Christie’s Goes Big for First Sale at New Hong Kong HQ

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Christie’s will present sought after works by Vincent van Gogh and Claude Monet in their first art auctions at The Henderson, a 36-storey tower on Hong Kong‘s Murray Road, on 26 September. Christie’s occupies 4,645 square metres across four storeys of the tower, which was designed by Zaha Hadid Architects.

Consigned by the Royal Family of Bourbon-Two Sicilies, van Gogh’s painting of boats on the banks of the Seine, Les canots amarrés (1887), has an estimate of U.S. $30 million–50 million. Monet’s water lily painting Nymphéas (ca. 1897–1899) carries an estimate of $25 million–35 million.

Both works are priced above Sanyu‘s Femme nue sur un tapis (Nude on Tapestry) (1929), which sold for $24 million to top Christie’s Hong Kong sales in November 2023.

Cristian Albu, Deputy Chairman, Head of 20th/21st Century Art, Christie’s Asia Pacific, said, ‘The inaugural 20th and 21st Century Evening Sales at The Henderson [embody] our mission to present the rarest masterpieces of the highest calibre to collectors, including works never seen before in the market.’

Works on offer by contemporary artists at Christie’s Hong Kong sales this year include a Yayoi Kusama self-portrait for $3 million–5.2 million, Lucy Bull‘s 18:50 (2021) for $650,000–1 million, and Ronald Ventura‘s State of Bloom (2021) for $240,000–360,000.

Looking ahead to the auctions in London during Frieze Week, Christie’s will offer Jeff Koons’ Balloon Monkey (Blue) (2006–2013) with an estimate of £6,500,000–10,000,000. The sculpture will be installed in St James’s Square from 30 September. —[O]

Main image: Claude Monet, Nymphéas (ca. 1897–1899). Oil on canvas. 73.3 x 101 cm. Courtesy Christie's.