Wassily Kandinsky, “Studie zu Improvisation 3,” 1909, Oil and gouache on cardboard in the artist’s painted frame

Titled “Studie zu Improvisation 3,” the 1909 painting is an early manifestation of the “Improvisations” series, in which the artist transformed the visual world into mesmerizing configurations of color and shape. Or, as Christies states in a press release, “they are among the first paintings in the history of art to mark the deliberate freeing of form and colour from their conventional pictorial duties towards the creation of non-material, non-objective and abstract art of the spirit.”

Using his signature candy-colored paint palette, Kandinsky depicts a knight on horseback, a symbol of both the power of the human spirit and the lone artist in his quest. With intense hues and liberated brushstrokes he simultaneously creates a landscape and an abstract meditation on painting itself. The going rate for such a feat? Christie’s expects the work to sell for $18-25 million when it hits the auction block on June 18 in London.

In 2012 a Kandinsky from the same series, “Studie fur Improvisation 8,” went for $23 million; only time will tell if the expressionist’s work has kept its allure. Would you pay a cool $25 million for some of Kandinsky’s early improv? Let us know in the comments and check out a slideshow of last year’s highest selling works below.

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• Wassily Kandinsky’s “Study for Improvisation 8″ – $23 million

  ARTIST: Russian abstract painter, Wassily Kandinsky (1866-1944)
  ARTWORK: Oil painting of religious pilgrims in Kiev painted in 1909.
  AUCTION: a href=”http://www.christies.com/lotfinder/paintings/wassily-kandinsky-studie-fur-improvisation-8-5615597-details.aspx”Christie’s Impressionist and Modern Art Sale/a (November 2012)
  PRICE: $23,042,500

  For more on the Kandinsky painting, check out our a href=”http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/08/30/oil-painting-by-russian-a_n_1840215.html”original article here/a.

• Jean-Michel Basquiat’s “Untitled” – $26.4 million

  ARTIST: New York-bred graffiti-turned-gallery painter, Jean-Michel Basquiat (1960-1988).
  ARTWORK: A large, colorful acrylic and oil stick on canvas work depicting a skeletal fisherman yielding his loot, created in 1981.
  AUCTION: a href=”http://www.christies.com/LotFinder/lot_details.aspx?intObjectID=5621952″Christie’s Post-War and Contemporary Art Sale/a (November 2012)
  PRICE: $26,402,500

  for more on Basquiat’s painting, check out our a href=”http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/09/19/jean-michel-basquiat-pois_n_1896428.html”original article here/a.

• Francis Bacon’s “Untitled (Pope)” – $29.8 million

  ARTIST: British figurative painter, Francis Bacon (1909-1992).
  ARTWORK: One of Bacon’s “Pope” paintings, which depict the Bishop of Rome sitting atop his papal throne with his mouth agape, seemingly writhing in a fit of terror. Created circa 1954.
  AUCTION: a href=”http://www.sothebys.com/en/auctions/ecatalogue/2012/contemporary-art-evening-auction-n08900/lot.26.html”Sotheby’s Contemporary Art Evening Sale/a (November 2012)
  PRICE: $29,762,500

  For more on Bacon’s “Pope” check out our a href=”http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/09/28/francis-bacons-acclaimed-_n_1923279.html”original article here/a.

• Henry Moore’s “Reclining Figure: Festival” – $30.1 million

  ARTIST: British sculptor, Henry Moore (1898-1986).
  ARTWORK: A 6-foot-long bronze sculpture depicting a laid-back female figure resting on one elbow, created in 1951.
  AUCTION: a href=”http://www.christies.com/in-the-saleroom-henry-moore-reclining-figure-festi-2114-3.aspx”Christie’s Impressionist / Modern Art Evening Sale/a (February 2012)
  PRICE: £19,081,250 (approximately $30.1 million)

  IMAGE: A gallery assistant at Christie’s auction house admires a sculpture by Henry Moore entitled ‘Reclining Figure: Festival’ on February 2, 2012 in London, England. (Photo by Oli Scarff/Getty Images)

