Lot 24, "Le Savuvetage," by Pablo Picasso, oil on canvas, 38 1/4 by 51 1/4 inches, 1932
By
Carter B. Horsley
Lot 7, "Portrait of Marie-Thérèse," by Picasso, oil on canvas, 13 by 9 1/2 inches, 1932
Lot 36, "Nu aux bras levés," by Pablo Picasso, pastel, black chalk and pencil on paper, 9 1/2 by 7 1/2 inches, 1907
Lot 1, "Composition avec femme aux cheveux mi-longs," by Pablo Picasso, oil on panel, 19 1/4 by 25 1/4 inches, 1930
The
May 7, 2014 auction of Impressionist & Modern Art at Sotheby's
New
York is highlighted by numerous excellent works by Pablo
Picasso, great paintings by Pierre-Auguste Renoir, Lyonel
Feininger and Edgar Degas, a fine Henri Matisse, a very good Gino
Severini,and several good works by Joan Miró.
The sale totaled $219,010,001, just over the pre-sale low estimate of $218,000,000. The pre-sale high estimate of $317,950,000. Of the 71 offered lots, only 50, or 70.4 percent sold, whereas the previous night Christie's was able to sell 89 percent.
Simon Shaw and David Norman at post-auction new conference
At
the post-sale news conference, David Norman, co-chair of the
department, said that Asian buyers were quite active and are now
"really a critical part of the market," adding that not only did three
of them bid successfully on major works but they and others were
underbidders on several more.
Auctioneer Henry Wyndham at news conference
The auction was conducted with great confidence, flair and humor by Henry Wyndham, the head of Sotheby's in Europe whose 6-foot-6-and-a-half-inch height enabled him to survey the assembled bidders with aplomb and authority. "The first two-thirds of the sale was exciting and incredible, but the whole auction was long and it's time to run a nice, long bath," he opined. Tobias Mayer, the auction house's former head auctioneer, resigned last fall. Sotheby's has been under considerable pressure from Daniel S. Loeb, a hedge fund manager, over control of its board and the morning of this auction it announced that it has agreed the day before to give him and two allies the board seats they ha been seeking and to let his firm increase its ownership stake to 15 percent.
Lot 24, "Le Sauvetage," is a wonderful oil on canvas by Pablo Picasso (1881-1973) that was painted in 1932. It measures 38 1/4 by 51 1/4 inches. It has a marvelous bright palette, a tremendous sense of movement and rhythm and high spirits. It sold at Sotheby's New York May 6, 2004 for $14,792,000 and at this auction it achieved 31,525,000 including the buyer's premium as do all results mentioned in this article. It was the top lot of the auction and depicts the artist's lover, Marie-Thérèse Walter, being rescued from the sea.
The sale totaled $219,010,001, just over the pre-sale low estimate of $218,000,000. The pre-sale high estimate of $317,950,000. Of the 71 offered lots, only 50, or 70.4 percent sold, whereas the previous night Christie's was able to sell 89 percent.
Simon Shaw and David Norman at post-auction new conference
Auctioneer Henry Wyndham at news conference
The auction was conducted with great confidence, flair and humor by Henry Wyndham, the head of Sotheby's in Europe whose 6-foot-6-and-a-half-inch height enabled him to survey the assembled bidders with aplomb and authority. "The first two-thirds of the sale was exciting and incredible, but the whole auction was long and it's time to run a nice, long bath," he opined. Tobias Mayer, the auction house's former head auctioneer, resigned last fall. Sotheby's has been under considerable pressure from Daniel S. Loeb, a hedge fund manager, over control of its board and the morning of this auction it announced that it has agreed the day before to give him and two allies the board seats they ha been seeking and to let his firm increase its ownership stake to 15 percent.
Lot 24, "Le Sauvetage," is a wonderful oil on canvas by Pablo Picasso (1881-1973) that was painted in 1932. It measures 38 1/4 by 51 1/4 inches. It has a marvelous bright palette, a tremendous sense of movement and rhythm and high spirits. It sold at Sotheby's New York May 6, 2004 for $14,792,000 and at this auction it achieved 31,525,000 including the buyer's premium as do all results mentioned in this article. It was the top lot of the auction and depicts the artist's lover, Marie-Thérèse Walter, being rescued from the sea.
Lot 7, "Portrait of Marie-Thérèse," by Picasso, oil on canvas, 13 by 9 1/2 inches, 1932
Another
1932 Picasso work featuring "Marie Thérèse is Lot 7, a portrait in oil
on canvas that measures 13 by 9 1/2 inches. It is very lovely
and
has an estimate of $3,000,000 to $4,000,000. It sold for
$4,869,000.
