Gerhard Richter, “Abstraktes Bild” 1994
oil on canvas, 225 x 200 cm
Sold for £21.3million at Sotheby’s London, 12th October 2012, Lot 15
We took advantage of the preview in London of highlights from the Sotheby’s New York Impressionist and Contemporary sales and what a treat it was! We were impressed by the huge Richter depicting Domplatz, the main square in Milan, yours for $30-40million! It is quite a remarkable painting. Last time this painting was in an auction was at Sotheby’s London in December 1998, when it was sold for £2.2million against an estimate of £800,000 – £1,200,000. Richter prices in the market have considerably increased recently. His top auction prices were all reached in the last 2 years, with “Abstraktes Bild” from 1998 sold for $34.2million at Sotheby’s London in October 2012, highest price for a Richter. There are also interesting works by Francis Bacon, Ed Ruscha and Christopher Wool, see below for more images.
Then we come to the highlights from the Impressionist/Modern evening sale on 7th of May, with seminal paintings by Paul Cezanne and Amedeo Modigliani. Both paintings come from the collection of Alex & Elisabeth Lewyt, and all proceeds from the sale of their collection will go to a charitable foundation to be established in their name that will support various causes such as animal welfare.
Amadeo Modigliani, “Nu assis sur un divan (La belle romaine)” 1917
Sold for $68.9million at Sotheby’s New York 2nd of November 2010, Lot 7
Amedeo Modigliani’s sensational “L’Amazone” is an early masterpiece by the artist and one of his most arresting images of women (image below). Painted in 1909, it depicts Baroness Marguerite de Hasse de Villers, a glamorous socialite and lover of the younger brother of Modigliani’s patron, Paul Alexandre. In this captivating painting, we see the draftsmanship and exquisite brushwork as announcement of the arrival of a singular talent that Modigliani would explore during the following decade. In the sale it is estimated at $25-35million, which looks inline with the recent auction prices for Modigliani’s strong works, with the auction record set in 2010 at Sotheby’s New York for a nude from 1917 that sold for $68.9million.
“Les Pommes”, painted by Cézanne in 1889-90 (image below), reveals why the artist’s work in the still-life genre is considered among his greatest achievements. Cezanne’s moving compositions, which explore the paradoxes of forms in space, inspired the Cubism of Picasso and Braque and signal the very birth of modern art. For this exquisite example, Sotheby’s put an estimate of $25-35million.
Paul Cezanne, “Rideau, cruchon et compôtier” 1893-94
oil on canvas, 60 x 73 cm
Sold for $60.5million at Sotheby’s New York 10th of May 1999, Lot 23
The record price for a Cezanne at auction is for $60.5million, when a later still life from 1893 to 1894 from the Whitney family collection was sold at Sotheby’s New York in 1999. However after this sale, the painting was resold privately at a loss. Let’s see how much this Cezanne will go for.
Gerhard Richter, “Domplatz, Mailand (Cathedral Square, Milan)” 1968
oil on canvas, 275 x 290 cm
Ed Ruscha, “Baltimore Oriole Securing Freshwater Fish” 1965
oil on canvas, 150 x 140 cm
Estimate $3,000,000 – $5,000,000
From Left to Right:
Gerhard Richter, “Abstraktes Bild” 1988
oil on canvas, 72.4 x 62.3 cm
Estimate $1,500,000 – $2,000,000
Francis Bacon, “Study for Portrait of P.L” 1962
oil on canvas, 198.1 x 144.8 cm
Estimate $30,000,000 – $40,000,000
Mark Rothko, “Untitled”
oil on paper mounted on board, 123.19 x 102.87 cm
Estimate $6,000,000 – 8,000,000
Christopher Wool, “Lazy and Stupid (S72)”
Georges Braque “Paysage a la Ciotat” Signed G. Braque, painted in 1907
oil on canvas, 51 x 62 cm
Estimate $10,000,000 – $15,000,000
General view from the Impressionist/Modern highlights
Paul Cezanne, “Les Pommes” Painted in 1889-90
oil on canvas, 38.5 x 46 cm
Estimate $25,000,000 – $35,000,000
Amadeo Modigliani, “L’Amazone” Painted in 1909
oil on canvas, 92 x 65.6 cm
Estimate $20,000,000 – $30,000,000
