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Antique furniture attracted some spirited bidding at Hegarty’s sale in Carrigaline, Co. Cork on May 19. Irish furniture was most sought after. Here are a few results:
An Irish (Cork) mahogany brass mounted fold over card table c1800 sold for 1,950.
This Irish mahogany cross banded circular library table made 1,400.
This Victorian lady’s work table made 1,500.
WILLIAM HOLMAN HUNT,
O.M., R.W.S. (1827–1910)
Isabella and the Pot of Basil (£5-8 million) Courtesy Christie’s Images Ltd., 2014 UPDATE: IT SOLD FOR £2,822,500, A RECORD PRICE FOR THE ARTIST AT AUCTION
One of the best known and loved Pre-Raphaelite masterpieces by William Holman Hunt (1827-1910) depicting the tragic heroine of John Keats’ epic poem Isabella and the Pot of Basil will lead Christie’s sale of Victorian, Pre-Raphaelite and British Impressionist Art in London on June 17 . The picture depicts part of the story after Isabella’s brothers have murdered her lover Lorenzo. She has disinterred the corpse and buried the head in a pot of basil:
And she forgot the stars, the moon, and sun
And she forgot the blue above the trees,
And she forgot the dells where waters run
And she forgot the chilly autumn breeze;
She had no knowledge when the day was done
And the new morn she saw not; but in peace
Hung over her sweet Basil evermore
and moisten’d it with tears unto the core
William Holman Hunt was a founder member of the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood. It is sold to benefit the Delaware Art Museum in America and is estimated at £5,000,000-8,000,000.
A one owner auction of movie posters takes place at Whyte’s in Dublin on May 31. It will be followed later in the day by a sale of Rock and Pop memorabilia. Here is a video on the auction:
Andy Warhol, Henry Moore, Damien Hirst, Joan Miro, Alex Katz and Banksy make for an international selection at Whyte’s next sale of Important Irish Art in Dublin on May 26. The sale is dominated by Irish art and artists. Lots 116-170 comprises works from The Taylor Gallery in Belfast which is in administration. The gallery had established a reputation not just for Irish paintings and sculpture, but works by international artists as well. The Taylor collection includes two watercolours by Louis le Brocquy and vibrant watercolours by Neil Shawcross. Here are some of the international works. The catalogue is online.
Andy Warhol (USA, 1928-1987)
VAN HEUSEN (RONALD REAGAN), FROM ADS, 1985 Number 3 from an edition of 190 (10,000-15,000). UPDATE: THIS MADE 9,500
Banksy (British, b.1974)
LOVE IS IN THE AIR, 2003 Number 417 from an edition of 500 (5,000-7,000). UPDATE: THIS MADE 15,000
Henry Moore OM CH FBA (British, 1898-1986)
TREE FIGURE, 1979 Number 1 from an edition of nine (3,000-5,000). UPDATE: THIS MADE 7,200
Alex Katz (USA, b.1927)
BLACK HAT IV, 2012. Number 11 from an edition of 50. (3,000-5,000). UPDATE: THIS MADE 8,000
A portrait of Daniel O’Connell which was at the Cork and County Club for many years is at Fonsie Mealy’s sale in Castlecomer next Tuesday on Msy 20. It is estimated at 15,000-20,000. Other lots include a half length portrait of Richard Roberts of Cork, captain of the Sirius, the first steamship to cross the Atlantic in 1838 (1,000-1,500
A large Killarney centre table is estimated at 15,000-20,000. On the more contemporary side is Waterfall, a heavy Nepalese tapestry by Pauline Bewick measuring approximately 9′ x 5′. This unique piece is signed and inscribed by the artist.
(See posts on antiquesandartireland.com for May 15 and May 7 2014).
A portrait of Daniel O’Connell by Nicholas Crowley (1819-1857) UPDATE: THIS WAS UNSOLD
A portrait of Capt. Richard Roberts, Cork, in Naval uniform at Fonsie Mealy in Castlecomer on May 20. UPDATE: THIS MADE 1,600
This large Killarney wood centre table is estimated at 15,000-20,000. UPDATE: THIS MADE 15,000
HERE is a video from James Adam Auctioneers about their sale of Important Irish Art in Dublin on May 28.
