Tadao Ando’s Blue Rose in the Cube Study 1 stuns the market at Christie’s - What could the metaphorical grave 7 meter sculpture the Table of Pirosmani be worth?

In a dramatic turn of events, Blue Rose in the Cube Study 1, a prototype for Tadao Ando’s visionary sculpture The Table of Pirosmani, has shattered expectations at Christie’s. Initially estimated at just £10,000–£15,000, the piece ignited a fierce bidding war, ultimately soaring to an astonishing price realized of £88 200 near than six times its upper estimate.

This remarkable result underscores the growing global demand for Ando’s sculptural works, particularly those that transcend architecture and enter the realm of conceptual and poetic expression. But if a single prototype can command such numbers, what does this mean for the monumental installation of The Table of Pirosmani itself?

The genesis of a masterpiece

Conceived as an immersive sculptural installation, The Table of Pirosmani represents an unprecedented fusion of art, conceptual minimalism, and poetic symbolism. The work consists of:

• 564 blue roses encased in acrylic cubes, symbolizing preserved yet fragile beauty.
• 164 empty cubes, a powerful metaphor for unfulfilled dreams and aspirations.
• A conceptual foundation based on a concept by C.A.B. in 2017, exploring the theme of ephemerality—serving as a metaphorical grave for the outcast artist Niko Pirosmani, who died in poverty and total oblivion in 1918. His body was discarded in an unmarked mass grave at the end of World War I, transforming this sculpture into a monument to fallen dreams.

Exhibited for the first time in 2018 at the Albertina Museum in Vienna, The Table of Pirosmani set a record with over 415,000 visitors in just three months and was later recognized as one of the top 10 most successful international exhibitions of 2019.

Each element of the composition contributes to a meditation on transience, a hallmark of Ando’s artistic philosophy. The cube, a recurring motif in his work, serves as both a protective vessel and a silent tomb, holding the fleeting beauty of the blue rose in a delicate balance between eternity and decay.

What could the Table of Pirosmani be worth?

Given the overwhelming reception of Blue Rose in the Cube Study 1 at Christie’s, the full-scale installation of The Table of Pirosmani would undoubtedly command an extraordinary valuation in today’s market.

Projected Market Valuation

1. Comparison with Monumental Conceptual Art Sales

• Jeff Koons’ Rabbit (1986) fetched $91 million at auction.
• Anish Kapoor’s large-scale reflective works frequently surpass $10–20 million.
• Donald Judd’s minimalist sculptures, particularly his large-scale stacked box and wall-mounted works, have achieved prices exceeding $10 million, reflecting the high valuation of conceptual and structural minimalism in the art market.

2. Scale & Rarity Considerations

The Table of Pirosmani is not just a sculpture it is an experiential environment, placing it in a category akin to Monet’s Water Lilies or Yayoi Kusama’s Infinity Rooms.

If a single prototype study reached £88,200 at Christie’s, a work of this magnitude (comprising over 700 elements) would be valued exponentially higher.

Projected auction or Institutional Acquisition Value

Low Estimate: £10–13 million ($12–15 million) (if auctioned today)

High Estimate: £25–30 million+ ($30–40 million)

Why institutions and collectors are watching closely

The overwhelming response to Blue Rose in the Cube Study 1 at Christie’s suggests that Ando’s sculptural legacy is entering a new phase, one that transcends his architectural dominance. If The Table of Pirosmani were to enter the auction market today, it would undoubtedly be one of the most anticipated and fiercely contested contemporary sales of the decade.

As collectors and institutions race to acquire significant contemporary conceptual works, the question is no longer if Ando’s sculptural practice will break records - it’s when.

One thing is certain: the age of Ando the sculptor has begun.