Christie's

Spent the day entertaining my most demanding clients at Christie's Take Your Kid to Work Day! They have high expectations but it’s a pretty great ROI 😉

Today, Christie's launches its 20th and 21st Century Art sales in Paris. I’m delighted to be here with my colleagues, presenting exceptional works by Claude Lalanne (La Pomme de New York, pictured), Maurice de Vlaminck, and many others at a time of genuine optimism in the market. Our Hong Kong 20/21 evening sale was held in late March, successfully timed with Art Basel Hong Kong and celebrating Christie’s 40th anniversary in Asia (sharing some photos of my time in Hong Kong, including an appearance on Bloomberg News). It was 100% sold, achieving HK$92 million—up 17% year-on-year. A remarkable Gerhard Richter led the sale as the top lot. Press coverage confirmed what we had already observed: the market’s rebound in the second half of 2025 has carried into 2026, with strong demand for high-quality, museum-level works. We are also seeing strength across categories. Notably, an Old Masters painting was included in the Hong Kong evening sale for the first time. An exquisite still life by Johannes Goedaert set a new auction record for the artist, attracting many new bidders and buyers and selling for HK$10.2 million. In New York this February, Old Masters achieved their highest total in over a decade, while Asian Art Week reached nearly $78 million—the strongest result in five years. I was especially encouraged by the online Anime sale within that series, which achieved four times its low estimate and attracted 36% new buyers to Christie’s. While it is tempting to view these results in isolation, the broader picture is clear: strong performance across multiple categories signals a market that is both diverse and gaining momentum in 2026. I’m very much looking forward to the upcoming sales in Paris and New York, where we will present collections assembled by some of the most influential collectors of our time, including Agnes Gund and Marian Goodman. With the exceptional team we have at Christie’s, I feel both confident and excited about what lies ahead.