Post-War to Present: $32,023,889 | Contemporary Edition: $2,201,926 | First Open: $4,544,060 | Outsider Art: $1,880,997
Post-War to Present, Temple of Style: The Barbara Jakobson Collection, JEFF KOONS (B. 1955) Winter Bears, polychromed wood, 48 x 44 x 15 ½ in. (121.9 x 111.8 x 39.4 cm.) Executed in 1988. This work is number one from an edition of three plus one artist’s proof. Price Realized: $7,639,000
NEW YORK – Christie’s concluded a successful week of Contemporary Sales on Friday, February 27, 2026 with outstanding results for one live and three online sales— Post‑War to Present, Contemporary Edition: New York, First Open | Post-War & Contemporary Art, featuring Drawings from the Collection of the Late Janie C. Lee, Sold for the Benefit of the Menil Drawing Institute, and Outsider Art. Collectively, the sales totaled $40,650,872. The auctions included a diverse array of offerings, featuring quality examples of art and design by emerging and established names spanning the post-war and contemporary eras.
Post‑War to Present took place live on Thursday, totaling $32,023,889, selling 80% by lot and 92% by value. The sale’s top lot was Jeff Koons’ Winter Bears from The Barbara Jakobson Collection, which realized $7,639,000, setting a new benchmark for the highest priced artwork sold in mid-season contemporary week sales. More exceptional results came for The Collection of Robert and Ann Fisher, led by Cy Twombly’s Roman Notes, sold for $1,104,900. Further highlights included Strike by Helen Frankenthaler, sold for $1,492,250, and Portrait by Roy Lichtenstein, which realized $1,130,300 and a strong group of Latin American Art, including Olga de Amaral’s Obra 500 from The Collection of Elaine Wynn, which sold for $698,500. A group of Outsider Art was incorporated into the sale, led by a rare, embroidered textile by Madge Gill—the first to be sold in 50 years, and the first to ever come to auction. The work achieved $120,650, setting a new record for the artist.
Contemporary Edition closed on Thursday with a total of $2,201,926, the sale was 89% sold by lot and 100% sold by value. A fantastic selection of work within the sale was sold to benefit Studio in a School, a non-profit organization Christie’s has proudly partnered with for years—leading this group, which was 100% sold by lot, was Julie Mehretu’s Achille (epoch), which realized $27,940. The sale’s top lot was Andy Warhol’s screenprint of Mick Jagger, which achieved $95,250, and additional notable results included I Love Liberty by Roy Lichtenstein, which made $88,900, and Gold Band, an exemplary work by El Anatsui, which realized $76,200.
First Open closed on Friday, achieving a total of $4,544,060, selling 100% by value and 85% by lot. The sale was led by Cy Twombly’s work on paper Untitled (1971), which was from the group headlining the sale, the collection of late Janie C. Lee and sold for the benefit of the Menil Drawing Institute. The Twombly sold for $762,000—more than doubling its low estimate, and setting a new benchmark for the highest priced artwork sold in the context of a First Open sale. Additional top lots from the sale included Helen Frankenthaler’s Orient Express #6 and Study for Orange Celebration II by Wolf Kahn, both achieved $152,400, selling well above their low estimates.
Outsider Art, the week’s final online sale, closed Friday, totaling $1,880,997 and was 80% sold by lot and 100% by value. The top lot of the sale was William Edmondson’s Seated Girl, which realized $228,600. Other top lots included The Lucky Rooster by Mario Sanchez which realized $88,900, selling for more than four times its low estimate, and Purple Dog, Red Tongue by Bill Traylor, which realized $76,200. A new artist record was established for Amos Ferguson with the first lot of the sale, which realized $40,640.
New York Contemporary Art Sales will continue online through next week, with Temple of Style: The Barbara Jakobson Collection open through March 4, 2026 and Modern Collector: Design and Tiffany open through March 5, 2026.
Artist Records
Madge Gill, Untitled; Price Realized: $120,650
Sheila Hicks, Untitled; Price Realized: $254,000
Gloria Klein, Untitled; Price Realized: $30,480
Mary Abbott, Southampton Sand; Price Realized: $209,550
Lawrence Weiner, WATER UNDER A BRIDGE; Price Realized: $203,200
Amos Ferguson, Untitled (Men With Turtles, Sailboat and Birds); Price Realized: $40,640