While most of the art world has checked out for the summer, there are still a few lingering sales taking place around the world. The majority of the top lots for July 2022 came from Poly Auction Hong Kong, where the modern and contemporary evening sale brought in more than HKD 410 million ($52 million), and a jewelry sale netted around HKD 196 million ($25 million). Jean-Michel Basquiat’s painting from 1981—a blurry red work incorporating many familiar icons including a crown, crude arrow-like symbols, and a figure baring its teeth—led the modern and contemporary sale, trailed by works by Wayne Thiebaud, Adrian Ghenie, and Yayoi Kusama.
On the other side of the world, Christie’s Old Master sale in London brought in £28.1 million ($34 million), led by Lucas Cranach the Elder’s portrait of , which bested its high estimate of £8 million, fetching £9.4 million including fees. None of the artworks from Sotheby’s Old Masters event, made the cut, and that auction only fetched a middling £7.1 million, a dramatically lower result than comparable pre-pandemic sales.
Below, see the full list of the 15 most expensive works that sold at auction last month.
Estimate: Undisclosed
Final Price: HKD 105.6 million ($13.5 million)
Where & When: Poly Auction Hong Kong, July 12, 2022
Estimate: £6 million to £8 million ($7.2 million to $9.6 million)
Final Price: £9.4 million ($11.3 million)
Where & When: Christie’s London, July 7, 2022
Estimate: HKD 60 million to HKD 86 million ($7.6 million to $10.9 million)
Final Price: HKD 79 million ($10 million)
Where & When: Poly Auction Hong Kong, July 12, 2022
Estimate: HKD 50 million to HKD 75 million ($6.4 million to $9.5 million)
Final Price: HKD 60 million ($7.6 million)
Where & When: Poly Auction Hong Kong, July 12, 2022
Estimate: Undisclosed
Final Price: HKD 57.6 million ($7.3 million)
Where & When: Poly Auction Hong Kong, July 13, 2022
Estimate: £2.8 million to £3.5 million ($3.4 million to $4.2 million)
Final Price: £3.4 million
Where & When: Christie’s London, July 7, 2022
Estimate: £1 million to £1.5 million ($1.2 million to $1.8 million)
Final Price: £3.4 million ($4 million)
Where & When: Christie’s London, July 7, 2022
Estimate: £2.5 million to £3.5 million ($2.9 million to $4.2 million)
Final Price: £3.1 million ($3,8 million)
Where & When: Christie’s London, July 7, 2022
Estimate: HKD 16 million to HKD 24 million ($2 million to $3 million)
Final Price: HKD 28.2 million ($3.6 million)
Where & When: Poly Auction Hong Kong, July 12, 2022
Estimate: HKD 22 million to HKD 32 million ($2.8 million to $4.1 million)
Final Price: HKD 26.4 million ($3.4 million)
Where & When: Poly Auction Hong Kong, July 13, 2022
Estimate: HKD 11 million to HKD 22 million ($1.4 million to $2.8 million)
Final Price: HKD 25.2 million ($3.2 million)
Where & When: Poly Auction Hong Kong, July 12, 2022
Estimate: €2 million to €3 million ($2 million to $3 million)
Final Price: €2.4 million ($2.8 million)
Where & When: Hôtel des ventes de Monte-Carlo, July 13, 2022
Estimate: HKD 16.5 million to HKD 25 million ($2.1 million to $3.2 million)
Final Price: HKD 19.8 million ($3.1 million)
Where & When: Poly Auction Hong Kong, July 12, 2022
Estimate: CHF 2 million to CHF 3 million ($2.1 million to $3.1 million)
Final Price: CHF 2.3 million ($2.4 million)
Where & When: Koller Auctions, July 1, 2022
Estimate: Undisclosed
Final Price: HKD 18.3 million ($2.3 million)
Where & When: Sotheby’s Hong Kong, July 19, 2022
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