Here are the 15 most expensive artworks sold at auctions around the world in September 2022
Windobi, 19 October 2022
There were no fireworks in September prior to the big fall sales, but it delivered solid results for the mainstays of international auction houses. Sotheby’s tapped actor Robert Pattinson of Twilight famous for its latest Contemporary Curated sale, and three of its selections made the list of top lots of the month. Willem de Kooning’s Untitled abstract work from around 1964 reached double his high estimate to fetch $4 million, Vija Celmins’ hyper-realistic Pink pearl eraser brought in $1.9 million; and that of Warhol Marilyn (reversal) landed within his estimate at $1.4 million.
Elsewhere, newly minted market star Ernie Barnes’s deliciously raw Solid Rock Congregation (1993) raised more than $1.6 million, well above the $500,000 to $700,000 estimate. Tyreb Mehta has landed at the top lots of the month again, this time for Diagonal; and as always, Yayoi Kusama’s pumpkins and infinity nets made the cut.
Check out the full list below of the top 15 most expensive works sold at auction in September, courtesy of Artnet’s Price Database.
1.Wen Jia, The vertical axis of Wenjia Caoge .’s Yanbin map
Estimation: 12 million to 18 million CNY ($1.7 million to $2.5 million)
Final price: 28.2 million CNY ($3.9 million)
Where when: Holly’s International Auctions Co., Ltd., Guangzhou, China, September 23, 2022
2. Willem de Kooning, untitled (c. 1964)
Estimation: $1.8 million to $2.5 million
Final price: $4.16 million
Where when: Sotheby’s New York, September 30, 2022
3. Tyreb Mehta, Diagonal (1973)
Estimation: INR 210 million to INR 260 million ($2.6 million to $3.2 million)
Final price: INR 253 million ($3.09 million)
Where when: AstaGurua, Mumbai, September 26, 2022
4. Vija Celmins, Pink pearl eraser (1966-1967)
Estimation: $800,000 to $1.2 million
Final price: $1.9 million
Where when: Sotheby’s New York, September 30, 2022
5. Yayoi Kusama, INFINITY-NETS TOWPP (2008)
Estimation: JPY 180 million to JPY 280 million ($1.26 million to $1.9 million)
Final price: JPY 257.7 million ($1.8 million)
Where when: New Art East-West Auctions, Tokyo, September 24, 2022
6. Rufino Tamayo, Man Against the Wall (aka Character) (1981)
Estimation: $1.5 million to $2 million
Final price: $1.74 million
Where when: Christie’s New York, September 30, 2022
7. Xiao Huirong, Mirror Heart of Peace and Harmony in 2020 (2020)
Estimation: CNY 6 million to CNY 8 million ($842,459 to $1.1 million)
Final price: CNY 9.8 million ($1.64 million)
Where when: Holly’s International Auctions Co., Ltd., Guangzhou, China, September 24, 2022
8. Yayoi Kusama, Pumpkin (2004)
Estimation: WFD 1,900,000,000 to KRW 3,000,000,000 ($1.3 million to $2.1 million)
Final price: KRW 1,950,000,000 ($1.63 million)
Where when: Seoul Auction, Seoul, September 27, 2022
9. Ernie Barnes, Solid Rock Congregation (1993)
Estimation: $500,000 to $700,000
Final price: $1.62 million
Where when: Bonham’s New York, September 9, 2022
10. Frederick Ronald Williams, LYSTERFIELD LANDSCAPE (1968-69)
Estimation: AUD 1.6 million to AUD 2 million ($ 1.08 to $ 1.3 million)
Final price: AUD 2.33 million ($1.57 million)
Where when: Deutscher and Hackett, South Yarra, Australia, September 14, 2022
11. Francis Newton Souza, broken head (1957)
Estimation: $1.02 million to $1.5 million
Final price: $1.5 million
Where when: Saffron Art New York, September 17, 2022
12.Andy Warhol, Marilyn (reversal) (1986)
Estimation: $1.2 million to $1.8 million
Final price: $1.4 million
Where when: Sotheby’s New York, September 30, 2022
13. Dirk van Baburen, The Sacrifice to Ceres (c. 1621)
Estimation: CHF 500,000 to CHF 800,000 ($509,476 to $815,162)
Final price: CHF 1.4 million ($1.433 million)
Where when: Kollerveiling, Zurich, September 23, 2022
14. Colin McCahonIs there anything that can be said to be new? (1982)
Estimation: NZD 1.5 million to NZD 2.5 million ($898,472 to $1.5 million)
Final price: NZD 2.39 million ($1.431 million)
Where when: Webb’s Auckland, New Zealand, September 18, 2022
15. Leonora Carrington, tenderloin (1960)
Estimation: $1 million to $1.5 million
Final price: $1.13 million
Where when: Christie’s New York, September 30, 2022