Christie’s London Old Masters Sale: Record-Breaking Triumph with Van Dyck’s Rare Masterpiece
3 DECEMBER 2024 • SALE RESULTS, OLD MASTERS
Masterpieces Reimagined: Christie’s London Old Masters Sale Shatters Records
London – The art world was abuzz as Christie’s Old Masters Part I Sale launched Classic Week in London with a resounding success, achieving £13,990,200 / $17,753,564 / €16,872,181 – an astounding 156% over the low estimate.
Among the highlights was Anthony van Dyck’s Andalusian Horse and A Wooded Landscape, a rare two-sided masterpiece that fetched £3,428,000 / $4,350,132 / €4,134,168. This extraordinary work captivated collectors globally with its dual significance: Van Dyck’s first grand-scale depiction of a lone horse paired with his only surviving oil landscape, painted on the reverse of the original canvas.
Auctioneer: Henry Pettifer, Christie’s International Deputy Chairman, Old Master Paintings
Adding to the night’s excitement, Francesco Hayez’s Bathsheba set a world auction record for the artist, selling for £1,492,000 / $1,893,348 / €1,799,352. This museum-quality piece highlights the enduring appeal of Old Masters to both institutional and private collectors.
Other standouts included:
- Giambattista Tiepolo’s Guilty Punchinello: Realizing £2,460,000 / $3,121,740 / €2,966,760, this painting – one of only two Punchinello works by the artist – had been held in the same family since 1934.
- Pieter Brueghel II’s The Sermon of St. John the Baptist: Achieving £1,613,000 / $2,046,897 / €1,945,278, this composition returned to the market after more than 150 years in a single family’s collection.
Maja Markovic, Head of Old Masters Evening Sale at Christie’s London, celebrated the evening as a record-breaking triumph, stating, “This auction far exceeded expectations, with the highest sell-through rate by value to date for a Christie’s London Old Masters Evening Sale (98%). The results reflect the continued appetite for rarity, fresh-to-market works, and exceptional discoveries.”
This monumental sale builds on the July 2024 successes for Old Masters at Christie’s London, solidifying the city as a hub for the category’s resurgence.
As the year draws to a close, Christie’s invites collectors and art lovers alike to explore the wonders of its December offerings. From ancient treasures to Old Masters, contemporary art, jewels, and fine wine, Christie’s continues to redefine the art of collecting.
A little note from Shari:
“Standing before Van Dyck’s Andalusian Horse, I was struck by its power to transcend time. The noble strength of the horse, the masterful play of light and shadow – it felt less like observing a painting and more like witnessing a moment captured in eternity. It reminded me why great art endures: it speaks to something universal, something deeply human that resonates across centuries.”
Shari Inessa, Founder of What We Adore Magazine, in front of the famous Anthony van Dyck’s Andalusian Horse
Christie’s Paris Nov 2024 – press preview, photocredits: What We Adore Magazine
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