Post-War and Contemporary Art Evening Auction

The Post-War and Contemporary Art Evening Auction will be led by David Hockney’s Portrait of Sir David Webster (1971), an exquisite tribute to Sir David Webster, the former General Administrator of the Royal Opera House and a defining influence. The painting is being offered by the Royal Opera House with an estimate of £11-18 million. Proceeds from the sale will contribute towards vital funding required by the world-renowned arts venue to alleviate the financial impact of coronavirus, the most serious crisis the organisation has had to face. This will allow the Royal Opera House not just to survive but to thrive in its future programming. Peter Doig’s Boiler House (1993, estimate in the region of £13 million), a masterwork from his seminal series of Concrete Cabins, is a further highlight, which was included in Doig’s landmark 2008 retrospective at Tate Britain. Marina Abramović’s The Life (estimate: £400,000-800,000) is the first work of its kind to be offered at auction. It is a revolutionary fusion of art and technology, premiered at London’s Serpentine Gallery in February 2019, that allows viewers to have an intimate digital encounter with Marina Abramović herself via a wearable spatial computing device. At the core of the auction, is a strong representation of British post-war artists, including two works by Francis Bacon, a remarkable 1964 painting by Auerbach and a meticulous work on paper by Lucian Freud. Contemporary painting is represented by a trio of artists who each explore figuration: Daniel Richter, Titus Kaphar and Stephen Shearer. 

Katharine Arnold, Co-Head, Post-War and Contemporary Art, Europe: “Following the successes of the 20^th Century Evening Sale in New York on 6 October, we are thrilled to present a series of sales that establish a dialogue between the culturally vibrant cities of London and Paris, bringing the collecting communities together in one evening. The works presented throughout these auctions is testament to the diversity of artists practising throughout the 20^th and 21^st centuries. Alongside the pioneers of modernism such as Pierre Soulages and Lucio Fontana, we also focus on artists currently pushing the boundaries, from Peter Doig’s psychologically charged compositions to Marina Abramović’s technologically pioneering performance The Life. As a long-established British institution, Christie’s is also incredibly proud to be offering David Hockney’s magnificent Portrait of Sir David Webster to support the future of the Royal Opera House, which is a great national treasure.”