Safeya Binzagr's painting became the highest-ever selling artwork sold at an auction by a Saudi artist and the third highest selling by an Arab artist.

Scene Now Saudi

Feb 03, 2026

Safeya Binzagr Breaks Records With USD 2.1 Million Sale at Sotheby's

Saudi artist Safeya Binzagr’s painting ‘Coffee Shop in Madina Road’ (1968) just made history as the highest-ever selling artwork sold at an auction by a Saudi artist, and the third highest selling to be sold by an Arab artist, at Sotheby’s in Saudi Arabia. The painting was sold for USD 2.1 million, a significantly larger number than the previous 2023 record of USD 756,000 for an untitled painting by Mohammed Al Saleem at Sotheby’s London.

The painting, which depicts a number of men enjoying the shade of a coffee shop on the road to Madinah, was sold for over ten times its high estimate of USD 150,000 to 200,000. It was sold at AlUla landmark sale ‘Origins II’, where a total of USD 19.58 million was generated in revenue.

For more about the record-breaking Safeya Binzagr, read our full feature about the artist.

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