NEW YORK, NY.- History was made Monday, May 18, 2026 at Christie's New York—for just the second time in history, a single night of auctions totaled more than $1 billion. Back-to-back sales: Masterpieces: The Private Collection of S.I. Newhouse and the 20th Century Evening Sale realized a combined total of $1,121,126,500, selling 97% by lot, with strong global participation and bidding across all regions. Two defining artists of the twentieth century, Jackson Pollock and Constantin Brancusi established new benchmarks, each eclipsing the $100 million mark, with Pollock's seminal Number 7A, 1948 from the collection of S.I. Newhouse selling for $181.2 million after seven minutes of intense bidding in the room and on telephones. The Brancusi sold for $107.6 million, the second highest total for a sculpture of all time at auction.

The palpable excitement in the saleroom followed a 10-day exhibition that broke the attendance record for any sale exhibition preview at Christie's Rockefeller Center with nearly 20,000 visitors. The success of the evening stood as both a brilliant beginning to the May Marquee Week in New York, as well as a continuation of the success of the 20/21 spring season beginning in March with the London and Hong Kong sales, carrying on through to April in Paris.

Max Carter, Christie's Global Chairman of 20th and 21st Century Art, remarked: “We were deeply honored to be entrusted with once-in-a-lifetime masterpieces from the collection of S.I. Newhouse, as well as so many more works by some of the most admired and accomplished collectors of all time. The extraordinary energy, spirited bidding, and $1.1 billion result speak for themselves: the market embraced this historic opportunity, and the unrivaled team of experts at Christie's rose to the occasion. I could not be prouder of what the team has accomplished."

The night began with Masterpieces: The Private Collection of S.I. Newhouse achieving a total of $631 million. The collection commenced with the sale of Pablo Picasso's Tête de femme, which sold for $14.5 million, nearly double the high estimate. After four minutes of spirited bidding, from that point on the sale had rapid fire bidding, applause and record-breaking prices.

Together with three prior sales from Mr. Newhouse's collection sold at Christie's in 2018, 2019 and 2023, the Newhouse Collection tonight reached a cumulative total of $1.05 billion becoming the second highest in history after the collection of Paul Allen, the only other collection to exceed $1 billion. The sale was led by Pollock's Number 7A, 1948 selling for $181.2 million, three times the previous auction record, followed by Brancusi's Danaïde, which sold for $107.6 million, among the top two prices for any sculpture to sell at auction setting a world record.

Building on the night's momentum, the 20th Century Evening Sale totaled $490.3 million, selling 96% by lot, and 99% by value. The top lot of the sale was a dramatic 1964 Mark Rothko canvas from the collection of Agnes Gund, which saw spirited participation, selling to a bidder on the phone for $98.4 million—a new record for the iconic artist. In total, the collection of Agnes Gund realized $150.8 million.

Artists across movements, mediums and geographies saw exceptional results, including notable highlights: Pierre-Auguste Renoir's masterwork La femme aux lilas (Portrait de Nini Lopez) achieving $28.2 million, Roy Lichtenstein's Pop icon Anxious Girl, selling for $46.1 million, and Remedios Varo's Energía cósmica (Inspiración) establishing a record for a work on paper for the Surrealist at $4.5 million. The night was marked by lively bidding, including an example by Claude Monet, Pommiers, Vétheuil, which sold for $19.6 million after almost five minutes of bidding, doubling its high estimate, and Mother and Child (Nancy and Olivia) by Alice Neel, which after six minutes of bidding sold for triple its high estimate and established a new record for the artist at a price of $5.7 million.

Rachael White Young, Co-Head of the 20th Century Evening Sale, remarked, “We were thrilled with the outcome of tonight's sales. Among countless superlative moments, the record-breaking results for the Mark Rothko canvas from the collection of Agnes Gund was particularly powerful, and a testament to the inimitable Ms. Gund and her lasting legacy.”

Paige Kestenman, Co-Head of the 20th Century Evening Sale, remarked, “This season we were humbled to offer works from the most historic and important collectors of the twentieth century, including S.I. Newhouse, Agnes Gund and Lorinda Payson de Roulet among others. We were pleased to see the enthusiasm of our team was matched by our clients and delighted by the eager and engaged bidding from start to finish. We're looking forward to carrying this spirit and excitement through to the rest of this remarkable week.”

Records:

• Jackson Pollock, Number 7A, 1948 – Price realized: $181,185,000
• Constantin Brancusi, Danaïde – Price realized: $107,585,000
• Mark Rothko, 15 (Two Greens and Red Stripe) – Price realized: $98,385,000
• Joan Miro, Portrait de Madame K. - Price realized: $53,535,000
• Alice Neel, Mother and Child (Nancy and Olivia) – Price realized: $5,687,000
• Remedios Varo, Energía cósmica (Inspiración) – Price realized: $4,467,000 - for work on paper
• Henri Matisse, Nature morte, fougeres et grenades– Price realized: $4,833,000 – for ink on paper
• Aleksandr Rodchenko, Maquette for 'War of the Future' – Price realized: $1,524,000 – record for a work on paper, second highest price for artist