Marlene Dumas Painting Sets New Record for Living Woman Artist at Auction
At Christie’s, $13.6 Million Marlene Dumas Painting Sets New Record for Living Woman Artist at Auction. The house pulled in $96.5 million at its 21st-century evening sale, a jump from last year.
On Wednesday night in New York, Christie’s held a fairly swift sale of 21st-century art that pulled in $96.5 million, beating the $80.3 million that the same sale totaled last year. But there were few fireworks, a relatively small number of lots on offer, and no blockbuster material: All signs of an art market in which buyers and sellers remain cautious.
The big news was that a fresh record was set for a living woman artist at auction, when Marlene Dumas’s Miss January (1997) sold to Sara Friedlander, a Christie’s deputy chairman, who was bidding for a client, for a hammer price of $11.5 million, or $13.6 million with premium. It had been estimated at $12 million to $18 million and carried a guarantee. (Dumas’s previous record, set in 2008, was $6.3 million.) Miami collectors Don and Mera Rubell were the sellers.
The record for a living woman artist at auction was previous held by Jenny Saville, who had a painting sell at Sotheby’s London in 2018 for $12.4 million. Adjust that figure for inflation, though, and you get $15.7 million: a solid $2.1 million above tonight’s number.
Source Artnew.news
