Category: Art

The Case: Can functional design be considered a growing art market? The Commentary: The market for collectible furniture has been emerging as a lucrative niche as a cross between art trade and interior design. A prime example is the gallery Objects with Narrative, which is based in Brussels. Founded in…

The Case: In 2024, Switzerland exported artworks valued at CHF 1.9 billion, while art imports topped at CHF 2.2 billion, confirming the country’s position as one of the world’s leading art markets. The Commentary: Switzerland plays a pivotal role in the international art ecosystem. Art Basel, widely regarded as the…

The Case: The Swiss feature film Late Shift (Heldin), directed by Petra Volpe, has been shortlisted for the Academy Awards, advancing to the final 15 contenders in the Best International Feature Film category at the 98th Oscars. The Commentary: A total of 86 films from around the world were submitted…

The Case: A very unique lottery has been launched: For just € 100 per ticket, participants will have the chance to win an original Pablo Picasso artwork valued at € 1 m. The Commentary: Starting on 24 November 2025, 120,000 tickets are on offer for sale at € 100 each.…

The Case: Ibrahim Mahama is the first African artist to top ArtReview’s Power 100 list. The Commentary: The magazine published its annual ranking yesterday, spotlighting the most influential figures shaping the global art world. Compiled by a panel of anonymous experts, the closely watched list highlights individuals whose work has…

The Case: Michaelina Wautier has reclaimed her place at the Kunsthistorisches Museum in Vienna. The Commentary: Nowadays one likes to compare 17th-century painter Michaelina Wautier with masters like Peter Paul Rubens and Anthony van Dyck, yet for centuries her work was almost entirely forgotten. Her rediscovery began in 1993, when…

The Case: El sueño (La cama) was auctioned last Thursday at Sotheby’s in New York for USD 54.7 million (approximately €48 million), making it the most expensive artwork by a woman ever sold at auction. The Commentary: Created in 1940, the painting depicts Kahlo sleeping in a bed, above which…

The Case: British authorities have charged the London branch of Hauser & Wirth for allegedly breaching UK sanctions by supplying a George Condo painting to a person “connected with Russia.” The Commentary: According to the prosecutors, the gallery made George Condo’s artwork Escape from Humanity created in 2021 available to…

The Case: A Gustav Klimt painting has set a new record price at auction, selling in New York for USD 236.4 million. The Commentary: The Portrait of Elisabeth Lederer is now the second most expensive artwork ever sold at auction and the most valuable Klimt painting to date.

The Case: An insurer is expanding its product portfolio in Switzerland and now offers insurance solutions for entire vehicle collections. This paved the way to a market whose total value is estimated at several billion Swiss francs. The Commentary: At the core of the new product is comprehensive all-risk property…

The Case: The Fondation Beyeler hosts a major solo exhibition dedicated to Paul Cézanne. The Commentary: The exhibition showcases around 50 works, including oil paintings and watercolors from Cézanne’s later period. Highlights include his famous still-lifes, portraits, landscapes and scenes of bathers. The focus lies on his innovative treatment of…

The Case: Marlene Dumas’s painting Miss January (1997) sold for USD 13.6 million at Christie’s in New York in May 2025, establishing a new auction record for a living artist. The Commentary: This headline result showcases the importance of quality and rarity in the art market, so it’s not simply…