O n Sunday evening, the highly anticipated Modern & Contemporary Evening Auction kicked off with strong momentum. Li Hei Di’s There Was One Summer Returning Over and Over; There Was One Dawn I Grew Old Watching nearly quadrupled its low estimate to sell for HK$2,667,000 (US$342,816) while Christine Ay Tjoe’s Large Space of Shoots #1, soared past its high estimate of HK$800,000 to reach a final price of HK$2,413,000 (US$310,167). By the night’s end, 37 of the 39 lots were sold, achieving a stellar sell-through rate of 98.4% by value, with nearly 40% of lots exceeding estimates.
Asian artists represented more than half of the top ten lots, from Japanese contemporary heavyweight Takashi Murakami and Gutai artist Kazuo Shiraga to Zao Wou-Ki and Vietnamese master Le Pho. Leading the pack was market darling Yoshitomo Nara. Can’t Wait ‘til the Night Comes came in first achieving HK$79,900,000 (US$10,270,346), while Sprout the Ambassador brought in an impressive HK$18,431,000 (US$2,369,121), exceeding its estimates.
Other standouts of the night include Roy Lichtenstein’s Vista with Bridge, which was the second highest lot of the evening at HK$30,875,000 / US$3,968,672, and Modern art greats Pablo Picasso’s Buste d’homme and Marc Chagall’s Les fleurs de l’amour ou Les iris, sold for HK$20,505,000 (US$2,635,713) and HK$19,895,000 (US$2,557,303), respectively. Closing on a positive note, the auction achieved a total of HK$327,827,000 (US$42,138,883).
Continuing our autumn marquee season, visit Sotheby’s Maison from 5-9 October for the first part of our Asian Art Week, featuring the auction preview showcasing part three of fan paintings and calligraphy from the Xiao Wan Liu Tang Collection, Fine Classical Chinese Paintings spanning masterpieces from ancient classics to the Ming and Qing dynasties, and Fine Chinese Paintings. Leading Fine Classical Chinese Paintings this season is an album of 20 leaves by Dong Gao, titled Landscape with Fishermen, while at the heart of Fine Chinese Paintings this season is a roster of remarkable masterpieces by the greats of modern Chinese art, led by Zhang Daqian’s Lotus in the Wind. Catch the live auctions on 10 and 11 October 2025.
Meanwhile, Luxury Week continues with part five of Romanée-Conti: The Masterpiece Collection from 14 through 28 October online, and the live auction Important Watches on 21 October.
Stay tuned for further announcements of events in Hong Kong and across Asia.
Sotheby’s Luxury Week is presented in partnership with:
Events & Exhibitions
A s the flagship of Sotheby’s in Asia, this two-storey, 24,000 square foot multifaceted space designed by Rotterdam-based architecture studio MVRDV presents a groundbreaking dual concept: the ground floor houses a dramatic state-of-the-art space designed for immersive experiences and moments of profound contemplation, where museum-grade exhibitions and performances will be staged, alongside Sotheby’s signature auction exhibitions spread throughout the year. The first floor features our concept store, a uniquely curated retail experience exploring an array of cross-category art, luxury and collectibles spanning 80 million years of history and offered for instant purchase.
Photos by Stefan Ruiz
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