2008 Auction History (Part I)

[Pierre Tavlitzki]

All Results in BOLD

On May 13, Christie's manages its great spring sale of Modern Art in New York, including Rothko, (SOLD 50 M$), Francis, (SOLD 5.2 M$), Gottlieb, (SOLD 6.5 M$), Bacon (SOLD 28 M$) and Warhol. (SOLD 32.5 M$).

On April 18 in New York, in addition to the Lodge of Yakovlev announced last week, (UNSOLD), there is also in this sale a forest clearing by Shishkin at $ 1 million. (SOLD 3.2 M$ including fees).

The latter is in competition with another forest by Shishkin, at Sotheby's in New York on 15 and 16 April, estimated $ 1.8 million. (UNSOLD).
Another forest by Shishkin, for which it will have to wait until June 13, in MacDougall's, is estimated 750 K£. (SOLD 1.07 M£ including fees).

The king of the forest could become a birch grove by Arkhip Kuindzhi at 2 M$ (SOLD 3 M$ including fees). Aivazovski again, but with major items: a pair of marines (2 M$), (SOLD 2.4 M$ including fees), and a painting on the theme of Columbus (1.25 M$). (SOLD 1.7 M$ including fees). These three paintings are presented by Sotheby's in the sale above.

Among the Orientalists we compare a painting by Roubtzoff located in Kairouan with another one of Tunis just sold at the Hotel des Ventes de Compiègne at 72 K € before fees on March 15. The two works are virtually of same size (around 80x100 cm, one in height and the other in width) and of the same date within two years, 1914 and 1916. This is the issue that differentiates: Compiègne's woman is completely wrapped up in her clothes, forming a pattern strangely striped, while the other, for sale by Tajan on June 2, with face and arms discovered, has an ethnic appeal . Whether fans prefer? (SOLD 70 K€ before fees).

I return on the sale of Cornette de Saint-Cyr at Drouot Montaigne on April 5, with the estimates for Stella (Lot 40, 900 K €),(UNSOLD), Penck (Lot 73, 120 K €), (UNSOLD) and Kiefer (Lot 76, 300 K € ). (UNSOLD). I add now a large Lovescape by Erro (200x300 cm, lot 18, 300 K €), (SOLD 300 K€ before fees)

A painting by Reuven Rubin showing waving trees by the road will be sold by Christie's in Tel Aviv on April 27 ($ 250 K). A curiosity: having been stolen, it ended being owned by the American government when it was retrieved, because insurance companies had already paid the owner. This story is told by the Jerusalem Post. (SOLD 620 K$ including fees).

Dutch Paintings at Sotheby's in Amsterdam on April 14 include, by Isaac Israels at 120 K €, a curious vaudeville scene in impressionist style. (SOLD 175 K€ including fees).

In the sale of Russian art at Bonhams in London on June 9 there is a nice painting by Goncharova representing a sailboat (1.5 million pounds). (SOLD 1.5 M£ before fees).

A bit of French art also in New York, at Christie's on April 8: a portrait of the Countess Greffulhe by Blanche (400 K$), (UNSOLD), a seaport in Brittany by Corot (300 K$), (SOLD 457 K$ including fees), and a street scene in Spain by Jean Georges Vibert, who appears unexpectedly at 150 K$ (SOLD 145 K$ including fees) if we could not recall a scene in the same country that was sold 481 K$ at the same venue on October 24.

Two paintings by Sisley are to come at Drouot, one at Millon (46x56 cm, March 28), (UNSOLD ; estimate was 600 K€), the other at Boisgirard (65x54 cm, 16 April). (SOLD 760 K€ before fees). They are announced in advertisements in La Gazette de l' Hotel Drouot. From the same source, we see some foreign works at Cornette de Saint-Cyr on April 5: Frank Stella (152x457 cm), Penck (200x250 cm), Kiefer (170x190 cm), the fact is rare enough to be noted though this house is one of those in Drouot who know the interest in world art. (UNSOLD, see estimates in next column).

The paintings by Winston Churchill are not uncommon on the market. The price expected by Bonhams and Butterfields in San Francisco on April 23 for a sunset on Mount Atlas is high (20x24 inches, 600 K$), but his works showing Morocco are valued. (SOLD 350 K$ before fees compared with its low estimate of 400 K$ in the catalogue).

