Galleries and auction houses share the global art market almost equally. But while on the side of the main galleries the personalities behind them are clearly identifiable and in many cases carry their own names (Gagosian, Hauser
It is their managers, or the drivers of the large auctions, the hammers, who gain a certain notoriety in the public eye. Therefore, when Jussi Pylkkänen, who in recent years has been global president of Christie's and one of its most prominent hammers, decided to leave the company to dedicate himself to advising collectors, there has even been talk of a change of era in this industry .
Born in Helsinki 60 years ago but trained in Oxford, despite having been at the auction house for four decades, his name will not mean much to many. But if I tell you that in 2017 he was the one who awarded Leonardo's Salvator mundi after a tough battle for the incredible figure of 450.3 million dollars, the most expensive work in history; or that in 2022 he masterfully awarded the Warhol Shot sage blue Marilyn (1964) that reached 195 million; or that that same year he was the one who led the sale of Paul Allen's collection, which reached more than 1.6 billion and became the collection from a single owner for which the most has been paid at auction, that will ring a bell. He has been the protagonist of the great changes in this market in recent years.
Convinced that good advice is necessary when purchasing works of art, he says he will not leave the industry, only now he will sit among the public to buy large pieces for collectors and institutions. For years I have admired his style and finesse in conducting auctions. I have met him personally on a couple of occasions, showing me the kinder side of him, especially at a dinner in London where he told me about his two great passions, art and football. I am convinced that one of the greats is leaving us, one of those hammers who have known how to make the profession a perfect balance between erudition and business.
