After the less-than-stellar performance of the New York auctions last month, Art Basel in Switzerland showed no formal signs of diminished interest from collectors or lack of appetite for big-ticket items. On the ground, however, reporters found a more nuanced scene.
“The opening day was busier than I’ve seen it in years,” said Gagosian’s Andrew Fabricant. Though Gagosian doesn’t partake in publicly sharing price information, the mega-gallery did say that it sold upwards of 40 works ranging in price from low-six-figures to more than $6 million.
The high-water mark among reported sales came at another mega-gallery’s booth. At Hauser & Wirth, someone shelled out $22.5 million for a Louise Bourgeois wall sculpture, (1996). That marked a 36 percent increase in price in just over 12 months, according to Artnet’s resident Art Detective Katya Kazakina, who reported that the work last appeared at auction in April 2022 at Sotheby’s, where it fetched $16.5 million.
On the whole, the fair saw a return to form for dealers showing work by tried-and-true blue-chip artists like Bourgeois, Alexander Calder, Jeff Koons, Rothko, and Picasso.
Below, we’ve rounded up a list of reported sales from participating galleries at Art Basel 2023, though it bears repeating that as this is based on dealers’ own reporting, it should all be taken with a grain of salt.
PAINTINGS
Philip Guston at Hauser and Wirth, Art Basel. Courtesy of Art Basel.
$9.5 million: Philip Guston, (1975) at Hauser & Wirth
$5.5 million: George Condo, (2009) at Hauser & Wirth
$4.5 million: Mark Bradford, (2014) at White Cube
$4.4 million: Jean Fautrier, (1927) at Applicat-Prazan
$3.5 million: Mark Bradford, (2023) at Hauser & Wirth
$3.2 million: Jack Whitten, (1971) at Hauser & Wirth
$3 million to $4 million: A painting by Paul Klee at Di Donna
$3 million to $3.5 million: A piece by Pablo PIcasso at Almine Rech
$2.8 million: Alice Neel, (1968) at David Zwirner
$2.8 million: Robert Rauschenberg, (1985) at Thaddaeus Ropac
$2.8 million: George Condo, (2022) at Hauser & Wirth
$2.75 million: Noah Davis, (2014) at White Cube
$2.75 million: Louise Bourgeois, (1946) at Hauser & Wirth
$2.5 million: Jonas Wood, (2022) at David Kordansky Gallery
$2.4 million to $2.6 million: Yayoi Kusama, (2008) at Edward Tyler Nahem
$2 million: Glenn Ligon, (2023) at Hauser & Wirth
$2 million: A painting by Joan Mitchell at Di Donna
$2 million: A painting by Keith Haring at Di Donna
$2 million: Noah Davis, (2015) at David Zwirner
$1.9 million: El Anatsui, (2023) at Goodman Gallery
$1.8 million: Josef Albers, Homage to the Square, 1968 at David Zwirner
$1.5 million: Ed Clark, (2008) at Hauser & Wirth
$1.1 million: A painting by Alex Katz at Gladstone Gallery
$1 million: Elizabeth Peyton, (1999) at David Zwirner
$975,000: Rashid Johnson, (2023) at David Kordansky Gallery
$975,000: Rashid Johnson, (2022) at Hauser & Wirth
$950,000: Jack Whitten, (2014) at Zeno X Gallery
$875,000: Sean Scully, (2023) at Thaddaeus Ropac
$875,000: Sean Scully, (2023) at Lisson Gallery
$850,000: Henry Taylor, (2019) at Hauser & Wirth
$850,000 to $1 million: Tom Wesselman, (1999) at Almine Rech
$820,000: Nicolas Party, (2023) at Hauser & Wirth
$750,000: Robert Colescott, (1970) at Blum & Poe
$750,000: Lee Ufan, (2023) at Gallery Hyundai
$750,000: A piece by Alighiero e Boetti at Gladstone Gallery
$700,000: Lee Ufan, (2021) at Gallery Hyundai
$650,000 to $715,000: Lee Ufan, (2020) at Kukje Gallery
$650,000 each: Two paintings by Elizabeth Peyton at Gladstone Gallery
$630,000: A painting by Tracey Emin at Xavier Hufkens
$600,000 to $700,000: Ewa Juszkiewicz, (2023) at Almine Rech
$523,000: Yan Pei MIng, (2023) at Massimo DeCarlo
$500,000 to $600,000: Scott Kahn, (2022-23) at Almine Rech
UNDER $500,000
$490,000 to $539,000: Park Seo-Bo, , (2002) at Kukje Gallery
$475,000: Jenny Holzer, (2022) at Hauser & Wirth
$450,000: A painting by Sterling Ruby at Xavier Hufkens