• Jeff Koons’ “Tulips” – $33.7 million

  ARTIST: American neo-pop artist and “Balloon Dog” extraordinaire, Jeff Koons (1955-present).
  ARTWORK: A large-scale, mirror-polished stainless steel sculpture with transparent color coating created between 1995 and 2004.
  AUCTION: a href=”http://www.christies.com/lotfinder/sculptures-statues-figures/jeff-koons-tulips-5621948-details.aspx?intObjectID=5621948″Christie’s Post-War and Contemporary Art Sale/a (November 2012)
  PRICE: $33,682,500

• Gerhard Richter’s “Abstraktes Bild” – $34.2 million

  ARTIST: Abstract and photorealist painter Gerhard Richter (1932-present).
  ARTWORK: A squeegee painting created in 1994 and owned by famous British musician, Eric Clapton. It was bought by Clapton for £2million ($3.2 million) in 2001 and sold for 10 times the price tag 11 years later.
  AUCTION: a href=”http://www.sothebys.com/en/auctions/ecatalogue/2012/contemporary-art-evening-auction-l12024/lot.15.lotnum.html”Sotheby’s Contemporary Art Evening Sale/a (October 2012)
  PRICE: £21,321,250 (approximately $34.2 million)

  For more on Eric Clapton’s big sale, check out our a href=”http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/10/15/eric-clapton-sells-gerhar_n_1966518.html”original article here/a.

  IMAGE: A Sotheby’s employee stands in front of Gerhard Richter’s ‘Abstraktes Bild (809-)’ painting on October 8, 2012 in London, England. (Photo by Peter Macdiarmid/Getty Images)

• John Constable’s “The Lock” – $35.2 million

  ARTIST: British Romantic artist, John Constable (1776-1837).
  ARTWORK: The fifth in a celebrated series of six large-scale paintings of the Stour Valley in Suffolk.
  AUCTION: Old Master and British Paintings Evening Sale
  PRICE: $35,210,321

  IMAGE: Employees pose with a painting by British Romantic artist John Constable entitled “The Lock” at Christie’s auction house in central London on June 12, 2012. (CARL COURT/AFP/GettyImages)

• Jackson Pollock’s “Number 4, 1951″ – $36 million

  ARTIST: Abstract expressionist painter, Jackson Pollock (1912-1956).
  ARTWORK: A rare drip painting on canvas created in 1951.
  AUCTION: a href=”http://www.sothebys.com/en/auctions/2012/contemporary-art-evening-auction-n08900/overview.html”Sotheby’s Contemporary Art Evening Sale /a(November 2012)
  PRICE: $40,402,500

  Image: Sotheby’s employees hold Jackson Pollock’s ‘Number 4, 1951′ on October 8, 2012 in London, England. Estimated at $25-35 million the work forms part of Sotheby’s Impressionist, Modern and Contemporary Art sale on November 5, 2012 in New York. (Photo by Peter Macdiarmid/Getty Images)

• Yves Klein’s “The Pink of Blue” – $36.8 million

  ARTIST: French post-war artist, Yves Klein, who is well-known for his devotion to the color blue (1928-1962).
  ARTWORK: Natural sponges and pebbles soaked in pigment and scattered on a board. Named “The Pink of Blue”, the sponge-relief is similar to Klein’s other works created in International Klein Blue. It was finished in 1960.
  AUCTION: a href=”http://www.christies.com/lotfinder/paintings/yves-klein-le-rose-du-bleu-5584448-details.aspx”Christie’s Post-War and Contemporary Art Evening Sale /a(June 2012)
  PRICE: $36,779,111

• Joan Miro’s “Peinture (Etolie Bleue), 1927″ – $36.9 million

  ARTIST: Spanish Cattelan artist, Joan Miro (1893-1993).
  ARTWORK: Oil on cavas work depicting Miro’s typical Surrealist imagery created in 1927.
  AUCTION: a href=”http://www.sothebys.com/en/catalogues/ecatalogue.html/2012/impressionist-modern-art-evening-sale-l12006#/r=/en/ecat.fhtml.L12006.html+r.m=/en/ecat.lot.L12006.html/10/”Sotheby’s Impressionist Modern Art Evening Sale/a (June 2012)
  PRICE: $36,946,396

  IMAGE: Gallery assistants pose with Spanish Catalan artist Joan Miro’s ‘Peinture (Etolie Bleue), 1927′ at Sotheby’s acution house in central London on June 14, 2012. (LEON NEAL/AFP/GettyImages)

