A trio of rare masterpieces by Monet, Kandinsky and Brancusi lead Christie’s Impressionist and Modern Art evening sale in New York on November 7. Elections and hurricanes notwithstanding the auction is expected to realise more than $250 million. Christie’s say this curated sale of 71 works reflects current collecting trends in the global art market. There are exceptional examples of Impressionism, German Expressionism, Surrealism, Modernist painting and sculpture.
Claude Monet’s Impressionist masterpiece Nymphéas (The Water Lilies), painted at Giverny in 1905, was gifted to the not-for- profit Hackley School in New York from the estate of Ethel Strong Allen earlier this year and will be sold to benefit the school. It is estimated at $30-50 million. Wassily Kandinsky’s Expressionist tour-de-force Studie für Improvisation 8, is part of the artist’s pioneering series of 1909 and has the potential to set a new record price for any work by the artist at auction. It is estimated at $20-30 million. Constantin Brancusi’s sculptural masterpiece Une Muse is a pivotal work in plaster from 1912 that was among the first sculptures by the artist ever exhibited for American audiences. It is estimated at $10-15 million.
“As we head into our major fall auctions, we continue to see an exuberant market that responds to great art and intelligent pricing. Participation in our evening sales is more global than ever, with buyers from growth markets in South America, Asia, and the Middle East now competing with clients from established collecting markets in North America and Europe,” noted Brooke Lampley, Head of Impressionist and Modern Art at Christie’s New York. “To answer this growing demand for the finest works from the Impressionist and Modern era, we have assembled an exciting sale that is carefully tailored to what our clients want most right now: rarity, superb quality, impeccable condition, exceptional provenance and exhibition history, and stable long-term value.”
UPDATE: THE sale total, including Buyer’s Premium amounted to $204,800,000. A diverse audience of clients from around the world participated. Sell-through rates of 70% by lot and 80% by value were achieved. Of the 69 works offered, 5 lots sold for over $10 million, 10 for over $5 million and 31 for over $1 million.
CLAUDE MONET (1840-1926) Nymphéas signed and dated ‘Claude Monet 1905′. Estimate: $30,000,000-50,000,000. Courtesy Christie’s Images Ltd. UPDATE: IT MADE $43,762,500
Wassily Kandinsky’s Studie für Improvisation 8, part of the artist’s pioneering series of 1909 is estimated $20-30 million. Courtesy Christie’s Images Ltd. UPDATE: THIS MADE $23,042,500, a new world record for the artist.
CONSTANTIN BRANCUSI (1867-1957) Une muse plaster Height: 18 in. (45.7 cm.) Executed in 1912 Estimate: $10,000,000-15,000,000. Courtesy Christie’s Images Ltd. UPDATE: THIS MADE $12,402,500