Amadeo Modigliani
Portrait de Paul Alexandre UPDATE: THIS SOLD FOR 13,537,500
Joan Miro
Personnage, oiseau, 1976 (1 – 1.5 million) UPDATE: THIS WAS UNSOLD
Portrait of Paul Alexandre by Amedeo Modigliani will headline Sotheby’s sale of Impressionist & Modern Art in Paris on June 4. Estimated at 5-8 million it pays tribute to Modigliani’s earliest and most important patron. It is one of five works by the Italian artist to be offered during the sale.
Modern Art is represented by, among others, Pablo Picasso, Georges Braque and Fernand Léger. Surrealism is represented in works by Francis Picabia, Yves Tanguy, Salvador Dalí, René Magritte, Max Ernst, Wifredo Lam, Leopold Survage and others.
Georges Braque – Still life with cherries (600,000-800,000). UPDATE: THIS SOLD FOR 1,261,500
‘Two Reclining Figures’ by Lynn Chadwick UPDATE: SOLD FOR £446,500
A sculpture by Lynn Chadwick (1914-2013) will be sold at Bonhams auction of British and Irish art in London on May 28. Two Reclining Figures is estimated at £400,000-600,000..
Matthew Bradbury, Head of British and Irish Art said: “Two reclining figures is among Lynn Chadwick’s most tender sculptures. The couple display an intimacy rarely seen in the artist’s sculptures up to this point. It follows on the from the earlier monumental figure groups The Watchers (1960) and Three Elektras (1969) and ushered in a new period for Chadwick where he produced life-size bronzes on a more regular basis.”
Popeye does Vegas Jeff Koons – Popeye
signed, dated 2009-2011 and numbered 3/3.
Warhol pipped Popeye at Sotheby’s in New York last night. A set of six self-portraits by Andy Warhol made $30,125,000 at the sale of contemporary art. It was the top lot in an auction which realised $364,379,000 million. Popeye by Jeff Koons, the catalogue cover lot, sold for $28,165,000 and is destined for Las Vegas. Other Warhol highlights include Big Electric Chair which sold for $20,437,000 and 12 Mona Lisas (Reversal Series) which made $11,365,000. There were artist records for Rosemarie Trockel, Dan Flavin, Adam McEwen, Matthew Barney, Sarah Lucas, Keith Haring, James Rosenquist, Wade Guyton, and Julian Schnabel.
Alexander Rotter, Co-Head of Sotheby’s Worldwide Contemporary Art Department, commented: “Tonight, the Contemporary market continued its solid ascent with one of Sotheby’s biggest ever sales. Global participation was evident throughout the process and helped to drive our sell-through rate of 85%. We began tonight with 19 lots from The Sender Collection, which brought a fantastic total well above the high estimate and with every lot finding a buyer. These are the artists of our generation and it was thrilling to see new benchmarks set time and again. I was also delighted that Steve Wynn was the successful purchaser of Koons’ Popeye and that the work will be going on view at his casino in Las Vegas.”
See posts on antiquesandartireland.com for April 13 and April 11, 2014.
Countess Edwina Mountbatten by Gaetano de Gennero (1890-1959) (2,000-3,000). UPDATE: THIS MADE 2,000
A c1900 commode in the Louis XVI style stamped Millet on body and signed “Millet a Paris” on lock (4,000-6,000) UPDATE: THIS SOLD FOR 10,000
A c1849 scale model by architect Benjamin Woodward of Dromore Castle gate lodge, Co. Kerry (3,000-4,000) UPDATE: THIS MADE 3,200
Albert Toft (1862-1949) – bronze bust Lord Kitchener (800-1,200) UPDATE: THIS SOLD FOR 800
A 19th century gilded and enamel singing bird box stamped “Fabr.de Geneve” (1,500-2,000). UPDATE: THIS MADE 2,900
Two 19th century wing back armchairs by Butler of Dublin estimated (l) 650-900 and (r) at 800-1,200. UPDATE: THESE MADE 1,500 EACH
A Cork silver fish slice by Samuel Reily c1780 (1,800-2,500) UPDATE: THIS SOLD FOR 1,600.