• Andy Warhol’s “Double Elvis” – $37 million

  ARTIST: Pop art king, Andy Warhol (1928-1987)
  ARTWORK: A silver silkscreen image of Elvis Presley depicted as a cowboy. The work, created in 1963, is named for the duplicate screening of Elvis that appears to the left of the central figure.
  AUCTION: a href=”http://www.sothebys.com/en/catalogues/ecatalogue.html/2012/contemporary-art-evening-n08853#/r=/en/ecat.fhtml.N08853.html+r.m=/en/ecat.lot.N08853.html/27/”Sotheby’s Contemporary Art Evening Sale/a (May 2012)
  PRICE: $37,042,500

  For more on Warhol’s “Double Elvis,” check out the a href=”http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/05/10/warhol-elvis-fetches-37m-_n_1506141.html”original AP story here/a.

  IMAGE: This undated file image provided by Sotheby’s Auction House shows Andy Warhol’s portrait of Elvis Presley depicted as a cowboy. The painting, with a silver background, “Double Elvis [Ferus Type]” sold at auction by Sotheby’s in New York for $37 million on May 9, 2012. (AP Photo/Sotheby’s Auction House, File)

• Franz Kline’s “Untitled” – $40.4 million

  ARTIST: Abstract expressionist and contemporary of Mark Rothko and Jackson Pollock, Franz Kline (1910-1962).
  ARTWORK: The untitled piece belongs to the series of black and white abstractions for which Kline is known, combining aggressive brushstrokes with simple forms reminiscent of Japanese calligraphy.
  AUCTION: a href=”http://www.christies.com/lotfinder/paintings/franz-kline-untitled-5621927-details.aspx”Christie’s Post-War and Contemporary Art Evening Sale/a (November 2012)
  PRICE: $40,402,500

  For more on Kline’s calligraphic work, check out our a href=”http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/10/26/franz-klines-untitled-abs_n_2023830.html”original article here/a.

• Andy Warhol’s “Statue of Liberty” – $43.7 million

  ARTIST: Andy Warhol, again.
  ARTWORK: This time it’s a screen print of the State of Liberty, created in 1962.
  AUCTION: a href=”http://www.christies.com/lotfinder/paintings/andy-warhol-statue-of-liberty-5621945-details.aspx?intObjectID=5621945″Christie’s Post-War and Contemporary Art Sale/a (November 2012)
  PRICE: $43,762,500

• Claude Monet’s “Water Lillies” – $43.8 million

  ARTIST: French Impressionist painter, Claude Monet (1840-1926).
  ARTWORK: A work from Monet’s “Water Lilies” series, depicting a pond in Giverny, France. Created in 1905.
  AUCTION: a href=”http://www.christies.com/lotfinder/paintings/claude-monet-nympheas-5615591-details.aspx?from=searchresultsintObjectID=5615591sid=4fab7ff1-5ea5-4100-830c-27f4c613b81a”Christie’s Impressionist and Modern Art Evening Sale/a (November 2012)
  PRICE: $43,762,500

  To read more about Monet’s “Water Lilies”, check out the a href=”http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/11/09/work-from-monets-water-li_n_2101182.html#slide=1741505″original AP article here/a.

• Francis Bacon’s “Figure Reflected in a Mirror” – $44.9 million

  ARTIST: Francis Bacon, again.
  ARTWORK: Oil on canvas work created in 1976.
  AUCTION: a href=”http://www.sothebys.com/en/catalogues/ecatalogue.html/2012/contemporary-art-evening-n08853#/r=/en/ecat.fhtml.N08853.html+r.m=/en/ecat.lot.N08853.html/19/”Sotheby’s Contemporary Art Evening Sale/a (May 2012)
  PRICE: $44,882,500

• Roy Lichtenstein “Sleeping Girl” – $44.9 million

  ARTIST: Famous American pop artist and major Ben-Day dot fan, (1923-1997)
  ARTWORK: Part of a series of sexy comic book-inspired images Lichtenstein created in 1964.
  AUCTION: a href=”http://www.sothebys.com/en/auctions/ecatalogue/2012/contemporary-art-evening-n08853/lot.16.lotnum.html”Sotheby’s Contemporary Art Evening Sale/a (May 2012)
  PRICE: $44,882,500

