Christie's Hong Kong's 20th and 21st Century Art sales concluded successfully, showcasing a blend of classic and contemporary brilliance and demonstrating the continued value of Asian art. In March 2026, Christie's Hong Kong will present three more art sales.The three special sales events generated a total transaction volume of HK$884 million.,in

The 21st Century Evening Auction achieved a total sales of HK$655.7616 million.

Daytime auction sales in the 20th century reached HK$125,581.74 million.

The total sales of daytime auctions in the 21st century reached HK$102.7331 million.

Compared to the previous year, Christie's Hong Kong Spring Auction, held from March 28th to 29th, 2025, achieved a total sales of approximately HK$842 million.Total sales in 2026 increased by approximately 4.9% year-on-year, with evening auctions in the 20th and 21st centuries increasing by approximately 9.3% year-on-year.Overall, it shows a steady growth trend, fully demonstrating the vigorous vitality of the contemporary art market.

In this auction, classic art and contemporary new forces complemented each other effectively:

Evening auctionGerhard Richter's "Abstract Painting" topped the list at HK$92.1 million, while works by Chinese art masters such as Chang Yu and Zao Wou-Ki repeatedly set new high prices.

20th Century Day AuctionThe artistic value of Southeast Asia was further realized, with works featuring Sanyu becoming the dark horse of the show.

21st Century Day AuctionThis has become a stage for young artists to showcase their work, with many works by post-95 creators selling for more than their estimated prices. Contemporary star artists, along with Chinese and Japanese contemporary art forces, are jointly building a diverse market structure.

It is worth noting that these three auctions sent a clear signal to the Hong Kong market: the 20th Century sector is shifting from "blue-chip pricing" to a dual-track model of "blue-chip pricing + regional expansion".

Among them, the blue-chip segment is anchored by the credibility and price of works by artists such as Zao Wou-Ki, Chang Yu, Wu Guanzhong, Chagall, Miró, and Monet;

The expansion section, featuring post-war art from Vietnam, Southeast Asia, and Japan and South Korea, continues to attract new buyers and create new market buzz.

For auction houses, this strategy is of great practical significance: Chinese modern art has formed a mature track, and its future growth space depends more on the scarcity of works; while Vietnamese and Southeast Asian modern art in a broader sense are still in the development stage of accelerating the establishment of price systems and continuously expanding the radius of buyers.

The outstanding performance of the three special auctions not only confirms the resilience of classic artworks, but also highlights the rising potential of the Asian art sector, and demonstrates the market's acceptance and expectation of emerging creations, injecting new vitality and development direction into the international art market.

First, classic artworks maintain their value, serving as a "stabilizing force" in the market.

Top-tier classic artworks performed steadily in this auction, with many works exceeding their estimates, demonstrating strong resilience and value support. The total sales of the 20th and 21st Century Evening Sale reached HK$655.7616 million, of which...Western classics and works by Chinese masters accounted for over 70%, becoming the main drivers of the overall sales..

Western classicsGerhard Richter's "Abstract Painting" became the highest-priced lot in the evening sale at HK$92.1 million; Vincent van Gogh's "Girl in the Woods" sold for HK$33.44 million, a premium of about 72% over the highest estimate; and Claude Monet's "House in Roses" sold for HK$23.07 million, in line with the market range.

Chinese mastersSanyu's "Horse with Recurved Legs on a Carpet" sold for HK$63.94 million, a 33% premium over the upper end of the estimated range; Zao Wou-Ki's "Journey to the Sanctuary - 07.08.51-08.09.51" sold for HK$34.66 million; and Chu Teh-Chun's "Blue Cold Sky" sold for HK$31 million. All three works were from the 20th and 21st Century Evening Sale, and their prices have consistently remained in the high range of the Chinese modern art market.

II. The comprehensive rise of Asian art in the 20th century, with Chinese and Southeast Asian art exerting their influence in tandem.

20th-century Asian art was the core section of this auction, with both Chinese and Southeast Asian modern art contributing significantly. Leveraging a clear artistic development trajectory and a stable collector base, it achieved a high sell-through rate and reasonable premiums, becoming a significant growth engine in the international 20th-century art market. Among them,Total sales at daytime auctions in the 20th century reached HK$125,581,740.Asian artworks accounted for over 65% of the total transaction value in the 20th century, highlighting their central role.

20th Century Chinese Modern ArtFocusing on the 20th century daytime auction, Zao Wou-Ki's "18.03.63" sold for HK$15.14 million, becoming the highest-priced Chinese art lot in the auction; Ju Ming's "Tai Chi Series - Single Whip Downward Posture" sold for HK$3.683 million, further enhancing the market recognition of his sculptures.Sanyu's "Horse with Bent Legs" reportedly sold for HK$2.032 million, nearly seven times its highest estimate, becoming the "dark horse" of the Chinese art auction.Other contemporary Chinese artists, such as Wu Dayu, also successfully sold their home-based works, and the overall market value remained stable.

20th Century Southeast Asian Modern ArtAs a core component of the 20th-century section, this 20th-century daytime auction features a special section dedicated to related collectors. Christie's uses "VISIONS OF VIETNAM: THE MELCHIOR DEJOUANY COLLECTION" as a central theme to showcase this collection.The Vietnamese art system constructed by French collector Melchior DejounyThis section, organically integrated into the auction structure, comprises approximately 18 to 20 works, encompassing a diverse range of artistic styles from classical masters of the Indochinese art school system to post-war and contemporary artists. This section achieved a sell-through rate of over 90%, representing 25%-30% of the total lots in the daytime auction.

