New York’s 21st Century Evening Sale is the most enthralling event on Christie’s global auction calendar. Presenting masterworks from the 1960s to the present, the sale reflects the seismic shifts that have shaped the artistic landscape of this period. Celebrated blue-chip artists appear alongside today’s emerging creators, vividly capturing the art of our generation — where we are, how we got here and where we’re going next.
This season, Christie’s is honored to present two landmark collections: The Collection of Antonio Homem Sonnabend, and The Collection of Agnes Gund: Sold to Benefit the Gund Art Foundation. The sale is further highlighted by a series of exceptional artworks, including a monumental Jean-Michel Basquiat masterpiece reinterpreting the work of Leonardo da Vinci, a George Condo double-portrait from the Edlis | Neeson Collection, and a gem-like Gerhard Richter from Breaking Ground: The Personal Collection of Marian Goodman, alongside major works by Richard Prince, Ed Ruscha, and Yayoi Kusama.
From Andy Warhol’s Campbell’s Soup Can to Jeff Koons’ Hulk (Friends), The Collection of Antonio Homem Sonnabend was shaped by a lifetime devoted to the art and artists who defined their generations. The collection traces Antonio's remarkable stewardship of Sonnabend Gallery and his relationship with visionary co-founder Ileana Sonnabend, whose instinct, curiosity and conviction made her a defining figure in post-war and contemporary art.
The Collection of Agnes Gund: Sold to Benefit the Gund Art Foundation continues the legacy of the esteemed collector, philanthropist, and pillar of the New York art world. Led by a serene Vija Celmins seascape and an Alexander Calder hanging mobile, this distinguished group of artworks reflects Agnes Gund’s inspired eye, dedication to artists, and enduring spirit of generosity.
Basquiat's Leonardo Inspired Masterpiece Headlining Christie's 21st Century Evening Sale
20/21 Fall Marquee Week | 19 November 2026
Christie's is delighted to announce a masterpiece by Jean-Michel Basquiat, Untitled (Leonardo and His Five Grotesque Heads), which will be offered in the 21st Century Evening Sale on November 19 during 20/21 Fall Marquee Week. The monumental 84 x 84-inch painting is Basquiat's interpretation of Leonardo DaVinci's celebrated Grotesque sketch from circa 1493, A man tricked by Gypsies (Formerly Five Grotesque Heads). It has been in the same private collection for over two decades, unseen by the public. Estimated in the region of $30 million, Untitled (Leonardo and His Five Grotesque Heads) will be the top lot of the sale.
Ana Maria Celis, Head of Post-War and Contemporary Art, remarks: “We are delighted to present Untitled (Leonardo and His Five Grotesque Heads), a powerful masterwork by Jean Michel-Basquiat, as the leading highlight of November's 21st Century Evening Sale. Few paintings show Basquiat so directly wrestling with the weight of art history. We know Basquiat was enthralled with Leonardo's sketches from a young age, and in Untitled (Leonardo and His Five Grotesque Heads) we see him improvising off the great Master while tackling one of the canon's most affecting themes, The Grotesque. Characteristically, Basquiat is able to completely reinvigorate the theme, recontextualizing it among the duplicities and the excesses of 1980s New York. A jewel within Basquiat's oeuvre hidden for the last twenty years, this canvas represents the artist at his very best, and it is an absolute pleasure to present to the market this fall.”
Thematically, the painting centers on a dialogue between two canonical giants spanning continents and centuries, placing two artistic geniuses at odds—Basquiat and Leonardo Da Vinci. The work's source is a Da Vinci sketch in the United Kingdom's Royal Collection, which depicts five male heads with grotesque expressions and exaggerated facial features. The drawing is the most elaborate of the Renaissance master's series exploring the notion of The Grotesque—a formal proposition of the intentionally distorted, misshapen and fantastical as a counter to classic ideals of beauty—provoking both discomfort and fascination.
In monumental scale, Basquiat revives Da Vinci's five subjects now 500 years later, reinterpreting the concept of grotesque from his own contemporary vantage point. A young Black artist working in the disproportionately white art scene in the 1980s, Basquiat felt the investigation of history to be crucial in understanding the shape of his own cultural experience. In a society rife with unrelenting violence and racial injustices, Basquiat used art making to interrogate systems of oppression and contextualize his own existence within them. In a grid-like framework across a blazing orange canvas with passages of turquoise and royal blue, he calls into questions the construct of faces deemed universally unseemly, juxtaposes anatomical images with descriptive words and phrases including: “TEETH.” “MOSTLY NOSTRILS.” and “A. GROUP OF ELDERS.” At the bottom right corner, contained within a patch of pale pink, are the words “ALTER EGO,” referring back to himself. With this text, he subverts the traditional narrative, questioning that which has been accepted, asking instead, what is it that truly defines grotesque—and who has the power to decide.
The Collection of Antonio Homem Sonnabend
The Collection of Antonio Homem Sonnabend offers a rare portrait of one of the most influential family legacies in the post-war art world. As the adoptive son of legendary dealer Ileana Sonnabend, Antonio Homem worked closely alongside her for decades, sharing in Sonnabend Gallery’s commitment to championing the most innovative artists of the twentieth century and carrying forward the vision Ileana established in Paris and New York.
Ileana Sonnabend created a vital crossroads for American and European art, championing artists including Roy Lichtenstein, Andy Warhol, Jasper Johns, Robert Rauschenberg, Jeff Koons, and many others who would come to define contemporary art. Following Ileana’s death, Antonio continued stewarding both her gallery’s legacy and her personal collection. Co-founding the Sonnabend Collection Foundation, he maintained close relationships with artists, estates, museums, and collectors while preserving the spirit of intellectual curiosity and risk-taking that distinguished Ileana’s program. Spanning painting, sculpture, photography, prints, and design, the collection reflects decades of cultural exchange, connoisseurship, and engagement with artists whose work challenged convention and reshaped visual culture. More than a private collection, the Sonnabend Collection Foundation exists in service of the public, embodying a commitment to scholarship and access, with works loaned widely to museums and institutions around the world, expanding audiences for post-war and contemporary art.