Lot 36, "Nu aux bras levés," by Pablo Picasso, pastel, black chalk and pencil on paper, 9 1/2 by 7 1/2 inches, 1907
Lot
36 is a great pastel, black chalk and pencil on paper by Picasso
entitled "Nu aux bras leveés." It measures 9 1/2 by 7 1/2
inches and was painted in 1907. It was formerly in the
collections of Albert Gallatin, George L. K. Morris and Walter P.
Chrysler Jr. It was sold at Sotheby's in New York May 3, 2006
for $800,000. At this auction, it has an estimate of
$1,500,000 to $2,000,000. It
was passed at $1,400,000.
Lot 1, "Composition avec femme aux cheveux mi-longs," by Pablo Picasso, oil on panel, 19 1/4 by 25 1/4 inches, 1930
Lot 1 is a fabulous
black-and-white oil on panel by Picasso entitled "Composition avec
femme aux cheveux mi-longs." It measures 19 1/4 by 25 1/4
inches and was painted in 1930. It has a modest estimate of
$900,000 to $1,200,000. It sold for $2,285,000.
Lot 16, "Guitare, verre, bouteille de Vieux Marc," by Pablo Picasso, oil on canvas, 18 1/8 by 13 1/4 inches, 1912
Lot
16 is an excellent Cubist still life by Picasso entitled "Guitare,
verre, bouteille de Vieux Marc." An oil on canvas,
it
measures 18 1/8 by 13 1/4 inches and was painted in 1912. It
was
formerly in the collections of Arthur B.Davies and Walter Buhl Ford II
of Grosse Point. It sold for Sotheby's NewYork November 2,
2005
for $3,712,000. At
this auction, it sold for $5,373,000.
Lot 40, "Femme assise dans un fauteuil, buste," by Pablo Picasso, oil on canvas, 46 by 29 inches, 1963
Lot
40 is a pleasant oil on canvas by Picasso of a seated woman.
It measures 46 by 29 inches and was painted in 1963.
It has an estimate of $7,000,000 to $9,000,000. It was passed at $6,200,000.
Lot 37, "Tete de Marie-Thérèse," by Pablo Picasso, oil on canvas, 18 1/4 inches square, 1934
Lot
37 is an 18 1/4-inch square portrait of Marie-Thérèse by Picasso.
An oil on canvas, it was painted in 1934. It has an
estimate of $15,000,000 to $20,000,000. It failed to sell and was passed
at $13,000,000.
Lot 14, "La Terrasse d'un café de Montmartre," by Gino Severini, oil on canvas, 18 1/4 by 21 5/8 inches, 1913
Lot
14 is a superb Parisian scene entitled "La Terrasse d'un café de
Montmartre" by Gino Severini (1883-1966). An oil on canvas,
it
measures 18 1/4 by 21 5/8 inches and was painted in 1913. It
has
an estimate of $1,000,000 to $1,500,000. It sold for $1,145,000.
Lot 3, "Danseuse," by Marc Chagall, gouache on paper laid down on board, 12 1/2 by 8 3/4 inches, 1911
Lot 3 is superb gouache on
paper laid down on board by Marc Chagall (1997-1985).
Entitled "Danceuse," it measures 12 1/2 by 8 3/4 inches and
was painted in 1911. It has a modest estimate of $400,000 to
$600,000. It
sold for $785,000.
Lot 28,"Le Point japonais," by Claude Monet, oil on canvas, 35 1/2 by 45 1/4, 1924
Lot
28 is a large oil on canvas by Claude Monet (1840-1926) on the Japanese
bridge in his gardens at Giverny. It measures 35 1/2 by 45
1/4
inches and was painted in 1924. It has an estimate of
$12,000,000
to $18,000,000. It
sold for $15,845,000.
Lot 10,"Sur la falaise à Pourville," by Claude Monet, oil on canvas, 23 3/4 by 32 inches, 1882
Lot
10 is a landscape by Claude Monet entitled "Sur la falaise à
Pourville." An oil on canvas, it measures 23 3/4 by 32 inches
and
was painted in 1882. It is property of the Metrpopolitan Museum of Art
in New York. It has an estimate of $5,000,000 to $7,000,000. It sold for $8,229,000.
Lot 23, "Cathedrale de Rouen," by Claude Monet, oil on canvas, 36 14 by 28 7/8 inches,1892
Lot
23 is "Cathedrale de Rouen," by Monet, part of one of his most
celebrated series. An oil on canvas, it measures 36 1/4 by 28
7/8
inches and was painted in 1892. It is perhaps the sketchiest
and
dullest of the great series. It has an estimate of $2,000,000
to
$3,000,000. It
sold for $3,973,000.