The Nasher estate will be dispersed over four sales by Sotheby's New York, with an astonishing 1969 Picasso, the Kiss, at 10 M$ on May 7 (SOLD 17.5 M$ including fees) and the same day the same master, a very colorful 1961-1962 Workshop at 6 M$. (SOLD 6.5 M$ including fees). On May 9, a painted bronze by Lichtenstein (700 K$) (UNSOLD) and a Griffu by Richier (380 K$). (SOLD 325 K$ including fees). Again Picasso, on May 9, with a print inspired by Cranach (275 K$). (SOLD 660 K$ including fees). "Contemporary"Art, May 14, includes a colorful abstraction by Hans Hofmann (2 M$) (SOLD 4.3 M$ including fees) and a large size collage by Dubuffet (1.5 M$). (SOLD 3.6 M$ including fees). The sale of American art on May 22 is conducted by Stuart Davis (500, 400 and 300 K$) (SOLD 2,8 M$, 825 K$ et 825 K$ including fees) and Sheeler (300 and 150 K$). (not confirmed and UNSOLD).

Another word about Picasso, with a pastel circa 1900, 40x30 cm, for sale at Drouot by Rieunier on April 7 (700 K €). The works of Picasso's youth are often frustrating at auction, we will see what will happen to it. (SOLD 510 K€ before fees ; the estimate had been reasonably lowered to 500 K€).

In the sale of April 4 by Hampel in Munich, there are two beautiful frozen landscapes, one by Leickert (Lot 535, 60x83 cm, 75 K €) (SOLD 55 K€ before fees) and the other by Kruseman (Lot 536, 42x56 cm, 120 K €). (SOLD 80 K€ before fees). For Russian art, two important works from a set by Alexandr Grigorevich Tyshler: a woman with flowers (Lot 698, 65x55 cm, 270 K €) (SOLD 150 K€ before fees) and a cavalier (Lot 699, 70x60 cm, 300 K €). (UNSOLD)

Lasting four days, Christie's New York presents the important works for sale in the spring. It includes a beautiful intimate Picasso showing Claude and Paloma busy to drawing (May 6, 7 M$), (SOLD 9 M$ including fees), a Campbell's Soup by Warhol (May 13, 7 M$), (SOLD 7.1 M$ including fees), a Miro entitled la Caresse des Etoiles (May 6, 10 M$), (SOLD 17 M$ including fees), a Theater Loge in Beijing by Yakovlev (April 18, 1.8 M$), (UNSOLD).

On April 3 in Artcurial, a chicken ("Pacholette") by Cesar looks for € 300 K at the top of its two metres. (SOLD 260 K€ before fees).
For Italy on April 4, a small oil on canvas (65x80 cm) by Burri is estimated 360 K €. (UNSOLD)
On April 9, a Degas dancer 47 cm high, casted by Hébrard, is at its price at 250 K €. (UNSOLD)

On April 16 at Dorotheum, the portrait of Alice Regnault by Boldini (300 K €) is clearly the same as that which was sold for € 310 K by Coutau-Bégarie in Drouot on November 19, 2004. That is a gain uninsured ... (SOLD 400 K€ including fees ; taking into account seller fees and buyer fees, gain is cancelled).

In the estate of an English philanthropist to be dispersed by Christie's on June 24 in London, there are some French artists including a Signac pointillist painting showing Collioure lighthouse in a bold composition. This one was a milestone in the career of Signac (1.8 million pounds). (SOLD 2.95 M£). Beside it: Matisse (600 K £), (SOLD 1.95 M£), Degas (400 K £), (UNSOLD), Bonnard (500 K £), (SOLD 1.65 M£), Fantin-Latour (600 K £). (SOLD 1.05 M£). (Results include fees).

