chez le barbier de Doncières
estimate: €20,000 – €30,000
price realized: €85,000 ($115,930)
The major retrospective just held in Canada and the catalogue raisonne of his work that is in the process of being completed are all major milestones for the Van Dongen and his work. As one would expect, the market has reacted positively to these major milestones as well as the highly desirable provenance and also the connection with author Marcel Proust and his book ‘A la recherche du Temps perdu’. Kees Van Dongen was a highly regarded artist during his career but has been somewhat overlooked since his death. Consequently, Van Dongen is an underrated and undervalued artist whose work is only just starting to receive the recognition that it deserves.
**Nicholas Forrest is an art market analyst, art critic and journalist based in Sydney, Australia. He is the founder of http://www.artmarketblog.com, writes the art column for the magazine Antiques and Collectibles for Pleasure and Profit and contributes to many other publications.
