Auctions
Here Are the 10 Most Expensive Lots Sold at Auction in March 2024
London sales of blue-chip stars accounted for every single entry
![an image of blue red and yellow figures against a green background an image of blue red and yellow figures against a green background](https://news.artnet.com/app/news-upload/2024/04/TT-March-Lot-21.-Joan-Miró-Soirée-Snob-chez-la-Princesse-rest.-5000000-7000000-copy-1024x611.jpg)
This roundup of the most expensive lots at auction around the world in March reflects the strength of the offerings during the recent London auctions. While the top price for February was $3.4 million, the top price in March was more than $43 million—and all ten of the top lots went for above $7 million. (The tenth-place lot sold for $8 million.)
Every work was made by a world-famous, blue-chip artist, like David Hockney and Pablo Picasso, with some names appearing more than once, like Francis Bacon and Claude Monet. Christie’s and Sotheby’s roughly split the field with these lots, which were all hammered in London.
Read on to find out the most expensive lots sold at auction in March.
1. Rene Magritte, L’ami intime (1958)
![A painting of a man with his back turned to the viewer, facing clouds,in a bowler hat with a baguette and a wine glass, by Rene Magritte.](https://news.artnet.com/app/news-upload/2024/02/magritte-909x1024.jpg)
René Magritte, L’ami intime (The Intimate Friend), (1958). Photo: Courtesy of the Gilbert and Lena Kaplan Collection and Christie’s London.
Estimate: $37 million to $62.7 million(£30 million to £50 million)
Final Price: $43 million (£33.7 million)
Where & When: Christie’s London, March 7, 2024
2. Francis Bacon, Landscape near Talabata, Tangier (1963)
![painting by francis bacon](https://news.artnet.com/app/news-upload/2024/02/71890586-frame-rs-new_JPEG-medium-782x1024.jpg)
Francis Bacon, Landscape near Malabata, Tangier (1963). Courtesy of Christie’s Images Ltd. 2024.
Estimate: $19 million to $25 million (£15 million to £20 million)
Final Price: $25.1 million (£19.6 million)
Where: Christie’s, London, March 7, 2024
3. David Hockney, California (1965)
![Painting of a man floating in a pool by David Hockney](https://news.artnet.com/app/news-upload/2024/03/David_Hockney_-_California-1024x882.jpg)
David Hockney’s California. Courtesy of Christie’s.
Estimate: On request, reported to be in the region of £16 million ($20.4 million)
Final Price: $23.9 million (£18.7 million)
Where & When: Christie’s, London, March 7, 2024
4. Claude Monet, Matinée sur la Seine, temps net (1897)
![Monet's Matinee sur la Seine painting](https://news.artnet.com/app/news-upload/2024/03/Lot-15-Claude-Monet-Matine%CC%81e-sur-la-Seine-temps-net-1024x901.jpg)
Claude Monet, Matinée sur la Seine, temps net. Courtesy of Christie’s.
Estimate: $15.2 million to $22.8 million (£12 million to £18 million)
Final Price: $18.4 million (£14.4 million)
Where & When: Christie’s, London, March 7, 2024
5. Pablo Picasso, Homme a la pipe (1968)
![patining by pablo picasso of a man sitting cross legged](https://news.artnet.com/app/news-upload/2024/04/pablo-picasso-homme-a-la-pipe-834x1024.jpg)
Pablo Picasso, Homme à la pipe. Image courtesy Sotheby’s.
Estimate: $10.1 million to $15.2 million (£8 million to £12 million)
Final Price: $17.5 million (£13.7 million)
Where & When: Sotheby’s, London, March 6, 2024
6. Claude Monet, Arbres au bord de l’eau, printemps à Giverny (1885)
![a Monet landscape showing trees in pink with purple shades](https://news.artnet.com/app/news-upload/2024/03/Lot-55.-Claude-Monet-Arbres-au-bord-de-leau-printemps-a%CC%80-Giverny-1024x832.jpg)
Claude Monet, Arbres au bord de l’eau, printemps à Giverny. Courtesy of Sotheby’s.
Estimate: $6.3 million to $8.9 million (£5 million to £7 million)
Final Price: $9.9 million (£7.7 million)
Where & When: Sotheby’s, London, March 6, 2024
7. Paul Signac Saint-Tropez. Le rayon vert (1906)
![painting by paul signac of a ship near trees during sunset](https://news.artnet.com/app/news-upload/2024/04/paul-signac-saint-tropez-le-rayon-vert-1024x810.jpg)
Paul Signac, Saint-Tropez. Le rayon vert. Image courtesy Sotheby’s.
Estimate: $6.3 million to $8.9 million (£5 million to £7 million)
Final Price: $9.9 million (£7.7 million)
Where & When: Sotheby’s, London, March 6, 2024
8. Francis Bacon, Study of George Dyer, (1970)
![painting by francis bacon of george dyer](https://news.artnet.com/app/news-upload/2024/04/francis-bacon-portrait-of-george-dyer-834x1024.jpg)
Francis Bacon, Study of George Dyer. Image courtesy Sotheby’s.
Estimate: $6.3 million to $8.9 million (£5 million to £7 million)
Final Price: $8.7 million (£6.8 million)
Where & When: Sotheby’s, London, March 6, 2024
9. Claude Monet, Prairie fleurie à Giverny (1890)
![painting by claude monet of a prarie landscape with a sky in a lavender hue](https://news.artnet.com/app/news-upload/2024/04/claude-monet-prairie-fleurie-a%CC%80-giverny-1024x727.jpg)
Claude Monet, Prairie fleurie à Giverny. Image Courtesy of Christies
Estimate: $7 million to $10.7 million (£5.5 million to £8.5 million)
Final Price: $8 million (£6.3 million)
Where & When: Christie’s, London, March 7, 2024
10. L.S. Lowry Sunday Afternoon (1957)
![paiting by laurence stephen lowry with a birds eye view of a town with buildings in the distance](https://news.artnet.com/app/news-upload/2024/04/laurence-stephen-lowry-r.a.-sunday-afternoon-1024x747.jpg)
Laurence Stephen Lowry, R.A.,Sunday Afternoon. Image courtesy of Christies.
Estimate: $5 million to $7.6 million (£4 million to £6 million)
Final Price: $8 million (£6.3 million)
Where & When: Christie’s, London, March 7, 2024
Correction: This story has been amended to reflect the fact that the highest price achieved at auction in March 2024 is $43 million for Rene Magritte L’ami intime. An earlier version of this story omitted the lot.
Follow Artnet News on Facebook:
Want to stay ahead of the art world? Subscribe to our newsletter to get the breaking news, eye-opening interviews, and incisive critical takes that drive the conversation forward.