On January 13, I announced the sale of Greek art of April 17 by Sotheby's London for which some details are now available: they are artists of the nineteenth century who are the leaders, with two coastal sceneries by Constantinos Volanakis for 300 K£ (SOLD 423 K£ including fees) and 200 K£ (SOLD 334 K£ including fees) (SOLD a sunset over a port by the same artist, 322 K£ including fees from a low estimate of 100 K£) and an amusing and sympathetic portrait of child by Georgios Jakobides at 200 K£. (SOLD 535 K£ including fees). In the more recent works, also highlighted a naive style painting by Diamantis Diamandopoulos showing a soldier (150 K £). (SOLD 276 K£ including fees).

Lovers of Art Deco are familiar with the Scottish Charles Rennie Mackintosh. Two paintings on panel by his wife Margaret Macdonald Mackintosh are estimated K £ 200 each by Christie's London. Having been exhibited for the first time in 1902, they are well within their time. Date: April 30. (SOLD 1,7 M£ and 490 K£ including fees).

The Belgian art will lead most of the sale by De Vuyst at Lokeren on March 8. Let us mention a bergerie by Eugen Joseph Verboeckhoven (85x125 cm, 85 K €, a reasonable price), (SOLD 96 K€ including fees), a naive tram by Brusselmans (66x81 cm, 50 K €), (UNSOLD), Bathers at watercolor by Delvaux (53x71 cm, 75 K € ). (UNSOLD). In the same sale a classic watercolor by Signac at 40 K €, this time representing Audierne (26x43 cm), (UNSOLD), a blue Michelangelo Slave by Klein 59 cm high which seems expensive at 55 K €, (UNSOLD), and two Rustin (162x130 and 130x162 cm), which are not expensive at 20 K € each. (UNSOLD).

In the sale Le Voyage of SGL Encheres (Schmitz and Laurent) in Saint-Germain en Laye on March 16: an African maternity by Fernand Allard L'Olivier (68x54 cm, lot 227, 10 K €), (UNSOLD), a classic three-headed ethnic pastel by Deckers (55x85 cm, lot 115, 12 K €) (UNSOLD) and 22 works from André Maire including a beautiful Angkor Wat sepia drawing (86x68 cm, lot 339, 6 K €). (SOLD 11.5 K€ before fees).

In the same vein on the same day but a few miles away at Eric Pillon in Versailles, a scene of collecting water by Styka (65x85 cm, lot 82, 18 K €). (SOLD 20 K€ before fees).

In Bretagne Encheres in Rennes on March 16, a nightlife scene by du Puigaudeau (65x81 cm, 40 K€). This is the kind of views that led the value of this artist when price went up for auction more than fifteen years ago. (SOLD 50 K€ before fees).

A nice set of Aivazovski paintings at Stockholms Auktionsverk on March 13: A scene in Ukranian steppe (Lot 23, 94x148 cm, SEK 4.8 million), (SOLD 4.9 M SEK), a coastal scene in Turkey (Lot 14, 30x56 cm, 3.8 million SEK). (SOLD 4.4 M SEK). In the same sale, and by the same author, there is also a boat in the moonlight (Lot 20, 47x40 cm, 1.4 million SEK). (SOLD 1.9 M SEK). An intimate scene by Konstantin E. Makovski (Lot 74, 128x167 cm) was interesting to spot at 3 million SEK: we mostly see from this artist some single characters or historical scenes. (SOLD 7.4 M SEK).
All these prices probably before fees.

For its sale of Victorian art of June 5, Christie's London puts forward a Jasmine by Albert Joseph Moore (67x50 cm, 600 K£) (SOLD 1.8 M£ including fees) and The Triumph of Love, four panels of watercolor by Burne-Jones (400 K £). (SOLD 460 K£ including fees).
The next day on June 6, in the sale of a collection, a drawing from the youth of Lucian Freud (60 K£), (SOLD 170 K£ including fees), a bizarre painting by Sutherland (250 K£) (SOLD 320 K£ including fees) and a composition showing eggs and lemons by William Scott (300 K£). (SOLD 1.1 M£ including fees).

