The Facts
On October 17, 2026, Phillips announced a Saturday Sale led by Georg Baselitz and Michelangelo Pistoletto, alongside a world auction record for Hassan Sharif. The announcement did not disclose a sale total, estimates, or individual hammer prices. The Baselitz and Pistoletto works anchored the headline of the auction, while Sharif's result was singled out as a new market milestone for the late Emirati artist. The sale reflects Phillips' continued use of Saturday auctions to program major Post-War and Contemporary material beyond its evening sales.
The Signal
The Sharif auction record underscores the expanding international market for modern and contemporary art from the Middle East, a sector that has attracted growing bidding and institutional attention in recent seasons. For collectors, the result suggests sustained demand for artists with established biennial and institutional visibility. Baselitz and Pistoletto leading the sale also signals Phillips' reliance on blue-chip Post-War names to anchor its weekend sales and draw broad collector interest.
- Artists: Georg Baselitz, Michelangelo Pistoletto, Hassan Sharif
- Auction Houses: Phillips
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