New York, 20 May 2026 - Bonhams concluded its 20th & 21st Century Art Week with a grand total of $28.34 million across the Evening Sale, The Renoir Collection of Gabrielle Renard single-owner online sale, Post-War & Contemporary Art sale, and Impressionist & Modern Art sale.
On May 20 in New York, at the auction house's new U.S. flagship at 111 West 57th Street, the online The Renoir Collection of Gabrielle Renard sale was presented, followed by the Evening Sale, which drew strong bidding across all channels and attracted bidders from 18 countries across six continents.
The auction week marked a significant milestone for Bonhams, delivering the department's strongest global result to date, an increase of 13% since November, not including American Art, and inaugurating its first 20th & 21st Century Art Week in the new flagship saleroom, a dynamic, museum‑quality space ideally suited to showcasing major works of modern and contemporary art.
"This week's results mark a major achievement for Bonhams and the department globally, and we're delighted with the outcome," commented Ralph Taylor, Bonhams Global Head of 20th & 21st Century Art. "As our inaugural Evening Sale in our new U.S. headquarters, this achievement highlights the strength and steady growth of the department, while demonstrating how our new, museum-quality flagship location elevates what we're able to deliver at the highest-level season after season."
"This sale brought an exceptional range of fresh, rare‑to‑market works by a wide array of artists, drawing a remarkable crowd into our new space. The energy in the room was palpable, with the setting amplifying that excitement and sustaining momentum throughout the evening, culminating in spirited bidding across the room," added Andrew Huber, Bonhams Head of Department for 20th and 21st Century Art in New York.
The 20th & 21st Century Art Evening Sale presented 27 lots, achieving a 93% sell-through rate and a total of $17.8 million.
Leading the sale was Yoshitomo Nara's (b.1959) monumental ... Words Mean Nothing at All, which, after spirited bidding, fetched $5.02 million, setting a new auction record for a work on wood by the artist. Immense interest was also seen for Le miroir vivant, by René Magritte (1898 to 1967) which more than doubled its estimate when it sold for $2.06 million after competitive bidding.
Also, of note in the sale was the exceptionally rare-to-market La Muse endormie II, by Constantin Brancusi (1876 to 1957), which sold for $3.09 million. Additionally, Banksy's (b.1975) iconic Girl with Balloon, sold for $953,000.
Additional highlights in the sale included:
• Untitled, executed 2012-13, by Roni Horn (b. 1955), sold for $826,000 (estimate $500,000 to 700,000).
• Imagen perdida 35, executed in 2005, by Olga de Amaral (b.1932), sold for $787,900 (estimate: $300,000 to 500,000).
• Streaks of Oil, executed 1972 by Ed Ruscha (b.1937), sold for $635,500 (estimate: 300,000 to 500,000).
A Lasting Impression: The Renoir Collection of Gabrielle Renard
May 10 to 20
A Lasting Impression: The Renoir Collection of Gabrielle Renard, an exceptional online single-owner sale of 21 fresh-to-market, rarely seen works by leading French Impressionist Pierre‑Auguste Renoir (1841 to 1919), gifted directly to his muse Gabrielle Renard (1878 to 1959) achieved white-glove results and exceeded presale expectations, totaling $4.1 million.
Leading the collection was Fleurs, 1887, an iconic blooming floral still life from the artist, which achieved $559,300. Also performing strongly was the luminous portrait Gabrielle à la blouse blanche, painted in 1907, which sold for $381,500. Further standout results included Étude de roses, de têtes et de nus, painted circa 1905, which more than tripled its estimate when it realized $356,100; in addition to Paysage nuageux painted in 1885, which more than doubled its estimate, when it sold for $279,900.
Additional highlights included:
• Portrait de Gabrielle, painted in 1910, sold for $330,700.
• Portrait de Charles Le Couer, painted in 1874, sold for $305,300.
• Paysage, painted circa 1897, sold for $254,500, more than double its estimate.
Post-War & Contemporary Art
May 21
Leading the Post-War & Contemporary Art sale on May 21 was American contemporary realist Janet Fish's (1938 to 2025) Painted Flowers, April, which after spirited bidding exceeded its high-estimate more than eight-fold when it sold for $660,900, establishing a new global auction record for the artist. Other notable results were achieved in the 64 lot sale, including Karel Appel's (1921 to 2006) Waiting Face, which exceeded its high-estimate over five-fold when it sold for $318,000; additionally Bob Thompson's (1937 to 1966) Horseman of the Queen of Sheba more than doubled its estimate when it sold for $267,200.
Overall, the auction achieved $3.64 million, with 83% lots sold.
Additional highlights included:
• Green Hat, painted in 1964 by Alex Katz (b.1927) sold for $229,100, more than double its estimate.
• Central Black Spiral, executed in 1969, by Alexander Calder (1898 to 1976), sold for $165,600, more than triple its estimate.
• Squiggly Brushstrokes, executed in 1997, by Sol Le Witt (1928 to 2007), sold for $146,550.
Impressionist & Modern Art
May 21
Rounding out Bonhams inaugural sale week at its new flagship was the Impressionist & Modern Art sale, which closed on May 21. Notable in the sale was Fernand Léger's (1881 to 1955) Composition aux gants jaunes, which sold for $356,100; in addition to Bernard Buffet's (1928 to 1999), Tréboul, environs de Douarnenez, le port à marée basse, which achieved $254,500.
The 53 lot sale also saw remarkable results for works by Henri Matisse (1869 to 1954), who's Jeune femme au chapeau, realized $241,800 after competitive bidding; and by Blanche Hoschedé-Monet (1865 to 1947), whose La Risle, Beaumont-le-Roger fetched $159,250, more than 7x its estimate.
Overall, the sale achieved $2.7 million with 70% lots sold.
Additional highlights included:
• Danseuse assise, executed circa 1878 to 1880 by Edgar Degas (1834 to 1917), sold for $203,700.
• Fleurs, painted circa 1970 by Le Pho (1907 to 2001), sold for $108,450.
• Musical Instruments with Basket of Fruit and Grapes, by Jacques Lipchitz (1891 to 1973) sold for $102,100, more than double its estimate.
(Press Release)