  IMAGE: This undated file photo provided by Sotheby’s Auction House in New York shows “Sleeping Girl” by artist Roy Lichtenstein. The painting sold for $44.8 million by Sotheby’s on Wednesday May 9, 2012. (AP Photo/Sotheby’s, File)

• Raphael’s “Head of a Young Apostle” – $47.8 million

  ARTIST: Renaissance painter, Raffaello Sanzio da Urbino, better known as Raphael (1483-1520).
  ARTWORK: A drawing titled “Head of a Young Apostle” that depicts one of the primary figures from Raphael’s “Transfigurations.” Created circa 1519-1520.
  AUCTION: a href=”http://www.sothebys.com/en/auctions/ecatalogue/2012/old-master-british-paintings-evening-l12036/lot.52.lotnum.html”Sotheby’s Old Master British Paintings Evening Sale/a (December 2012)
  PRICE: Approximately $47,690,717

• Mark Rothko’s “No. 1 (Royal Red and Blue)” – $75.1 million

  ARTIST: Russian-American abstract painter, and lover of all things color-blocked, Mark Rothko.
  ARTWORK: A multi-form oil painting reminiscent of most of Rothko’s later work. Created in 1954.
  AUCTION: a href=”http://www.sothebys.com/en/auctions/ecatalogue/2012/contemporary-art-evening-auction-n08900/lot.19.lotnum.html”Sotheby’s Contemporary Art Evening Sale/a (November 2012)
  PRICE: $75,122,500

• Mark Rothko’s “Orange, Red, Yellow” – $87 million

  ARTIST: Marky Mark, again.
  ARTWORK: Another multi-form, of course. This one was created in 1961.
  AUCTION: a href=”http://www.christies.com/lotfinder/paintings/mark-rothko-orange-red-yellow-5559196-details.aspx”Christie’s Post-War and Contemporary Art Evening Sale/a (May 2012)
  PRICE: $86,882,500

  IMAGE: In this undated file photo provided by Christie’s Auction House, “Orange, Red, Yellow,” a 1956 painting by Mark Rothko is shown. The painting was sold by Christie’s in New York for $388.5 million on Tuesday, May 8, 2012. (AP Photo/Sotheby’s Auction Housse, File)

• The Scream – $119.9 million

  ARTIST: Edvard Munch, the Norwegian painter and printmaker known for his treatment of dark, psychological motifs (1863-1944).
  ARTWORK: This version of the iconic piece, “The Scream,” is not a painting but is pastel on board. It was created in 1895.
  AUCTION: a href=”http://www.sothebys.com/en/sales-series/2012/impressionist-modern-art-evening-sale/overview.html”Sotheby’s Impressionist and Modern Art Evening Sale/a (May 2012)
  PRICE: $119,922,500, making this version of “The Scream” emthe/em a href=”http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/07/12/the-scream-mystery-buyer_n_1668170.html”emmost expensive/em piece of art ever sold at auction/a.

  IMAGE: In this undated photo provided by Sotheby’s Auction House in New York, “The Scream,” by Norwegian painter Edvard Munch is shown. The 1895 pastel on board, arguably one of the art world’s most recognizable images, will go on view at the Museum of Modern Art in New York beginning Oct. 24, 2012. (AP Photo/Sotheby’s Auction House)

Article source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/06/18/wassily-kandinsky-auction-studie-zu-improvisation-3-_n_3454755.html?utm_hp_ref=arts

Eric Sambol first discovered the power of American painter Andrew Wyeth while he was on a class trip to the Metropolitan Museum of Art, where an exhibition of Wyeth’s paintings was on view.

The 1976 exhibition fascinated Sambol, then a junior at Toms River High School North, and the moodiness and intimacy of Wyeth’s paintings and his themes of nostalgia and loss touched him, he said. The show started Sambol on journey that led the Ocean County businessman to collect Wyeth’s work, to correspond with the artist and later visit him and members of his family.

It also inspired and enriched his own work as a photographer.

“I knew behind every realistic image, an ambiguity, a disquiet and a generational family story was hiding,” Sambol, 53, said this week in an interview conducted by e-mail. “The moment you look into the work, it draws you in as three generations of family stories visually unfold.”

Tomorrow, “Three Generations of Wyeth: The Collection of Eric and Cynthia Sambol” will be offered as part of Christie’s sale of American art, which also includes paintings by Edward Hopper, Georgia O’Keeffe, Milton Avery, Norman Rockwell and John Singer Sargent.

