Highlights Tour of the London 20th/21st Century: London Evening Sale | Christie’s

Why It Matters

The sale demonstrates sustained market demand for iconic modern masterpieces, shaping future valuations and guiding collectors toward works that blend artistic innovation with proven provenance.

Key Takeaways

• Christie's showcases pivotal 20th‑century works in London evening sale.
• Ghard Richa's 1984 "Shoa" highlights intimate brushstroke technique.
• Kandinsky's 1939 "Lauron Rouge" reflects scientific, microscopic inspiration.
• Henry Moore's 1952‑53 "King and Queen" marks shift to wax modeling.
• Monet's 1878 "Le Parc Monceau" illustrates modernity in Parisian park scene.

Summary

Christie's London Evening Sale spotlighted seminal 20th‑ and early 21st‑century artworks, with hosts Katherine Arnold and Keith Gil guiding viewers through the house’s most cherished pieces.

The tour highlighted Ghard Richa’s 1984 painting “Shoa,” noted for its delicate brushwork and personal narrative; Vasili Kandinsky’s 1939 “Lauron Rouge,” which channels microscopic forms and scientific curiosity; Henry Moore’s 1952‑53 “King and Queen” sculpture, the last privately held example showcasing his transition to wax and plaster; and Claude Monet’s 1878 “Le Parc Monceau,” a study of Parisian modernity rendered in luminous light.

Arnold described Richa’s “gentle small brush strokes” that evoke nostalgia, while noting Kandinsky’s “almost natural amorphous forms.” Moore’s piece bears “marks of his hand” across the cast, underscoring the artist’s hands‑on process, and Monet’s work captures “high society figures” amid daylight‑filtered trees.

By presenting these benchmark works, Christie's signals robust collector appetite for historically pivotal modern art, reinforcing London’s role as a premier auction hub and likely driving higher price expectations for comparable mid‑century pieces.

Original Description

Join Katharine Arnold, Vice Chairman for 20th/21st Century Art, and Keith Gill, Vice Chairman for 20th/21st Century Art, on a tour of some of the highlights from our 20th/21st Century: London Evening Sale.

Explore Richter’s ‘Schober’, painted from a photograph; Kandinsky’s ‘Le rond rouge', composed of natural, amorphous forms; Moore’s ‘King and Queen’, featuring marks of the artist’s hand; and Monet’s ‘Le Parc Monceau’, where high society fashion meets nature. 

Want to hear more from our specialists? Audio guides are available for selected artworks throughout our exhibition. Bring your headphones to enjoy the experience.

🗓️ 20th/21st Century: London Evening Sale, 5 March at 5.30pm GMT