Gauguin Flowers to Top $169 Million Sale; Hirst Skull: Art Buzz
By - Jan 7, 2011 4:34 AM MT
"Nature morte a 'L'Esperance'" by Paul Gauguin, is to be included in the auction of 78 Impressionist and modern works at Christie's International in London on Feb. 9. The canvas, painted by Gauguin in Tahiti as a tribute to his friend Vincent van Gogh, is expected to sell for between 7 million pounds and 10 million pounds. Source: Christie's Images via Bloomberg
"For Heaven's Sake", a sculpture by Damien Hirst will be the centerpiece of an exhibition of new paintings and sculptures by Hirst opening at Gagosian’s gallery at 12 Pedder Street on Jan. 18. Source: Hirst Holdings Ltd. via Bloomberg
"For Heaven's Sake", a sculpture by Damien Hirst, will be the centerpiece of an exhibition of new paintings and sculptures by Hirst opening at Gagosian’s gallery at 12 Pedder Street on Jan. 18. Source: Hirst Holdings Ltd. via Bloomberg
A Paul Gauguin still life is the most highly estimated of the works that may raise as much as 109 million pounds ($169 million) at a London auction next month.
The 1901 study of sunflowers in a vase was made in Tahiti as a tribute to Gauguin’s friend Vincent van Gogh. “Nature morte a ‘L’Esperance,’” owned by an unidentified European collector, is estimated at between 7 million pounds and 10 million pounds at Christie’s International’s 78-lot evening sale of Impressionist, modern and Surrealist art on Feb. 9.
The event’s minimum valuation of 73.9 million pounds is the second-highest estimate Christie’s has placed on such a sale in the U.K. capital. Last year, trophy-quality Impressionist and modern pieces made up seven out of the 10 priciest lots at auction. These were led by Pablo Picasso’s 1932 “Nude, Green Leaves and Bust,” which fetched $106.5 million, a record for any artwork in a salesroom, at Christie’s, New York, on May 4.
“Top-quality Impressionist and modern works attract a consensus of buyers,” Giovanna Bertazzoni, director and head of Impressionist and Modern Art, Christie’s London, said. “This is where Chinese, Russian, Middle Eastern, American and European buyers meet. These works aren’t political, they’re easy on the eye and they have a sense of stability.”
Gauguin’s canvas has been shown in more than 20 museum exhibitions, including the artist’s first retrospective, held at the Grand Palais, Paris, in 1906. The work was last seen on the market in 1996, when it failed at Christie’s New York against an estimate of $7 million to $10 million. The collector later acquired the painting via a private treaty sale.
Derain, Braque
Other stand out works in Christie’s February event include Andre Derain’s 1905 Fauvist landscape, “Bateaux a Collioure,” valued at 4 million pounds to 6 million pounds; and Georges Braque’s 1938 still life, “Nature morte a la guitare (rideaux rouge),” estimated at 3.5 million pounds to 5.5 million pounds.
The latter is one of four works in the auction being sold by theArt Institute of Chicago, Christie’s said. The works are being offered to benefit funds for acquisitions, the museum said in an e-mail.
Christie’s equivalent event last year, comprising 85 lots, was estimated at 56.5 million pounds to 80.8 million pounds. It raised 76.8 million pounds.
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