This article is part of the Artnet Intelligence Report: Year Ahead 2026. Drawing on in-depth analysis of the past year’s market performance, the latest edition offers a data-driven snapshot of the art world today—from recent auction results to the artists shaping the global conversation. The Impressionist and Modern category overtook postwar and contemporary to become the most lucrative art-market segment in 2025, as collectors continued to favor well-known names amid a more cautious market. It generated $4.7 billion in sales, a 29.5 percent increase from 2024. Growth was particularly pronounced in the $10-million-plus bracket, which saw $1.5 million in sales—up 68.6 percent from 2024. The number of lots sold in the category reached a decade high 122,213, and the average price per lot rose 22.4 percent year over year. Postwar and contemporary came in second place, with $4.1 billion in total sales, a modest 2.5 percent uptick year over year.…