An exceptional sale dedicated to Pablo Picasso took place this Thursday in London. This auction organized by Sotheby's brought in a lot of money. Since the gradual lifting of the lockdown in the United Kingdom, this is Sotheby's first auction in London. After 12 weeks of closure, everything is back on track! This sale brought in more than six million euros, Sotheby's announced Thursday to AFP. This famous sale ended with the auction of 188 creations by the Spanish artist. Drawings, ceramics and even palettes used to execute famous canvases. The auction house has therefore collected 4.8 million pounds, or 6.1 million euros. The ceramics of the 1950s Large vase with won the highest bet, sold at 435,000 pounds (482,000 euros). It is an "unusual" sale, Helena Newman, president of Sotheby's Europe, told AFP because of the varied provenance of the works. More than 60 are from the personal collection of the artist's granddaughter, Marina Picasso, the rest from various collectors.
Learn how the development of Cubism is inextricably linked to the friendship between Pablo Picasso and Georges Braque – and browse our Cubism & Beyond online sale, open for bidding through 23 June. https://t.co/LjaYztzZ5Y
— Sotheby's (@Sothebys) June 18, 2020
The development of online sales
The auction was held online in view of the current period. A mode of operation that Sotheby's wishes to develop since the pandemic. Sotheby's will therefore focus on online sales in the future. It has already begun to accelerate the development of digital media, such as interactive augmented reality catalogues.
Online auctions are "a very important part of the future (…) because they allow us to reach a wider audience," says Helena Newman. It specifies that "many more" sales will now take place solely through this channel.
In the last three months, Sotheby's online sales have exceeded $140 million at a hundred auctions around the world, with a 34% increase in buyers. But for some visitors, there is nothing like seeing the works with their own eyes, even if, on this day of reopening, they are still few to follow the signposted route, after mandatory use of a disinfectant. To read also: Victor Hugo: The "Departure of the Balloon" sold at more than 37,000 €.
