A painting by artist Konstantinos Parthenis became the most expensive Greek artwork of the 20th century, fetching €1.25 million at an auction in Paris ($1.45 million).
Art Expertise organized the 48th Greek Sale for the renowned auction house Bonhams, presenting a stunning retrospective dedicated to Greek art from the past two centuries.
Featuring an exceptional collection of 165 pieces, the Paris event built on the momentum of recent, consecutive Greek Sale successes to become the highest-grossing auction of its kind in the last 15 years.
The most expensive 20th-century Greek artwork
The auction generated a total turnover of €4,400,000. The crowning jewel of the night was “Poetry” by Parthenis (1878–1967), who is widely recognized as the “father of modern Greek art.” He belonged to the iconic “Generation of the ’30s” and spearheaded the heroic phase of Greek modernism by breaking away from the rigid, 19th-century academic traditions of the Munich School.
Rounding out the top five highest-selling lots were two works by Yiannis Moralis: “Full Moon” and “Spring.” Both pieces more than doubled their initial price estimates, hammering down at €508,400 and €305,200, respectively.
Additionally, Nikolaos Lytras’s “Terrace in Tinos” reached €229,000, setting a brand-new auction record for the artist, while Nikos Hadjikyriakos-Ghika’s “Stream II” fetched €165,500.
“The incredible momentum of Greek Art”
Reflecting on the historic night, Terpsichore Angelopoulou, Director of Art Expertise, noted:
“This was a historic auction, marked by Parthenis’s major record, the exceptional prices achieved by Moralis, a new artist record for Nikolaos Lytras, and a total turnover exceeding €4.4 million. This spectacular result demonstrates the current momentum of Greek art, a market firmly backed by high quality and timeless value. We want to extend our deepest gratitude to both our established and newer collectors, who continuously contribute to the flourishing of the Greek art market.”
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