At Webb's on March 31 at Epsom in New Zealand (I announced that sale in my column of Dec. 30), an ethnic portrait by Charles Frederick Goldie, 26x20 cm, lot 12, $ 100K, (SOLD 160 K$, probably before fees) and , on April 7, an acrylic by Bill Hammond, 211x180 cm, 250 K $. (SOLD 290 K$ before fees)

For national artists, as my regular readers (if any) recognize it as one of my favourite themes, here is Korea, with two works by the rare artist Park Sookeoun expected at 500 and 400 K $ by Christie's on March 18 in New York. The subjects are traditional, it's the very original style of this artist which makes it so wanted. (SOLD 657 and 601 K$ including fees)

Antik A.S. organizes a sale of paintings on March 9 in Istanbul, including an Oriental beauty by Bridgman (55x45 cm). Keep in mind that this house is one of the world leaders for Orientalist paintings, with a fine recent record for Osman Hamdi at 5 million YTL.

In Vienna on 15 and 16 April, ImKinsky presents a genre scene by Ferdinand Georg Waldmüller (1 M€). (SOLD 1.05 M€ before fees).

On May 6, in New York, a Monet is regarded by Christie's as particularly important because of its modern and luminous look. It shows a railway bridge in Argenteuil as painted in 1873. Christie's does not reveal the estimate in its press release but unveiled it to AFP and Bloomberg on the occasion of the Spring Masterpieces Exhibition underway in London until February 27: it is expected 35 M$. (SOLD 41.5 M$ including fees). Also making the trip to London a sculpture by Giacometti (18 M$), (SOLD 27.5 M$ including fees on May 6), a double Marlon by Warhol (25 M$) (SOLD 32.5 M$ including fees on May 13) and Rothko's previously announced (40 M$). (SOLD 50 M$ including fees on May 13).

On March 18, Koller in Zurich sells an animated landscape by Jakob Philipp Hackert, located in the countryside around Capua (118x167 cm, 500 KFS), (SOLD 600 KFS before fees), and an Odessa harbour by Aivazovski (50x76 cm, 500 KFS). (SOLD 1.25 KFS before fees). A beautiful portrait of a young woman by Konstantin E. Makovski (40x27 cm) seems cheap at 150 KFS. (UNSOLD).

On April 8, during the sale of the properties of an American Turf Club, Christie's New York offers a hunter and his horse in a landscape by John E. Ferneley Sr (250 K$).

Very original, inviting to be followed: Bonhams sells a collection of art pieces related to rock and roll in New York on May 14. The major groups have inspired artists including Rick Griffin, whose large painting entitled The Flying Eyeball is a symbol of the psychedelic art (250 K$). (UNSOLD).

ImKinsky in Vienna announce for February 26 some works by Grosz (SOLD a drawing 15 K€), Kirchner (SOLD a drawing 16 K€), Klimt (SOLD a drawing 120 K€), Pechstein (SOLD a drawing 10 K€) and Schiele. (SOLD a painting showing a village 250 K€).
These prices probably do not include fees.

The market for national arts, which I announced as emerging in one of my very first articles last year, extends to all countries. Now the Scandinavians at Sotheby's London on June 10, highlighting prior to the closing of the catalog a painting by the Finnish Helene Schjerfbeck at 500 K£. It is a genre scene showing a young girl lacing her dancing shoe. (SOLD 3 M£ including fees on May 30).

North Africa is still abundant in Paris. The Millon advertising in the Gazette de l'Hotel Drouot announces a tribute sale on April 14 to Roger Bezombes (an artist whose value has increased sharply in recent years), and reproduces an oil on panel 100x170 cm from the artist's own collection. (SOLD 60 K€ before fees).

Wait also the traditional sale of Canadian art by Heffel in Vancouver on May 22, (SOLD 1,15 M Can $ including fees a painting by Tom Thomson) and that of Australian art by Deutscher and Hackett in Melbourne on April 16. (each SOLD 312 KA$ including fees a painting by Tom Roberts et a painting by John Perceval).

And France? A cello calcined by Arman will be sold by Versailles Enchères, a specialist in modern French art, on April 13. So we are to compare the price of this work under plastic (153x103x15 cm) (SOLD 288 K€ before fees) with the work of the Albou sale, a cut cello on board 162x122 cm, sold 300 K € before fees by Artcurial on January 29.

