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THE first  on-line art auction of 2013 by Morgan O’Driscoll is nearing a close.  It continues until 7 p.m. on January 28.  The sale is on view in Skibbereen in west Cork. The catalogue, with current bidding, is on-line.   Here are some of the highlights. You can click on any image to enlarge it.

Brian Denington (b.1944) Still Life of Pear (600-800).

John Kingerlee (b.1936) Kilcatherine 2005 91,200-1,800).

Kenneth Webb RWA FRSA RUA (b.1927) West of Ireland Seascape (3,000-4,000).

Frank Egginton RCA (1908-1990) New Lake at Sunset, Donegal (1,500-2,000).

Mark O’Neill (b.1963) Kylemore Green (2,000-3,000).

Matt Grogan (20th/21st Century) Cafe in Venice (500-700).

The Sacrifice of Polyxena created in 1647 by Charles Le Brun (1619-1690). (Click on image to enlarge). UPDATE: IT MADE 1.44 MILLION ERO.

A rediscovered painting by Charles Le Brun (1619-1690) to be offered at Christie’s sale of Old Masters and 19th Century Paintings in Paris next April 15 was hiding in plain sight at the Ritz. Louis XIV declared Le Brun to the greatest French artist of all time. His most important works are at Versaille and he was the originator of the Louis XIV Style. Painted in 1647 The Sacrifice of Polyxena – estimated at 300,000-500,000 euro – was recently recognised by the Ritz’s art adviser Joseph Friedman and fellow consultant Wanda Tymowska. It was in the Coco Chanel Suite. Archives have not revealed how the painting came to the hotel but it is possible that it was already in the 1705 townhouse when it was acquired by César Ritz in 1898. The Le Brun attribution has been unanimously supported by leading French museums.
Painted when he had newly returned to Paris from Rome the work displays the profound impact of the art of Nicolas Poussin (1594-1665) on Le Brun’s style. It shows the artist’s fidelity in reproducing the antiquities of Imperial Rome, evident in the details of the bronze vase, tripod and marble sarcophagus that ornament the scene, and the incense casket, taken from a drawing made by Le Brun in Rome after an Antique prototype.

It will be on view at the Rockefeller Centre in New York from January 26-29.

UPDATE:  It was sold to the Metropolitan Museum in New York for 1.44 million euro.

Joan Miró’s rare work L’Echelle de l’évasion – “The Ladder of Escape? – leads Christie’s landmark Art of the Surreal sale in London on February 6.

Joan Miró’s rare work L’Echelle de l’évasion – “The Ladder of Escape” – leads Christie’s landmark Art of the Surreal sale in London on February 6. Painted in December 1939 whilst living in Normandy during the months of the so-called “phoney war” when France awaited a German invasion L’Echelle de l’évasion is the culmination of a series of new works marking Miró’s flight from the grim realities of Europe at that time. The “Ladder of Escape” was an important motif for Miró from the early 1920′s. It served as a potent metaphor for the artist’s escape from reality into the world of his art. L’Echelle de l’évasion is one of two works of this title. Making its first appearance on the market in almost 60 years it is estimated at £5-8 million. The other, a gouache from January 1940, is at MoMA in New York.
The auction presents significant work by leading names of the Surrealist movement, from René Magritte and Max Ernst to Paul Delvaux and Óscar Domínguez. Estimates range from £30,000 to £8 million, with a pre-sale estimate of £30,880,000 to £46,870,000, a 50% increase on last year’s pre-sale low estimate. This reflects the quality of the work on offer and the dynamic growth in market demand for Surrealism. Olivier Camu, Deputy Chairman, Impressionist and Modern Art, Christie’s said: “This pioneering movement of 20th century art now commands the attention of the global art market, with Christie’s auctions attracting new collectors each year from around the world and from other collecting areas, notably Contemporary art.”
Christie’s pre-sale estimates for Impressionist, Modern & Surrealist works offered in the February auctions range from a low of £115,216,300 to a high of £171,250,000.

Paul Delvaux (1897-1994) Les nymphes des eaux (£3-5 million) courtesy Christie’s Images Ltd., 2013.

Joan Miró (1893-1983) Femme (Femme debout) (£3-5 million) courtesy Christie’s Images Ltd., 2013.  UPDATE: THIS MADE £6,313,250

Óscar Domínguez (1906-1957) Machne à coudre électro-sexuelle (£1.3-1.8 million) courtesy Christie’s Images Ltd., 2013.  UPDATE: THIS MADE £2,113,250

René Magritte (1898-1967) Tous les jours (£1.8-2.5 million) courtesy Christie’s Images Ltd., 2013.  UPDATE: THIS MADE £1,721,250

The French Impressionist and Modern paintings from the collection of George, 9th Earl of Jersey (1910-1998) at Sotheby’s in London on February 5 and 6 are on the market for the first time in 70 years. It contains outstanding examples of works by Monet, Sisley, Pissarro, Gauguin, Boudin and Dufy. Born into a family already well endowed with great houses and estates and their respective collections of art – the most famous of which was Osterley Park – he sensed that his other properties already had enough Old Masters and wanted to bring the family collection up to date.
The catalyst to Grandy Jersey’s decision to buy French Impressionism was the influence of his second wife, the American actress Virginia Cherrill, whom he married in 1937. She had enjoyed a glamorous film career, playing opposite Charlie Chaplin in City Lights (1931) and then marrying Cary Grant. She was also a close friend of Edward G. Robinson. Hollywood’s love affair with Impressionist painting embraced moguls, directors and stars, but the most serious collector was Robinson who put together a very fine group of pictures, the pick of which later passed into the Niarchos Collection.
When filming in London in 1935, Robinson called at the Lefevre Gallery to look at their stock. He established a lasting relationship with them. When Cherrill came to London it is likely that, on Robinson’s recommendation, she directed her new British husband to the same dealers. Sotheby’s say further sales of furniture and works of art from the Collection will take place later in the year.

