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The Collection of Anne H. Bass and Christie's 20th Century Evening Sales Total $843.7 Million

Marquee Week Running Total $1.26 Billion
Impressionist & Modern, American and Latin American Art
New York Americas 12 May 2022
The Collection of Anne H. Bass and Christie's 20th Century Evening Sales Total $843.7 Million

NEW YORK – Christie’s Spring 2022 Marquee Week held its final evening sales on Thursday, May 12 with three exciting auctions: The Collection of Anne H. Bass achieved $363.1 Million, The 20th Century Evening Sale achieved $468.2 Million, and The Raptor sold for $12.4 Million. The night achieved $843.7 Million in all, bringing the week running total to $1.26 Billion.

The most significant American collection to come to market this season, The Collection of Anne H. Bass was 100% sold, and 149% sold above the low estimate. Two of the 12 lots established new records, including Edgar Degas’s Petite danseuse de quatorze ans which soared over its high estimate of $30 Million to sell for $41.6 Million, breaking a record for the artist for the first time in almost 15 years ago. Monet’s Parlement, the top lot of the sale, sold for $75.9 Million.

Bonnie Brennan, President of Christie’s Americas, commented, “We were honored to sell the exquisite collection of Anne H. Bass. The twelve masterpieces, beautifully chosen, reflect the unique perspective of a female collector. We are thrilled that this collection surpassed its estimate to achieve $363.1 Million.”

Max Carter, Head of Impressionist and Modern Art, Christie’s, commented, "The Anne H. Bass collection represented the pinnacle of the artists it contained, the pinnacle of taste, the pinnacle of modern collecting. We were beyond honored to work on the estate's behalf and gratified that these works and her example inspired collectors around the world just as they have inspired us."

The 20th Century Evening Sale sold 98% by lot and 99% by value. Notably, The Sugar Shack by Ernie Barnes set a new record, selling for $15.2 Million, 76 times its high estimate. In Barnes’ first appearance in an evening sale, the work had competition from 22 bidders. It sold to a buyer in the room after more than ten and a half minutes of bidding. Another artist record was established by Emanuel Leutze’s Washington Crossing the Delaware, which sold for $45 Million. The work had hung in the White House for multiple presidencies. Thirteen works in the sale achieved more than $10 Million. The top lot of the sale was Number 31, an iconic drip painting by Jackson Pollock, that sold for $54.2 Million.

Emily Kaplan, Co-Head of the 20th Century Evening Sale, commented, “We were so pleased to see such phenomenal performances by an incredibly diverse group of 20th century artists in our sale this evening. We featured works by nine female artists representing a range of artistic periods, two of whom set records – Grace Hartigan and Howardena Pindell. We were also thrilled by the outstanding performance by Ernie Barnes. The Sugar Shack soared past its high estimate of $200,000 to sell for $15.2 million, nearly twenty eight times his previous auction record.”

Vanessa Fusco, Co-Head of the 20th Century Evening Sale, commented, “We were thrilled with the outcome of the 20th Century Evening Sale this season, with exceptional performances by masterpieces from a diverse school of artists. The sale of Tête de femme (Fernande) by Picasso established a new record for the artist in the medium, and Leutze's Washington Crossing the Delaware set a record as well, selling for more than double its high estimate. The sale was a rousing success.”

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About Christie’s

Founded in 1766, Christie’s is a world-leading art and luxury business with a physical presence in 46 countries throughout the Americas, Europe, Middle East, and Asia Pacific, and flagship   international sales hubs  in New York, London, Hong Kong, Paris and Geneva. Renowned and trusted for our expert live and online-only auctions, as well as bespoke Private Sales, Christie’s unparalleled network of specialists offers our clients a full portfolio of  global services, including art appraisal, art financing, international real estate and education. Christie’s  auctions span more than  80 art and luxury categories, at price points ranging from $500 to over $100 million. Christie’s has sold 7 of the 10 most important single-owner collections in history, achieved the world record price for an artwork at auction, launched the first  fully on-chain auction platform dedicated to exceptional NFT art and manages an investment fund to support innovative startups in the art market. Christie’s is also committed to advancing  responsible culture  throughout its business and communities worldwide. To learn more, browse, bid, discover, and join us for the best of art and luxury at christies.com or by downloading Christie’s apps.


* Please note when quoting estimates above that other fees will apply in addition to the hammer price - see Section D of the Conditions of Sale at the back of the sale catalogue. *Estimates do not include buyer’s premium. Sales totals are hammer price plus buyer’s premium.

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