Lot 44, "La Toilette," by Pierre-Auguste Renoir, oil on canvas, 20 1/8 by 14 5/8 inches, 1885
One
of the loveliest works in the auction is Lot 44, "La Toilette," by
Pierre-Auguste Renoir (1841-1919). An oil on canvas, it
measures 20 1/8 by 14 5/8 inches and was painted in 1885. It
has an estimate of $4,000,000 t0 $6,000,000. It sold for only $3,525,000.
Lot 8, "La Séance du matin," by Henri Matisse, oil on canvas, 29 1/8 by 24 inches, 1924
Lot
8 is an excellent scene of a seated woman painting by Henri Matisse
(1869-1954). Entitled "La Séance du matin," it is an oil on
canvas that measures 29 1/8 by 24 inches. It was painted in
1924.
It once belonged to Stephen C. Clark. It has an
estimate of
$20,000,000 to $30,000,000. It sold for $19,205,000.
Lot 47, "La Femme en jaune," by Henri Matisse, oil on canvas, 25 1/4 by 19 7/8 inches, 1923
Another
fine Matisse is Lot 47, "La Femme en jaune." An oil on
canvas, it measures 25 1/4 by 19 7/8 inches and was painted in 1923.
It has an estimate of $9,000,000 to $15,000,000. It sold for $8,565,000/
Lot 49, "La Conversation," by EdgarDegas, pastel on paper laid down on board, 25 5/8 by 19 5/8 inches,1895
Lot
49 is an excellent pastel on paper laid down on board by Edgar Degas
(1834-1917). It is entitled "La Conversation" and measures 25
5/8 by 19 5/8 inches. It was executed in 1895. It
was once owned by Sir Alexander Korda of London and Mr. and Mrs. Lester
Francis Avnet of New York. It has an estimate of $3,500,000
to $5,000,000. It
was passed at $3,400,000.
Lot 22, "Karneval in Gelmeroda II," by Lyonel Feininger, oil on canavas, 27 1/4 by 21 1/2 inches, 1908
Lot
22 is an excellent oil on canvas by Lyonel Feininger (1871-1956)
entitled "Karneval in Gelmeroda II." It measures 27 1/4 by 21
1/2 inches and was painted in 1908. The catalogue entry notes that
"through the pictorial devices of perspective and figural distortions,
as well as eccentricities of color, the artist transformse the
scene into a world where the strange and the familiar are
inextricably bound." It has a modest estimate of $4,000,000 to
$6,000,000. It
was passed at $3,400,000.
Lot 56, "Im Sertigtal (In Sertig Valley)," by Ernst Ludwig Kirchner, oil on canvas, 47 1/4 by 39 3/8 inches, circa 1925
Lot
56, "Im Sertigtal (In Sertig Valley)," is a strong landscape by Ernst
Ludwig Kirchner (1880-1938). An oil on canvas, it measures 47
1/4 by 39 3/8 inches and was painted circa 1925. It has an
estimate of $800,000 to $1,200,000. It
sold for $905,000.
Lot 57, "Femme, Oiseau," by Joan Miró, oil on canvas, 35 by 51 7/8 inches, 1972
Lot
57 is a big abstraction by Joan Miró (1893-1983) entitled "Femme,
Oiseau." An oil on canvas. it measures 35 by 51 7/8 inches
and was painted in 1973. It sold at Sotheby's New York
November 4, 2009 for $4,786,500. At this auction, it was
estimated at $4,000,000 to $6,000,000. It was passed at
$3,600,000.
Lot 34, "Le mangeur de gigot," by Joan Miró, oil on canvas, 32 1/4 by 51 inches, 1966
Lot
34 is an oil on canvas by Miró entitled "Le Mangeur de gigot,'
It measures 32 1/4 by 51 inches and was painted in 1966.
It has an estimate of $2,500,000 to $3,500,000. It sold for $2,741,000.
Lot 19,"Sans Titre," by Joan Miró, oil on canvas, 36 by 47 7/8 inches, 1947
Lot 19 is an untitled oil on
canvas by Joan Miró that measures 36 by 47 7/8 inches and was painted
in 1947. It is related to a large mural the artist did that
year for the Terrace Plaza Hotel in Cincinatti. It has an
estimate of $4.000,000 to $6,000,000 It sold for $8,005,000.
Lot 12, "Femme de Venise V," by Alberto Giacometti, bronze, 43 1/2 inches high, conceived in 1956 and cast in 1958. left; Lot 25, "Atelier 1," by Alberto Giacometti, oil on canvas, 25 3/4 by 18 1/8 inches, 1950, right
Lot
12, "Femme de Venise V," is a 43 1/2-inch-tall bronze by Alberto
Giacometti (1901-1966) that was conceived in 1956 and cast two years
late. It is number 3/6. It has an estimate of
$6,000,000 to $8,000,000. It
sold for $8,789,000.
