Helena Newman. Copyright Haydn Perrier. Courtesy Sotheby’s.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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What is your overall view on the auction market in 2024?<\/strong><\/p>\nWhat we see in 2024 reflects continued demand for high-quality, fresh, affordable art, with blue-chip artists regaining their footing. <\/p>\n
There are some wonderful collections here, from Sydell Miller in New York to Ralph I. Goldenberg in London. There are also some unexpected moments that bring real excitement to art lovers at large, from a record-breaking dinosaur selling for $44.6 million to a can’t-miss work by Maurizio Cattelan comedian<\/em> (2019). <\/p>\nThis year marks two important anniversaries in my field: the 100th anniversary of the Surrealist Manifesto and the 150th anniversary of Impressionism, with exhibitions [about both movements] All over the world. <\/p>\n
Against this backdrop, it\u2019s only fitting that we can celebrate this with Sotheby\u2019s top sale of the year: the beautiful Claude Monet Water Lilies [painting]. It received demand from four different bidders before ultimately selling to an Asian collector for $65.5 million, perfectly reflecting the region’s demand for iconic works of Impressionist art. It is also particularly fitting that the artwork that achieves this price is a later large-format work from his later years, showing his growing interest in the more abstract aspects of his oeuvre. There is no better way to celebrate the opening of our landmark new store in Paris than with a 100% sold-out collection of surrealist artworks by White Gloves, including Salvador Dal\u00ed, Ren\u00e9 Mar Gorgeous works by Ren\u00e9 Magritte, Kay Sage, Joan Mir, and Man Ray. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n
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Claude Monet, water lily<\/i>1914\u201317. Courtesy Sotheby’s. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n
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Alessandro di Mariano Filipepi, also known as Sandro Botticelli, The Virgin and Child are enthroned, <\/i>1444\/5-1510. Courtesy Sotheby’s. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n
Complementing our auction business, we are once again seeing strong momentum in private auctions and we are on track to have one of our best years yet. All of our locations have a steady stream of private sales transactions throughout the year, including not only traditional brokerage transactions but also the extensive sales exhibitions we host. There are huge synergies between private sales and auctions, and they are more evident than ever. <\/p>\n
Our final evening sale of the year took place in London earlier this month and we saw a rediscovered early work by Sandro Botticelli being sought after by nine bidders, and I came from across the company. Colleagues also compete to bid for their clients. <\/p>\n
From a Monet taking the annual crown to a Botticelli showcasing the depth of the sale across categories, it\u2019s been a year for the masters. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n
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What are your expectations for the auction market in 2025? <\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n
With recent results confirming the art market\u2019s continued momentum and growing demand for blue-chip works, my outlook for the new year is positive. <\/p>\n
At the November marquee auction in New York, we saw an increase in lot-by-lot bidding, which will undoubtedly encourage auction consignments, resulting in more quality material coming to the fore. <\/p>\n
It’s all about supply, and discussions about next year’s pipeline have now begun, which makes me optimistic and excited about what we might be able to bring to market. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n