Picasso Landscape to Headline Sotheby’s Second ‘Origins’ Auction in Saudi Arabia
Major international sale set for January 31 2026 in Diriyah showcases Picasso alongside global and Saudi artists as the Kingdom’s art market expands
Sotheby’s has announced that a landscape by Pablo Picasso will lead its second international auction in Saudi Arabia, underscoring the Kingdom’s growing prominence in the global art market.
The sale, titled “Origins,” is scheduled to take place on January 31 2026 in the historic town of Diriyah near Riyadh and follows the success of the inaugural Saudi Arabia auction earlier this year, which attracted collectors from across the world and achieved significant results.
The top lot of the upcoming sale is Picasso’s 1965 painting “Paysage,” a late-period work on cardboard depicting the French Riviera’s flattened countryside with a strong estimate of between two and three million dollars.
The auction will present more than 70 works spanning established Saudi and Middle Eastern artists alongside international masters.
Among the highlights are pieces by Jean Dubuffet, Roy Lichtenstein and Andy Warhol, with a broad representation of modern and contemporary art reflecting a diverse global roster.
Saudi and regional artists — including Safeya Binzagr, Mohammed Siam, Mohammed Al Saleem and Samia Halaby — feature prominently in the catalogue, reflecting Sotheby’s commitment to nurturing the local art ecosystem while connecting it to global collecting networks.
Binzagr’s “Coffee Shop in Madina Road” and Al Saleem’s semi-abstract painting from 1989 are among the works expected to draw keen interest from bidders.
The public will have the opportunity to view the auction works in a free, week-long exhibition ahead of the sale.
Sotheby’s head of sale, Ashkan Baghestani, said the Kingdom’s art scene remains a compelling long-term opportunity, with deepening private participation and diversified collector profiles enhancing confidence in the market’s momentum.
The “Origins” sale is also timed to coincide with the Diriyah Contemporary Art Biennale, reinforcing Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 cultural agenda and its ambition to expand arts and tourism.
The sale, titled “Origins,” is scheduled to take place on January 31 2026 in the historic town of Diriyah near Riyadh and follows the success of the inaugural Saudi Arabia auction earlier this year, which attracted collectors from across the world and achieved significant results.
The top lot of the upcoming sale is Picasso’s 1965 painting “Paysage,” a late-period work on cardboard depicting the French Riviera’s flattened countryside with a strong estimate of between two and three million dollars.
The auction will present more than 70 works spanning established Saudi and Middle Eastern artists alongside international masters.
Among the highlights are pieces by Jean Dubuffet, Roy Lichtenstein and Andy Warhol, with a broad representation of modern and contemporary art reflecting a diverse global roster.
Saudi and regional artists — including Safeya Binzagr, Mohammed Siam, Mohammed Al Saleem and Samia Halaby — feature prominently in the catalogue, reflecting Sotheby’s commitment to nurturing the local art ecosystem while connecting it to global collecting networks.
Binzagr’s “Coffee Shop in Madina Road” and Al Saleem’s semi-abstract painting from 1989 are among the works expected to draw keen interest from bidders.
The public will have the opportunity to view the auction works in a free, week-long exhibition ahead of the sale.
Sotheby’s head of sale, Ashkan Baghestani, said the Kingdom’s art scene remains a compelling long-term opportunity, with deepening private participation and diversified collector profiles enhancing confidence in the market’s momentum.
The “Origins” sale is also timed to coincide with the Diriyah Contemporary Art Biennale, reinforcing Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 cultural agenda and its ambition to expand arts and tourism.