CLAUDE MONET (1840 – 1926) LE GIVRE À GIVERNY (£4-6 million). (Click on images to enlarge them).  UPDATE: THIS MADE £8,777,250, A NEW RECORD FOR A SHOWCAPE BY MONET

PAUL GAUGUIN (1848 – 1903) LA MAISON BLANCHE (£800,000-£1,200,000).  UPDATE: THIS WAS UNSOLD

ALFRED SISLEY (1839 – 1899) LA TAMISE AVEC HAMPTON CHURCH (£900,000-£1,200.000).  UPDATE: THIS MADE £1,889,250

Mark Rothko’s Orange, Red, Yellow made $86,882,500, a world record for contemporary art at auction.

THE global appeal of art continues to grow according to Christie’s, which recorded annual sales of £3.92 billion in 2012, up 10% on 2011. In 2012 the average number of registered bidders per auction was 53% higher than a decade ago. On-line initiatives are driving greater accessibility and 19% of all registered bidders were new clients. Private sales of £631.3 million increased by 26% and represented the highest annual total in both company and art market history. Bidders came from 136 countries. Christie’s sold 686 works at auction for over $1 million and 49 for over $10 million.

Significantly the market at more accessible price levels represents the majority of transactions and continues to perform strongly. Post-War and Contemporary art led the categories with record auction sales of £986.5 million. Notable increases were also seen for Impressionist and Modern Art which realised auctions sales of £623.6 million and Old Masters & 19th Century Art which totaled £201.6 million. Mark Rothko’s Orange, Red, Yellow sold for $86,882,500 last May in New York, a world record price for any contemporary work of art sold at auction.
Steven P. Murphy, Chief Executive Officer, Christie’s commented: “Our third straight year of record results is a sign that more people in more places in the world are captivated by art and are seeking to acquire it, and Christie’s has aligned itself with collectors and their needs. More importantly, this trend is apparent at every level of the art market, from under £1,000 to over £50 million, as technological advancements highlight the appeal and the ease of engaging with Christie’s and the works of art we handle”.

A monumental 1932 portrait of Picasso’s ‘golden muse’ Marie-Therese Walter will lead Sotheby’s evening sale of Impressionist and Modern Art in London on February 5. Picasso first encountered Marie-Therese in 1927 when she was 17. Their subsequent love affair is one of the most compelling in 20th century art history. This portrait of Marie-Therese is estimated at £25-35 million.
Claude Monet’s Nymphéas avec reflets de Hautes Herbes is estimated at £12-18 million. There are three works by Egon Schiele from the Leopold Museum in Vienna, an outstanding post war painting by Miro Femme revant de l’evasion of 1945 from the collection of Miriam and Ira D. Wallach estimated at £8-12 million, a selection of works from the collection of the late Earl of Jersey, two pastels by Edgar Degas and a strong offering of German Expressionist art. The auction is expected to bring in more than £103 million.

UPDATE: The auction brought in a combined total of £121,075,400, the second highest total for an evening sale in this category at Sotheby’s.  A total of 18 lots sold for over £1 million.  The impressionist and modern sale brought in £104.4 million, Surreal works achieved £16,6 million.

PABLO PICASSO 1881 – 1973 FEMME ASSISE PRÈS D’UNE FENÊTRE (£25-35 million). (Click on image to enlarge).  UPDATE: IT SOLD FOR £28,601,250

CLAUDE MONET 1840 – 1926 NYMPHÉAS AVEC REFLETS DE HAUTES HERBES (£12-18 million). (Click on image to enlarge).  UPDATE:  THIS MADE £9,001,250.

EGON SCHIELE 1890 – 1918 LIEBESPAAR (SELBSTDARSTELLUNG MIT WALLY)(LOVERS – SELF-PORTRAIT WITH WALLY) (£6.5-8.5 million). (Click on image to enlarge).  UPDATE: IT MADE £7,881,250, A RECORD FOR A WORK ON PAPER BY THE ARTIST.

A private collection of more than 100 ceramics by Pablo Picasso will be auctioned at Sotheby’s  in London on March 19. The single owner sale will include a collection of prints by Picasso, Joan Miró and Andy Warhol. Individual ceramic estimates range from £2,000-£30,000.

Picasso stunned the art world when, in 1947, as one of the most famous western artists, and approaching 65 years of age, he absconded from post-war Paris to undertake an apprenticeship at the then little-known Madoura pottery in Vallauris, in rural Southern France. Over two decades he transformed plates, bowls and vases into owls, goats, men, women, bulls and fishes. Pottery has been produced in Vallauris since Roman times.

 Pablo Picasso Vase Gros Oiseau Vert  9£25,000 – £35,0000.  (Click on image to enlarge).

Pablo Picasso Chouette (£6,000 – £8,000). (Click on image to enlarge).

Pablo Picasso – Cavalier et Cheval (£4,000-£6,000). (Click on image to enlarge).