NEW YORK, NY.- Christie’s first-ever Asian Art Week Online totaled $8,952,625, establishing the highest total achieved for Asian art online-only sales with global participation from 22 countries. The top lot of the week was an important painting by Tyeb Mehta (1925-2009), one of his earliest explorations of the Falling Figure, which realized $975,000, achieving the highest price for a South Asian Modern + Contemporary work sold since lockdown and setting a new benchmark for the category in an online auction.

Tina Zonars, Co-Chairman of Asian Art at Christie’s, remarks: “We are delighted with the strong results achieved for our first-ever online installment of Asian Art Week, which established new benchmarks for the value thresholds of transacting online for all categories of Asian art. Throughout the virtual sale week, we had buyers from 22 countries hailing from across Asia, Australia, Europe, and the U.S. with competitive bidding witnessed for each sale. This lockdown period has been an unparalleled time of change and innovation. As an organization we are leading the way with innovative offerings and developing digital platforms that allow us to serve our clients to the highest standards possible. We now look forward to our fall season of sales beginning in September in New York.”

RESULTS | ASIAN ART WEEK ONLINE | NEW YORK | 7-24 JULY:

Fine Chinese Paintings
7 to 21 July | Online | New York
TOTAL: $523,000
84% SOLD BY LOT
180% HAMMER PRICE VS. LOW ESTIMATE

Christie’s New York’s Online sale of Fine Chinese Paintings, (July 7-21), totaled $523,000, with 84% sold by lot, and achieving an impressive 180% hammer price compared to the total low estimate.

The top lot was Fowl and Blossoms by Wang Xuetao (1903-1984), which sold for $137,500 against an estimate of $10,000-20,000. Other notable results included Qi Baishi (1863-1957), Wisteria, which sold for $106,250; and Zhang Daqian (1899-1983), Calligraphic Couplet, which realized $40,000.

South Asian Modern + Contemporary Art
7 to 22 July | Online | New York
TOTAL: $4,825,000
88% SOLD BY LOT
113% HAMMER PRICE VS. LOW ESTIMATE
HIGHEST SALE TOTAL FOR AN ASIAN ART ONLINE SALE

Christie’s New York’s Online sale of South Asian Modern + Contemporary Art (July 7-22), totaled $4,825,000, with 88% sold by lot, and achieving an impressive 113% hammer price compared to the total low estimate.




The top lot of the sale was an important painting by Tyeb Mehta (1925-2009), one of his earliest and most seminal explorations of the Falling Figure, which was presented for the first time at auction and realized $975,000, achieving the highest price for a South Asian Modern + Contemporary work since lockdown and setting a new benchmark for the category in an online auction. Other notable results included Maqbool Fida Husain (1913-2011), Untitled (Woman at Work), which sold for $300,000; and Francis Newton Souza (1924-2002), Frightened Head, that realized $250,000.

Japanese and Korean Art
7 to 23 July | Online | New York
TOTAL: $539,375
111% HAMMER PRICE VS. LOW ESTIMATE

Christie’s New York’s Online sale of Japanese Art and Korean Art (July 7-23), totaled $539,375 and achieving an impressive 111% hammer price compared to the total low estimate.

The top lots of the sale were an iron articulated sculpture of a crow, Edo Period (19th Century), which sold for $100,000 against a low estimate of $40,000; and Korean screen from the 19th century, titled A Mounted Set of Sixty Leaf Paintings, which realized $100,000 against a low estimate of $30,000. Strong prices were also realized for Japanese woodblock prints by renowned artists such as Hokusai, Hiroshige, Hasui, and Tsukioka Yoshitoshi.

Indian, Himalayan and Southeast Asian Works of Art
7 to 23 July | Online | New York
TOTAL: $534,625
BUYERS FROM 11 COUNTRIES

Christie’s New York’s Online sale of Indian, Himalayan and Southeast Asian Works of Art (July 7-23), totaled $534,625 with global participation from 11 countries spanning the U.S. to Europe and Asia.

The top lot of the sale was a painting of a Confessional Buddha, China, Chengde, Xumi Fushou Temple, Late 18th century, which sold for $81,250 against a low estimate of $15,000. Other notable highlights included a painting of Ganesha, North India, Punjab Hills, Guler, circa 1760, that sold for $37,500; and a bronze figure of the Third Dalai Lama, Sonam Gyatso (1543-1588), Tibet, 16th century, which realized $35,000.

Chinese Ceramics and Works of Art
7 to 24 July | Online | New York
TOTAL: $2,530,625
185% HAMMER ABOVE LOW ESTIMATE
HIGHEST TOTAL FOR A CHINESE WORKS OF ART ONLINE SALE AT CHRISTIE’S

Christie’s New York’s Online sale of Chinese Ceramics and Works of Art (July 7-24), totaled $2,530,625 achieving an impressive 185% hammer above low estimate.

The top lot of the sale was a rare small huanghuali compound cabinet and hat chest, 19th century, which sold for $471,000 against a low estimate of $30,000. Other notable results included a rare purple-splashed Jun bowl, Northern Song Dynasty (AD 960-1127), from The Collection of Peter Tcherepnine, that sold for $187,500 against a low estimate of $15,000; and a burl-inset huanghuali ‘Southern Official’s Hat’ armchair, which realized $162,500 against a low estimate of $15,000.