The collection’s 13 works — six by Andrew Wyeth (1917-2009), one by his father N.C. Wyeth (1882-1945) and six from son Jamie Wyeth — is estimated to sell for between $5.7 million and $7.9 million, according to the auction’s catalog. The collection represents one of the largest groups of Wyeth art ever sold at Christie’s.

“The artworks they have acquired over the years are a testament to the Sambols’ deep-seeded commitment to forming a spectacular collection that captures the Wyeths’ vision of the American landscape,” said Elizabeth Sterling, head of American art at Christie’s.

Andrew Wyeth is one of the best-known American painters of the 20th century, a realist whose works captured daily life of his home town of Chadds Ford, Pa., and the coast of Maine. His father, N.C., was a respected illustrator whose work appeared on the cover of “The Saturday Evening Post” and in the Scribner Classics “Treasure Island” and “The Last of the Mohicans.” Son Jamie, 66, had his first solo show in New York at age 20 and is recognized for his keen observation of nature. His work is included in the National Gallery of Art, the Museum of Modern Art and the Brandywine River Museum, among others.

Sambol, the owner of a Toms River construction company, and his wife, Cynthia, a landscape designer, purchased their first Wyeth in 2000, the 1988 watercolor, “Flat Boat.” Later, they acquired such hallmark Andrew Wyeth works as “Rocky Hill,” a portrait of the artist’s dog, Nell, and “Heat Lightning,” a 1977 tempera of a woman with her face partially hidden.

Among the Jamie Wyeth works for sale is “Lighthouse Dandelions,” a work that emphasizes both his connection to Maine and to his family. The painting “combines the narrative qualities of his grandfather, N.C. Wyeth, with the haunting realism of his father Andrew,” according to the Christie’s catalog.

The emotions of the paintings have always been important to Sambol.

“Collecting isn’t just about purchasing objects for me,” Sambol said, who met Andrew Wyeth once in Chadds Ford and once in Maine, the two places the artist repeatedly captured in his work.

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“It was a very strange experience, visiting Andrew after living with his work. A part of him and his father and son lived with us for many years,” he explained. “Andrew is remembered as being very private, very secretive, yet in his work … he is so publicly revealed.”

Sambol also corresponded with the artist and said a letter from 2002 the artist “says it all about Andrew.”

“My brush does the speaking for me, not my pen,” Sambol quoted from Wyeth’s letter.

Sambol said he decided to sell the collection because his two daughters are now grown and he and his wife travel extensively.

“It is difficult to part with art that has become part of our tranquil environment,” he said. “It is time for me to work at my own creative practice of photography. It is time for this great American family art dynasty to be shared with others.”

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Article source: http://www.nj.com/entertainment/arts/index.ssf/2013/05/christies_auction_three_genera.html

At their Modern and Contemporary South Asian Art auction, Sotheby’s managed to achieve the highest price of £6,98,500 (Rs 6.32 crore) with a newly discovered work by Gaitonde selling for more than twice its pre-sale estimate of £2,50,000-4,50,000 (Rs 2.26 crore-Rs 4.07 crore). Created by the artist in 1962, and still in its original frame, it was listed as ‘Painting No 1’ and was said to have been acquired by John D Rockefeller III in the 1960s.

Stored in an attic, it was discovered during valuation at which time it was recognised as the work by a leading Indian artist. The painting is said to be part of a series of canvases Gaitonde had brought with him to sell in the US in the early 1960s.

In the permanent collection of The Museum of Modern Art in New York is Painting No 4 from the same series and even more importantly, the Guggenheim Museum in New York, is scheduled to feature a retrospective solo exhibition in 2014 – making Gaitonde the first modern Indian painter to be featured at a major American institution.

As expected, Gaitonde’s Untitled painted in 1962, also captured the limelight at Christie’s South Asian and Contemporary Art sale held in London, selling for £6,25,875 (Rs 5.66 crore). The painting, estimated at £5,00,000-7,00,000 (Rs 4.52 crore-Rs 6.33 crore), was said to be the largest canvas by this artist ever to be offered at an auction. This along with other works by the artist, brought in over £1.2 million (Rs 10.84 crore). Gaitonde (1974-2001), was not considered a prolific artist and hence there are fewer works by him doing the rounds. His works of the 1960s are highly valued as they were created during his prime period.

