Prints and Multiples at Christie's New York Totaled $8.1 Million

Thursday, 30 October 2008 20:34

 

New York City - The two-day sale of Prints and Multiples at Christie’s New York totaled $8,165,663/£5,234,399/ €6,532,530 and was 62% sold by value and 61% sold by lot. Tudor Davies, Head of Prints, comments: “We are pleased with the results of the two-day Prints and Multiples sale, where quality and condition proved key factors in determining price. Highlights of the sale came from the modern section, with our cover lot Madonna by Munch and Picasso’s Femme au Tambourin each achieving strong results in today’s market.

The collection also included the magnificent La femme au tambourin, 1938-1939 (estimate: $500,000-700,000). Picasso’s powerful utilization of tone and contrast, which results in the atmospheric quality of this print, validates the assertion that Picasso was in fact the greatest printmaker of the twentieth century.

The Collection of Robert and Jean Shoenberg
The exceptional Collection of Robert and Jean Shoenberg is comprised of contemporary paintings and sculpture, prints, jewelry and African and Oceanic art, that will be sold over the course of the fall and winter 2008 seasons. With remarkable taste and an eye for the best Contemporary Art being created at the time, the Shoenbergs built a phenomenal collection of paintings by Rothko, Kelly and Lichtenstein, and mirrored such carefully chosen works with an equally striking collection of prints including works by Johns, Frankenthaler, Motherwell, and Barnett Newman

The sale was led by Edvard Munch’s Madonna, 1895-1902, an extraordinary work recognized as one of the artist's most mysterious and important images, encapsulating his fascination with the connections between life and death, desire and fear, holiness and carnality (estimate: $600,000-800,000). In addition to its pictorial complexity, Munch's Madonna is an extraordinary technical achievement. Originally intended to be printed exclusively in black, Munch ultimately deviated from this notion by experimenting with color. In doing so, Munch implemented a variety of techniques to form a remarkably rich and striking image. This impression is in very good condition and printed on a very fine thin sheet of Japanese paper.

We were particularly pleased that Matisse’s Marie-Josee en robe jaune, consigned on behalf of the estate of Pierre-Nöel, achieved a world auction record. Demand for Post-War and Contemporary Prints remained steady with sustained bidding by US Trade and private buyers.”

Most recently, Christie’s has led the market with expanded initiatives in emerging markets such as China, India and the United Arab Emirates, with successful sales and exhibitions in Beijing, Dubai, Mumbai and Russia. Christie's also offers its clients worldwide access to its sales through Christie's LIVE™, its unique, real-time online bidding service. Visit Christie’s on the Web at  www.christies.com

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