Art/Auctions: Impressionist and Modern Art at Christie's New York May 8, 2013

Impressionist and Modern Art

Sotheby's New York

7 P.M., May 7, 2013

Sale 8987

Auction Mural of Cezanne fruit

Lot 7, "Les Pommes," by Paul Cézanne, oil on canvas, 15 1/8 by 18 1/8 inches, 1889-1890

By Carter B. Horsley

The Impressionist & Modern Art evening auction May 7, 2013 at Sotheby's New York is highlighted by some major works by Paul Cézanne (1839-1906), Pablo Picasso (1881-1973), Amedeo Modigliani (1884-1920), Georges Braque (1882-1963), André Derain (1880-1954), Berthe Morisot (1841-1895), and Pierre Bonnard (1867-1947).

The cover illustration of the catalogue is Lot 7, "Les Pommes," by Paul Cézanne. It is an oil on canvas that measures 15 1/8 by 18 1/8 inches and was executed in 1889-1890. A huge mural of the small painting was displayed in the auction gallery at Sotheby's on the night of the auction.

Lot 7, "Les Pommes," by Paul Cézanne, oil on canvas, 15 1/8 by 18 1/8 inches, 1889-1890

The painting has an estimate of $25,000,000 to $35,000,000 and was the highlight of the large collection of Alex and Elisabeth Lewyt consigned to the auction. Mr. Lewyt (1908-1988) invented the clip-on bow-tie and a vacuum cleaner with no dust bag that was designed to operate without distorting television and radio reception The catalogue notes that "according to Joachim Gasquet, Cézanne once claimed to overhear conversations between the fruit he was painting, and approached each item in a group as he would a human portrait."

Tobias Meyer auctioning off the Cézanne painting

The painting sold for $41,605,000, a very healthy price considering the painting's small size and simple composition. In an interview after the auction, Simon Shaw, the head of Sotheby's Impressionist Department told The City Review that the artist intentionally made the composition a bit askew to stress its monumentality.

Simon Shaw and David Norman after the auction

After the auction, Simon Shaw of David Norman of Sotheby's discuss the Cezanne

Mr. Shaw said that the auction sold 60 of the 71 offered lots, a quite respectable 84.5 percent, for $230,040,000, very close to the pre-sale estimate of $235,100,000. The auction, he continued, indicated that Impressionist works are doing very well indeed with a global audience. He said that bidder at the auction came from 35 countries with the strongest representation yet of Asian buyers and a strong showing from Latin American buyers.

Lot 11, "Pommes et Poires," by Paul Cézanne, watercolor and pencil, 8 1/2 by 12 5/8 inches, 1882-5

Also from the Lewyt consignment is another Cézanne, a very beautful watercolor and pencil of apples and pears that is dated to 1882-5. It measures 8 1/2 by 12 5/8 inches. It has been widely published and exhibited. It has a very modest estimate of $400,000 to $600,000. It sold for $1,565,00.

Lot 23, "Paysage à La Ciotat," by Georges Braque, oil on canvas, 20 1/8 by 24 5/8 inches, 1907

The most striking and beautiful work in the auction is Lot 23, "Paysage à La Ciotat," by Georges Braque. An oil on canvas, it measures 20 1/8 by 24 5/8 inches and was painted in 1907. It is a classic Fauve landscape. It has an estimate of $10,000,000 to $15,000,000.

Detail of Lot 23

It has an estimate of $10,000,000 to $15,000,000. It sold for $15,845,000.

Lot 2, "Le Modèle," by André Derain, oil on voard laid down on cradled panel, 17 1/8 by 19 7/8 inches, circa 1904

Another Fauve work is Lot 2, "Le Modèle," by André Derain, an oil on board laid downon cradled panel. It is 17 1/8 by 19 7/8 inches and was painted circa 1904. It is part of the Lewyt consignment and has been exhibited at the Museum of Modern Art in New York. The catalogue entry notes that "The warm, vivid coloration of the model and the objects occupying the interior of the artist's studio anticipates the Fauve revolution tahtt was soon to change the course of 20th Century Art. It has a very modest estimateof $400,000 to $600,000. It sold for $665,000.

Detail of Lot 2

It has a very modest estimate of $400,000 to $600,000. It sold for $665,000.

