Miró, Marc, Monet and Picasso highlight Christie's Auction of Impressionist and Modern Art |
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| Written by rubin |
| Wednesday, 03 June 2009 05:55 |
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Leading highlights include: Au Parc Monceau, 1878, by Claude Monet (1840-1926), an important painting from the vintage years of Impressionism which is expected to realise £3.5 million to £4.5 million. / Springende Pferde, 1910, by Franz Marc (1880-1916), an exciting breakthrough painting in which the artist embraces the influences of the avant gardes of the period, and which is offered at auction for the first time (estimate: £3 million to £4 million). / Deux nus: un fort et un vite, 1912, by Marcel Duchamp (1887-1968) one of very few important drawings by the artist to remain in private hands (estimate: £800,000 to £1,200,000). Two large, bold works from the 1960s by Pablo Picasso (1881-1973); Homme à l'épée, 1969, which carries an estimate of £5 million to £7 million, and Nu assis et joueur de flûte, 1967, which is expected to realise £3 million to £4 million. Painting, 1949, by Joan Miró (1893-1983), one of an outstanding group of pictures described as being among the most important of the artist’s career which is expected to realise £2.2 million to £2.8 million. Collectors continue to show a great appetite for important works of art that are in good condition, fresh to the market and which are priced at the right level. In London this June, we will offer a selection of rare works most of which will present a rare opportunity to collectors, and many of which were created at formative moments in the careers of many of the 20th century’s most important artists. Leading highlights include masterpieces by Franz Marc and Pierre Bonnard which will be both offered at auction for the first time, one of the only important early drawings by Marcel Duchamp to remain in private hands and important works by Pablo Picasso, Joan Miró, Claude Monet and Camille Pissarro.”  Springende Pferde, 1910, by Franz Marc (1880-1916) Springende Pferde was painted in 1910, the year that Franz Marc formed a close, productive and formative friendship with August Macke. It was not until the following year that with Jawlensky and Kandinsky, they would establish the Blaue Reiter group who are considered to mark the high point of German Expressionism. The present picture is a breakthrough work which dates to a highly formative period of the artist’s career. Painted the year after the publication of Filippo Marinetti’s Futurist Manifesto, it shows us the artist’s developing fascination with motion and movement. Marc used painting to explore the mystical inner forces that animate nature. He preferred to paint animals, believing them to be more spiritual than man, and the present work shows the distinct influence of Divisionism, Futurism and Expressionism. The present work was acquired from the artist’s widow circa 1937 and has since passed by descent. It will be offered at auction for the first time, and is expected to realise £3 million to £4 million. Homme à l'épée and Nu assis et joueur de flute by Pablo Picasso (1881-1973) Important works from the later years of Picasso’s life continue to attract both modern and contemporary art collectors and in New York in May, the two top lots at Christie’s auction of Impressionist and Modern Art were his Mousquetaire à la pipe, 1968, which realised £9.8 million, and Femme au chapeau, 1970, which sold for £5.2 million. The auction in June will offer two large, bold works from the 1960s; Homme à l'épée, 1969, which is expected to realise £5 million to £7 million and Nu assis et joueur de flûte, 1967, which carries an estimate of £3 million to £4 million (illustrated left). Nu assis et joueur de flûte is vigourous and inventive, and depicts a musician playing a flute to a nude woman who sits at the left foreground of the painting. During the 1960s, Picasso spent much time exploring the theme of the artist and the model. The female in the present work has a visual similarity with Jacqueline, the artist’s wife, and the skeletal flautist is likely to represent the artist who was becoming increasingly aware of his own mortality. Painting, 1949, by Joan Miró (1893-1983) Painting, 1949, by Joan Miró (1893-1983), is one of the outstanding group of pictures executed in 1949 and 1950 known as the ‘slow’ paintings, which were described by his biographer Jacques Dupin as being among ‘the most important’ of the artist’s career. It is expected to realise £2.2 million to £2.8 million. A shy, modest character, Miró was one of the leading artists of the Surrealist movement. The present work was painted after a decade in which the Spanish Revolution and the Second World War had forced the artist to move from Spain to France, and then back to his native homeland. Having traveled to America for the first time in 1947, and having received great praise for his work there and while journeying around Europe, Miró returned to Barcelona. Stimulated by praise and plaudits, the following years were prolific for the artist and in 1949 and 1950, he worked on two distinct series of paintings, none of which were titled. The ‘slow’ paintings were elaborate and were subject to careful planning and execution; the ‘spontaneous’ paintings were more instinctive and improvised. The present work is one of the finest of the ‘slow’ paintings, and is the result of the artist’s gradual and carefully considered painting process during one of his most impressive periods. Further auction highlights include Le Quai Malaquais et l'Institut, 1903, an exceptional example of late urban Impressionism by Camille Pissarro (1830-1903) (estimate: £900,000 to £1,500,000); Symphonie Pastorale (Campagne), 1916-1920, by Pierre Bonnard (1867-1947) which was commissioned by the Bernheim-Jeune family, pioneer dealers of the Impressionist masters, and which is offered at auction for the first time (estimate: £1,500,000 to £2,000,000); Le pot de pivoines, 1920, by Henri Matisse (1869-1954), a striking still life painted in Nice (estimate: £2.3 million to £2.8 million) and four works by Alexej von Jawlensky (1864-1941), including Hélène (estimate: £1.6 million to 2.4 million), Mystischer Kopf: Frauenkopf auf blauem Grund (estimate: £350,000 to £450,000), Mystischer Kopf: Frauenkopf auf rotem Grund (estimate: £280,000 to £350,000) and Heilandsgesicht: Kopf "Lichte Ruhe" (estimate: £250,000 to £350,000). 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