Jackson Pollock (1912-1956) – Number 7A, 1948 at Christie’s
So far in 2026 the rebound in the art market which began in the second half of last year has continued. In a world full of new uncertainties the big New York art sales this month look set to continue the trend. In a market where the premium is on rarity and quality there are some amazing offerings.
In the late 1940’s Jackson Pollock pioneered a revolutionary painting style that was utterly baffling to most people. Nowadays the art of ‘Jack the Dripper’ is unbuyable unless you happen to be one of the growing global band of billionaires – whose numbers now approach 4,000 from a figure of just 140 in 1987. The largest example of Jackson Pollock’s monumental drip paintings left in private hands, Number 7A, 1948 – from the collection of legendary Condé Nast co-owner S I Newhouse – is at Christie’s on May 18.
The first and only large scale drip painting ever to appear at auction was last seen at an exhibition at the Whitney Museum in 1977.
Constantin Brancusi (1867-1957) – Danaïde, 1913 at Christie’s.
Another great rarity from the S I Newhouse collection is Danaïde, conceived and cast in 1913 by Constantin Brancusi. Of the six bronzes cast of this model four are held in institutional collections, the Pompidou in Paris, the Philadelphia Museum of Art, Tate London and Kunst Museum, Winterthur. This sculpture is the only gilded example left in private hands.
Both works are estimated at around $100 million. The Newhouse collection, which includes masterworks by Bacon, Johns, Matisse, Miro, Mondrian, Picasso, Rauschenburg and Warhol, is poised to become only the second collection ever to surpass the $1 billion mark established in 2022 with the sale the collection of Microsoft founder Paul G Allen.
At Sotheby’s on May 14 the collection of financier Robert Mnuchin featuring Franz Kline, Willem de Kooning and Mark Rothko is expected to make around $130 million. Sotheby’s Modern evening auction on May 19 is headed by Arlequin (Buste) painted by Picasso in 1909 and estimated in the region of $40 million. There are just ten works at this sale, which offers art by Georgia O’Keeffe, Wassily Kandinsky, Degas, Monet and Matisse.
Elizabeth Peyton (b1965) – Earl’s Court (Liam + Noel) at Sotheby’s.
With masterworks from the last 80 years the Now and Contemporary evening auction at Sotheby’s in New York on May 14 is led by Basquiat’s Museum Security (Broadway Meltdown) (1983). There is art by by Rothko, Fontana and Calder from the collection of Jean and Terry de Gunzburg. Earl’s Court (Liam + Noel) December 1995 and dated 1996 by Elizabeth Peyton captures Oasis frontman Liam Gallagher kissing his brother Noel on the cheek. By appropriating a photograph from two concerts at Earl’s Court in London in November 1995 at the height of their fame she contrasts their strained relationship, unprecedented success with their care and appreciation as siblings, their glories with their faults. The estimate is $1.5 million – $2 million.
Later last year it became apparent that major collectors are becoming more picky. The upcoming New York sales offer lots of rich pickings for the super rich.
Mark Rothko No. 1 (1949) at Sotheby’s.