Among the major attractions at Christie’s London sale, was Husain’s Ganga Jamuna from the Bhownagary Family Collection, dating back to 1971. Unfortunately, this painting, estimated at £4,00,000-6,00,000 (Rs 3.62 crore-Rs 5.42 crore) , failed to find a buyer. However, nine other works by Husain notched up half a million pounds. Sotheby’s also did well with works by MF Husain, Jhoola painted in 1961 and ‘Untitled’ (three women with sitar) painted in 1979, were sold for £2,42,500 (Rs 2.19 crore) and £1,88,500 respectively (Rs 1.70 crore).

Among the works of modern masters, Christie’s sold seven of Francis Newton Souza’s paintings including the popular ‘Red Houses’, for a sum close to £6,00,000. (Rs 5.42 crore). Syed Haider Raza’s Street scenes and Rajasthani paintings, were also a big attraction and notched up a total of over £4,00,000 (Rs3.62 crore).

At Sotheby’s among those that did well was Bhupen Khakhar. His ‘Air, Steam and Speed’ beat its pre-sale estimate of £1,00,000-1,50,000 (Rs 90 lakh-Rs 1.36 crore) and was sold for £182,500 (Rs 1.65 crore). Mark my words, he is certainly an artist to watch out for.

(The writer is a winner of many advertising design awards and a painter of repute)

Article source: http://www.mydigitalfc.com/leisure-writing/indian-summer-london-art-auctions-091

Alex Branczik, Head of Sotheby’s Contemporary Art Department, said: “Contemporary collectors in search of prize works, should find a great deal to excite them in our Evening Sale. It is very much an auction of historic “firsts”. We are offering the first work that Francis Bacon ever sold, from his first show at a commercial gallery, in which for the first time he depicts the human form. We have the first David Hockney landscape to appear at auction since the hugely successful 2012 Royal Academy show; a 1964 Bridget Riley shown in the first ever exhibition of “Op Art” in New York in 1965 and Andreas Gursky’s first Stock Exchange photograph of 1990, part of an unparalleled collection of his iconic series of trading floor studies.”

1949 was a seminal year for Francis Bacon, from which Head III, estimated at £5-7 million, was a seminal work. This was the year of Bacon’s first one man exhibition at the Hanover Gallery, in which the extraordinary and historically important group of six paintencrusted, starkly monochromatic Heads powerfully proclaimed his critical arrival. Significantly, Head III embodies the first irrefutable human likeness in Bacon’s professional career. Pre-empting the gapingmouthed shriek of Head IV, this painting is the first explicit occasion in which his obsessively quoted broken glasses or pince nez fully appear (which Bacon lifted from Eisenstein’s 1925 cinematic masterpiece Battleship Potemkin). The work was first owned by the notable Californian collector Wright S. Ludington (1900-1992), who bought it in advance of the Hanover Gallery show in November 1949 for £150. Since then, this key work has been exhibited in some of the most important museum shows of Bacon’s career and with its history, rich provenance and evocative subject, holds a place of utmost importance in Bacon scholarship. Other works from this seminal exhibition are held by the Arts Council, Tate, Ulster Museum, Met, Chicago MoCA and National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne.

In 1949, the artist Isabel Rawsthorne, also held her first solo exhibition at the Hanover Gallery and it was in preparing for their respective shows that she and Francis Bacon met. One of the great muses of the Twentieth century, she occupies a unique position in Bacon’s art. Of all his female subjects and many friends, she was the woman to whom he felt closest and who inspired the greatest number of his small portrait canvases. Her feline grace and striking features made her an attractive subject for an artist and she was variously mistress and model to André Derain, Pablo Picasso and Alberto Giacometti. Three Studies of Isabel Rawsthorne was painted in 1966, during the second great artistic peak in Bacon’s career, when he broke with the male-dominated paintings of the 1940s and 50s and began depicting members of his Soho clique. The triptych illustrates the seismic shift in Bacon’s work as he masterfully navigated the threshold of abstraction and figuration. Nearly 50 years after its creation, this important work is estimated to realise £10-15 million.

