Sotheby's New York
7 PM, May 18, 2017
Sale 9761
Japanese buyer pays $110,487,500, a record, for a Basquiat
Lot 24, "Untitled," by Jean-Michel Basquiat, acrylic, spray paint and oilstick on canvas, 72 1/8 by 68 1/8 inches, 1982
By
Carter B. Horsley
The May 18, 2017 Contemporary Art Evening Auction at Sotheby's New York is highlighted by several fine works by Basquiat, Richter, Warhol, Lichtenstein, Twombly, Rauschenberg, and Hockney.
It was a very succesful auction with 96 percent of the 50 offered lots selling for $319,000,000 including $110,487,500 paid for a large painting by Jean-Michel Basquiat (1960-1988), a record for the artist at auction and for any American artist, and it was the first work created since 1980 to make more than $100,000,000. It last appeared on the market in 1984 when it sold for $19,000. The auction had a low estimate of $211,000,000. The lot was bought by Yusaku Maezsawa, who last year paid $57,300,000 for a painting of a horned devil at Christie's, which then set a record for the artist. Mr. Maezsawa, who is 41 years old, is the founder of Zozotown, Japan's large online fashion mall, and the Contemporary Art Foundation in his hometown, Chiba, Japan.
Lot 31, "In the wings," by Basquiat, acrylic and oilstick on canvas, 59 by 39 1/4 inches, 1986
Lot 34, "Santo 4," by Jean-Michel Basquiat, acrylic, oilstick and paper collage on canvas mounted on tied wood supports, 36 inches square, 1982
Lot 8, "Nude Sunbathing," by Roy Lichtenstein, oil and magna on canvas, 58 1/8 by 60 inches, 1995
Lot 23, "Woman with a Neck Ribbon," by Roy Lichtenstein, oil and magna on canvas, 60 1/8 by 50 inches, 1978
Lot 6, "Silex Scintillans," by Cy Twombly, three oil, wax crayon, colored pencil and graphite on paper, the largest 58 3/4 52 inches, 1981
Lot 19, "Untitled (Rome)," by Twomby, painted sythetic resin, 26 3/8 inches high, conceived in 1959 and cast in 1985, numbered 2/6
Lot 14, "Abstrates Bild," by Gerhard Richter, oil on canvas, 78 1/4 by 63 inches, 1991
Lot 38, "Grat (5)," by Richter, oil on canvas, 24 1/2 by 32 1/4 inches, 1989
Detail of Lot 38
Lot 36, "No Room at the End," by Joan Mitchell, oil on canvas in two parts, 110 by 141 3/4 inches overall, 1977
Lot 38, "Untitled," by Joan Mitchell, oil on canvas in two parts, 51 by76 3/8 inches, 1992
Lot 18, "Rigger," by Robert Rauschenberg, oil, metal, rope, wood, plastic buttons, paper, graphite and sand on canvas, 102 by 60 by 10 1/2 inches, 1961
Lot 17, "Gesticuleur," by Jean Dubuffet, oil, enamel, sand, pebbles and resin on canvas, 28 3/4 by 23 5/8 inches, 1946
Lot 11, "Cigar," by Philip Guston, oil on canvas, 52 by 60 1/2 inches, 1969
The May 18, 2017 Contemporary Art Evening Auction at Sotheby's New York is highlighted by several fine works by Basquiat, Richter, Warhol, Lichtenstein, Twombly, Rauschenberg, and Hockney.
It was a very succesful auction with 96 percent of the 50 offered lots selling for $319,000,000 including $110,487,500 paid for a large painting by Jean-Michel Basquiat (1960-1988), a record for the artist at auction and for any American artist, and it was the first work created since 1980 to make more than $100,000,000. It last appeared on the market in 1984 when it sold for $19,000. The auction had a low estimate of $211,000,000. The lot was bought by Yusaku Maezsawa, who last year paid $57,300,000 for a painting of a horned devil at Christie's, which then set a record for the artist. Mr. Maezsawa, who is 41 years old, is the founder of Zozotown, Japan's large online fashion mall, and the Contemporary Art Foundation in his hometown, Chiba, Japan.
Lot 31, "In the wings," by Basquiat, acrylic and oilstick on canvas, 59 by 39 1/4 inches, 1986
The
auction had several other Basquiats.
Lot 31 is a strong acrylic and oilstick on canvas entitled "In the wings" that measures 59 by 39 1/4 inches and was painted in 1986. The work is part of the artist's series on jazz legends, in this case, Lester Young, the saxophonist. The lot has an estimate of $5,000,000 to $7,000,000. It sold for $5,975,000.
Lot 31 is a strong acrylic and oilstick on canvas entitled "In the wings" that measures 59 by 39 1/4 inches and was painted in 1986. The work is part of the artist's series on jazz legends, in this case, Lester Young, the saxophonist. The lot has an estimate of $5,000,000 to $7,000,000. It sold for $5,975,000.
