A Vincent van Gogh painting displaying the artist’s shift from dark realism to vibrant impressionism sold for US$32.2 million at a Hong Kong auction, falling short of expectations that it would fetch a record-breaking price. “Les canots amarres” -- or “the moored boats” -- was the centerpiece of an inaugural evening sale held to celebrate the opening of auction house Christie’s new Asia Pacific headquarters.
According to Christie’s, it was expected to fetch HK$230-380 million (US$30-50 million) on the auction floor. If bidding had reached the higher end of the estimated value, it could have surpassed Jean-Michel Basquiat’s “Warrior” -- which went for HK$323.6 million in 2021 -- as the most expensive Western painting sold in Asia.
But the hammer of auctioneer Adrien Meyer fell Thursday at HK$250 million. Cristian Albu, deputy chairman and head of 20th/21st century art at Christie’s Asia Pacific, said the price was the “record of a Van Gogh in Asia”. The auction house was “cautious” with its lineup on Thursday in hopes of boosting market confidence, added Ada Tsui, head of evening sale and specialist for 20th/21st century art.
Owned by the Italian royal family of Bourbon Two Sicilies, the Van Gogh painting is “the most important painting by the artist ever to be offered in Asia”, Christie’s said in its introduction. “’Les canots amarres’ marks a vital stepping stone in his career,” it said. The painting is one of about 40 works Van Go.