Fair Warning to Auction Nara Painting for $15M
Yoshitomo Nara's largest auctioned painting, "In the Milky Lake / Thinking One," goes to bidders in New York on November 19.
Updated on Nov. 3, 2026 in Fine Art
Fair Warning will auction Yoshitomo Nara's painting "In the Milky Lake / Thinking One" in New York on November 19, after a public viewing from November 6 to 19 at 534 West 22nd Street. The painting measures 102 x 71 inches and could fetch $15 million USD.
Why it matters
The painting is the largest Nara work ever offered at auction and has been held in a private collection for 14 years. Its appearance at every stop of Nara's recent retrospectives makes it a notable offering for collectors of contemporary Japanese art.
The painting's $15 million estimate is supported by its exhibition history, including its 2012 role anchoring Nara's Japanese survey across Yokohama, Aomori and Kumamoto. The final sale price remains unknown until bidding closes on November 19.
The players
Yoshitomo Nara
Japanese contemporary artist known for his large-scale paintings and sculptures of childlike figures, whose work has been the subject of major retrospectives at institutions including LACMA and the Guggenheim Bilbao.
Fair Warning
New York art business conducting the November 19 auction and hosting the public viewing of the painting in Chelsea.
The details
Fair Warning will display the painting in a ground-floor space modeled on a Japanese temple, with an opening reception on November 5 from 6 to 8 p.m. The work was created in 2011, the year the Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami left Nara unable to paint for a period, and it is his only large-scale canvas from that year.
Timeline
2011: Nara creates the painting following the Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami.
2012: The painting anchors Nara's Japanese survey across Yokohama, Aomori and Kumamoto.
2015: Nara selects the painting for his volume Self-Selected Works: Paintings.
November 5, 2026: Opening reception at Fair Warning's Chelsea space from 6 to 8 p.m.
November 6–19, 2026: Public viewing at 534 West 22nd Street, followed by the November 19 auction.
Industry Dynamics
The sale places a Nara painting that anchored his 2012 Japanese survey onto the international auction market, following the path of other major contemporary works sold through private houses. It reflects continued collector interest in Nara's large-scale canvases after retrospectives at institutions including LACMA and the Guggenheim Bilbao.
New York collectors and art enthusiasts can view the painting in person at 534 West 22nd Street from November 6 to 19 before bidding. The opening reception on November 5 gives visitors an early chance to see the work at Fair Warning's Chelsea space.
The takeaway
Collectors and casual viewers alike can see a major Nara painting in person before it goes to auction. The viewing window closes the day of the sale, so timing a visit matters.
What happens next
The public viewing runs from November 6 to 19 at 534 West 22nd Street, and the auction is set for November 19 in New York.
Further reading
Explore more Fine Art coverage for context on how major contemporary paintings reach the market.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Hypebeast.
