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A compelling portrait by Alberto Giacometti (1901-1966) of his brother Diego will lead Christie’s sale of Impressionist and Modern Art in New York on November 5.  Diego en chemise écossaise, which is estimated at $30—50 million, showcases the graphic drama and economy of representation that would become hallmarks of Giacometti’s painting.  The work has been in a private collection for over two decades and has never appeared at auction.

Andreas Rumbler, Deputy Chairman of the Impressionist and Modern Art department and Head of Evening Sale, at Christie’s New York commented: “Although Diego was Alberto Giacometti’s most frequent sitter—serving almost as an alter ego for the artist—never before did he depict him with quite the same energy or fervor as he did in this work. The interplay of multiple dimensions and color renders his subject as an object in space, an “everyman” without unique qualities, an emblem of humanity. With this masterpiece, Alberto Giacometti establishes himself as one of the greatest portrait painters of the 20th Century, paving the way for the likes of Francis Bacon and Lucian Freud.”

UPDATE: There were no bids for the work which was guaranteed by a third party before the sale.  The guarantor paid $32.6 million, a record for a Giacometti painting.

Francis Bacon’s Three Studies of Lucian Freud, which comes up at Christie’s in New York on November 12, is poised to make a new auction record for the Irish born artist.  Christie’s say it can break the previous record for Bacon of $86 million set in 2008. The triptych, which unites two of the greatest figurative painters of the 20th century at the height of their friendship, is on view at Christie’s in London from October 13-18 to coincide with Frieze Week.  It was exhibited at Bacon’s renowned Grand Palais retrospective in Paris in 1971-72 and has never been on the auction market before.  It was executed almost 25 years after Bacon and Freud met.

Francis Outred, head of Post-War and Contemporary Art, Christie’s Europe said:  “We are honored to announce the sale of an undeniable icon of twentieth century art. A conversation between two masters of 20^th century figurative painting, Francis Bacon’s triptych, ‘Three Studies of Lucian Freud’, executed in 1969 is a true masterpiece that marks Bacon and Freud’s relationship, paying tribute to the creative and emotional kinship between the two artists. The juxtaposition of radiant sunshine yellow contrasting with the brutal physicality and immediacy of the brushstrokes in this celebrated life-size triptych is what makes Bacon’s art so remarkable. ‘Three Studies of Lucian Freud’ stands as one of only two existing full-length triptychs of Lucian Freud. The three panels that make up this work were separated for almost fifteen years in the mid-1970s and were reunited in their entire splendor sometime in the 1980’s.” 

UPDATE: IT SOLD FOR $142.4 MILLION TO BECOME THE MOST EXPENSIVE ARTWORK EVER SOLD AT AUCTION.

This massive antique gilt bronze figure of a seated Shakyamuni Buddha sold for US$30 million at Sotheby’s in Hong Kong, setting a new world auction record for a piece of Chinese sculpture.  The Ming figure was bought by Mr. Zheng Huaxing of Zhongshan Qujuezhai, Guangdong. It will be returned to China.

There were multiple records at five sales in Hong Kong of fine Chinese Ceramics and works of art, of which the  Shakyamuni Buddha was the top lot. The five sales achieved a combined total of US$161.5 million.

Nicolas Chow, Sotheby’s Asia Deputy Chairman and International Head of Chinese Ceramics and Works of Art, said: “Our 40 year anniversary sale was an extraordinary success fuelled both by the quality and breadth of the various collections on offer, as well as the dramatic participation of clients from all around the globe.  With the early 15^th century gilt-bronze Buddha, we have set a record for any Asian work of art. While participation from our mainland clients was comparatively muted for the last couple of seasons, they have made an extraordinary comeback this season, with many of our top lots returning to China.”

Silver Car Crash (Double Disaster) by Andy Warhol is estimated to achieve more than $60 million when it comes up at Sotheby’s in New York on November 13. The monumental painting is one of only four Car Crash works of this scale in Warhol’s pivotal Death and Disaster series. It measures over eight feet by 13 feet.  It is the only one of the series remaining in private hands. The work, which boasts distinguished provenance including Gunter Sachs, Charles Saatchi, and the legendary Swiss dealer Thomas Ammann, has been in the same collection since 1988. This version has been seen in public only once in the past 26 years. 

The Death and Disaster series stands as arguably Warhol’s most significant artistic achievement. The series explored many of the key themes that defined his entire artistic career – the potential of mass-media to transform anonymity to celebrity as well as a perceived indifference to death in the modern era – and is considered one of the most provocative, confrontational and brilliant projects undertaken by any artist in the 1960s. It is not coincidental that Warhol created the series at the same time as his iconic portraits of celebrities touched by death and disaster such as Elizabeth Taylor, Marilyn Monroe and Jackie Kennedy who had found their private tragedy catapulted onto the public arena.

The other three monumental canvasses in the series belong to museums:  Orange Car Crash 14 Times in The Museum of Modern Art, New York; Black and White Disaster #4 in the Kunstmuseum, Basel; and Orange Car Crash in the Museum Moderner Kunst Stiftung, Ludwig, Vienna.  (Click on image to enlarge).

UPDATE: IT SOLD FOR $105.4 MILLION.

THERE  was a new record for a work by a living Chinese artist and eleven records were smashed at Sotheby’s 40th anniversary evening sale in Hong Kong on October 5.  The sale achieved US$145,188,462 over a pre-sale high estimate of $85 million.  No less than eleven artists records were established.  The top lot was Zeng Fanzhi’s  The Last Supper which made $23,273,151, a new record for a work by a living Chinese artist and a record for a work of contemporary Asian art.

It was standing room only in a saleroom crowded with nearly 700 people.  Bidding by phone and on the net came from 25 countries.  The auction achieved the highest total for any comparable sale in Asia  across the categories of  20^th Century Chinese Art, Contemporary Asian Art and Modern and Contemporary Southeast Asian Art.   Five bidders competed for more than fifteen minutes for Zeng Fanzhi’s The Last Supper, a 2001 oil-on-canvas.

The record breaking run continued on October 6 when 20^th Century Chinese Art brought in US$96 Million and  Modern and Contemporary Southeast Asian Art achieved US$29 Million.  Both auctions made records for a sale in the category.

(See posts on antiquesandartireland.com for September 5, 2013 and August 12, 3013)

A selection of affordable Irish art comes under the hammer at Dolans sale in the Pillo Hotel, Galway on Sunday October 13.  Around 190 lots, including a number of antiques and collectibles, will come under the hammer.  Here is a small selection. The catalogue is online.

 

Elizabeth Brophy – In the Meadow (1,000-1,200) UPDATE: THIS WAS UNSOLD.