New York, 22 May 2026 - Christie's New York celebrated an unparalleled 20/21 Spring Marquee Week, achieving more than $1.45 billion across nine sales of the finest art spanning the Impressionist, Modern, Post-War and Contemporary eras. The results constitute the highest Spring total in the 260-year history of Christie's; combined with 20th and 21st century art sales in London, Hong Kong, and Paris, Christie's global Marquee Weeks have generated a cumulative total of more than $2 billion in 2026, a 50 percent increase over last year.
Bidders and buyers came from across the globe, with active participation from more than 60 countries in the Americas, EMEA and APAC regions. This banner week of sales came on the heels of a worldclass exhibition at the auction house's storied Rockefeller Center flagship galleries, during which Christie's experienced the highest attendance for any presale viewing at Christie's New York, welcoming more than 20,000 visitors.
Bonnie Brennan, Christie's CEO, remarks, "New York's billion-dollar Marquee Week is a pivotal reset for the market, and a proud moment for Christie's. This season, we had the best works, with incredible stories, at the right prices, and the expertise to connect them to the right buyers. The results, the best May Marquee Week in our 260-year history, speak for themselves and are the culmination of strong global 20 and 21 Century Art sales, with excellent results in London, Paris, and Hong Kong. The art market is solid, and we look forward to what's next."
Alex Rotter, Christie's Global President, remarks, "There isn't one sole factor that moves an engine as complicated as the art market, but when undeniable quality, rarity, and provenance meet the growing desire amongst masterpiece collectors to own something they love and that no one else has, you see the fireworks that we had at Christie's this week. That renewed confidence at the top of the market generates momentum amongst all of the price bands. That's where we are."
| Sale | Total |
|---|---|
| Masterpieces: The Private Collection of S.I. Newhouse | $630,825,000 |
| The 20th Century Evening Sale | $490,301,500 |
| Impressionist and Modern Works on Paper | $21,212,100 |
| Impressionist and Modern Art Day Sale | $41,763,706 |
| Defined Space: The Collection of Henry S. Mc Neil, Jr. | $25,889,900 |
| Marian's Richters & the 21st Century Evening Sale | $136,808,450 |
| Post-War and Contemporary Art Day Sale | $102,854,700 |
| Picasso Ceramics and Breaking Ground: The Private Collection of Marian Goodman Part I (online) | $3,909,568 |
Highlights of the week included the Collection of S.I. Newhouse, which sold two masterpiece works for more than $100 million, including Jackson Pollock's Number 7A, 1948, which set a record for the artist and generated $181.2 million after a seven-minute bidding war. Records were set for Jackson Pollock, Constantin Brancusi, Mark Rothko, Alice Neel, Donald Judd, and many more. The 21st Century Evening totaled $136.8 million, the highest 21st Century Evening Sale in five years, led by the sale of eight Gerhard Richter works from the collection of Marian Goodman. Sales saw spirited depth of bidding at all price points: the Impressionist and Modern Works on Paper Day Sale exceeded its high estimate, establishing a record total for the sale, a near 50% increase over the previous high. The Post-War and Contemporary Art Day Sale totaled a remarkable $102.8 million, the highest total in seven years.
The week commenced Monday, May 18 with Masterpieces: The Private Collection of S.I. Newhouse. The sale totaled $630.8 million and was 100% sold. Together with three prior sales of Newhouse collection property sold at Christie's from 2018 to 2023, the collection total is now $1.05 billion, the second most valuable collection sold in history and one of just two to have exceeded $1 billion.
A seminal moment of the evening and the season was the sale of the once-in-a-lifetime Jackson Pollock masterpiece, Number 7A, 1948. After 7 minutes of fierce bidding, the work sold to a bidder on the phone with Christie's Global President Alex Rotter for $181.2 million, tripling the previous record of the artist. Moments earlier in the sale, another record was shattered when Brancusi's Danaïde sold for $107.6 million, becoming not only the new record but the second highest price for any sculpture to ever sell at auction.
Continuing the momentum, the 20th Century Evening Sale took place right after the Newhouse sale, and totaled $490.3 million, selling 96% by lot. The top lot of the sale was a Mark Rothko canvas from the collection of Agnes Gund which sold for $98.4 million, establishing yet another record.
The two Day Sales performed well above high estimate, with the Impressionist and Modern Works on Paper Sale generating the highest total for that sale in Christie's history.
On Wednesday, May 20, Christie's offered Defined Space: The Collection of Henry S. Mc Neil, Jr., the best collection of Minimalism ever held in private hands. It realized $25.9 million and was 100% sold. A Donald Judd stack from 1969 sold for $12,825,000 and set a record price for a Judd stack. Combined with Thursday's Day Sale, the total for the Mc Neil collection came to $30 million, with property still to come.
This was followed by Marian's Richters & the 21st Century Evening Sale, which achieved $137 million, the highest total for the 21 Century Evening Sale in five years. The sale began with intense bidding around eight singular paintings by Gerhard Richter from the collection of the gallerist who was most crucial in the development of the artist's practice, including the top lot of the evening Kerze, a rare painting from his candle series which sold for $35.1 million.
The final live auction of the superb week was the Post-War and Contemporary Art Day Sale. The three-session sale greatly exceeded the high estimate to eclipse the $100 million mark, with lively bidding on the phones, online and live in the Rockefeller Center saleroom. The top lot of the day was an untitled painting by Joan Mitchell from 1965, which realized $5,382,000.
Marquee Week Sales concluded with two online sales, Picasso Ceramics and Breaking Ground: The Private Collection of Marian Goodman Part I, which both exceeded expectation to achieve a combined total of $3,909,568, selling 100% by lot.
(Press Release)
