"The standout performers of the night were the works that were fresh to market. People are really pursuing quality. In a world that remains uncertain, quality is what prevails, and that's really the key ambition for us as we put together sales."
"A prolonged bidding battle for Henry Moore's King and Queen (1952-53) sculpture ended at £22.5m (£26.3m with fees), well above its £10m to £15m estimate, prompting an eruption of applause in the room. The sculpture is the last cast from the series still in private hands; the others reside in institutional collections including Tate."
"The result that it achieved was the right result. It was a masterpiece, and we will not see another sculpture of that type for the foreseeable future—certainly not a King and Queen."
Christie's London conducted three evening sales generating £197.4m with fees, representing a 52% increase compared to the previous year's equivalent auctions. The sales demonstrated robust bidding activity across nearly four hours with a 96% sell-through rate by lot and 98% by value. Fresh-to-market works and quality pieces drove strong performance. Henry Moore's King and Queen sculpture achieved £22.5m, setting an auction record for the artist and serving as the season's top lot. Additional notable sales included Sonia Delaunay's Rhythme couleur at £1.45m and Rose Wylie's Tube Girl. Artist records were established for Dorothea Tanning, Henry Moore, and Toyen, reflecting market demand for quality works in uncertain economic conditions.
Read at The Art Newspaper - International art news and events
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