Oskar Kokoschka, Anxious Landscape Painter

[Pierre Tavlitzki]

Expressionism is a translation of anxiety, and Kokoschka is one of the most famous artists of this trend. His nervous and swirling line makes strange and hostile the landscapes of major cities. He was a sort of Soutine of topographic cityscapes, and felt that his art is political.

He likes big cities and their animation. In 1957, he painted the harbour of Chelsea in London. The horizon is very rounded, and the vessels are oriented in all directions, ready to face. The sky and the river are interspersed with spots of color that leave no gap.

On 4 February 2008 in Prague, the auction house 1.Art Consulting was selling this oil on canvas, 75 x 100 cm, at 17.5 million CZK excluding fees. The Czech press happily indicated that it was the highest hammer price recorded in an art auction sale in that country.

I have not found any difference between this work and the one that will be for sale by Bonhams in London on June 23. It is certainly the same, although the catalog does not provide such information: it is hard to imagine that the nervous brush stroke of the artist could produce an exact copy of one of his paintings. After all, selling in London, first art place in the world in 2008, a painting that shows that city is quite logical.

It is estimated £ 700 K, i.e. K £ 130 more than the price reached in Prague.

[Pierre Tavlitzki]

Unsold. If we had yet to prove that the globalization of the art market is over, here is a good example. Before the web, between two equal lots, one that was presented in London or New York was heavily favored. This encouraged speculation.

Today, the price of an item at auction is a good metrics of its cultural significance, whatever the place of sale. This remark justifies and facilitates the cultural work which is done on this network.