On March 20 in New York, important works of art from India will be sold by Christie's: "The battle of Ganga and Jamuna", inspired by the Mahabharata, is a monumental diptych of Maqbool Fida Husain (600 K$), (SOLD 1.6 M$), a painting by Taieb Mehta is typical of the early modernism in the art of this country (600 K$), (SOLD 657 K$), a strange Vagabond of Ram Kumar, 1956, is reminiscent of distortioned style of Soutine (400 K$). (SOLD 1.16 M$). Two of the most important artists in this category, Francis Newton Souza (SOLD 385 K$) and Syed Haider Raza, (SOLD 361 K$), are represented in this sale by a number of important works. As I said recently, the value of Indian art can explode from one moment to another. In addition, this type of large sale of contemporary art can bring to the fore artists who had played lesser roles.
Prices include fees.

We mention the sale of Japanese and Occidental art of Est-Ouest Auctions of April 4 (including a bucolic meadows by Pissarro, 54x65 cm), (SOLD 145 M yen) announced in advertisements in La Gazette de l'Hotel Drouot

1,400 lots will be sold from 8 to 11 April by Sotheby's in Hong Kong, covering the various categories of Far Eastern art.
The names to keep in mind are:
For modern painting: Liu Xiaodong (a monumental nine pairs of political paintings executed in 2004) (SOLD 62 MHK$) and older, a view of the Forbidden City by Guo Bochuan (30 MHK$), (SOLD 27 MHK$) and scenes and landscapes by Zhang Daqian (4 and 2.5 MHK$) (SOLD 8.4 and 3 MHK$) and Li Keran (3 MHK$). (SOLD 6.15 MHK$).
Among Westerners: Belgian painter Adrien Jean Le Mayeur de Merprès, who is for the Far East a bit like Dinet is to North Africa (1.9 MHK$). (SOLD two paintings 5 and 3 MHK$).
Among a large collection of Vietnamese art: Le Pho (SOLD maximum 2.4 MHK$), Vu Cao Dam (SOLD 2 MHK$) and Mai Trung Thu (SOLD 463 KHK$) are well known in French sales, we will come back to them when the catalog is available.

Tajan is the only French auction house holding regular sales of naive art. Next sale on February 14. Masters of this category on the sidelines of the schools whose moment of glory at auction is not yet in sight, or has already passed (in the case of Bauchant): André Bauchant ("concert antique" at 12 K €) (SOLD 10.8 K€ before fees), Camille Bombois (horses at 12 K €) (UNSOLD), Gertrude O'Brady or better : Brady (a "circus" at 12 K €) (UNSOLD), Aristide Caillaud (blue rocks at € 5 K) (UNSOLD). A small still life with vase by Rousseau is estimated 90 K €. (SOLD 78 K€ before fees)

After citing the major Bacon (SOLD 20 M£) and the Warhol (SOLD 11.4 M£) of the sale at Sotheby's London, Feb. 27, let us mention now a Concetto Spaziale - Fine di Dio by Fontana, 178x123 cm, which is indisputably one of the major pieces of the artist (£ 4 million) (SOLD 10.3 M£). There is also in this sale a Klein, 205x90 cm (£ 1.8 million) (UNSOLD).

Tajan announce for April 16 a painted wooden sculpture by Louise Nevelson. Not only this artist is very rare in French sales, but in addition it is large (2.16 meters tall). In similar dimensions, a more elegant scupture was paid at Sotheby's New York K $ 529 fee included on November 15, 2007. This work was sold at 2.5 times its high estimate, which shows its rarity. Another sculpture sold $ 264 K costs included by Sotheby's New York on May 16, 2007 exploded also its estimation; it was apparently close to that which is coming at Tajan. (Sale delayed to April 29) (UNSOLD)

An Eve with Apple of Maillol in a 58 cm high bronze casted by Alexis Rudier will be sold by Anaf in Lyons on February 11. A work of the same description had been at $ 300 K (without fees?) at Christie's in New York on May 10, 2001. The estimate at Lyons looks low (60 K €). (SOLD 162 K€).

A panorama in oil by Adolphe Bachman, waited in Lille at Mercier for Feb. 10, is interesting by its subject (St. Sophia in the distance beyond the Bosphorus), and its large-format (54x152 cm). Another low estimate: 15 K €. (RESULT not available).