Lot 12, "L'Amazone," by Amedeo Modigliani, oil on canvas, 36 1/4 by 25 3/4 inches, 1909

Lot 12 is a very striking painting of a woman wearing a hat, gloves and a jacket with a withering gaze at the viewer by Amedeo Modigliani. It is entitled "L'Amazone" and is an oil on canvas that measures 36 1/4 by 25 3/4 inches and was painted in 1909. It is part of Lewyt consignment and has been widely exhibited and published. The catalogue entry notes that the subject of the painting is Baroness Marguerite de Hasse de Villers, a glamorous socialite and the lover of Paul Alexander's younger brother Jean, who commissioned this portrait of his girlfriend" The entry added that "A femme fatale to rival hi smost revealing nudes "L'Amazone reveals Modigliani's deeply passionate artistic version." It has an estimate of $20,000,000 to $30,000,000. It sold for $25,925,000.

Lot 8, "Femme à L'Eventail," by Berthe Morisot, oil on canvas, 24 3/8 by 20 1/2 inches, 1876

Lot 8 is a fine oil on canvas by Berthe Morisot entitled "Femme à L'Eventail." It measures 24 3/8 by 20 1/2 inches and was painted in 1876. It is from the Lewyt consignment. Morisot's painterly technique is among the most dazzling of all Impressionists for her sketchy and loose brushwork. The lot has been widely exhibited and published. It has an estimate of $2,500,000 to $3,500,000. It sold for $4,365,000.

Lot 17, "Matinée d'Automne (La Grande Vue de Vernon)," by Pierre Bonnard, oil on canvas 42 5/8 by 51 5/8 inches, circa 1922

Lot 17 is a very impressive large and complex landscape by Pierre Bonnard entitled "Matinée d'Automne (La Grande Vue de Vernon). An oil on canvas, it measures 42 5/8 by 51 5/8 inches and was executed circa 1922. It is also part of the Lewyt consignment. It has been widely exhibited and published.

Detail of Lot 17

It has an estimate of $1,800,000 to $2,500,000. It sold for $1,445,000.

Lot 54, 'Danseuse en pied vue de dos," by Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, oil on board, 26 3/4 by 20 1/4 inches, 1890

Lot 54 is a nice oil of board of the back of a dancer by Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec (1864-1901). It measures 26 3/4 by 20 1/4 inches and was painted in 1890.

Detail of Lot 54

It has an estimate of $2,000,000 to $3,000,000. It sold for $3,413,000.

Lot 53, "Femme au chapeau," by Henri Matisse, oil on canvas, 15 3/8 by 22 inches, 1919

Lot 53 is a pleasant oil on canvas by Henri Matisse (1869-1954) entitled "Femme au chapeau." It measures 15 3/8 by 22 inches and was painted in 1919. It has an estimate of $3,500,000 to $5,000,000. It sold for $5,529,000.

Lot 48, "LaCité, Paris," by Paul Signac, oil on canvas, 23 3/8 by 28 3/4 inches, 1934

Lot 48 is an excellent oil on canvas by Paul Signac (1863-1935), entitled "La Cité, Paris." It measures 23 3/8 by 28 3/4 inches and was painted in 1934. It has an estimate of $3,000,000 to $4,000,000. It sold for $3,143,000.

Lot 33, "Trois Femmes à La Table Rouge," by Fernard Léger, oil on canvas, 21 1/2 by 32 inches, 1921

Lot 33, "Trois Femmes à La Table Rouge," is an oil on canvas by Fernand Léger (1881-1955). It measures 21 1/2 by 32 inches and was painted in 1921. It was consigned by Madonna to benefit The Ray of Light Foundation in support of Girls' Education Projects. It has an estimate of $5,000,000 to $7,000,000. It sold for $7,165,000.

Lot 42, "Les Avocats - Le Parquet des Avocats," by Honoré Daumier, pen and ink, watercolor and gouache on paper, 23.5 by 31.5 centimeters, early 1860s

Lot 42 is an excellent pen,ink, watercolor and gouache on paper by Honoré Daumier (1810-1879) of lawyers. It was created in the early 1860s and measures 23.5 by 31.5 centimeters. It was once in the collection of John Nicholas Brown of Providence and John T. Dorrance Jr. of New York. It has a modest estimate of $600,000 to $800,000. It sold for $2,629,000.

Simon Shaw discussing Rodin's Gates of Hell at exhibition

Simon Shaw of Sotheby's, left, extolling the virtues of "Gates of Hell" with the artist's "Thinker," in the background, Lot 45, "Le Penseur, Taille de la Porte dit moyen modéle," by Auguste Rodin (1840-1917), 28 1/8 inches high, conceived in 1880 and cast in 1906

Lot 45 is a bronze version of "The Thinker" by Auguste Rodin (1840-1917) that was conceived in 1880 and cast in 1906. It is 28 1/8 inches high. It was acuired from the artist in 1906 by Ralph Pulizer and was later owned by William S. Paley of New York. Rodin had conceived the figure to crown the tympanum of his remarkable and very great "Gates of Hell" in 1880. The lot has a modest estimate of $8,000,000 to $12,000,000. It sold for $15,285,000.

