London Evening sales support the art market recovery

After subdued activity in 2025, this week’s series of evening sales at Christie’s, Sotheby’s, and Phillips brought renewed momentum to the London art market. Total evening sales (excluding buyer’s premium) reached £277.5 million, marking a 63.9% increase compared with the March 2025 season.

The rebound was supported by stronger supply, with the number of lots sold rising 28.1% year-on-year and fewer withdrawn lots across the sales. Meanwhile, the average price reached £1.7 million, the highest level recorded in the past three years, signalling renewed confidence at the top end of the market.

ABOUT THIS REPORT:

This report presents an in-depth comparative analysis of the Impressionist, Modern, Post-War and Contemporary art evening sales at Christie's, Sotheby’s and Phillips in London in March 2026. The analysis also provides analytical tools looking at 10-year annual trends between 2015 and 2026.

CONTENTS

Overview
Sale Results Comparison
Auction Analysis
Historical Auction Performance
Top Prices & Top Performers
Auction Guarantee Analysis
Sotheby’s
Christie’s
Phillips