Bonhams Schedules 20th and 21st Century Art Day Sale to Close on 16 October 2026, Led by Fernando Botero and Alex Katz

Bonhams lists its 20th and 21st Century Art Day Sale on its official calendar, with bidding scheduled to end on 16 October 2026. The auction catalog, which serves as the official result source for the sale, presents a curated selection of modern and contemporary works led by two major pieces from the late Colombian master Fernando Botero and a signature large-scale portrait by American artist Alex Katz. Among the premier offerings is Botero's Ballerina, a bronze sculpture with a rich green patina. This work, numbered five from an edition of six, comes from a prestigious private collection in Sydney, which acquired the piece from Dennis Hotz Fine Art in South Africa. The sculpture captures Botero's signature exploration of volume and form, depicting a dancer in a poised, exaggerated stance that challenges traditional sculptural proportions. Accompanying the bronze is Botero's Still Life with Oranges, an oil on canvas that also originates from the same Sydney collection. The painting reflects the artist's celebrated tropical iconography, famously captured in his remark that he preferred tropical fruits over apples, which he playfully dismissed as being "for snobs."

Another central highlight of the sale is Alex Katz's Bill, an oil on linen. Consigned from an important European collection, the painting features a warmly illuminated face hovering against an expansive, deep black background, a technique characteristic of Katz's incisive, cinematic style. The work was previously exhibited at Pace Wildenstein in New York during the artist's Large Paintings exhibition and has passed through notable collections, including Galerie Thaddaeus Ropac in Salzburg before its acquisition by the present owner.

This upcoming auction follows several notable sales on the Bonhams calendar. In October, the house held its 20th and 21st Century Art Evening Sale, which realized £4,654,200^[1] with 16 lots sold. Additionally, the Modern Decorative Art & Design Including the Strobel Collection of Art Pottery sale in October achieved £825,166^[1] across 110 lots sold, while the classic automotive and motorcycle market saw activity in The Autumn Stafford Sale - The Classic Motorcycle Mechanics Show in October, which realized £1,837,802^[1] with 181 lots sold.

By realized value, this scheduled event represents a key moment in the house's calendar, which has seen 326 sales concluded this year. Across all its global sales, Bonhams has achieved a year-to-date total of $416,290,966^[1]. Looking specifically at the house's overall performance, Bonhams has realized £110,271,516^[1], maintaining a sell-through rate of 79.8%^[1]. Within the broader art category, which has realized $2,661,468,985^[1] across all tracked auction houses this year, the market maintains an average sell-through rate of 82.3%^[1], with Christie's leading the category. This day sale format has previously demonstrated solid market alignment; according to reporting by Heni, a prior edition of this day sale in London achieved a total of $2.08m (GBP1.56m), meeting its pre-sale expectations and demonstrating steady demand for mid-market contemporary works.

The practical shape of the upcoming sale relies on its strong anchor lots. The bidding structure is framed by the estimates of its leading works, with Fernando Botero's Ballerina carrying an estimate of £250,000 to £350,000, and his Still Life with Oranges estimated at £200,000 to £300,000. Alex Katz's Bill is positioned with an estimate of £140,000 to £180,000. Other notable works include Fernando Zóbel's Júcar - Estudio de Color, estimated at £60,000 to £80,000, and André Butzer's Untitled, which carries an estimate of £45,000 to £65,000. Collectors will also find Alfred Sisley's Les oies, Paul Signac's Tête de Flandre, and Jacques Lipchitz's Hagar I, each carrying estimates of £40,000 to £60,000. The auction is scheduled to end on 16 October 2026.