Latin American art auctions in New York fetch $40M
By MARIANA CRISTANCHO-AHN
Channel: Economics, Latin American Affairs
Occupiers might be out on the streets of New York City, but inside Christie’s and Sotheby’s, buyers had their millions in hand to purchase top Latin American art by artists such as Fernando Botero and Rufino Tamayo. The auction houses conducted their fall Latin American art auctions this week, fetching nearly $40 million in sales.
Christie’s sale totaled $19,991,125. It offered 368 lots, 67% of which were sold. The Sotheby’s sale totaled $20,221,938. Out of 243 lots, 65.7% of them were sold.
The works of Colombian artist Fernando Botero dominated the top sells of each auction house. Top five sells of Christie’s and Sotheby’s below:
CHRISTIE’S
1. Fernando Botero (Colombian b. 1932) Dancers. Bronze with dark brown patina. Estimate: $1,500,000 - $2,000,000. Sold for: $1,762,500 
2. Fernando Botero (Colombian b. 1932) Dancing Couple. Oil on canvas.
Estimate: $700,000 - $1,000,000. Sold for: $986,500
3. Francisco Toledo (Mexican b. 1940) Vaca roja. Oil and sand on canvas.
Estimate: $500,000 - $700,000. Sold for: $902,500
4. Alfredo Volpi (Brazilian 1896-1988) Bandeirinhas estruturadas. Tempera on canvas.
Estimate: $250,000 - $350,000. Sold for: $842,500
5. Fernando Botero (Colombian b. 1932) Adam and Eve. Oil on canvas.
Estimate: $400,000 - $600,000. Sold for: $662,500
SOTHEBY’S
1. Rufino Tamayo (Mexican 1899-1991) Watermelon Slices. Oil on canvas.
Estimate: $1,500,000 - $2,000,000. Sold for $2,210,500 
2. Claudio Bravo (Chilean 1936-2011) Seraphim (White, Yellow, and Green).
Oil on canvas. Estimate: $700,000 - 900,000. Sold for $992,500
3. Alfredo Ramos Martínez (Mexican, 1871-1946) La India Del Lago. Oil on canvas.
Estimate: $900,000 -$1,2000,000. Sold for $962,500
4. Wifredo Lam (Cuban, 1902-1982)
Bonjour Monsieur Lam (Au Commencement De La Nuit). Oil on burlap
Estimate: $600,000 - $800,000. Sold for $ 674,500
5. Rufino Tamayo (Mexican 1899-1991) Venus En Su Alcoba. Oil on canvas
Estimate: $550,000 - $750,000. Sold for $ 638,500