Among them, Vietnamese artist Hoang Tiet Tuy's "Northern Scenery of Khitan" sold for HK$7.366 million, setting a new personal auction record; works by Vietnamese artists such as Le Phu and Nguyen Sam also sold at a premium.

The works of Indonesian artists Hendra Gunawan and Kofalho Bayas performed steadily; the works of cross-regional artists such as Lemayer also gained widespread market recognition.

III. Emerging artists are highly sought after, and the market is experiencing diversified development.

In 21st-century daytime auctions, works by young artists frequently fetched premiums, indicating a diversified market trend. The total sales of this auction reached HK$102.7331 million, with works by young artists accounting for approximately 30%, becoming a new growth highlight in the market.

International Emerging TalentEva Helen Pad's "Untitled," created in 1997, sold for HK$1,016,000, a 103% premium over the highest estimate. Joseph Jaeger's "Ghost without saying," also created in 1997, sold for HK$584,200, exceeding the upper limit of the estimated price range and fully reflecting the upper limit of the market.

Contemporary mature artistsChristine Aiju's "To See the White Land" became the highest-priced daytime auction of the 21st century at HK$16.97 million; Nicolas Patti's "Still Life" sold for HK$12.573 million, down about 45% from its historical high of HK$23.05 million for a similar work in 2021, reflecting a temporary correction in the market valuation of popular contemporary artists.

Asian rising starsThe sale of small and medium-sized works by several young Asian artists at several times their estimated prices reflects collectors' willingness to explore new artistic languages ​​and also drives further segmentation of the art market.

Detailed analysis of the three special sessions

Christie's "20th and 21st Century Evening Sale" was held in Hong Kong as scheduled at 7:00 p.m. on March 27, 2026.The auction featured 37 lots, achieving a total sales value of HK$656 million and a 100% sell-through rate. 43% of the lots sold above their estimates, while 57% sold within their estimates.Gerhard Richter's "Abstract Painting" sold for HK$92.1 million, becoming the top-selling item of the auction.

Top-selling item in this session:

Gerhard Richter's "Abstract Painting" sold for HK$76 million at hammer price, or HK$92.1 million including commission.

Top 2 in sales this session:

Sanyu's "Horse with Bent Legs on a Carpet" sold for HK$52 million at hammer price, or HK$63.94 million including commission.

Top 3 transactions in this session:

Walter Spies's "Looking Up" sold for HK$48 million at hammer price, or HK$59.06 million including commission.

Other items sold at auction:

Besides the top three most expensive lots, the auction also includes many masterpieces by Chinese and Western artists, such as Yayoi Kusama, David Hockney, Zao Wou-Ki, Vincent van Gogh, Chu Teh-Chun, Marc Chagall, and Sanyu.

Christie's "20th Century Day Sale" was held in Hong Kong as scheduled at 1:30 p.m. on March 28, 2026.The auction featured 82 lots, achieving a total sales value of HK$126 million and a sell-through rate of 93%. 56% of the lots sold above their estimates, while 28% sold within their estimates.Zao Wou-Ki's "18.03.63" sold for HK$15.14 million, becoming the top-selling item of the auction.

New record:
Huang Jizhu, Ruan Sang, Ruan Zhong and many other artists broke their personal records;
Several artists, including Pasida Abad and Nguyen Tien Trung, have set new records for the second-highest prices ever paid for an artist's work.
 

Top-selling item in this session:

Zao Wou-Ki's "18.03.63" sold for HK$12 million at hammer price, reaching HK$15.14 million including commission.

Top 2 in sales this session:

Zao Wou-Ki's "01.04.82" sold for HK$7 million at hammer price, reaching HK$8.89 million including commission.

Top 3 transactions in this session:

Huang Jizhu's "Northern Scenery of Chini" was hammered down at HK$5.8 million, and sold for HK$7.366 million including commission.

Several artists broke auction records

Other items sold at auction:

Besides the top three most expensive lots, the auction also includes many excellent works by Chinese and Western artists, such as Marc Chagall, Chu Teh-Chun, Zao Wou-Ki, Ju Ming, Li Pu, and Claude Monet.

Stay tuned to ArtPro for the latest updates on the global art market.

Christie's "21st Century Day Sale" was held in Hong Kong as scheduled at 4:30 p.m. on March 28, 2026.The auction featured 59 lots, achieving a total sales value of HK$102 million and a sell-through rate of 81%. 46% of the lots sold above their estimates, while 32% sold within their estimates.Christine Aijo's "To See the White Land" sold for HK$16.97 million, becoming the top-selling item at the auction.

New record:
Several artists, including Christine, Aizhu, Kaga, and E. Gusti, Ayu, Kadeke, and Murniasi, broke their personal records.
Daniel Cruises-Chub sets third-highest price record for an artist;
 

Two items sold for over ten million yuan each.Among them, Christine Aijo's "To See the White Land" sold for HK$16.97 million and Nicolas Patti's "Still Life" sold for HK$12.573 million.

Top-selling item in this session:

Christine Aizhu's "To See the White Land" sold for HK$13.5 million at hammer price, or HK$16.97 million including commission.

Top 2 in sales this session:

Nicolas Patti's "Still Life" sold for HK$9.9 million at hammer price, or HK$12.573 million including commission.

Top 3 transactions in this session:

Gerhard Richter's "Abstract Sketch (664-3)" sold for HK$6.4 million at hammer price, or HK$8.128 million including commission.

Several artists broke auction records

Other items sold at auction:

Besides the top three most expensive lots, the auction also includes many excellent works by Chinese and Western artists, including masterpieces by Yayoi Kusama, Andy Warhol, Salman Tour, Gunther Fogg, Zeng Fanzhi, and Lucy Bull.

Stay tuned to ArtPro for the latest updates on the global art market.

Author: Xie Mu