Hong Kong – Christie's announces the Hong Kong 20th/21st Century Autumn Sales, which will be held live on 29 and 30 September at Christie's Asia Pacific headquarters at The Henderson. The season is defined by a compelling selection of works by some of the most renowned names in global modern and contemporary art, including Jean-Michel Basquiat, Yayoi Kusama, Zao Wou-Ki, Gerhard Richter, Paul Cézanne, Liu Ye, and many others.
The 20th/21st Century Evening Sale on 29 September is led by two iconic contemporary works:
Jean-Michel Basquiat's Ancient Scientist (estimate: HK$56,000,000-76,000,000 / US$7,200,000-9,700,000) – a commanding 1984 work dominated by one of the artist's emblematic skull-like figures, alongside the auction debut of
Yayoi Kusama's A-Pumpkin (YHP) (estimate: HK$48,000,000-68,000,000 / US$6,200,000-8,700,000), a painting of significant scale centered on the artist's most enduring motif – the pumpkin .
The Evening Sale's Asian art selection includes a distinguished Chinese modern offering, led by
Zao Wou-Ki's rare, large-scale Voie Lactée – 09.11.56 (estimate: HK$45,000,000-75,000,000 / US$5,800,000-9,600,000) from the artist's celebrated Oracle Bone period. Painted in 1956, the work transforms ancient Chinese scripts into a dazzling constellation of calligraphic forms, evoking Zao's poetic vision of the cosmos.
Making its auction debut is Chu Teh-Chun's Automne (Autumn), the only snow scene rendered in an autumnal palette from the artist's acclaimed Snow Landscape series. At the centre of the Chinese contemporary lineup is Liu Ye's Blue Sea, which is among Liu's largest naval paintings and a pinnacle of the celebrated series.
The Evening sale is further enriched by a group of Western Modern and Post-War works. Highlights include Gerhard Richter's Abstraktes Bild (estimate: HK$38,000,000-55,000,000 / US$4,900,000-7,000,000) – one of only 27 red-dominant abstractions from 1991, executed with his signature squeegee;
Paul Cézanne's L'Assiette bleue, a significant still life from the series that transformed modern painting, widely exhibited at leading institutions worldwide, and now offered at auction in Hong Kong for the first time; and a striking testament to Henri Matisse's late genius, a figure painting presented from The Denver Art Museum Foundation pairs his celebrated chromatic sensitivity with a radical simplicity that is both intimate and deeply modern. Following the debut of an Old Master in the Hong Kong Evening Sale last Spring, this season includes a rare atmospheric landscape by Baroque master Sir Peter Paul Rubens – one of only two left in private hands and appearing at auction for the first time in over 200 years.
The Day Sales on 30 September present a dynamic selection of international modern and contemporary art. The 20th Century Day Sale is led by Gerhard Richter's Abstraktes Bild (estimate: HK$8,000,000-12,000,000 / US$1,100,000-1,500,000), with works by Zao Wou-Ki, Marc Chagall, and Cheong Soo Pieng, alongside a Paul Delvaux painting which adds to the series' Surrealist offering. The 21st Century Day Sale features Yoshitomo Nara's iconic Q&A (estimate: HK$12,000,000-18,000,000 / US$1,600,000-2,300,000), and key examples by Christine Ay Tjoe, Jonas Wood and Andy Warhol. Further complementing the season is Between Worlds: Property from a Distinguished Private Collection, a visionary collection offered across the Evening and Day Sales, bringing together works by Wang Guangyi, Derek Fordjour, Harold Ancart, and more.
20th/21st Century Evening Sale | Select Highlights
20th Century Day Sale | Select Highlights
21st Century Day Sale | Select Highlights
In 2026, Christie's, the world-leading art and luxury business, is celebrating its 40th Anniversary in Asia. Over the last four decades, Christie's has established itself as Asia's leading house, orchestrating many of the region's most historic and record-breaking sales of exceptional objects and collections, driving region-wide expansion, and pioneering digital innovations that have redefined the way Asian collectors connect with and experience the industry. To celebrate this milestone, Christie's is presenting a year-long programme of art and luxury sales, exhibitions and events across the region.
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