FREITAG, 5. JUNI 2026 
Exceptional €12.8 Million Result for Landmark French Modern Art Sale at Drouot
O n 5 June, Drouot Estimations presented at Hôtel Drouot an outstanding French collection of Modern Art comprising fifty works fresh to the market by Joan Miró, Diego Giacometti, Balthus, Richard Serra, Pablo Picasso and Jean-Paul Riopelle. Highly anticipated, the sale generated considerable excitement and realised €12.8 million, far exceeding its €5 million estimate.
Each lot sparked prolonged bidding battles between leading French and international collectors seeking previously unseen works by some of the most significant artists of the 20th century. The evening was marked by five world records for Diego Giacometti, while several results rivalled those achieved on the international market.
“The success of this sale reflects collectors’ enduring commitment to carefully curated ensembles, assembled with both rigour and sensitivity. The exceptional quality of the works, combined with their outstanding provenance, drove exceptionally strong bidding throughout the auction,” said Philippe Ancelin, auctioneer and Managing Director of Drouot Estimations.
By virtue of its scale, the quality of the works offered and the enthusiasm it generated among international collectors, this sale perfectly illustrates Drouot’s central role, its influence within the art market and its ability to bring to light some of the finest private collections.
The highlight of the sale was a group of eight works by Diego Giacometti, one of the most important ensembles by the artist ever to appear on the market, which achieved a total of €10,680,800. Collectors competed particularly fiercely for the sculptural console La Promenade des amis, emblematic of Giacometti’s poetic and playful visual language, which sold for €6,193,600 (lot 32), establishing a new world auction record for the artist.
Further world records were achieved during the sale. The sculptural table Feuilles aux oiseaux et aux grenouilles surpassed the one-million-euro mark, selling for €1,011,200 (lot 33). The coffee table Berceau aux chats realised €505,600 (lot 31), while the celebrated Chat maître d’hôtel prompted intense bidding before selling for €556,160 (lot 22).
Works by major 20th-century masters also confirmed the market’s sustained appetite for Modern painting. Jean-Paul Riopelle’s Untitled, executed in 1955, sold for €227,520 (lot 8), demonstrating continuing demand for the Canadian artist’s abstract compositions. Two major works on paper by Joan Miró, Untitled, 1937 and La toilette de Violette, 1938, achieved €353,920 (lot 3) and €461,360 (lot 2) respectively after several minutes of spirited bidding. Likewise, the bronze maquette for L’Arc de la Fondation Maeght found a buyer at €316,000 (lot 18).
Sculptural console, model “La Promenade des amis” — €6,193,600*
Four world auction records for specific models
Sculptural table, model Feuilles aux oiseaux et aux grenouilles — €1,011,200
Table lamp base, model Au Hibou, second version — €518,240
Chat maître d’hôtel — €556,160
Sellette aux grenouilles — two successive world records achieved during the same sale: €568,800 and €632,000
Jean-Paul Riopelle
Untitled, 1955 — €230,760
* The previous record was held by a variant of La Promenade des amis console, from the Hubert de Givenchy Collection, Christie's Paris, March 2017.
“The success of this sale reflects collectors’ enduring commitment to carefully curated ensembles, assembled with both rigour and sensitivity. The exceptional quality of the works, combined with their outstanding provenance, drove exceptionally strong bidding throughout the auction,” said Philippe Ancelin, auctioneer and Managing Director of Drouot Estimations.
By virtue of its scale, the quality of the works offered and the enthusiasm it generated among international collectors, this sale perfectly illustrates Drouot’s central role, its influence within the art market and its ability to bring to light some of the finest private collections.
The highlight of the sale was a group of eight works by Diego Giacometti, one of the most important ensembles by the artist ever to appear on the market, which achieved a total of €10,680,800. Collectors competed particularly fiercely for the sculptural console La Promenade des amis, emblematic of Giacometti’s poetic and playful visual language, which sold for €6,193,600 (lot 32), establishing a new world auction record for the artist.
Further world records were achieved during the sale. The sculptural table Feuilles aux oiseaux et aux grenouilles surpassed the one-million-euro mark, selling for €1,011,200 (lot 33). The coffee table Berceau aux chats realised €505,600 (lot 31), while the celebrated Chat maître d’hôtel prompted intense bidding before selling for €556,160 (lot 22).
Works by major 20th-century masters also confirmed the market’s sustained appetite for Modern painting. Jean-Paul Riopelle’s Untitled, executed in 1955, sold for €227,520 (lot 8), demonstrating continuing demand for the Canadian artist’s abstract compositions. Two major works on paper by Joan Miró, Untitled, 1937 and La toilette de Violette, 1938, achieved €353,920 (lot 3) and €461,360 (lot 2) respectively after several minutes of spirited bidding. Likewise, the bronze maquette for L’Arc de la Fondation Maeght found a buyer at €316,000 (lot 18).
Sale Highlights
Diego Giacometti
World auction record for the artistSculptural console, model “La Promenade des amis” — €6,193,600*
Four world auction records for specific models
Sculptural table, model Feuilles aux oiseaux et aux grenouilles — €1,011,200
Table lamp base, model Au Hibou, second version — €518,240
Chat maître d’hôtel — €556,160
Sellette aux grenouilles — two successive world records achieved during the same sale: €568,800 and €632,000
Other notable results
Joan Miró
Untitled, June 1937 — €353,920
La toilette de Violette, 18 July 1938 — €461,360
Maquette de l’Arc de la Fondation Maeght, 1962 — €316,000
Jean-Paul Riopelle
Untitled, 1955 — €230,760
* The previous record was held by a variant of La Promenade des amis console, from the Hubert de Givenchy Collection, Christie's Paris, March 2017.