$450,000: A painting by Amy Sillman at Gladstone Gallery
$450,000: Michaël Borremans , (2008) at Zeno X Gallery
$425,000: A painting by David Salle at Gladstone Gallery
$420,000: Ha CHong-hyun, (2020) at Blum & Poe
$410,000: Yu Hong, (2023) at Lisson Gallery
$400,000 to $450,000: Shara Hughes, (2023) at David Kordansky Gallery
$400,000 to $500,000: Javier Calleja, (2023) at Almine Rech
$400,000: Jennifer Guidi, 2023) at David Kordansky Gallery
$400,000: Oscar Murillo, , 2020-2021 at David Zwirner
$400,000: Lorna Simpson, (2023) at Hauser & Wirth
$400,000: A painting by Joe Bradley at Xavier Hufkens
$380,000: Paolo Scheggi, , (1963) at Cardi Gallery
$375,000: Roberto Cuoghi, (2022) at Hauser & Wirth
$350,000 to $400,000: Sam Gilliam, (2022) at David Kordansky Gallery
$350,000 to $385,000: Ha Chong-Hyun, (2023) at Kukje Gallery
$350,000: Firelei Báez, (2023) at James Cohan Gallery
$350,000: Jennifer Guidi, ) at Massimo DeCarlo
$325,000: A painting by Thierry De Cordier at Xavier Hufkens
$324,000: Jannis Kounellis, (1991) at Cardi Gallery
$300,000: Yun Hyong-keun, (1973) at Blum & Poe
$300,000: Yan Pei-Ming, 2023) at Massimo DeCarlo
$285,000: Luiz Zerbini, , (2023) at Stephen Friedman Gallery
$275,000: Thornton Dial, (2015) at Blum & Poe
$250,000: McArthur Binion, (2022) at Massimo DeCarlo
$250,000: Elias Sime, #3, (2022) at James Cohan Gallery
$250,000: Rodney Graham, (2022) at 303 Gallery
$250,000 each: Two paintings by Katherine Bernhardt at David Zwirner
$250,000: A painting by Leon Kossoff at Xavier Hufkens
$220,000: Nate Lowman, (2022) at Massimo DeCarlo
$200,000 to $250,000: Genesis Tramaine, (2023) at Almine Rech
$200,000: Elias Sime (2023) at James Cohan Gallery
$200,000: Mary Heilmann, (2023) at Hauser & Wirth
$180,000 to $250,000: Kenny Scharf, (2023) at Almine Rech
$180,000: Lucas Arruda, (2022) at David Zwirner
$175,000: Rob Pruitt, (2023) at 303 Gallery
$170,000 to $200,000: Nathanial Mary Quinn, (2023) at Almine Rech
$150,000 to $250,000 each: Two paintings by McArthur Binion at Xavier Hufkens
$140,000: Yuan Yuan, (2023) at Kiang Malingue
$125,000: Leilah Babirye, (2023) at Stephen Friedman Gallery
UNDER $100,000
$100,000: Naudline Pierre, (2023) at James Cohan Gallery
$100,000: Marcel Dzama, (2023) at David Zwirner
$100,000: Rodney Graham, (2007) at Lisson Gallery
$90,000: Sue Williams, (2020) at 303 Gallery
$90,000 to $125,000 each: Two paintings by Ulala Imai at Xavier Hufkens
$90,000 each: Friedrich Kunath, (2021–2022) and (2019) at Blum & Poe
$85,000: Jamian Juliano-Villani, at Massimo DeCarlo
$75,000 to $150,000 each: Four small paintings by Tracey Emin at Xavier Hufkens
$75,000 – $80,000: A painting by Cathy Wilkes at Xavier Hufkens
$75,000: Laurne Quin, (2023) at Blum & Poe
$75,000: Umar Rashid, (2023) at Blum & Poe
$75,000: Allison Katz, (2022) at dépendance
$75,000: Sam Falls, (2023) at 303 Gallery
$70,000: Solange Pessoa, (2022) at Blum & Poe
$68,000: Aubrey Williams, (1972/1982) at Jenkins Johnson Gallery
$68,000: Brook Hsu, (2023) at Kiang Malingue
$65,000 each: Lily Stockman, (2023); (2023); and (2023) at Massimo DeCarlo
$60,000 – $85,000 each: Two paintings by Matt Connors at Xavier Hufkens
$55,000: Asuka Anastacia Ogawa, (2023) at Blum & Poe
$54,000 each: Laure Prouvost, (2023) and (2023) at Lisson Gallery
$50,000: Yann Gerstberger (2023) at Taka Ishii Gallery
$50,000: Christopher Hartmann, (2023) at Blum & Poe
$49,000: Thilo Heinzmann, (2023) at dépendance
$48,000: Anna Park, (2023) at Blum & Poe
$48,000: Tanya Merrill, (2023) at 303 Gallery
$45,000: Jacob Kassay, (2018) at 303 Gallery
$45,000: Theodora Allen) (2023) at Blum & Poe
$42,000: Cassi Namoda, (2023) at 303 Gallery
$40,000: A painting by Sayre Gomez at Xavier Hufkens
$40,000 each: Two paintings by Ser Serpas at Balice Hertling
$34,200: Goro Kakei, (1991) at Taka Ishii Gallery
$14,000 to $45,000 each: Eight paintings by Owen Fu at Balice Hertling
SCULPTURES & INSTALLATIONS
Hauser and Wirth. Courtesy Art Basel.
