Walk the auction: your guide to Christie’s 20th and 21st Century Art sales in New York this November

Christie’s 20th and 21st Century Art auctions bring together some of the most iconic artists and art movements in history, from Impressionist masters like Claude Monet and Paul Signac, to modern innovators Wassily Kandinsky and Gustav Klimt, and celebrated artists of the 21st century like Gerhard Richter and Yayoi Kusama.

The season is led by six singular collecting stories: The Collection of Clive Davis, The Antonio Homem Sonnabend Collection, Herbert Lust: Collector, Scholar, Friend, The William I. Koch Collection, The Collection of Agnes Gund: Sold to Benefit the Gund Art Foundation, and Heroes & Lovers: Property of a Distinguished Collector. This year, the sale’s scope will span 500 years, with Heroes & Lovers: Property of a Distinguished Collector bringing modern artists Pablo Picasso and Edouard Manet in dialogue with Old Masters Cornelis Cornelisz. van Haarlem and Tilman Riemenschneider.

How to visit

A broad selection of works will be on view at Christie’s iconic Rockefeller Center galleries from 7-17 November. The exhibition is free and open to the public daily from 10:00am to 5:00pm, except on Sundays, when viewing begins at 1:00pm. You can also browse highlights here, or read about each sale below.

How to watch

Tune in from anywhere in the world for a high-definition livestream on Christie’s YouTube, TikTok, Facebook and Instagram, broadcasting live from our Rockefeller Center salerooms.

For real-time results and live updates throughout the sales, follow Christie’s LIVE on Christies.com.

Tickets are required to attend live sales in person, and seating in the saleroom is reserved for select registered bidders.

How to bid

Whether attending in person or bidding online from home, buying art at Christie’s is more seamless and accessible than ever. To bid in the auction or follow results in real time, visit Christie’s LIVE on Christies.com.

Learn more about how to create an account, discover works you love, register and bid.

What’s on

From 17-23 November, Christie’s 20th and 21st Century sale week comprises six live auctions and two online sales:

20th Century Evening Sale
Tuesday 17 November, 6:30pm ET

Featured collections in the 20th Century Evening Sale include Herbert Lust: Collector, Scholar, Friend, led by a sculpture by Alberto Giacometti among other artists the prescient collector personally befriended and championed, including Frank Stella and Robert Indiana. The Clive Davis Collection represents the legendary music executive’s talent in recognizing brilliance across artistic mediums, featuring an Andy Warhol portrait of David Hockney that complements a late, vibrant landscape by the British artist himself. Heroes & Lovers: Property of a Distinguished Collector puts modern masters Pablo Picasso and Edouard Manet conversation with Old Masters Cornelis Cornelisz. van Haarlem and Tilman Riemenschneider, while the William I. Koch Collection is led by remarkable works by Claude Monet, Paul Cézanne, and Henri Matisse. Further outstanding collections include Property from the Collection of Wilma (Billie) and Laurence Tisch and Points of Light: The Mickey and Edna Weiss Collection, each including exceptional sculptures by Henry Moore.

Impressionist and Modern Works on Paper Sale
Wednesday 18 November, 10:00am ET

In Wednesday morning’s sale, discover an exceptional selection of works on paper by Vincent van Gogh, Edgar Degas, Paul Klee, Remedios Varo, and Joan Miró, alongside particularly rich offerings in works by Henri Matisse, Lyonel Feininger, and Paul Signac. Highlights include works in collections such as Radiant Modernism: Signac to Albers, In Conversation: Property from a Private Northwest Collection, and The Passionate Collectors: Property from Marlene and Spencer Hays.

Impressionist and Modern Art Day Sale
Wednesday 18 November, 2:00pm ET

Several outstanding collections are represented in Wednesday’s afternoon sale, including The Collection of William I. Koch, Property from the Collection of Wilma (Billie) and Laurence Tisch, In Conversation: Property from a Private Northwest Collection, The Passionate Collectors: Property from Marlene and Spencer Hays, and An Alchemy of Ideas: Works from the Mickey Cartin Collection. Highlights include exceptional paintings by Claude Monet, Pierre-Auguste Renoir, Camille Pissarro, Edouard Manet, Fernand Léger, Marc Chagall, Henri Matisse, Gabriele Münter, and Joan Miró, alongside important sculptures by Auguste Rodin, Jacques Lipchitz, Alberto Giacometti, and Jean (Hans) Arp.

21st Century Evening Sale
Thursday 19 November, 7:00pm ET

Thursday evening’s auction will launch with The Antonio Homem Sonnabend Collection, an extraordinary selection of art and design tracing Antonio’s impact on Sonnabend Gallery and his relationship with visionary co-founder Ileana Sonnabend. Immediately to follow is The Collection of Agnes Gund: Sold to Benefit the Gund Art Foundation, offering ten gems from Gund’s collection with proceeds benefiting her charitable causes. The auction continues with an outstanding grouping of artworks from the 1960s to present, led by a masterpiece Jean-Michel Basquiat painting and major works by Gerhard Richter, George Condo, and Ed Ruscha.

Post-War and Contemporary Art Day Sale, including Herbert Lust: Collector, Scholar, Friend Day Sale
Friday 20 November, 9:30am, 10:30am, 2:00pm ET

Friday’s day sales will commence with works from the collection of Herbert Lust, along with additional works from The Clive Davis Collection and The Collection of Antonio Homem Sonnabend. Leading the sale are key works by artists such as Willem de Kooning, Joan Mitchell, Alexander Calder, and Ad Reinhardt, alongside defining works by some of the most celebrated artists of the 21st century, including George Condo, Gerhard Richter, Yayoi Kusama, and Julie Mehretu.

Also part of the 20th and 21st Century Art marquee week, the Picasso Ceramics sale will be open for online bidding from 2-23 November and The Collection of Agnes Gund: Online Part I will be open for online bidding from 9-23 November.