Modern Evening Auction Could Realize $219.8m

3 min read · 29 Apr 2026

Arlequin (Buste) by Pablo Picasso estimated at $40m. Image courtesy of Sotheby's

La Moisson en Provence by Vincent van Gogh estimated at $25m (low) to $35m (high). Image courtesy of Sotheby's

La Séance du matin by Henri Matisse estimated at $20m (low) to $30m (high). Image courtesy of Sotheby's

La Clairière (Composition avec neuf figures) (1950) by Alberto Giacometti estimated at $18m (low) to $25m (high). Image courtesy of Sotheby's

Rote Tiefe (Red Depth) by Wassily Kandinsky estimated at $12m (low) to $18m (high). Image courtesy of Sotheby's

Arlequin (Buste) by Pablo Picasso estimated at $40m. Image courtesy of Sotheby's

Pablo Picasso Arlequin (Buste) (1909) is the highest-value lot announced by Sotheby's in its 'Modern Evening Auction' in New York on May 19.

Pre-sale low estimates total $219.8m.

Preview snapshot

44 works are for sale.
Estimates total: $219.8m (low) and $298.9m (high), excluding premiums.
1 lots have undisclosed estimates.

The highest-value lot announced is: Pablo Picasso, Arlequin (Buste) (1909), which is estimated to sell for around $40m. The work is backed by a guarantee. It has been traded 6 times in the past.

Guaranteed lots

22 works are backed by guarantees, including: Vincent van Gogh, La Moisson en Provence (1888). It is estimated to sell for between $25m and $35m. It has been traded 14 times in the past.

Terms and definitions

Guarantees: Sometimes an auction house guarantees to pay a seller for a work, regardless of whether the bidding reaches the reserve price, a figure that is typically confidential.

All figures are accurate at time of publication.

Market

Exclusives

Pablo Picasso

Vincent van Gogh

New York

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