Sotheby’s staged its marquee British and Modern Art sales in London on 29 June. The back-to-back sales led by Sotheby’s veteran auctioneers Oliver Barker and Helena Newman made £156.2 million (US$217 million) combined across 83 lots, landing within the pre-sale estimate £119.7 million-£170.3 million (US$165.8 million–US$235.9 million) and seeing an 88 percent sell-through rate.

Highlights included the portrait of David Hockney by Lucian Freud from 2002 that went for £14.9 million (US$20.7 million) with buyer’s premium; Wassily Kandinsky’s abstract painting Tensions calmée (1937) realized £21.2 million (US$29.5 million) with buyer’s premium; and Pablo Picasso’s vibrant late-period double-figure portrait Homme et femme au bouquet (1970) selling to an Asian phone bidder for a hammer price of £8 million (US$11.1 million). 

Works by Warhol, Cy Twombly and Frank Auerbach also attracted strong interest.

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