Banksy’s ‘Leopard and Lamb’ Heads to Auction in Hong Kong

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Phillips and Christie's have announced highlights of their upcoming Hong Kong auctions, which follow fast on the heels of last week's sales in New York.

(Sotheby's doesn't have major art sales in Hong Kong this month, but will return to Asia with their Singapore sales in June.)

Among the star lots in Phillips' auctions from 31 May to 1 June is the ornately framed Banksy painting The Leopard and Lamb (2016) (estimate: U.S. $2.3–3.6 million), previously hung at the artist's Walled-Off Hotel in Bethlehem. The hotel, which looks over walls dividing Israel from the West Bank, has been closed since 2023.

Another highlight is Jean-Michel Basquiat's painting Native Carrying Some Guns, Bibles, Amorites on Safari (1982) for an estimated U.S. $11.5–15.4 million. Phillips is no doubt hoping the work will get a boost from their sale of another Basquiat, also from the Francesco Pellizzi collection, for U.S. $46.5 million in New York last week.

Christie's will likewise be hoping to build momentum following the sale of Andy Warhol's orange and red hibiscus Flowers (1964) for U.S. $35.5 million. Their 21st Century Evening Sale on 28 May will feature Warhol's yellow Flowers (1965) for U.S. $8–12 million, along with Matthew Wong's Shangri-La (2017) for U.S. $5.3–7.9 million.

Christie's 20th Century Evening Sale on the same night will include several works by Zao Wou-ki for estimates up to U.S. $9.7 million, and René Magritte's L'invitation au voyage (1944)—a huge pink rose that hovers on the horizon like a sunset.

At their Modern and Contemporary Art sale in Hong Kong on 25 May, Bonhams will present the red and black Yayoi Kusama painting Infinity (1995), with an estimate of over U.S. $5 million. —[O]

Main image: Banksy, The Leopard and Lamb (2016). Acrylic on ply in artist's frame, 148 x 172 cm. Courtesy Phillips.