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)
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)
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)
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)
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)
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)
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)
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)
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)
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)
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.