Paris Turns Priceless: Art Basel’s Grand Palais Surprises and Million-Dollar Moves

Art fairs in Paris aren’t just about admiring masterpieces—they’re high-stakes arenas where price tags can rival city landmarks. At the latest Paris+ par Art Basel, a Kerry James Marshall painting set the pace, changing hands for a cool $6 million and capturing the spotlight as the fair’s top sale. This wasn’t a solo act: works by Marlene Dumas, Alice Neel, and Michaël Borremans also found eager collectors, while Hauser & Wirth’s booth sold out on opening day, sending pieces by Mark Bradford and George Condo into private French collections. Sculptures and canvases by Anish Kapoor, Lee Ufan, and Robert Rauschenberg kept the momentum alive, each fetching seven-figure sums. Yet, amid the flurry, a $40 million Mark Rothko remained unsold—a quiet reminder that even in a city of art lovers, some treasures resist easy capture. In Paris, the value of art is always up for negotiation, but its allure is never in doubt. #ArtBaselParis #ContemporaryArt #ArtMarket #Culture