Christie’s Paris Sells $64 Million Worth of 20th- and 21st-Century Art at Auction

“All the ingredients were in place to ensure the atmosphere that makes an auction a success: magnificent exhibitions that were widely reported in the press, a world record for a major artist, and a bid of over [$5.6 million] for an iconic work, gave the week its rhythm and dynamism,” continued Verdier. “Two remarkable collections and a wide variety of works, both artistically and in terms of estimates, gave rise to lively sales that were often hotly contested by bidders from all over the world.” 

In total, the Lise and Roland Funck-Brentano Collection sold more than $6.8 million, with the most expensive work being a wooden relief by Sophie Taeuber-Arp. This particular piece sold for $3.4 million, and it set a new world record for the late Swiss artist.

Two Renoir works led the $5.6 million sale of works from the Henri Canonne Collection. One such piece is Nu sur un fauteuil, which sold for $1.83 million, three times its pre-sale estimate. During the evening sale, over $34 million worth of artwork was sold, including Jane Avril au Divan Japonais by Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, which set a national auction record for the late French painter. It sold for over $6 million. 

The Impressionist & Modern Art sale realized $7.8 million, with the leading work—Yvonne Printemps dans le canapé by Edouard Vuillard—selling for double its high estimate, at over $573,000. Additionally, a collection of 14 works by Marc Chagall also sold for double its high estimate, at over $642,000. Online customers from 36 countries tuned in to this particular sale. 

Lastly, the Contemporary Art sale totaled over $9.4 million, which exceeded its high estimate. A standout piece was one by Robert Rauschenberg, selling for over $472,000. The Thinking Italian section of this sale brought in over $1.2 million. This was the first time this section was presented. It included 33 works by artists who were notable figures in 1900s Italy, including Lucio Fontana, Giorgio de Chirico, Piero Manzoni, and others.