How Much Is Composition with Large Red Plane, Bluish Gray, Yellow, Black and Blue Worth?
Last updated: April 18, 2026
Quick Facts
- Last Sale
- $47.6M (2025, Christie's New York)
- Methodology
- recent sale
This work (Joosten B144) realized a final price of $47,560,000 at Christie’s New York on 12 May 2025 and that sale is the primary market anchor. Current market value is estimated at $42,000,000–$55,000,000 assuming unchanged provenance, sound condition, and an open competitive sale environment.
Composition with Large Red Plane, Bluish Gray, Yellow, Black and Blue
Piet Mondrian, 1922 • Oil on canvas
Read full analysis of Composition with Large Red Plane, Bluish Gray, Yellow, Black and Blue →Valuation Analysis
Valuation conclusion: The subject painting (Joosten B144) achieved a final price of $47,560,000 at Christie’s New York on 12 May 2025; that transaction is the most authoritative market anchor for present valuation [1]. Basing the appraisal on that realized price and adjusting for short‑term market volatility, exhibition leverage, and liquidity considerations, the fair market range today is $42,000,000–$55,000,000. This estimate assumes no undisclosed title disputes, no materially adverse conservation issues, and continued institutional interest.
Comparables & rationale: The 2025 Riggio single‑owner sale sits just below the artist’s public auction ceiling (Sotheby’s Composition No. II, c.1930, ~US$51M) and therefore functions as a direct comparable for museum‑quality Neo‑plastic works of the 1920s [2]. Where similarly provenanced 1920s Mondrians have appeared in marquee sales, results cluster in the high‑seven to low‑eight‑figure band with the very best examples reaching low‑fifties. The painting’s dramatic appreciation since its reported 1992 sale (~US$2.58M) demonstrates the long‑term market revaluation of canonical modernist works, but the 2025 realized price is the operative near‑term indicator for market value.
Adjustments and sensitivities: Positive price drivers include direct acquisition from Mondrian, continuous pre‑war ownership within the De Stijl circle, inclusion in Joosten’s catalogue raisonné (B144), and documented exhibition/literature history — factors that substantially reduce buyer risk and increase institutional demand. Size (c. 54 x 53.3 cm) is collectible and market‑friendly, producing a neutral‑to‑moderate size premium. A verified museum loan or major catalogue citation would likely increase realizable value by 5–15%; conversely unresolved conservation treatments, overpainting, or title/restoration concerns could reduce value materially.
Market context & liquidity: The high‑end modern market softened in 2023–24 and has been selective in consignment and bidding behavior, but the 2025 Riggio sale confirms deep demand for the best Mondrians and provides a transparent market reference that dealers, institutions, and houses will cite aggressively [1][2]. Liquidity for top Mondrians is limited but robust when provenance and literature are strong: exceptional examples continue to attract competitive bidding from both private collectors and institutions.
Next steps: For a formal insured/appraised value or optimized sale strategy obtain the Christie’s sale invoice and catalogue essay, a current condition and technical report (X‑ray/IR/pigment analysis), and clear title documentation. With those confirmations the painting’s market value is best stated at $42–55M, centered on the May 2025 realized price [1].
Key Valuation Factors
Art Historical Significance
High ImpactThis painting dates to 1922, a pivotal moment in Mondrian’s development toward strict Neo‑plastic abstraction. As Joosten B144 it documents his movement from figurative/landscape conventions to a reduced palette and planar geometry that define his mature work. Works from this transitional period are highly sought by museums and are important for scholarly narratives that trace the artist’s theoretical and aesthetic evolution. Because it is an authenticated Joosten entry that visually and technically illustrates a key phase, the piece commands a premium relative to unattributed or poorly documented canvases. Its art‑historical relevance therefore exerts a high positive impact on market value and institutional interest.
Provenance & Exhibition History
High ImpactProvenance is strong: direct acquisition from the artist (Antony Kok), subsequent ownership within the De Stijl circle (Henri‑Georges Doll via Nelly van Doesburg), and inclusion in Joosten’s catalogue raisonné (B144) materially reduce authenticity risk. The Christie’s lot essay cites exhibition and literature citations (including major Dutch and North American institutional references), which amplify museum demand and public visibility. Single‑owner sale status (Riggio) at Christie’s further elevated competitive bidding. Strong, continuous provenance and documented exhibitions are primary drivers of the painting’s premium at auction and are major contributors to the valuation range presented.
Condition & Technical
Medium ImpactCondition and technical state are key adjustment variables. A clean original paint surface with minimal retouching and stable support sustains top prices; conversely, heavy restoration, relining, or structural intervention can reduce confidence and value. Christie’s prepared a condition report for the 2025 sale, but a fresh conservator’s report and technical imaging (X‑ray, infrared, pigment analysis) should be obtained before any re‑sale or insurance valuation. While there is no known disclosure of major issues, the absence of up‑to‑date technical documentation represents an item of conditional risk that can moderate the top of the value range.
Market Comparables & Liquidity
High ImpactThe 12 May 2025 realization at Christie’s (US$47.56M) is the principal comparable and effectively anchors market expectations. The artist’s public auction record (~US$51M, Sotheby’s 2022) establishes the upper band for the very best works. Supply of canonical, well‑documented 1920s Mondrians is limited, making each high‑quality appearance a liquidity event that gathers institutional and private capital. Competitive bidding for single‑owner, museum‑quality works typically sustains prices at or above the 2025 level; therefore comparables exert a strong upward pressure on valuation when provenance and condition are commensurate.
Sale History
From artist / private
Private collection
Christie's (Doll estate sale)
Private
Christie's New York
Piet Mondrian's Market
Piet Mondrian is a blue‑chip modern master whose market is dominated by a small supply of museum‑quality works and sustained institutional demand. Auction records (including a ~US$51M Sotheby’s result and the US$47.56M Christie’s Riggio result) place the ceiling in the low‑fifties of millions for the most important canvases, with other high‑quality 1920s works trading in the high‑seven to low‑eight‑figure range. Provenance, catalogue raisonné inclusion, and exhibition history are decisive value multipliers. The market is selective but deep: when canonical works with clean provenance appear publicly, they routinely attract competitive bidding from major collectors and institutions.
Comparable Sales
Composition No. II
Piet Mondrian
Record Mondrian auction result (Nov 2022); mature Neo‑Plastic composition of similar market significance and desirability — sets the market ceiling for top Mondrian works.
$51.0M
2022, Sotheby's New York
~$55.1M adjusted
Composition with Large Red Plane, Bluish Gray, Yellow, Black and Blue
Piet Mondrian
The subject painting — realized price is the primary current‑market indicator; strong provenance, Joosten catalogue entry and exhibition history make it directly comparable.
$47.6M
2025, Christie's New York (Leonard & Louise Riggio sale)
Composition with Large Red Plane, Bluish Gray, Yellow, Black and Blue (earlier sale)
Piet Mondrian
Earlier auction sale of the same work (~1992) — useful for showing long‑term appreciation and market revaluation for comparable Mondrian Neo‑Plastic works.
$2.6M
1992, Christie's (Henri‑Georges Doll estate sale)
~$5.7M adjusted
Current Market Trends
After a softening period in 2023–24, the top end of the modern art market showed selective recovery in 2025; sellers and houses increasingly use guarantees and private channels, and buyers are choosier. Demand for canonical Mondrians remains strong, but frequency of trophy‑level offerings has declined. Short‑term volatility persists; however, long‑term collector and institutional appetite for foundational Neo‑plastic works continues to underpin high valuations.