Lot 34, "Santo 4," by Jean-Michel Basquiat, acrylic, oilstick and paper collage on canvas mounted on tied wood supports, 36 inches square, 1982
Lot
4 is another work by Basquiat, entitled "Santo 4." An acrylic,
oilstick and paper collage on canvas, it is mounted on tied wood
supports and is 36 inches square. It was created in 1982.
It has an estimate of $1,800,000 to $2,500,000. It sold for $4,062,500.
Lot 8, "Nude Sunbathing," by Roy Lichtenstein, oil and magna on canvas, 58 1/8 by 60 inches, 1995
No. 8, "Nude Sunbathing," by Roy
Lichtenstein (1923-1997), is an oil and magna on canvas that measures
58 1/8 by 60 inches and was painted in 1995. According to the
catalogue entry, it is "a beguiling mixture of iconic familiarity and
inaccessible perfection, Nude Sunbathing marks Lichtenstein's ultimate
final reunion with his signature blondes." It has an estimate on
request. It sold for
$24,000,000.
Lot 23, "Woman with a Neck Ribbon," by Roy Lichtenstein, oil and magna on canvas, 60 1/8 by 50 inches, 1978
Lot
23, "Woman with a Neck Ribbon," is a strong abstraction by
Lichtensten. An oil and magna on canvas, it measures 60 1/8 by 50
inches and was painted in 1978, It has an estimate of $3,000,000
to $4,000,000. It sold for
$5,187,500.
Lot 6, "Silex Scintillans," by Cy Twombly, three oil, wax crayon, colored pencil and graphite on paper, the largest 58 3/4 52 inches, 1981
Lot
6 is a triptych on paper by Cy Twombly 1928-2011) entitled "Silex
Scintillans." The largest is 58 3/4 by 50 inches and the lot was
created in 1981.
The catalogue entry provides the following commentary:
"An effulgent tempest of inspired visual lyricism and explosive gestural bravura..., [it] powerfully articulates the full force of Twombly's extraordinary abstract lexicon. Titled after and inspired by Welsh poet Henry Vaughan's text Silex Scintillans, a body of devotional poetry published in 1650, Silex Scintillans exemplifies the increasingly romantic, pastoral sensibilitiy of Twomby's output in the early 1980s. While the artist's overall oeuvre is defined by the remarkable reconciliation of text, gesture, and form, the concomitance of these signifiers in the scarlet and pastel hues of Silex Scintallans achieves an unprecedented level of visual poetry."
Fine writing, of course, but balderdash! It ain't beautiful!
The lot has an estimate of $5,000,000 to $7,000,000. It sold for $8,337,500.
The catalogue entry provides the following commentary:
"An effulgent tempest of inspired visual lyricism and explosive gestural bravura..., [it] powerfully articulates the full force of Twombly's extraordinary abstract lexicon. Titled after and inspired by Welsh poet Henry Vaughan's text Silex Scintillans, a body of devotional poetry published in 1650, Silex Scintillans exemplifies the increasingly romantic, pastoral sensibilitiy of Twomby's output in the early 1980s. While the artist's overall oeuvre is defined by the remarkable reconciliation of text, gesture, and form, the concomitance of these signifiers in the scarlet and pastel hues of Silex Scintallans achieves an unprecedented level of visual poetry."
Fine writing, of course, but balderdash! It ain't beautiful!
The lot has an estimate of $5,000,000 to $7,000,000. It sold for $8,337,500.
Lot 19, "Untitled (Rome)," by Twomby, painted sythetic resin, 26 3/8 inches high, conceived in 1959 and cast in 1985, numbered 2/6
Lot 19 is a synthetic painted resin
sculpture by Twombly that was conceived in 1959 as a wood sculpture and
cast in 1985. Entitled "Untitled (Rome)," it is numbered 2/6 and
is 26 3/8 inches high. It has been widely exhibited. It has
an estimate of $2,000,000 to $3,000,000. It sold for $3,950,000.
Lot 14, "Abstrates Bild," by Gerhard Richter, oil on canvas, 78 1/4 by 63 inches, 1991
Lot 14 is a good abstraction by Gerhard
Richter (b. 1932)(see The City Review article
on the artist) that is an oil on canvas that measures 78 1/4 by 63
inches. It was painted in 1991. It has an estimate of
$12,000,000 to $18,000,000. It
sold for $15,425,000.
Lot 38, "Grat (5)," by Richter, oil on canvas, 24 1/2 by 32 1/4 inches, 1989
Lot
38 is a much smaller and much better painting by Richter entitled "Grat
(5)." An oil on canvas, it measures 24 1/2 by 32 1/4 inches and
was painted in 1989.