Lot 25,"Atelier I," is an excellent oil on canvas by Giacometti that measures 25 3/4 by 18 1/8 inches and was painted in 1950. It sold for Christie's in New ork November 6, 2007 for $4,185,000. At this auction, it sold for $3,861,000.
Lot 25,"Atelier I," is an excellent oil on canvas by Giacometti that measures 25 3/4 by 18 1/8 inches and was painted in 1950. It sold for Christie's in New ork November 6, 2007 for $4,185,000. At this auction, it sold for $3,861,000.
Lot 18, "La Place," bronze, by Alberto Giacometti, 24 1/2 inches long, conceived and cast in 1948, numbered 4/6
Lot
18, "La Place," is a 24 1/2-inch-long bronze by Giacometti that was
conceived and cast in 1948 and is number 4/6. The catalogue
notes this work was "Giacometti's first multi-figuralsculpture" and "is
one of the most powerful represtations of psychological
isolation and vulnerability." It was sold at Sotheby's in New
York May 12, 2000 when it had an estimate of $5,000,000 to $7,000,000
and sold for $4,515,750. At this auction, it has an estimate
of $12,000,000 to $18,000,000 and was the cover illustration of the
catalogue. It
sold for $13,045,000.
Lot 61, "Femme assise," by Jacques Lipchitz, marble, 60 inches high, conceived in 1916 and carved in 1971
Lot 61 is a beautiful marble
sculpture by Jacques Lipchitz (1891-1973) entitled 'Femme assise."
It is 60 inches high and was conceived in 1916 and carved
in1971. It has an estimate of $600,000 to $800,000. It sold for $965,000.
Lot 38, "La Dormeuse (Kitzette) 1," by Tamara de Lempica, oil on panel, 12 1/4 by 16 1/8 inches, 1933
Lot 38 is a fine, small oil
on panel by Tamara de Lempica (1898-1980) entitled "La Dormeuse
(Kitzette) 1." It measures 12 1/4 by 16 1/8 inches and was
painted in 1933. The catalogue entry has a photograph of
actress Jean Harlow, but the catalogue entry notes that the model for
this work was the artist's daughter, Kitzette. The painting
is notable for the fabulous and very sculptural hairdo that
Michelangelo would have admired. It has an estimate of
$2,500,000 to $3,500,000 It
sold for $2,741,000.
See The City Review article on the Spring 2014 Impressionist & Modern Art auction at Christie's New York
See The City Review article on the Fall 2013 Impressionist & Modern Art auction at Sotheby's New York
See The City Review article on the Spring 2013 Impressionist & Modern Art auction at Christie's New York
See The City Review article on the Spring 2013 Impressionist & Modern Art evening auction at Sotheby's New York
See
The City Review article on the
Fall 2012 Impressionist & Modern
Art auction at Sotheby's New York
See The
City
Review article on the Fall 2012 Impressionist & Modern Art day
auction at Sotheby's New York
See The
City Review article on the Spring 2012 Impressionist & Modern
Art auction at Sotheby's
See The
City Review article on the Spring 2012 Impressionist & Modern
Art auction at Christie's
See The
City Review article on the Fall 2011 Impressionist & Modern Art
auction at Sotheby's
See The
City Review article on the Fall 2011 Impressionist & Modern Art
auction at Christie's
See The
City Review article on the Spring 2011 Impressionist & Modern
Art auction at Sotheby's
See The
City Review article on the Spring 2011 Impressionist & Modern
Art auction at Christie's
See The
City Review article on the Fall 2010 Impressionist & Modern Art
evening auction at Sotheby's
See The
City Review article on the Fall 2010 Impressionist & Modern Art
evening auction at Christie's
See The
City Review article on the Spring 2010 Impressionist & Modern
Art evening auction at Sotheby's
See The
City Review article on the Spring 2010 Impressionist & Modern
Art evening auction at Christie's
See The
City Review article on the Fall 2009 Impressionist & Modern Art
evening auction at Sotheby's
See The
City Review article on the Fall 2009 Impressionist & Modern Art
evening auction at Christie's
See The City
Review article on the Spring 2009 Impressionist & Modern Art
evening auction at Sotheby's
See The
City Review article on the Spring 2009 Impressionist & Modern
Art evening auction at Christie's
See The
City Review article on the Fall 2008 Impressionist & Modern Art
evening auction at Christie's
See The
City Review article on the Fall 2008 Impressionist & Modern Art
evening auction at Sotheby's
See The City Review article on the Christie's evening sale of Impressionist and Post-Impressionist Art May 8, 2000
See The City Review article on the Christie's evening sale of Twentieth Century Art May 9, 2000