Sotheby’s to stage first international fine art auction in Abu Dhabi during December Collectors’ Week

Public exhibitions open on 4 December at the Saadiyat Grove Experience Centre on Saadiyat Island. Five luxury auctions are scheduled for 9 December, followed by the fine art auction, titled Breaking Ground, on 10 December.

Breaking Ground: A milestone fine art auction

The Breaking Ground sale brings together internationally recognised artists such as Andy Warhol and Claude Monet alongside figures who have shaped the UAE’s contemporary art scene. One of the highlighted lots is Warhol’s Ads portfolio from 1985, created two years before his death and reflecting his enduring fascination with advertising, fashion, film and celebrity culture.

Works by Mohamed Ahmed Ibrahim and Hassan Sharif, two pioneering Emirati contemporary artists, will also be on offer. A drawing by Christo connected to the Abu Dhabi Mastaba – a proposed monumental public artwork planned for the Liwa desert by Christo and Jeanne-Claude, intended to be their final major work – adds a direct regional link.

Women artists feature prominently, with pieces by Huguette Caland, Jadé Fadojutimi, Inji Efflatoun, Fahrelnissa Zeid, Najat Makki, Mona Saudi, Gazbia Sirry, Zarina and Etel Adnan. Sotheby’s is also introducing Emirati artist Nujoom Al-Ghanem and artist Nasser Al-Yousif to auction for the first time, working directly with the artists and their estates.

Other artists represented include S.H. Raza, Fernando Botero, Salvo, Bernard Buffet, Paul Guiragossian, Farid Belkahia and Aref El Rayess.

Yasmeen Gailani, Sotheby’s specialist and head of sale for Breaking Ground, said the selection blends internationally known names with regional artists while introducing works that may be less familiar to collectors in the UAE.

Luxury auctions across categories

The luxury sales on 9 December cover handbags, watches, jewellery, bicycles and cars. The Shapes of Cartier watch auction presents around 50 watches from a single-owner collection, including a rare Twin Strap watch dating to approximately 1970‑1971. The collection previously attracted attention at Sotheby’s auctions in Hong Kong and Geneva earlier in 2026, according to the auction house.

The car sale includes several Ferrari models from different periods. Highlights are a 2009 Ferrari Scuderia Spider 16M in its launch colours, a Swiss‑delivered 2004 Ferrari 360 Challenge Stradale, a 2006 Ferrari 612 Scaglietti F1 HGTC in Gris Violet and a 2010 Ferrari 599 GTB Fiorano in Ivory Cream.

Jewellery lots include a rectangular brilliant‑cut fancy brown‑orange diamond weighing more than 40 carats, a ruby‑and‑diamond necklace, and a crescent‑shaped emerald‑and‑diamond pendant featuring a 10.51‑carat emerald. Dedicated sales for handbags and high‑performance bicycles round out the luxury programme.

Exhibitions and events at Saadiyat Cultural District

Auction previews open to the public on 4 December, ahead of the sales the following week. Sotheby’s is also organising events, panel discussions and masterclasses featuring specialists, cultural figures and other guests. The Saadiyat Grove Experience Centre is located within Abu Dhabi’s Saadiyat Island cultural district, near Louvre Abu Dhabi and the sites of other major institutions, including the Zayed National Museum, the Natural History Museum Abu Dhabi and Guggenheim Abu Dhabi.

The second edition follows Sotheby’s inaugural Collectors’ Week in Abu Dhabi in December 2025, which featured only luxury auctions. This year’s programme expands into fine art, with Breaking Ground marking the auction house’s first international fine art sale in the emirate.

Collectors’ Week runs from 4 to 10 December 2026, with public exhibitions opening on 4 December at the Saadiyat Grove Experience Centre. The auction schedule is: 9 December – Icons of Elegance (handbags), Shapes of Cartier (watches), Colour & Splendour (jewellery), The Statement (bicycles) and Driven by Design (cars); 10 December – Breaking Ground, Sotheby’s first international fine art auction in Abu Dhabi.

Exhibitions will allow visitors to view selected works and luxury items before the sales. The accompanying programme includes events, panel discussions and masterclasses. Further information about auction lots is expected to be released in November. For details about the sales and exhibition programme, visitors can check Sotheby’s official website.