What Are the Highlights of Christie’s Fall Auctions 2024?

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

Christie’s has announced major works on offer in upcoming auctions spanning both sides of the Atlantic.

Paintings by Ed Ruscha and Gerhard Richter will lead the Postwar to Present sale in New York, which takes place over three sessions from 1 October. Both Abstraktes Bild (1990) by Richter and Untitled (2015) by Ed Ruscha carry estimates of U.S. $2–3 million.

The works consigned and the estimates attached to them are clearly calibrated to the current market lull. Both artists regularly fetch much higher prices at auction. Richter’s record of $46.3 million was set at Sotheby’s London in 2015, and Ruscha’s record of $52.5 million at Christie’s New York in 2019.

Nevertheless, Julian Ehrlich, Christie’s Head of Post-War to Present, said, ‘this season we are particularly proud to have assembled one of the largest and most comprehensive Post-War to Present sales by presale estimate.’

All up, over 290 artworks are on offer in the auction, including pieces by Lois Dodd, Cynthia Hawkins, and Faith Ringgold.

Across the pond, Lucian Freud‘s Ria, Naked Portrait (2006–07), pictured top, is the big draw for Christie’s 20th/21st Century: London Evening Sale on 9 October. The painting was displayed by itself in the final room of the National Portrait Gallery’s popular retrospective in 2012, which opened just one year after the artist’s death.

The portrait has an estimate of £10–15 million ($13–20 million), a fraction of the artist’s record of $86.3 million (including fees), which was realised at Christie’s New York in 2022 for the group portrait Large Interior, W11 (after Watteau) (1981–83).

Another highlight in London is Jeff Koons’ Balloon Monkey (Blue) (2006–13), which has an estimate of £6.5–10 million ($8.7–13.1 million).

Dipping under the Channel in time for Art Basel Paris, Christie’s announced an untitled painting by Joan Mitchell completed around 1969 for the Avant-Garde(s) including Thinking Italian sale in the French capital on 18 October. The work has an estimate of €3.2–5 million ($3.6–5.6 million).

Mitchell featured in Fondation Louis Vuitton’s duo-exhibition Monet–Mitchell in Paris from 5 October 2022 until 27 February 2023.

Speaking of Monet, the French Impressionist’s Nymphéas (c. 1897–99) and a painting by Vincent van Gogh lead Christie’s first sale at their new Hong Kong headquarters this week. —[O]

Main image: Lucian Freud, Ria, Naked Portrait (2006–07). Oil on canvas. 86.3 x 162.5 cm. © Christie's Images Limited 2024.