In the maritime sale of Christie's New York on Jan. 30, a single work is represented in the press release but it is a strong composition worthy of note: Night suspect, a painting by Montague Dawson lot 358, 101x127 cm (150 K $). With a different look, but equally troubling, another oil on canvas of the same size by this British painter was sold at K $ 508 fee included in the same place on July 27, 2006; that of this month seems to be very under-rated. (SOLD 241 K$ ; another painting of same artist 229 K$, both premium included).
For the same price (150 K $), a painting by James Edward Buttersworth (52x66 cm, lot 280) is smaller and older. This artist got higher prices for works by more original composition.(UNSOLD)
The very open estimate of a beautiful sunset by William Bradford (120 K $ 180 K $ high estimate, lot 277, 45x76 cm) also leaves hope for overtaking. (SOLD 217 K$ premium included).

It is difficult to predict the price of Orient-Fest, a small figurative oil on canvas (30x58,5 cm) by Paul Klee that Xavier de la Perraudière sells in Saumur on March 29. (SOLD 720 K€ before fees).

By Chayette et Cheval in a general sale on Jan. 30: a painting by Van Dongen (SOLD 335 K€ before fees),
several others by Leger. (SOLD 258, 137 et 122 K€ before fees, the highest of these prices on a 1932 painting from the "Objets dans l'espace" series).
These small-format works are not major but sympathetic. This is the first significant sale of the year at Drouot.

On 20 February, also at Drouot, Ader sells a painting by La Fresnaye representing a female nude (67x52 cm). The estimate is not yet available. This work is reminiscent of O'Conor; in my opinion, it could go to 100 K €. (SOLD 16.4 K€ before fees ; estimate was 8 K€). A curious Schneider was announced by the auction house for April 18. (SOLD 140 K€ before fees).

We have already discussed the Monet to be sold by EVE on March 15 at Drouot-Montaigne. (SOLD 510 K€ before fees). The Vuillard that accompanies it is now visible in the Gazette de l'Hotel Drouot (advertising, No. 1 page 53). The estimate of 300 K € given on the site Drouot Presse for this intimate subject (a child's lunch, 81x102 cm) seems very low, as for Monet. (SOLD 450 K€ before fees). Perhaps it is a habit of this house to rate too low, as they demonstrated in their sale of Russian art on December 19, where prices are fabulous compared with the estimate but not fabulous in relation to the market price.

At the beginning of the year the news from the auction world are rather dormant. It gives me the opportunity to announce three minor artists whose works are regularly presented by quantities: oil paintings by Willy Eisenschitz (SOLD a painting of the Montagne Sainte-Victoire, 73x60 cm, 28 K€ before fees) and pastels by Pierre Deval (no remarkable result) in Dijon on January 27 to be auctioned by Sylvain Gautier, and works by Roland Chanco in Manosque on Feb. 2 by Jennifer Primpied-Rolland.(SOLD 21 K€ before fees : a painting on "Don Quichotte", 162x130 cm)

The modern Greek art wakes up, with significant auction results last year on Rallis, Fassianos, Spyropoulos. Sotheby's is preparing a sale to be held in London on April 17. The rise of Rallis was just confirmed as of 1 January at Honfleur Encheres, where a portrait of very small size (22x16,5 cm) was sold 30.5 K €. It is a sign: Rallis' Orientalist scenes of bigger size will reach great results.

The man who climbs the ladder, Francis Bacon, which we have already pointed out for the painting which will be presented at Sotheby's London in February, is also the star of the sale at Christie's in London on February 6, this time with a triptych relating to a critical period of sentimental life of the artist. (SOLD 26.3 M£ premium included)

For other great masters, Christie's announced a Rothko for its sale of 13 May in New York, at an estimated $ 40 million thus far below the highest price paid for the artist. This time, it is a large size two-colour work. The motive with white center who had earned another Rothko the highest 2007 auction bid at $ 72.8 million including premium was more attractive, at least when comparing the two works in reproduction. But everyone knows that nothing matches actual inspection. (SOLD 50 M$ including fees). It is the policy of Christie's to push towards newcomers when some artists are beginning to become too scarce or too expensive. It is now the case of Adolph Gottlieb, a member of the New York School with Rothko. Christie's announces an important Gottlieb work at $ 2 million. (SOLD 6.5 M$ including fees).