Detail of Lot 38
The catalogue entry observes that
"Through its seductive abstract topography and jewel-like scale, the
present work...crystallizes the idea that for Richter, photograph,
landscape, and abstraction can meld seamlessly together."
It has a modest estimate of $2,000,000 to $3,000,000. It sold for $2,892,500.
It has a modest estimate of $2,000,000 to $3,000,000. It sold for $2,892,500.
Lot 36, "No Room at the End," by Joan Mitchell, oil on canvas in two parts, 110 by 141 3/4 inches overall, 1977
Lot 36, "No Room at the End" is a
two-part oil on canvas by Joan Mitchell (1925-1992). It measures
110 by 141 3/4 inches overall and was painted in 1977. It was
formerly owned by Graham Gund of Cambridge, Mass., and Edward Minskoff
of New York. It has an estimate of $3,500,000 to $5,000,000. It failed to sell.
Lot 38, "Untitled," by Joan Mitchell, oil on canvas in two parts, 51 by76 3/8 inches, 1992
A smaller and
less impressive oil on canvas in two parts by Mitchell is Lot 38.
It is untitled and measures 51 by 76 3/8 inches. It was painted
in 1992. It has an estimate of $1,800,000 to $2,500,000. It sold for $2,052,500.
Lot 18, "Rigger," by Robert Rauschenberg, oil, metal, rope, wood, plastic buttons, paper, graphite and sand on canvas, 102 by 60 by 10 1/2 inches, 1961
Lot
18 is a large oil, metal, rope, wood, plastic buttons, paper, graphite
and sand on canvas work by Robert Rauschenberg (1928-2008) entitled
"Rigger." It measures 102 by 60 by 10 1/2 inches and was created
in 1961. The artist is the subject of a major exhibition this
month at the Museum of Modern Art in New York. The lot is from
the artist's Combine series and has beenb widely exhibited. It
has an estimate of $8,000,000 to $12,000,000. It sold for $12,275,000.
Lot 17, "Gesticuleur," by Jean Dubuffet, oil, enamel, sand, pebbles and resin on canvas, 28 3/4 by 23 5/8 inches, 1946
Lot
17 is a good work by Jean Dubuffet (1901-1985) entitled
"Gesticuleur." An oil, enamel, sand, pebbles and resin on canvas,
it measures 28 3/4 by 23 5/8 inches and was created in 1946. It
was once owned by Hans Hofmann. It has an estimate of $1,500,000
to $2,000,000. It sold for
$5,412,500.
Lot 5, "Untitled," by Rudolf Stingel, electroformed copper, plated nickel and gold, in six parts, 94 1/2 by 141 3/4 by 1 1/2 inches overall, 2012
Lot 5, "Untitled," by Rudolf Stingel, electroformed copper, plated nickel and gold, in six parts, 94 1/2 by 141 3/4 by 1 1/2 inches overall, 2012
Lot 5 is an untitled work by
Rudolf Stingel (b. 1956) that was created in 2012 and measures 94 1/2
by 141 3/4 by 1 1/2 inches. It is electroformed copper, plated
nickel and gold in six parts. It has an estimate of $5,000,000 to
$7,000,000. It sold for
$6,875,000, a record for mixed media by the artist at auction.
Lot 11, "Cigar," by Philip Guston, oil on canvas, 52 by 60 1/2 inches, 1969
Lot
11, "Cigar," is a very good oil on canvas by Philip Guston
(1913-1980). It measures 52 by 60 1/2 inches and was painted in
1969. It has an estimate of $4,000,000 to $6,000,000. It
sold for $6,537,500.
Lot 4, "Untitled (Face 41.05)," by Mark Grotjahn, oil on cardboard mounted on canvas, 50 by 39 5/8 inches, 2010
Lot 4, "Untitled (Face 41.05)," by Mark Grotjahn, oil on cardboard mounted on canvas, 50 by 39 5/8 inches, 2010
Lot 4 is a large oil on
cardboard mounted on canvas by Mark Grotjahn (b.1968) that measures 50
by 39 5/8 inches. It was painted in 2010 and is entitled
"Untitled (Face 41.05)." It has an estimate of $6,000,000 to
$8,000,000. It sold for
$6,987,500.
See The City Review article on the Fall 2015 Contemporary Art evening auction at Christie's New York
See The City Review article on the Fall 2015 Contemporary Art evening auction at Sotheby's New York
See The City Review article on the Spring 2015 Contemporary Art evening auction at Christie's New York
See The City Review article on the Spring 2015 Looking Forward to The Past auction at Christie's New York
See The City Review article on the Spring 2015 Impressionist and Modern Art auction at Sotheby's New York
See The City Review article on the Looking Forward to the Past auction May 11, 2015 at Christie's New York
See The City Review article on the Fall 2014 Impressionist & Modern Art auction at Christie's New York
See The City Review article on the Spring 2014 Impressionist & Modern Art auction at Sotheby's New York
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