This past year was yet another strong one for the auctions, so we’ve complied a list of the top 10 most expensive lots to remind you of the top earners.
The trends to spot are trends that have been going on for a few years now. Christie’s is privately held, and therefore better positioned to offer deals to buyers and sellers, so it fared better than Sotheby’s, which has to please shareholders. Andy Warhol, absolutely strong as always. Barnett Newman, there are so few works available that each one is sure to be a hit. Mark Rothko, who doesn’t like Rothko?
That said, who doesn’t like to look at this stuff? The Cy Twombly blackboard is almost the Platonic ideal of that kind of work. The Newman conjures a strong, enjoyable melancholy in the brain. The auction houses call everything “museum quality,” but that Manet really did end up at the Getty.
Enjoy and happy holidays. Click an image below to see the top 10 lots of the year.
#1
Title: Chariot
Artist: Alberto Giacometti
Year: 1951-1952
Sale: Sotheby’s New York, November
Estimate: upon request
Sold for: $100,965,000
(Photo, with #5, courtesy Sotheby’s)
#2
Title: Black Fire I
Artist: Barnett Newman
Year: 1961
Sale: Christie’s New York, May
Estimate: upon request
Sold for: $84,165,000
(Photo courtesy Christie’s)
#3
Title: Triple Elvis (Ferus Type)
Artist: Andy Warhol
Year: 1963
Sale: Christie’s New York, November
Estimate: upon request
Sold for: $81,925,000
(Photo, with #6, courtesy Wikicollecting)
#4
Title: Three Studies for a Portrait of John Edwards (in 3 parts)
Artist: Francis Bacon
Year: 1984
Sale: Christie’s New York, May
Estimate: upon request
Sold for: $80,805,000
(Photo courtesy Francis-bacon.com)
#5
Title: Tête
Artist: Amedeo Modigliani
Year: 1911-1912
Sale: Sotheby’s New York, November
Estimate: upon request
Sold for: $70,725,000
(Photo, with #5, courtesy Sotheby’s)
#6
Title: Four Marlons
Artist: Andy Warhol
Year: 1966
Sale: Christie’s New York, November
Estimate: upon request
Sold for: $69,605,000
(Photo, with #6, courtesy Wikicollecting)
#7
Title: Untitled
Artist: Cy Twombly
Year: 1970
Sale: Christie’s New York, November
Estimate: $35,000,000 - $55,000,000
Sold for: $69,605,000
(Photo courtesy Christie’s)
#8
Title: Untitled
Artist: Mark Rothko
Year: 1952
Sale: Christie’s New York, May
Estimate: upon request
Sold for: $66,245,000
(Photo courtesy Christie’s)
#9
Title: Le Printemps
Artist: Édouard Manet
Year: 1881
Sale: Christie’s New York, November
Estimate: $25,000,000 - $35,000,000
Sold for: $65,125,000
(Photo courtesy Christie’s)
#10
Title: Race Riot (in 4 parts)
Artist: Andy Warhol
Year: 1964
Sale: Christie’s New York, May
Estimate: upon request
Sold for: $62,885,000
(Photo courtesy Wikipedia)
(All prices are courtesy Artnet’s price database.)