Shirley Jaffe's Auction Record Jumps 175%
3 min read · 06 Jun 2025
The Basilica. Image courtesy of Artcurial
Shirley Jaffe, The Basilica (1994) sold for $375,800 (EUR328,000), more than five times the low estimate at Artcurial in Paris on June 5.
Shirley Jaffe (1923–2016) was an American abstract painter, who moved to Paris in 1949. Best known for colorful, typically geometric compositions, from the 1960s she mainly showed her work in the French capital, her adoptive hometown.
In 2022, the Centre Pompidou presented a survey of Jaffe's work.
The Golden Edge. Image courtesy of Christie's
The sale beat Jaffe's previous auction record by $249,400, a 175% rise. Her previous record was set by The Golden Edge (1982), which sold for $126,400 at Christie's on September 24, 2024. The work had been traded once in the past.
A Brief History of Shirley Jaffe at Auction
Sale Date | Title | Price | Record Increase | Venue | City |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2025-06-05 | The Basilica | $375,800 | 197 % | Artcurial | Paris |
2024-09-24 | The Golden Edge | $126,400 | 33 % | Christie's | Paris |
2021-06-03 | Untitled | $95,100 | 27 % | Piasa | Paris |
2020-09-17 | Nuit d'Hiver | $74,700 | 3 % | Galerie Kornfeld | Bern |
2014-12-02 | Whirling Dervish or Indian flight | $72,900 | - | Artcurial - Briest Poulain F. Tajan | Paris |
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