antiquesandartireland.com

Andy Warhol (1928-1987)
Triple Elvis

Christie’s has once again secured the highest total in auction history with a sales total of $852,887,000 at the Post War and Contemporary Art auction in New York last night. Andy Warhol’s Triple Elvis and Four Marlons led the sale at $81.9 and $69.6 million. There were eleven new world auction records in a sale which attracted registered buyers from 43 countries. Three works sold for over $50 million,  23 for over $10 million and 69 for over $1 million.  Cy Twombly’s Untitled sold for $69.6 million, a world auction record for the artist.  Francis Bacon’s Seated Figure made $44.9 million. The other artists in the top ten were, in order, Gerhard Richter,  Ed Ruscha, Willem de Kooning, Franz Kline, Jeff Koons and Martin Kippenberger.

“This was a sale of extraordinary quality and range, with every major artist represented by at least one masterwork,” said Brett Gorvy, Chairman and International Head of Post-War and Contemporary Art. “The landmark sale result achieved tonight is a reflection of both growing global enthusiasm and demand in this category and a virtuous cycle of confidence in the art market that brings a fresh supply of exciting, high-quality works into the market with each new season.”

Steven Murphy, Christie’s Chief Executive Officer stated: “This is truly a moment in art history. Tonight’s result is a testimony to the depth of interest in art across the globe, and to the talent of the Christie’s team.  This sale may have produced an eye catching number, but record museum attendance and record art sales at Christie’s on every continent in all areas and price levels proves that enjoying works of art has become a universal pursuit in our time.”

(See posts on antiquesandartireland.com for October 2, 16 and 30, 2014).

Mark Rothko
No. 21 (Red, Brown, Black and Orange)
signed and dated 1953 on the reverse

A sales total of $343,677,000 million was achieved at Sotheby’s sale of Contemporary Art in New York last night. This brings the sales total of November evening sales to $460.3 million including works from the Collection of Mrs. Paul Mellon on the previous evening. Last night Mark Rothko’s No. 21 (Red, Brown, Black and Orange) from the Schulmberger collection sold for $45 million and Jasper Johns Flag sold for $36 million, a new auction record for the artist.  The sell through rate was 85.9% with buyers from 38 countries with participation from Latin America and Asia.

Other Schlumberger Collection works that performed well included Jean Dubuffet’s Cité Fantoche which set a record for the artist when it sold for $7,445,000.  Top prices for Andy Warhol portraits included Liz #3 (Early Colored Liz) which sold for $31,525,000, Brigitte Bardot from the Gunter Sachs Collection sold for $11,645,000, and Self-Portrait (Fright Wig) fetched $11,365,000.  There were strong prices for abstraction.   Untitled by Robert Ryman made $15,005,000, doubling the previous record for the artist, Richter’s Abstraktes Bild from 1991 made $21,445,000, Halloween Fell on a Weekend by Christopher Wool made $8,005,000 and an Untitled Cy Twombly work on paper attracted competition from six bidders before  selling for $5,205,000.

(See post on antiquesandartireland.com for October 6, 2014)

Mark Rothko
Untitled (Yellow, Orange, Yellow, Light Orange) made $36.5 million.

A brace of paintings by Mark Rothko from the collection of Mrs. Paul Mellon sold for $76.5 million at Sotheby’s in New York last night.  The white glove (100% sold) auction of the most significant fine art from the collection achieved $158,737,250. Bidders from 32 countries participated. Rothko’s Untitled from 1970 made $39.9 million and Untitled (Yellow, Orange, Yellow, Light Orange) sold for $36.5 million.   Both works had been in the Mellon collection for more than four decades.

Contemporary works from the collection achieved $116.6 million. Richard Diebenkorn’s Ocean Park made $9.68 million and all five works by Nicolas de Stael exceeded their high estimates. Sotheby’s sales of Mrs. Mellon’s collection continue this month with Jewellery and  Objects of Vertu on November 20 and 21  and Interions on November 21-23.

Bill Ruprecht, Sotheby’s President, Chairman and CEO, commented: “Mrs. Mellon was an American icon, but tonight’s sale was truly an international. With works spanning four centuries and evoking her refined and eclectic taste, collectors from every corner of the globe competed tonight for a part of her distinguished legacy – leading to a rare ‘White Glove’ sale. These results are not only a fitting tribute to Mrs. Mellon, but a wonderful start to the spectacular series of exhibitions and sales from her Collection that continue this November.”

(See posts on antiquesandartireland.com for July 1 and September 12, 2014).

Louis le Brocquy – Sick Tinker Child. UPDATE: IT SOLD FOR 266,500

A seminal le Brocquy from his famed Tinker Series will lead 23 works by leading Irish artists at Sotheby’s British and  Irish art sale in London on December 10.  They will be shown in Dublin in November.  There are five le Brocquy’s as well as art by William Orpen, Mainie Jellett, Paul Henry, Jack B. Yeats, Gerard Dillon and Basil Blackshaw. The 23 lots are estimated to bring in a combined total of around £700,000.

Sick Tinker Child  is the second largest work from le Brocquy’s  Tinker series, created at the start of a career of international renown.  The painting is estimated at £200,000-300,000.  It will be on display at Sotheby’s, Molesworth St, Dublin on November 28, 29 and 30.

There is a selection of works by F.E. McWilliam and William Scott, an untitled work by Sean Scully and an Irish Street Scene by Edward Burra at Sotheby’s Modern and Post War British Art sale in London on November 18 and 19.  Here is a small selection:

EDWARD BURRA
IRISH STREET SCENE
pencil, ink, watercolour and wash (1948) (£200,000-300,000).

WILLIAM SCOTT, R.A.
ORANGE STILL LIFE (£60,000-80,000).

FREDERICK EDWARD MCWILLIAM, R.A.
CAIN AND ABEL VII (£8,000-12,000).

FREDERICK EDWARD MCWILLIAM, R.A.
HAND OF PRINCESS MACHA OF THE GOLDEN HAIR OF THE HOUSE OF ULSTER bronze 1/3 (£6,000-8,000).

WILLIAM SCOTT, R.A.
TABLE STILL LIFE
signed and dated 53 (£200,000-300,000).

SEAN SCULLY
UNTITLED
signed and dated 5.28.94 (£8,000-12,000).