A Portrait of Dora Maar by Picasso will be presented on February 5 at Sotheby's London. Its traceability is interesting : no less than the estate of Heinz Berggruen. Estimated at 6.5 million pounds, it's not a major work of the artist (SOLD 7.4 M£) and we may prefer a group of bathers at 2.5 million pounds. (SOLD 2.9 M£). In the same sale we wait with more curiosity the Grazing Horses by Franz Marc, a superb work at 6 million pounds (61x92 cm). (SOLD 12.3 M£). A portrait of Schokko with hat by Jawlensky was still since its last appearance on sale (Sotheby's New York, December 5, 2003) too much above the usual prices for this artist, and it is demanded even more today, 6.5 million £. (SOLD 9.4 M£). For £ 3 million, a large bronze statue of Moore seems at its fair price. (SOLD 3.7 M£). Other works for which more than 1 million £ are expected are signed by Monet (SOLD 4.2 M£ a winter landscape), Renoir (SOLD "La Loge" 7.4 M£), Kirchner (SOLD 4.8 M£), Sisley (SOLD 2.4 M£), Signac (SOLD 3.1 M£), Giacometti (SOLD a painting 5.6 M£), Redon (SOLD 2 M£), Degas (SOLD a drawing 4.9 M£), Cézanne (SOLD 2.1 M£), Matisse (SOLD a drawing 2.9 M£), Mondrian (SOLD 1.1 M£), Bonnard (SOLD 1.1 M£), Chagall (SOLD 1 M£), Pissarro (SOLD 2,4 M£), Nolde (SOLD 1,6 M£) and Beckmann (SOLD 636 K£).
(SOLD also a painting by Pechstein at 1.9 M£ and a painting by Macke at 1,4 M£)
(all the above prices include premium)


In the Christie's London sale on 23 January, there is a terrible £ 200 K watercolor by Delacroix (25x20 cm) depicting the fight of a lion and a tiger! (SOLD 311 K£ including premium). In the same sale, for £ 80 K, a genre scene of a Polish painter never auctioned in France, Ladislaus von Czachorski.(UNSOLD)

On February 4, in London, Christie's sells 8 works on paper by Schiele. Bloomberg, always well informed, said they are from the estate of a former associate of Ronald Lauder. The top lot of this set is a dramatic female nude seen from back, at 2 million pounds. It seems fair to its price, but one wonders, as for the seven other lots, why Lauder has not purchased them in a private sale. If this auction is not successful, the price for the Vienna school will collapse. (SOLD 2.5 M£ premium included ; five other drawings over 500 K£ : 2.9 M, 2 M, 2 M, 1.7 M and 860 K£, also premium included)


From 4 to 7 February Christie's manages its sales of modern and contemporary paintings in London. In the first announcement for Feb 4: the Wohl collection, with an Ouled Naïl painted by van Dongen and two portraits (a woman and a girl) by Jawlensky. The lower estimate of the van Dongen (2 million pounds hammer price) comes close, in terms of price, of the Laïla from Claude Dray collection (3.3 million €, or about 2.3 million pounds premium included at Christie's Paris on June 9, 2006). The one to be sold now is of similar vintage within two years, but is far less original than its predecessor. Christie's will find it difficult to sell at that price. (SOLD 5.6 M£ premium included). Both Jawlenskys are of good vintage, but show bust portraits, thus they are less interesting than the remarkable figures of the master. They too are expensive (1.7 and 1.8 million pounds).(SOLD respectively 1.6 and 2.9 M£ premium included) In the same session, on February 6, will be presented the Gerhard Richter that we have already discussed. (SOLD 7.3 M£ premium included)Wait for catalogs, Christie's has certainly other important works to be presented in such sales. (SOLD a work by Fontana 6.7 M£ premium included)

Sotheby's is organising its sale of contemporary art in London on February 27, and presents this time Francis Bacon's "Study of a Nude With Figure in a Mirror", a more grotesque nude than that sold recently in Paris. If top buyers are not only interested on the Bacon's world-famous icons such as the Innocent X and Bullfighting sold in New York in 2007, this one could reach similar price as a great Picasso. The high estimate is 25 million pounds, so in the range of the record for a Bacon. (SOLD 20 M£ including fees).