Offered at auction for the first time, David Hockney’s Double East Yorkshire – estimated at £2-3 million – is a key painting in the artist’s mature oeuvre. The monumental work was exhibited in the highly important survey of Hockney’s landscapes at the Royal Academy in 2012, as well as the Espace/Paysage show at the Pompidou Centre in Paris in 1999. Painted in California in 1998, it is one of the artist’s most evocative depictions of his home county – an epic homage to the landscape he discovered during his teens. During the late 1990s a poignant combination of a friend’s ill health and his mother’s advancing years drew him increasingly back to Yorkshire. He returned every three months to take her for long drives across the Wolds and make daily visits to his gravely-ill friend Jonathan Silver. These journeys through the gently undulating hills of the Wolds imprinted every contour of the landscape on Hockney’s memory. The luminescent colours which seem to emanate from the canvas are redolent of Hockney’s earlier Californian landscapes, and engender a uniquely personal evocation of his surroundings. Hockney’s Californian pool scene, A Small Sunbather of 1967, from the legendary collection of the late Stanley J. Seeger is also offered in the sale, with an estimate of £300,000-500,000.

Bridget Riley’s Stretch of 1964, is one of the most important works by the artist to appear at auction. Estimated at £1-1.5 million, the painting was included in the ground-breaking op art exhibition, The Responsive Eye at the Museum of Modern Art in New York in 1965, which launched Riley’s international career.

The striking black and white palette is a defining hallmark of her earliest works: she did not introduce colour tones until 1967. Stretch is remarkable for its distinctive format. Projecting out of the wall with an almost sculptural force, its curved sides intensify the effect of strobing movement. The painting has been in the same private collection since it was acquired in 1967.

Making its auction debut, Pierre Soulages’ magisterial Peinture, 21 Novembre 1959 is estimated at £2-3 million. Painted during one of the most significant periods of his career, the work, which exemplifies the artist’s fascination with form over illusion, has a distinguished exhibition history, having featured in major international shows including at the Galerie de France (1960) and the Musée National d’Art Moderne (1967) in Paris. Soulage’s paintings of the 1950s are imbued with a growing luminosity and dominated by increasingly powerful sweeps of paint. He was strongly influenced by the rugged rock carvings and menhirs near his birthplace of Rodez in Southern France. The dramatic arcs of the brushstrokes in this work are suggestive of these primeval geological formations.

The sale features three important works by Lucio Fontana. Appearing at auction for the first time, Concetto Spaziale, le Chiese de Venezia of 1961, is expected to realise £4-6 million. An abstract masterpiece inspired by a birds-eye map of Venice and the golden vaulted ceiling of the basilica San Marco, the painting has been exhibited in that city at the Peggy Guggenheim Collection and Palazzo Grassi as well as touring Japan in the 1986 retrospective of the artist’s work. Concetto Spaziale Attese was executed in 1965, at the height of Fontana’s ground-breaking conceptual dialogue. Estimated at £3.3-4.5 million, the imposing scale of the work, which is unusually preserved within the original artist’s frame, confronts the viewer with a spectacular interplay between pure white tableau and the six vertical black slashes that pierce through the monochrome expanse. Concetto Spaziale, Teatrino, spanning nearly two meters in height and two metres across is among the largest and most elegant works from Fontana’s oeuvre. From the teatrini (little theatres) series, the work was executed during a period of intense production between 1964 and 1966. Estimated to realise £800,000-1.2 million, only one teatrino is larger and resides in the permanent collection of the Centre Georges Pompidou in Paris.

More than any artist of his generation, Andreas Gursky’s photographic eye identifies the subjects of our contemporary landscape which most acutely define the way we live today. His Stock Exchange series, ten images made over 20 years on three continents, chart the history of our modern age of globalisation. The sale will offer an unprecedented five exchanges – the most significant collection in private or public hands. The Tokyo Stock Exchange of 1990 (est. £500,000-700,000), the first of Gursky’s pantheon of trading floors, set the blueprint and structure for his future practice. It is presented alongside Hong Kong Stock Exchange of 1994, (£300,000-400,000), Chicago Board of Trade, 1997, (£700,000-900,000, left), Chicago Board of Trade III, 1999-2009 (£600,000-800,000) and Kuwait Stock Exchange II (£400,000-600,000). Visitors to Sotheby’s exhibition prior to the sale, will have the unique opportunity of seeing the largest group of works from the Stock Exchange series ever shown together.

Article source: http://www.artdaily.org/index.asp?int_sec=2&int_new=63275