This article is part of the Artnet Intelligence Report, The Year Ahead 2025. Our analysis of the second half of the year’s market trends provides a data-driven overview of the current state of the art world, highlighting auction results and trends, and spotlights the evolving tastes in a turbulent market.
$392.8 million: The combined revenue (in USD) from online-only sales at Sotheby’s, Christie’s, Phillips, Bonhams, and Artnet Auctions last year—down 10.8 percent from 2023.
$1.88 billion: The revenue (in USD) from fine-art auction sales in China last year. That is a 46.1 percent decrease from 2023 and the lowest figure the country has seen in a decade.
-27.9 percent: The dip in total fine-art sales generated by the big three auction houses—Sotheby’s, Christie’s, and Phillips—from 2023 to 2024.
1,343: The number of artists who made their first auction appearance at Sotheby’s, Christie’s, or Phillips last year. Only 3.5 percent of their works failed to find a buyer.
-37.9 percent: The dip in total auction sales of work by ultra-contemporary artists (those born after 1974) between 2023 and 2024.
$26,293: The average price (in USD) of a fine artwork sold at auction last year, down 26 percent from 2023.
-44.2 percent: The decline in revenue generated by artworks that sold for more than $10 million at auction in 2024. Sales in that price bracket dropped by $1.34 billion.
$10.2 billion: The total (in USD) spent on fine art at auction in 2024—down 27.3 percent year over year.
9: The number of women among the 100 top-selling fine artists at auction in 2024—down from 11 in 2023.
