As November kicks off, New York’s art scene is abuzz with the start of fall marquee auctions, highlighted by two notable Sotheby’s evening sales devoted to modern art. Enthusiasts and collectors witnessed record-breaking bids, intense competition, and a few surprises that set the stage for an exciting auction season.

Sotheby’s Modern Art Sales: Highlights and Records

Sydell Miller Collection Sale

The evening also saw robust results for Henri Matisse’s Jeune fille en robe rose ($9.7 million with fees, almost double its high estimate) and Mark Rothko’s untitled piece ($5.1 million with fees, far exceeding its $3 million estimate).

Total Sales: $216 million (with fees)

Star Lot: Claude Monet’s Nymphéas (1914–17), hammered at $59 million ($65.5 million with fees) after a 17-minute bidding war. This iconic piece exceeded its $60 million estimate, with the winning bid placed by Jen Hua, Sotheby’s deputy chairman of Asia.

Other Standouts:

Pablo Picasso’s La Statuaire (1925): Sold for $24.8 million with fees (estimate: $30 million).

Wassily Kandinsky’s White Oval (1921): Achieved $21.6 million with fees, surpassing its $20 million high estimate.

François-Xavier Lalanne’s “Herd of Elephants in the Trees” Table (2001): This unexpected hit sold for $11.6 million (estimate: $4 million–$6 million), generating one of the evening’s most intense bidding battles.

Modern Evening Sale

• Total Sales: $92.9 million (31 lots)
• Top Lot: Alberto Giacometti’s Buste (Tête tranchante) (Diego), sold for $13.3 million with fees (estimate: $10 million–$15 million). Proceeds will benefit the Harry F. Guggenheim Foundation.
• Notable Records: Tiffany Studios’ Danner Memorial Window set a new auction record for the studio, hammering at $10.8 million ($12.5 million with fees). This stunning 16-foot stained glass window outpaced its previous record of $3.4 million.

Spotlight on Female Surrealists

Interest in works by female Surrealists brought vibrancy to the sales.

Leonora Carrington’s Le Grande Dame (The Cat Woman): Sold for $11.4 million with fees (estimate: $5 million+), secured by renowned Latin American collector Eduardo Costantini for the Museo de Arte Latinoamericano de Buenos Aires (MALBA).

Additional highlights included Carrington’s Temple of the Word ($4.56 million with fees) and pieces by Remedios Varo and Leonor Fini, both exceeding expectations.

Not all lots soared. Seven pieces failed to sell during the modern evening sale, including Henri Matisse’s Torse de jeune fille (1921–22), which carried the highest estimate of $12 million–$18 million but did not find a buyer. Two works were also withdrawn prior to the sale.

Sotheby’s November auctions reflect the enduring allure of masterworks while showcasing a growing appetite for diversity and innovation, particularly through the spotlight on female Surrealists. With a mix of record-setting sales and unfulfilled expectations, the season promises more drama and excitement as it unfolds.