Sotheby's contemporary art sale in London brought in £46.1 million ($61.1 million), with a 1977 abstract painting by Willem de Kooning achieving the evening's highest price. The work sold for £9.8 million ($12.9 million), including fees, within its estimate of £8-12 million.
The one-hour auction featured 34 lots, of which 28 were sold. Its total, including fees, was below last year's equivalent sale of £47.6 million. The results reflected a market where buyers showed particular interest in selected works.
Modern masters and standout bids
Gerhard Richter's 1992 painting Abstraktes Bild ranked second, selling for £6.7 million ($8.9 million) with fees. A 1969 untitled work by Mark Rothko followed at £3.8 million, including fees.
One of the evening's most notable bidding contests centered on Michael Andrews's Butterfly Fish (1978). It sold for £704,000 ($933,117), substantially above its £120,000 high estimate, setting a new auction record for a work on paper by the artist.
Works by David Hockney, Georg Baselitz and Andy Warhol also featured among the sale's leading results. Together, the outcomes highlighted continued demand for established artists alongside selective interest in other contemporary work.
As collectors make increasingly considered choices, auction results may offer a useful view of how artistic legacy and distinctive works shape the future of the global art market.