The Collection of Antonio Homem Sonnabend
Highlights
ROY LICHTENSTEIN (1923-1997)
Large Spool
JEFF KOONS (B. 1955)
Hulk (Friends)
JEFF KOONS (B. 1955)
Wild Boy and Puppy
ANDY WARHOL (1928-1987)
Campbell's Soup Can (Turkey Noodle)
CY TWOMBLY (1928-2011)
Estimate USD 1,500,000 – USD 2,500,000
JASPER JOHNS (B. 1930)
Numbers
USD 3,000,000 – USD 5,000,000
ROBERT RAUSCHENBERG (1925-2008)
Untitled
USD 2,000,000 – USD 3,000,000
GEORGE CONDO (B. 1957)
Double Heads on Blue and Silver
USD 2,500,000 – USD 3,500,00
Breaking Ground: The Private Collection of Marian Goodman
GERHARD RICHTER (B. 1932)
Breaking Ground: The Private Collection of Marian Goodman
Abstraktes Bild
Property from a Prestigious American Collection
GERHARD RICHTER (B. 1932)
Abstraktes Bild
The Collection of Agnes Gund
Sold to Benefit the Gund Art Foundation
Christie's is honored to present The Collection of Agnes Gund: Sold to Benefit the Gund Art Foundation, an extraordinary offering that embodies the remarkable generosity of one of the art world's most influential collectors and philanthropists. Renowned for her lifelong commitment to artists, cultural institutions, and equality, Gund leaves a legacy in which collecting has always been inseparable from giving. This series of live and online auctions reflects that spirit of generosity, directing the proceeds of the collection towards her many charitable purposes. Spanning the breadth of the post-war and contemporary era, the selection brings together works by an exceptional range of artistic voices, including Cecily Brown, Alexander Calder, Vija Celmins, Ellsworth Kelly, Roy Lichtenstein, Glenn Ligon, Jim Nutt, Robert Rauschenberg, Robert Ryman, Cindy Sherman, Sarah Sze, and Cy Twombly, among others. The works will be offered in the 21st Century Evening Sale on November 19, the Post-War and Contemporary Art Day Sale on November 20, and a series of online sales. More than a celebration of an extraordinary collection, the offering stands as a testament to Gund's almost unparalleled philanthropic spirit: a final expression of the conviction that art's greatest value lies not only in its capacity to inspire, but also in its power to give, to connect, and to create meaningful change.
Sara Friedlander, Christie's Chairman of Post-War and Contemporary Art, remarks, “It is our great privilege and honor to play a small role in stewarding the singular legacy of Agnes Gund, among the most important collectors, patrons and philanthropists of our time. Aggie's generous contributions to art, education, and social justice were hugely impactful in the lives of so many. These sales pay tribute to both her exceptional eye as well as her heartfelt kindness, as an unwavering champion of creativity in all its forms. Aggie lived with the deep-seated belief that art has the ability to create positive change in the world. With sale proceeds benefiting the Gund Art Foundation, we look forward to seeing out Aggie's wishes and inspiring clients around the world to share in her passion for collecting as a means to a greater good—supporting the overall betterment of society's future.”
The offerings in this collection reflect Aggie's nuanced understanding of the landscape of twentieth century art, with pieces from the most important movements over the course of the last 80 years. The collection showcases examples by leading names from each decade from the mid-1940s through to the late 2010s—many of which, she acquired directly from the artist themselves.
Leading the selection is an Ocean painting from 1990 by Vija Celmins in her celebrated photo-realistic style, which will be offered in the 21st Century Evening Sale (estimate: $6 – 8 million). Two sculptures will also highlight the sale:
The Eye in the Black, a 1963 mobile by Alexander Calder (estimate: $3 – 5 million) and
an untitled bronze by Cy Twombly, executed in 1997 (estimate: $2 – 3 million). Rounding out the selection in the Evening Sale are exceptional works by Ellsworth Kelly, Roy Lichtenstein, Jim Nutt, Robert Rauschenberg, and Cindy Sherman.
Agnes Gund demonstrated a clear commitment to uplifting art and artists throughout her life. She was dedicated in her service to many of the most distinguished and innovative cultural institutions across the United States, notably serving as President of the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) for 11 years, from 1991 to 2002. During her tenure, she was instrumental in fundraising for the museum's $858 million building expansion project, as well as in the development and diversification of its permanent collection of contemporary art, to which she personally donated more than 800 works. Her philanthropic pursuits extended well beyond the museum walls. In 1977, she founded Studio in a School, a nonprofit organization dedicated to expanding access to visual arts education by bringing professional artists into public school classrooms, creating opportunities for young people to engage with art while providing meaningful work for practicing artists.
A standout among the many charitable endeavors she spearheaded was her contribution of $100 million, derived from the private sale of Roy Lichtenstein's Masterpiece, to establish the Art for Justice Fund in 2017. Dedicated to addressing mass incarceration and advancing criminal justice reform, the initiative exemplified Gund's conviction that art could serve a purpose far beyond the aesthetic or financial, becoming a powerful instrument for social change. In doing so, she made headlines, transacting in the art market with purpose and establishing new benchmarks of selflessness in the world of collecting. Her legacy ultimately rests not only in the extraordinary works she gave to public collections, but also in her enduring belief that art should be accessible, artists should be supported, and philanthropy should be directed towards a more equitable society.
ALICE NEEL (1900-1984)
