Art auction market report: April 2020
In April 2020, ArtSell recorded 3,305 auction lots from 17 auction houses, of which 2,464 sold (75% sell-through). The 2,464 sales with a published price total $4,237,311, with a median of $761 (USD at the sale-date rate). The top sale was Paul Henry, “Celtic Cross in a West of Ireland Landscape”, at $115,112 (Morgan O'Driscoll). 15 artists set a new high compared with every earlier result in the database.
Top sales
Top American artists
Ranked by total of priced sales in the month; region from the artist’s recorded nationality.
| # | Artist | Total sold | Priced sales | Top result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Gertrude Abercrombie American | $87,500 | 1 | Snail — $87,500 |
| 2 | Jim Dine American | $43,894 | 18 | Landscape Screen — $7,500 |
| 3 | Cleve Gray American | $38,125 | 5 | Bright Day — $18,750 |
| 4 | Gerald Laing British | $20,000 | 1 | An American Girl — $20,000 |
| 5 | Robert Loughlin American | $18,000 | 9 | Untitled (U) — $3,500 |
| 6 | Edvins Strautmanis American | $16,250 | 2 | Persian Garden — $10,625 |
| 7 | Roy Lichtenstein American | $16,182 | 4 | Sunrise — $9,375 |
| 8 | Jeff Koons American | $12,087 | 2 | Ohne Titel — $6,462 |
| 9 | John Kingerlee American | $10,744 | 2 | Abstract Landscape — $5,920 |
| 10 | Robert Rauschenberg American | $9,992 | 3 | Howl (Aus: "7 Characters") — $6,097 |
Top European artists
| # | Artist | Total sold | Priced sales | Top result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Paul Henry Irish | $139,230 | 2 | Celtic Cross in a West of Ireland Landscape — $115,112 |
| 2 | Miguel Ortiz Berrocal Spanish | $98,984 | 23 | Omaggio Ad Arcimboldo — $7,800 |
| 3 | Louis le Brocquy Irish | $51,526 | 4 | Cranes Surmodeles — $25,215 |
| 4 | Ettore Sottsass Italian | $50,166 | 9 | 'AGRA' TOTEM — $22,443 |
| 5 | John Bellany British | $48,172 | 10 | ROSE OF SHARON — $10,150 |
| 6 | George Frampton British | $43,271 | 1 | 'PETER PAN', DATED 1911 — $43,271 |
| 7 | Zdzisław Beksiński Polish | $40,062 | 1 | Bez tytułu, 1994 — $40,062 |
| 8 | Alan Davie British | $34,775 | 6 | BIRD THROUGH THE WALL, NO. 8 — $20,300 |
| 9 | John Behan Irish | $28,942 | 5 | Wild Swans at Coole — $10,415 |
| 10 | Gerard Dillon Irish | $26,311 | 1 | Shawl — $26,311 |
New artist records
The artist’s best price this month exceeded every earlier priced result for them in the ArtSell database (artists with at least three earlier priced results).
| Artist | Work | Price | Previous high |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gertrude Abercrombie | Snail Wright | $87,500 | $46,250 (11 earlier) |
| Cleve Gray | Bright Day Wright | $18,750 | $13,750 (8 earlier) |
| Colin Davidson | Marketa Irglova Morgan O'Driscoll | $15,348 | $13,380 (31 earlier) |
| Edvins Strautmanis | Persian Garden Wright | $10,625 | $8,125 (18 earlier) |
| Thomas Rose Miles | Morning, Galway Fish Markets Morgan O'Driscoll | $8,770 | $5,907 (17 earlier) |
| Théodore Deck | PAIR OF FRENCH AESTHETIC MOVEMENT FAÏENCE BALUSTER VASES, CIRCA 1880 Lyon & Turnbull | $8,500 | $3,294 (7 earlier) |
| Peter Howson | TWO BROTHERS Lyon & Turnbull | $7,808 | $6,165 (14 earlier) |
| Jean-Louis Forain | Untitled Clarke Auction Gallery | $7,500 | $1,852 (17 earlier) |
| Roberto Sebastian Matta | Pilar de l'Atlas Wright | $7,500 | $6,250 (7 earlier) |
| Charles Robinson Sykes British | Spirit of Ecstasy Morgan O'Driscoll | $6,578 | $5,818 (3 earlier) |
| Salvador Dali Spanish | Rhinoceros Dressed in Lace Morgan O'Driscoll | $5,920 | $1,890 (25 earlier) |
| Mike Fitzharris | Harbour Morgan O'Driscoll | $5,482 | $4,301 (51 earlier) |
| Ion Stătescu | Nud Artmark | $5,167 | $993 (4 earlier) |
| Brian Bourke Hrha Irish | Two African Carvings and Plaster Head Morgan O'Driscoll | $5,043 | $2,017 (12 earlier) |
| Margaret Shelton | Fishing on the Bow #139/200 Levis Fine Art Auctions | $4,989 | $3,997 (328 earlier) |
Auction houses this month
Artmark (401)Lyon & Turnbull (400)Pananti (357)Twents Veilinghuis (350)Helmuth Stone Gallery (280)Levis Fine Art Auctions (252)Wright (239)Agra-Art (236)Van Ham (192)Morgan O'Driscoll (149)Leonard Joel (104)Sopocki Dom Aukcyjny (99)Sloans & Kenyon (92)Maison Bibelot (74)Clarke Auction Gallery (58)Michaan's Auctions (18)Phillips (4)