The leading names in German and Austrian paintings will be present in Sotheby's' Feb. 5 sale in London, led by a very colorful Kirchner estimated 1.4 million pounds. (UNSOLD)

I announced in a previous tracking a Monet painting that belonged to Van Dongen. It now just arrived on an advertisement in the Gazette de l'Hotel Drouot No. 45 page 43. It will be sold on March 15 by EVE (Alain Leroy) at Drouot-Montaigne. According to the Press release of Drouot that I picked up on December 12, these Varengeville Pines are estimated at 400 to 500 K €. This medium-sized canvas (65x81cm) was painted in 1882, when Monet was 42 years old.
Both sources currently available to me on this sale did not specify whether it figures in the Wildenstein catalogue.
Compare with other Monet paintings recently sold at auction: a Pins au Cap d'Antibes (1888, 73x92cm) made $ 6.3 million at Christie's on November 11, a Route de Monte Carlo (1883 / 4, 65x80cm) $ 4.7 million on November 6 also at Christie's. For similar style paintings, Monet's views of the Côte d'Azur and of the Seine valley come at higher prices than those of the Caux area, and the views of the coast higher than country and woods, but a path in the Petites-Dalles (1884, 66x82cm) went to $ 2.5 million at Sotheby's on Dec. 11, 2000, and another in Varengeville, with clearer horizont line (1882, 64x81cm), $ 2.2 million on May 10, 2000 at Sotheby's.
The price range announced should send this painting around the 300 th place among auction prices paid for Monet. In this environment there is a small-size wood scenery, less opened but with effects of sun and some character (1878, 55x45cm). Millon sold it on March 19 to 480 K €. There is nothing like this for years for such a low price in New York and London sales.
If the estimate published by Drouot Presse is right, why does this painting come in Paris? The best advice that we can give to the EVE auction house and to Perazzone-Brown specialist office is make proffit of the remaining ten weeks before the sale for an aggressive solicitation among foreign buyers.
(SOLD 510 K€ before fees)

Modern paintings in Honfleur on January 1 (Dupuy) (SOLD a portrait of Coquelin as an artist by Béraud, 84 K€ before fees, and a very small (22x16 cm) portrait of a Greek woman by Rallis 30,5 K€ before fees).
and by Pescheteau-Badin in Paris January 27, (SOLD welded metal artifacts by Richard Stankiewicz, 10 K€ before fees).

In Paris : Taking the opportunity of the Prix d'Amérique, Millon organize an art sale on "trotteur" horses (books, bronzes, prints, paintings, drawings), Jan. 26. This auction house also regularly sells racehorses. (SOLD a big bronze by Du Passage 35 K€ before fees).
Blanchet announced 40 works by Gleizes for January 30, but that presented in their ad in La Gazette is a small paper work. This is an opportunity to check an artist who lost some of his previous poplularity in recent years.(SOLD 29.2 K€ before fees).

Doyle New York organizes an annual sale on dog related art. The next will take place on February 12. (SOLD 193 K$ fees included a painting by Cassius Marcellus Coolidge showing dogs playing poker).

At Drouot Montaigne on March 15, the auction house EVE presents a Monet at 400 K € (SOLD 510 K€ before fees) and a Vuillard at 300 K €. (SOLD 450 K€ before fees). These estimates are low despite a good pedigree, wait and see the works.

Christie's London ad for Feb. 4 a sale on surrealism, familiar subject in French sales but perhaps less common in other countries. Before the consignment deadline, they already announced a typical mixed oil sketch by Picabia of interesting size (165x91 cm). (SOLD 1.4 M£ including premium)

On January 30, Bonhams London organize a South African art sale dominated by two paintings of Irma Stern estimated 300 and 250 K £. The first, a tribal portrait whose format has not yet been announced by the auction house, should be the highest price for the artist, over a less typed portrait.
SOLD: paintings by Irma Stern: three ethnic portraits were sold £ 280, 240 and 230 K, a still life £ 320 K and a scene of grape pickers £ 180 K. These prices are before fees.