Photos – courtesy of Sotheby © Portrait of George Dyer Crouching by Francis Bacon.
New York’s auction season kicked off with back-to-back contemporary sales at Sotheby’s. The evening began with “The Now,” featuring a mix of established giants and rising stars. This set the stage for the larger Contemporary Evening sale, showcasing icons like Warhol, Basquiat, and Thiebaud.
The night’s anticipated highlight was Francis Bacon’s “Portrait of George Dyer Crouching.” Painted in 1966, at the height of Bacon’s relationship with Dyer, the piece fell short of its $30-50 million estimate, selling for $24.5 million. This was a stark contrast to another Bacon piece sold last year, reflecting the unpredictable nature of the market.
Joan Mitchell’s “Noon” (1969) stood out with its vibrant abstraction. Created during her time in Vétheuil, a town once home to Claude Monet, this work sold for $20.5 million, far exceeding its previous sale price from 2016. The piece highlights Mitchell’s deep connection to the colour and form inspired by her surroundings.
Lucio Fontana’s “Concetto spaziale, La fine di Dio,” an oval canvas with multiple punctures and bright yellow paint, explored the limits of abstraction. This work, part of a series from the early 1960s, fetched $19.7 million, making it one of Fontana’s most valuable auctioned pieces.
Lucio Fontana
Noon by Joan Mitchell
The evening ended with a surprise: Yayoi Kusama’s “The Pacific Ocean.” Initially estimated at $1-1.5 million, the piece sparked a bidding war, ultimately selling for $3.8 million. Kusama’s signature style and vibrant colours continue to captivate collectors.
Overall, the Contemporary Evening sale had mixed results. Of 35 lots, 17 sold within their estimates, 9 below, and 6 above, with 3 unsold. The total was $201 million, slightly below the presale estimate of $217.6 million. Despite some disappointments, the auction showcased the dynamic and unpredictable nature of the art market, leaving attendees eager for what’s next.
