Key Points
- Hauser & Wirth sold a 1607–08 Jan Brueghel the Elder still life for about $6.64 million.
- The work was once owned by the Rothschilds, seized by the Nazis, later restituted.
- The price more than doubles last year's top Frieze opening-day sale.
The latest:
A Jan Brueghel the Elder still life sold for roughly £5 million, about $6.64 million, at Frieze Masters, the highest price reported on the opening day of Frieze London and Frieze Masters 2026. Hauser & Wirth placed the picture as VIPs entered Regent’s Park on Wednesday, October 14th. Galleries across both fairs reported transactions spanning historical and contemporary material.
Details:
- The painting: Still Life of Flowers in a Stoneware Vase, dated around 1607–08, carries provenance in the Rothschild collection before Nazi seizure and later restitution, according to Hauser & Wirth. Gallery president Iwan Wirth described it as “one of the most important works we’ve ever been involved with,” calling the sale an undisputed milestone.
- The benchmark: The price exceeds last year’s leading opening-day transaction, when Hauser & Wirth sold a Gabriele Münter painting for $3.01 million, making this year’s top reported figure more than double the 2025 high point at the same gallery.
- Hauser & Wirth’s run: The gallery also placed a Francis Picabia untitled work from around 1941–43 for €1.1 million, or $1.23 million, and Picasso’s Violon (1943) for €850,000. At Frieze London it sold an Avery Singer painting for $800,000 and a George Condo for $600,000.
- David Zwirner: The gallery reported seven- and six-figure sales led by a new Michaël Borremans painting at $1.5 million, with works by Dana Schutz at $900,000, Lisa Yuskavage at $450,000 and Portia Zvavahera at $300,000. A new Sasha Gordon painting went to a European museum for $400,000.
- Thaddaeus Ropac: Antony Gormley’s Aside (2025) sold for £500,000 and Martha Jungwirth’s Untitled (Berggasse 19) for €560,000. Two Denzil Forrester paintings went for £175,000 each ahead of his first solo show with the gallery in June 2027, alongside a Leoncillo Leonardi sculpture at €300,000.
- Mid-market depth: White Cube sold five new Ilana Savdie paintings between $110,000 and $175,000, plus a Gabriel Orozco at $300,000. Xavier Hufkens led with a historic Richard Serra work on paper at $750,000, Louise Bourgeois works on paper at $400,000 and a McArthur Binion at $150,000.
- Debuts and solos: Karma placed 16 paintings by Scottish artist Jacob Littlejohn in his London market debut, one to an institution, with prices reaching $65,000. Pace reported nearly every work in its Marina Perez Simão solo selling within hours, up to $250,000. Perrotin sold Izumi Kato works for up to $250,000.
- Sold-out booths: Alice Amati, Goodman Gallery, Fortes D’Aloia & Gabriel, a.SQUIRE and Gagosian were among galleries reporting sold-out presentations at Frieze London, according to Artsy. Lehmann Maupin sold more than 10 works, including a McArthur Binion at $150,000 and a Liza Lou at $140,000.
- Lower tiers: Bastian sold a Renoir landscape from around 1897 for about €300,000 to a private collection. Southern Guild moved eight works by six artists totaling $310,000, Olney Gleason sold 12 works between $10,000 and $100,000, and Public Gallery placed multiple Steph Huang works from £7,000.
Between the lines:
The headline figure came from a 400-year-old picture at Frieze Masters rather than from the contemporary fair, where the strongest reported prices sat at or below $1.5 million. Art advisor Courtney Petit told Artsy the main fair opened with bustling aisles and strong collector engagement, a volume story rather than a trophy-price one.
What’s next
Full sales totals are due once the fairs close, with a complete report expected Monday. Watch whether contemporary prices at Frieze London catch up with the historical material at Frieze Masters.
