A Record $12.9M de Kooning Leads a Muted Sotheby's Evening Sale as Frieze Week Buyers Take Their Time

15 October 2026

Willem de Kooning, 1977, via Sotheby’s

Record $12.9M de Kooning Leads a Muted Sotheby's Evening Sale

Sotheby's London Contemporary Art Sale totalled roughly $61.1 million on 15 October, led by an untitled 1977 Willem de Kooning that sold for $12.9 million — the most ever paid for the artist's work at a European auction. The sale was otherwise described as subdued: a guaranteed Rothko sold to an online bidder at its presale low estimate of £3 million ($3.8 million). The result brings Sotheby's London total across all categories in 2026 past $1 billion. Coverage via ARTnews, The Art Newspaper and Artnet News.

At Frieze London, Some Buyers Take Risks — Others Take Their Time

With Frieze London and Frieze Masters in full swing at Regent's Park, The Art Newspaper reports a split mood on the ground: offerings from blue-chip galleries remain largely conservative, while the most striking and daring works are coming from smaller dealers, and Frieze's proximity to Art Basel Paris (23–25 October) is pushing some collectors to pace their buying across both fairs. More via The Art Newspaper.

Hauser & Wirth's $6.58M Brueghel Still Sets the Week's Benchmark

Two days on, Hauser & Wirth's opening-day sale of Jan Brueghel the Elder's "Still Life of Flowers in a Stoneware Vase" (1607–8) for around £5 million ($6.58 million) remains the standout result of Frieze Week, part of a day in which the gallery sold more than 20 works for a combined total above $11 million. Coverage via Artnet News.

Sources

• ARTnews: Sotheby's London Contemporary Art Sale, $61M, de Kooning
• The Art Newspaper: De Kooning sets record but falls flat at muted Sotheby's sale
• Artnet News: Sotheby's Contemporary Evening, London 2026
• The Art Newspaper: Frieze London buyers taking risks, others taking their time
• Artnet News: Frieze London Masters 2026 report

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