$22.5 million: Louise Bourgeois, (1996) at Hauser & Wirth
$2.8 million: Alexander Calder, (1976) at Pace Gallery
$2.5 million: A glass sculpture by Roni Horn at Xavier Hufkens
$2 million to $2.5 million: A fabric sculpture by Louise Bourgeois at Xavier Hufkens
$2 million: A sculpture by Henry Moore at Di Donna
$1.85 million each: Three editions of Georg Baseltiz, (1989/2023) at White Cube
$1.5 million: Alexander Calder, (1971) at Pace Gallery
$1.3 million: Barbara Chase-Riboud, (1967/2022) at Hauser & Wirth
$1.2 million: Anselm Kiefer, 2002) at White Cube
$1.125 million: Doris Salcedo, (2019) at White Cube
$1.1 million: Donald Judd, (1977) at Cardi Gallery
$775,000: Alexander Calder, (ca. 1965) at Pace Gallery
$700,000: Carol Bove, (2023) at David Zwirner
$675,000: Alexander Calder, (ca. 1960) at Pace Gallery
$550,000: Yoshitomo Nara, (2023) at Blum & Poe
$500,000 to $600,000: Lee Ufan and Park Young-sook (2017) at Gallery Hyundai
$500,000: Jaume Plensa, (2022) at Gray
$450,000: A sculpture by Paul McCarthy at Xavier Hufkens
$436,000: Elmgreen & Dragset, (2022) at Perrotin
$400,000 to $450,000: A suclpture by Louise Bourgeois at Xavier Hufkens
$400,000 to $450,000: A suclpture by Thomas Houseago at Xavier Hufkens
$380,000: Thomas Schutte, 2020) at Peter Freeman, Inc
$350,000: A film by Arthur Jafa at Gladstone Gallery
$350,000 to $425,000: Elmgreen & Dragset, (2023) at Pace Gallery
$350,000 to $400,000 : Lee Ufan and Park Young-sook (2023, 2020) at Gallery Hyundai
$330,000: Kehinde Wiley, (2022) at Templon
$325,000: Huma Bhabha, (2023) at David Zwirner
$300,000: Fred Eversley, (2022) at David Kordansky Gallery
$300,000: A sculpture by Sherrie Levine at Xavier Hufkens
$275,000: Louise Bourgeois, (2004) at Hauser & Wirth
$238,000: Elmgreen & Dragset,(2023) at Massimo DeCarlo
$224,000: Yinka Shonibare, CBE (2023) at James Cohan Gallery
$180,000: Pipilotti Rist, (2022) at Hauser & Wirth
$173,000: Jeppe Hein, (2022) at 303 Gallery
$170,000: Berlinde De Bruyckere I (2021-2023) at Hauser & Wirth
$150,000 to $200,000: Huma Bhabha, (2023) at David Kordansky Gallery
$120,000: Genesis Belanger, (2023) at Perrotin
$100,000: A sculpture by Meret Oppenheim at Di Donna
$92,000: Alicja Kwade, (2022) at 303 Gallery
$82,000: Genesis Belanger, (2023) at Perrotin
$60,000 to $70,000: Lee Ufan, Untitled (2023) at Gallery Hyundai
$60,000: Lee Ufan, (2011) at Gallery Hyundai
$55,000: Alicja Kwade, (2022) at 303 Gallery
$38,000: Alicja Kwade, (2022) at 303 Gallery
$34,200: Goro Kakei, (1986) at Taka Ishii Gallery
$30,000: Mary Heilmann, (2018) at 303 Gallery
$22,000 each: Alicja Kwadem, (2022) at 303 Gallery
PRINTS, PHOTOGRAPHS, & WORKS ON PAPER
Sprüth Magers at Art Basel, 2023. Courtesy of Art Basel.
$382,000: Bernd & Hilla Becher, (1967) at Sprüth Magers
$225,000 to $275,000: Meret Oppenheim, , (1964) at Peter Freeman, Inc
$200,000: Roni Horn, (2016/2022) at Hauser & Wirth
$175,000 each: Yoshitomo Nara, (2022) and (2020) at Blum & Poe
$120,000 each: Three works on paper by Gerhard Richter at David Zwirner
$100,000: Roni Horn, (2020) at Galleria Raffaella Cortese
$100,000: Louise Bourgeois, (2009) at Hauser & Wirth
$80,000: Zoe Leonard, (2016) at Galleria Raffaella Cortese
$75,000 to $150,000 each: Five gouaches on paper by Louise Bourgeois at Xavier Hufkens
$74,000: Robert Breer, (1970) at gb agency
$65,000: Eduardo Chillida (1980) at Hauser & Wirth
$65,000: Mimi Lauter, (2023) at Blum & Poe
$59,000: Eduardo Chillida (1995) at Hauser & Wirth
$50,000: A work on paper by Leon Kossoff at Xavier Hufkens