Lot 30, "Peinture," by Joan Miró, oil on canvas 6 1/4 by 8 5/8 inches, 1927

Lot 30 is a "dream" painting by Joan Miró (1893-1983) that is an oil on canvas that measures 6 1/4 by 8 5/8 inches. It was painted in 1927 and was once in the collection of Walter Bareiss and Charles R. Bronfman. It has an estimate of $750,000 to $1,000,000. It sold for $1,865,000.

Lot 31, "Sylvette," by Pablo Picasso, painted metal, 27 1/2 inches high, 1954, front shown at the left and rear shown at the right

Lot 31 is a very lovely painted metal sculpture by Pablo Picasso that is 27 1/2 inches high. It was executed in 1954 and is entitled "Sylvette." The catalogue notes that of the four metal sculptures of Sylvette this is perhaps "Picasso's most complex work devoted to his elusive model," adding that it "among his most powerful interpretation of the human face." Picasso would in 1968 create a monumental public sculpture of Sylvette that is installed in the plaza of University Towers just to the north of Houston Street in Greenwich Village. This lot has an estimate of $12,000,000 to $18,000,000. It sold for $13,605,000.

Lot 59, "Eglogue en Provence, Un Couple d'Amoureux," by Vincent van Gogh, oil on canvas, 12 3/4 by 9 inches, 1888

Lot 59 is a small but charming oil on canvas of a man and woman strolling romantically in Provence by Vincent van Gogh (1853-1890). It measures 12 3/4 by 9 inches and was painted in 1888. It has been widely published. It has an estimate of $5,000,000 to $7,000,000. It sold for $7,109,000.

Lot 26, "Arlequin," by Georges Roualt, oil on paper laid down on canvas, 24 3/4 by 17 3/4 inches, ccirca 1956

Lot 26 is a very strong painting of the head of a harlequin by Georges Roualt (1871-1958). An oil on paper laid down on canvas, it measures 24 3/4 by 17 3/4 inches and was executed circa 1956. It is property from the estate of Gregory and Veronique Peck. It has a modest estimate of $500,000 to $700,000. It sold for $785,000.

Lot 19, "Eva," by Chaim Soutine, oil on canvas, 25 3/8 by 21 1/4 inches, 1928

Lot 19 is a simple but powerful portrait of "Eva" by Chaim Soutine (1893-1943). An oil on canvas, it measures 25 3/8 by 21 1/4 inches and was painted in 1928. It has a modest estimate of $500,000 to $700,000. It sold for $1,805,000.

Lot 10, "Vase d'Anémones," by Odilon Redon, pastel on paper, 28 3/4 by 21 1/8 inches

Lot 10 is a pleasant pastel on paper of a vase of anemones by Odilon Redon (1840-1915). It measures 28 3/4 by 21 1/8 inches It has an estimate of $1,200,000 to $1,800,000. It failed to sell.

Some attendees at the auction were often distracted by a man in a grey suit who constantly got up from his seat and wandered about. A member of the press said that the stocky man was a dealer from Canada.

See The City Review article on the Sotheby's evening auction May 10, 2000 of Impressionist & Modern Art

See The City Review article on the May 11, 2000 auction at Sotheby's of Impressionist & Modern Art, Part 2

See The City Review article on the Sotheby's Impressionist & Modern Art Auction, Part I, Nov. 11, 1999

See The City Review article on Part Two of the Sotheby's auction November 11, 1999 of Impressionist & Modern Art

See The City Review article on the Christie's Nov. 8, 1999 evening sale of Impressionist & Post Impressionist Art

See The City Review article on the morning auction Nov. 9, 1999 of Impressionist and Post-Impressionist Art at Christie's

See The City Review article on the afternoon auction Nov. 9, 1999 of Impressionist and Twentieth Century Works on Paper at Christie's

See The City Review article on the Christie's Nov. 9, 1999 evening auction of Twentieth Century Art

See The City Review article on the Christie's Nov. 10, 1999 day auction of Twentieth Century Art

See The City Review analysis of Part 1 of the Sotheby's auction May 11, 1999 of Impressionist and Modern Art

See The City Review analysis of Part 2 of the Sotheby's May 12, 1999 auction of Impressionist and Modern Art

See The City Review article on the Christie's May 12, 1999 auction of Impressionist Art and 19th Century Art

See The City Review of the Christie's May 13, 1999 auction of 20th Century and Modern Art

Recap of the Spring 1998 Impressionist and Modern Auctions

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