Christie’s Latin American Art Auction Spring 2018

New York Latin Culture Magazine

6 years ago

Christie’s Latin American Art Auction

This may be the last Latin American Art auction as the auction houses have decided to sell Latin American art mixed in along with everything else. Word is that prices for Latin American artists have already gone up as a result of the change.

It’s too bad in a way. One of the nice things about his auction was the

Christie’s Spring 2018 Latin American Art Auction

Lots 1 – 61 go on sale Wednesday, May 23, 2018 at 5 pm.
Lots 56 – 192 go on sale Thursday, May 24, 2018 at 11 am.

The exhibition is on view Monday – Wednesday, May 21 – 23, 2018 from 10 am – 5 pm (2 pm on Wednesday)

The auction brings many Boteros to sale.

Auction Results

Buyers from 36 countries in the Americas, Asia and Europe bought $31,258,125 worth of art. The auction continues online until May 30.

Diego Rivera ‘The Rivals’ (1931). Courtesy of Christie’s New York.

Diego Rivera’s The Rivals (1931) sold for $9.76 million, setting a record for any Latin American artist.

Fernando Botero’s Oranges (1973) sold for $1.87 million which was more than six times the low estimate and set a record for a Botero still-life.

Rufino Tamayo ‘Los Comediantes’ (1986). Courtesy of Christie’s New York.

Rufino Tamayo’s Los comediantes sold for $1,572,500.

Fernando Botero ‘Mona Lisa’ (1959). Courtesy of Christie’s New York.

Fernando Botero’s Mona Lisa (1959) sold for $1,032,500. Another piece in this series was purchased by MoMA, the Museum of Modern Art in 1961. That acquisition launched Botero into the international sphere. Botero’s figures were very different from the prevailing Abstract Expressionism.

Juan Francisco de Rosa ‘Virgen del Rosario con San Toribio de Mogrovejo, San Miguel Arcángel y Santa Rosa de Lima’ (18th century). Courtesy of Christie’s New York.

Of the colonial works, Juan Francisco de Rosa’s Virgen del Rosario sold for $372,500 which was 30x its $8,000 – $12,000 estimate. Wow.

Auction records were set for Agustín Cárdenas (Cuban), Augusto Torres (Uruguayan – Spanish), Roberto Fabelo (Cuban), Los Carpinteros (Cuban), Olga Albizu (Puerto Rican) and Juan Francisco de Rosa.

Virgilio Garza, Head of Latin American Art said, “The strong results witnessed this season reinforce the global appetite for Latin American art from colonial works through contemporary art.”

“The strong results witnessed this season reinforce the global appetite for Latin American art from colonial works through contemporary art.”

~ Virgilio Garza, Head of Latin American Art, Christie’s

Pre-Sale Highlights

The auction includes Argentine, Bolivian, Brazilian, Caribbean, Chilean, Colombian, Costa Rican, Cuban, Ecuadorian, Mexican, Nicaraguan, Peruvian, Puerto Rican and other artists.