In the wake of the $2.8 billion marquee spring sales in New York, market-watchers turned their attention to London last month to see if the trend would hold amid a cryptocurrency crash, exploding inflation, and historic interest-rate hikes. The results were certainly not as bombastic as those in New York, but as Artnet News’s Tim Schneider wrote in the Back Room, “overall, sales were no cause for panic.” Sotheby’s posted the weakest results for its series, which included the Jubilee auction of British art and its Modern and contemporary evening sale, netting a combined total of £149.1 million ($181.6 million), just a hair above its low estimate.
Despite not finding a home for the much-touted first-ever self-portrait by Ernst Ludwig Kirchner, a colorful Van Gogh-esque painting that was expected to fetch up to $15 million, the auction house did provide the top price of the month: Francis Bacon’s 1964 portrait of his frenemy Lucian Freud, which brought in £43.3 million ($52.7 million) after only two bids.
Elsewhere, Christie’s combined sales of works by Marc Chagall and 20th and 21st century art in Paris and London, bringing in a total of £203.8 million ($248 million), led by two Monet paintings that fetched identical results of £30.1 million ($36.8 million). Jeff Koons’s magenta Balloon Dog sculpture was consigned by billionaire Victor Pinchuk and his wife Olena to raise money for humanitarian aid in Ukraine; the shiny sculpture brought in £10.1 million ($12.4 million).
Below, see the full list of the top 15 most expensive works to sell at auction around the world in June 2022.
1. Francis Bacon, Study for Portrait of Lucian Freud (1964)
Francis Bacon, Study for Portrait of Lucian Freud (1964). Courtesy of Sotheby’s.
Estimate: Undisclosed (in excess of £34 million)
Final Price: £43.3 million ($52.7 million)
Where & When: Sotheby’s London, June 29, 2022
2. Claude Monet, Waterloo Bridge, effet de brume (1899–1904)
Claude Monet, Waterloo Bridge, effet de brume (1899-1904). Courtesy of Christie’s.
Estimate: £22 million to £32 million ($26.9 million to $39.1 million)
Final Price: £30.1 million ($36.7 million)
Where & When: Christie’s London, June 28, 2022
3. Claude Monet, Nymphéas, temps gris (1907)
Claude Monet, Nymphéas, temps gris (1907). Courtesy of Christie’s.
Estimate: £20 million to £30 million ($24.4 million to $36.6 million)
Final Price: £30.1 million ($36.7 million)
Where & When: Christie’s London, June 28, 2022
4. Yves Klein, Anthropométrie de l’époque bleue, (ANT 124) (Anthropometry of the Blue Period), (ANT 124)) (1960)
Yves Klein, Anthropométrie de l’époque bleue, (ANT 124) (Anthropometry of the Blue Period), (ANT 124) (1960). Courtesy of Christie’s.
Estimate: Undisclosed (in the region of £24 million)
Final Price: £27.2 million ($33.2 million)
Where & When: Christie’s London, June 28, 2022
5. Alberto Giacometti, Femme qui marche [I] (1932-36)
Alberto Giacometti, Femme qui marche, numéroté ‘’IIIIV’’ (1932–36). Photo © Christie’s Images.
Estimate: Undisclosed (in the region of €20 million to €30 million)
Final Price: €27.2 million ($28.3 million)
Where & When: Christie’s Paris, June 14, 2022
6. René Magritte, Souvenir de voyage (1962–63)
René Magritte, Souvenir de voyage (1962–63). Courtesy of Christie’s.
Estimate: £5 million to £7 million ($6.1 million to $8.5 million)
Final Price: £16.1 million ($19.6 million)
Where & When: Christie’s London, June 28, 2022
7. Andy Warhol, Self Portrait (1986)
Andy Warhol, Self Portrait (1986). Courtesy of Sotheby’s.
Estimate: £12 million to £18 million ($14.6 million to $21.9 million)
Final Price: £12.7 million ($15.5 million)
Where & When: Sotheby’s London, June 29, 2022
8. Claude Monet, Vétheuil (1880)
Claude Monet, Vétheuil (1880). Courtesy of Sotheby’s.
Estimate: £10 million to £15 million ($12.1 million to $18.2 million)
Final Price: £11.7 million ($14.3 million)
Where & When: Sotheby’s London, June 29, 2022
9. Gerhard Richter, Study for Clouds (Contre-jour) (1970)
Gerhard Richter, Study for Clouds (Contre-jour) (1970). Courtesy of Sotheby’s.
Estimate: £6 million to £8 million ($7.3 million to $9.7 million)
Final Price: £11.2 million ($13.6 million)
Where & When: Sotheby’s London, June 29, 2022
10. Jeff Koons, Balloon Monkey (Magenta) (2006–13)
Jeff Koons, Balloon Monkey (Magenta), (2006–13). Photo courtesy of Christie’s London.
Estimate: £6 million to £10 million ($7.3 million to $12.2 million)
Final Price: £10.1 million ($12.4 million)
Where & When: Christie’s London, June 28, 2022
11. Auguste Rodin, Penseur, Taille de la Porte dit “Moyen Modèle” (1880)
Auguste Rodin, Penseur, Taille de la Porte dit “Moyen Modèle” (1880). Courtesy of Christie’s.
Estimate: €9 million to €14 million ($9.4 million to $14.7 million)
Final Price: €10.7 million ($11.2 million)
Where & When: Christie’s Paris, June 30, 2022
12. Jean-Michel Basquiat, Untitled (Self Portrait) (1982)
Jean-Michel Basquiat, Untitled (Self Portrait) (1982). Courtesy of Christie’s.
Estimate: £4 million to £6 million ($4.9 million to $7.3 million)
Final Price: £7.9 million ($9.7 million)
Where & When: Christie’s London, June 28, 2022
13. Fang Lijun, Series 2 (Part 4) (1992)
Fang Lijun, Series 2 (Part 4) (1992). Courtesy of China Guardian Auctions.
Estimate: 48 million CNY to 58 million CNY ($7.2 million to $8.6 million)
Final Price: 63.8 million CNY ($9.5 million)
Where & When: China Guardian Auctions Co., Ltd., June 28, 2022
14. Liu Wei, Family Portrait (1992)
Liu Wei, Family Portrait (1992). Courtesy of China Guardian Auctions.
Estimate: 35 million CNY to 45 million CNY ($5.2 million to $6.7 million)
Final Price: 57.5 million CNY ($8.6 million)
Where & When: China Guardian Auctions Co., Ltd., June 28, 2022
15. August Strindberg, Wave V (1901)
August Strindberg, Wave V (1901). Courtesy of Sotheby’s.
Estimate: £2 million to £3 million ($2.4 million to $3.6 million)
Final Price: £6.8 million ($8.2 million)
Where & When: Sotheby’s London, June 28, 2022