The art market got off to a middling start during the first month of the new year. Nearly all of the top auction lots in January sold at Sotheby’s Old Master sale, which netted more than $90 million. The priciest work—a late 15th or early 16th century portrait of a resurrected Christ by Sandro Botticelli—brought in an underwhelming $39.3 million, falling just shy of its “in excess of $40 million estimate” if you don’t count fees. Although the work, which was only reattributed to Botticelli in 2009 after many believed it was done by his assistants, drew only three serious bidders, the $45.4 million final price is now the second-highest ever for the artist. (Unless otherwise stated, all prices include buyer’s premiums; pre-sale estimates do not).
Other notable lots that made our list include Ammi Phillips’s painting Woman with Pink Ribbons, which drew intense bidding and sold to a buyer at Christie’s for a staggering $3.9 million, more than tripling the presale estimate of $800,000 to $1.2 million, and easily surpassing the artist’s previous auction record of $1.7 million. Another impressive result came courtesy of Heritage Auctions in Dallas, where the $3.4 million sale of a 1984 Spider-Man drawing set a new record for interior comic art, which previously sat at $657,250 for a work from The Incredible Hulk, No. 180 (1974).
Below, see the full list of all the top lots sold at auction in January 2022.
1. Sandro Botticelli, The Man of Sorrows
Sandro Botticelli, The Man of Sorrows. Image courtesy Sotheby’s.
Estimate: In excess of $40 million
Final Price: $45.4 million
When and Where: Sotheby’s New York, January 27, 2022
2. Pieter van Mol, Diogenes With His Lantern Looking for an Honest Man
Pieter van Mol, Diogenes with his lantern looking for an honest man. Courtesy of Sotheby’s.
Estimate: $2 million to $3 million
Final Price: $5.78 million
When and Where: Sotheby’s New York, January 27, 2022
3. Ammi Phillips, Woman With Pink Ribbons (ca. 1833)
Ammi Phillips, Woman with Pink Ribbons (ca. 1833). Courtesy of Christie’s Images, Ltd.
Estimate: $800,000 to $1.2 million
Final Price: $3.87 million
When and Where: Christie’s New York, January 20, 2022
4. Mike Zeck and Others, Marvel Super-Heroes Secret Wars #8 Story Page 25 Black Costume/Venom Original Art (Marvel, 1984)
Mike Zeck, Mike Zeck and Others Marvel Super-Heroes Secret Wars #8 Story Page 25 Black Costume/Venom Original Art (Marvel, 1984). Courtesy of Heritage Auctions.
Estimate: $500
Final Price: $3.36 million
When and Where: Heritage Auctions Dallas, Jan 13, 2022
5. Yun Shouping, A rare book about ancient landscapes around the age of 35
Yun Shouping, A rare book about ancient landscapes around the age of thirty-five, [detail]. Courtesy of XiLingYinShe Auction Co., Ltd.
Final Price: CNY 2.02 million ($3.2 million)
When and Where: XiLingYinShe Auction Co. Ltd, January 22, 2022
6. Artemisia Gentileschi, Portrait of a Seated Lady
Artemisia Gentileschi, Portrait of a seated lady, three-quarter length, in an elaborate and gold-embroidered costume, possibly Caterina Savelli, Principessa di Albano. Courtesy of Sotheby’s.
Estimate: $2 million to $3 million
Final Price: $2.68 million
When and Where: Sotheby’s New York, January 27, 2022
7. John Brewster Jr., Captain John Bourne (1759-1837) (1797-1809)
John Brewster Jr., Captain John Bourne (1759-1837) (1797-1809). Courtesy of Christie’s Images, Ltd.
Estimate: $150,000 to $250,000
Final Price: $2.67 million
When and Where: Christie’s New York, January 20, 2022
8. Adriaen Coorte, Still Life of Fraises-de-bois in a Wan-Li Bowl Upon a Stone lLedge (1704)
Adriaen Coorte, Still life of fraises-de-bois in a Wan-Li bowl upon a stone ledge (1704). Courtesy of Sotheby’s.
Estimate: $1.5 million to $2 million
Final Price: $2.44 million
When and Where: Sotheby’s New York, January 27, 2022
9. Andrea del Sarto, Portrait of a Man (Ottaviano de’ Medici?) Wearing a Large Hat
Andrea del Sarto, Portrait of a man (Ottaviano de’ Medici?) wearing a large hat, with a box of wax seals resting on a ledge before him. Courtesy of Sotheby’s.
Estimate: $2 million to $3 million
Final Price: $2.2 million
When and Where: Sotheby’s New York, January 27, 2022
10. Francisco Goya, Portrait of the Marquis de Caballero
Francisco Goya, Portrait of the Marquis de Caballero, seated three-quarter length, wearing uniform, the Cross of Carlos III and the Badge of the Order of Santiago. Courtesy of Sotheby’s.
Estimate: $400,000 to $600,000
Final Price: $2.2 million
Where & When: Sotheby’s New York, Jan 27, 2022
11. Artemisia Gentileschi, Susanna and the Elders
Artemisia Gentileschi, Susanna and the Elders. Courtesy of Sotheby’s.
Estimate: $1.8 million to $2.5 million
Final Price: $2.14 million
When and Where: Sotheby’s New York, January 27, 2022
12. Ambrosius Benson, Mary Magdalene Holding an Ointment Jar
Ambrosius Benson, Mary Magdalene holding an ointment jar. Courtesy of Sotheby’s.
Estimate: $500,000 to $700,000
Final Price: $1.96 million
When and Where: Sotheby’s New York, January 27, 2022
13. Italian School 17th century, “The Newbattle Turks” set of six historical portraits
Italian School, (17th century), “The Newbattle Turks:” A set of 6 historical portraits comprising: Tamerlane (1336-1405); Bayezid I (1360-1403); Mehmed I (1381-1421); Murad II (1404-51); Bayezid II (1447-1512); Suleiman the Magnificent (1494-1566). Courtesy of Sotheby’s.
Estimate: £50,000 to £70,000 ($68,212 to $95,497)
Final Price: £1.35 million ($1.83 million)
When and Where: Sotheby’s London, January 20, 2022
14. Anne Vallayer-Coster, Still Life of Flowers in a Vase on a Table Beside a Bust of Flora (1774)
Anne Vallayer-Coster, Still life of flowers in a vase on a table beside a bust of Flora, with fruit and other objects with a curtain beyond (1774). Courtesy of Sotheby’s.
Estimate: $1.5 million to $2.5 million
Final Price: $1.83 million
Where & When: Sotheby’s New York, January 27, 2022
15. Fra Bartolommeo, Head of a Young Woman, Looking Down to the Left
Fra Bartolommeo, Head of a Young Woman, looking down to the left. Courtesy of Sotheby’s.
Estimate: $400,000 to $600,000
Final Price: $1,835,000 million
Where & When: Sotheby’s New York, January 26, 2022