunyili Crosby and Kehinde Wiley, the painter behind Barack Obamas official presidential portrait.All 42 works donated by artists of African descent to benefit The Studio Museum in Harlem were sold across both contemporary auctions, many far above their high estimates, totaling $20.2 million and establishing 24 auction records.These record saleshelped to drive the$107.9 million Contemporary Art Day Auction, itself a record total.
Learn more about the record breaking week:https://bit.ly/2KTWP8V
Socials