The Sculpture That Set Louise Bourgeois' Auction Record
3 min read · 14 Jan 2025
Spider. Image courtesy of Sotheby's
Louise Bourgeois' Spider (1996) sold for $32.8m at Sotheby's in New York on May 18, 2023. The ten-foot-tall bronze, an edition of six, was consigned by a Brazilian foundation. It had been traded once in the past.
In May 2025, another monumental arachnid by Bourgeois is due to return to Tate Modern, marking the gallery's 25th birthday.
Spider. Image courtesy of Christie's
The sale beat the artist’s previous auction record by $749,500, a 2% rise, set by another sculpture from the same series. Bourgeois' Spider (1997) sold for $32.05m at Christie's on May 15, 2019. The work had been traded 3 times in the past.
A Brief History of Louise Bourgeois at Auction
| Sale Date | Title | Price | Record Increase | Venue | City |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023-05-18 | Spider | $32.8m | 2 % | Sotheby's | New York |
| 2019-05-15 | Spider | $32.05m | 14 % | Christie's | New York |
| 2015-11-10 | Spider | $28.16m | 163 % | Christie's | New York |
| 2011-11-08 | Spider | $10.72m | 138 % | Christie's | New York |
| 2008-05-28 | Spider | $4.51m | 25 % | Christie's | Paris |
| 2006-11-15 | Spider | $3.6m | 33 % | Christie's | New York |
| 2005-11-09 | Spider | $2.7m | 108 % | Sotheby's | New York |
| 2002-05-14 | Blind man's buff | $1.3m | 275 % | Christie's | New York |
| 2001-02-08 | Eyes | $346,700 | 16 % | Christie's | London |
| 1997-11-18 | Untitled | $300,000 | 67 % | Christie's | New York |
| 1991-11-12 | Untitled | $180,000 | 454 % | Christie's | New York |
| 1991-05-01 | Prison | $32,500 | - | Sotheby's | New York |