The Alabaster Sculpture That Set Anish Kapoor's Auction Record

3 min read · 29 Jan 2026

Untitled. Image courtesy of Sotheby's

Anish Kapoor's sculpture, Untitled (2003), sold for $3.87m (£1.95m) at Sotheby's in London on July 1, 2008. The unique alabaster work, which stands almost 2 metres high, had been traded once before.

The sale beat the artist’s previous auction record by $1.03m, a 36% rise.

Kapoor and the leading Italian art dealer Massimo Minini toured quarries in Brescia, Carrara and Volterra hunting for a suitable block of the soft stone that is translucent when thin.

The artist was determined to create a work that restored alabaster's status in an age when it is often used to mass produce chess sets, ashtrays and what Minini called "tat."

Untitled (1999). Sold for $2.84m in 2007. Image courtesy of Sotheby's

Untitled (1999). Sold for $2m in 2006. Image courtesy of Sotheby's

Untitled (1997). Sold for $738,300 in 2006. Image courtesy of Sotheby's

Untitled - from the Voltera series (Undated). Sold for $364,200 in 2004. Image courtesy of Christie's

Untitled (1984). Sold for $120,000 in 2004. Image courtesy of Sotheby's

Untitled - vessel (1985). Sold for $76,000 in 2000. Image courtesy of Sotheby's

Mother as a ship (1989). Sold for $72,300 in 1998. Image courtesy of Christie's

Pot for her (Undated). Sold for $67,000 in 1998. Image courtesy of Christie's

Untitled (1999). Sold for $2.84m in 2007. Image courtesy of Sotheby's

The previous record was set by Untitled (1999), another carved alabaster sculpture, which sold for $2.84m at Sotheby's on November 14, 2007.

Sale Date	Title	Price	Record Increase	Venue	City
July 01, 2008	Untitled	$3.87m	36 %	Sotheby's	London
November 14, 2007	Untitled	$2.84m	42 %	Sotheby's	New York
November 14, 2006	Untitled	$2m	171 %	Sotheby's	New York
June 21, 2006	Untitled	$738,300	103 %	Sotheby's	London
June 24, 2004	Untitled - from the Voltera series	$364,200	204 %	Christie's	London
May 13, 2004	Untitled	$120,000	58 %	Sotheby's	New York
June 29, 2000	Untitled - vessel	$76,000	5 %	Sotheby's	London
October 08, 1998	Mother as a ship	$72,300	8 %	Christie's	London
April 22, 1998	Pot for her	$67,000	39 %	Christie's	London
February 22, 1990	Void No. 4	$48,000	28 %	Sotheby's	London
May 03, 1989	Three	$37,500	-	Sotheby's	New York

Market

Exclusives

Anish Kapoor

Massimo Minini

London

Get the HENI News Daily Art Digest delivered to your inbox