It's no surprise that art auctions aren't what they were before the global pandemic closed down much of the world in March. What's unexpected, though, is the pace and scope of the transformation, in terms not only of how sales are conducted but also in every facet of the process – and how technology has enabled these changes.

"In the past we concentrated on the traditional auction room, and now we concentrate on the virtual auction room," says Jean-Paul Engelen, the deputy chairman of Phillips.