GAUGUIN ‘SUNFLOWER’ MASTERPIECE LEADS CHRISTIE’S AUCTION OF IMPRESSIONIST AND MODERN ART IN FEBRUARY The Impressionist and Modern Art Evening Auction and the sale of The Art of the
Surreal will take place on 9 February 2011 at 7pm with a pre-sale estimate of £73,880,000
to £109,060,000
News-Antique.com - Jan 07,2011 - Public Exhibition: 3 to 9 February 2011
Auction: 9 February 2011 at 7pm
London – The Impressionist and Modern Art Evening Auction and the sale of The Art of the
Surreal will take place on 9 February 2011 at 7pm with a pre-sale estimate of £73,880,000
to £109,060,000 (corresponding estimate in 2010: £56.5 million to £80.8 million). This is
the second highest pre-sale estimate for the February Impressionist sales at Christie’s in
London.
The leading highlight of the sales is Nature morte à “L’Espérance”, an historically important
still life painted by Paul Gauguin (1848-1903) in 1901 while he was living in Tahiti. The
work has been exhibited at over 20 major museum exhibitions including the artist’s first
landmark Retrospective at the Grand Palais, Paris, in 1906. It is expected to realise £7
million to £10 million (illustrated above).
Four works to be sold by the Art Institute of Chicago are led by Nature morte à la guitare
(rideaux rouge) by Georges Braque (1882-1963) (estimate: £3.5 million to £5.5 million).
Giovanna Bertazzoni, Director and Head of Impressionist and Modern Art,
Christie’s London: “2010 was a landmark year for the art market that witnessed record sales and
results. This was driven in a significant way by the demand for rare and market-fresh works of
Impressionist and Modern art which represented 7 of the top 10 prices paid last year at auction, 6 of which
sold for over $50 million. The category continues to engage new collectors from both established and
emerging markets, including China and Russia, and where there is a healthy supply it has been shown that
there is a tremendous demand for the rarest and the best.
This year’s auction at Christie’s in February will offer a significantly high number of impressive works that
have been in private hands for decades, as well as 4 which are offered from the Art Institute of Chicago, all
of which will present rare opportunities for art collectors and institutions.”
Impressionist and Modern Art Evening Sale
The Impressionist and Modern Art Evening Sale will offer 46 lots
with a total pre-sale value of £54,680,000 to £80,960,000. Led
by Nature morte à “L’Espérance”, an historic still life painted by
Paul Gauguin (1848-1903) (estimate: £7 million to £10
million), the auction will also include works by other leading
artists of the field including Claude Monet, Pablo Picasso,
Henri Matisse, Georges Braque, Edgar Degas and Fernand
Léger, among others.
Leading highlights:
* Nature morte à “L’Espérance” by Paul Gauguin (1848-1903) was executed in 1901 and is
one of four paintings of sunflowers painted by the artist in that year as a tribute to his
friend and fellow artistic pioneer Vincent van Gogh (estimate: £7 million to £10 million).
The work was shown at the artist’s first landmark Retrospective in 1906, and has
subsequently featured in over 20 major Museum exhibitions at, among other places,
MOMA, the Metropolitan Museum in New York, the Art Institute of Chicago, Tate
London and the National Gallery of Art in Washington. It
