antiquesandartireland.com

The version of The Scream to be sold at Sotheby's. (Click on image to enlarge).

Edvard Munch’s masterpiece The Scream  –  one of the most instantly recognizable images of art history and popular culture – will lead Sotheby’s  Impressionist and Modern art evening sale in New York on May 2.  Dating from 1895 it is one of four versions of the composition and the only one still in private hands. The work is owned by Norwegian businessman Petter Olsen, whose father Thomas was a friend, neighbor and patron of Munch.

“Munch’s The Scream is the defining image of modernity, and it is an immense privilege for Sotheby’s to be entrusted with one of the most important works of art in private hands” commented Simon Shaw, Senior Vice President and Head of Sotheby’s Impressionist & Modern Art department in New York. “Instantly recognizable, this is one of very few images which transcends art history and reaches a global consciousness. The Scream arguably embodies even greater power today than when it was conceived. At a time of great critical interest in the artist, and with the 150th anniversary of his birth in 2013, this spring is a particularly compelling time for The Scream to appear on the market. For collectors and institutions, the opportunity to acquire such a singularly-influential masterpiece is unprecedented in recent times.”

It is difficult to estimate the value of the work, but Sotheby’s suggest a figure of in and around $80 million dollars.  The cultural resonance of the piece has been underscored by two high profile thefts. In 1994 two thieves stole the version at the National Gallery of Norway. It was recovered unharmed in a sting operation later that year. A decade later masked gunmen stole another version from the Munch museum in Oslo with another Munch work.  Both were recovered two years later.

The Pilot by Jack B. Yeats sold for 48,000 at MorganO'Driscoll's art auction. (Click on image to enlarge).

THE Pilot an oil on board by Jack B. Yeats, also known as The Captain goes Aboard sold for 48,000 at Morgan O’Driscoll’s art auction in Cork on February 20.  Estimated at 50,000-70,000 it was the top lot in a sale where most of the best works were sold, though at prices slightly under the low estimate.

A Western Village by Paul Henry estimated at 20,000-30,000 made 16,000 and a work by Water Osborne entitled Near Didcot, Byberry Clumps in the Distance, sold for 17,000 against an estimate of 20,000-30,000.  An acrylic on canvas by Tony O’Malley from 1981 entitled Garden Impression, Paradise Island, Bahamas, which was estimated at 40,000-50,000, was withdrawn at 34,000.

(See posts on antiquesandartireland.com for February 13 and January 12, 2012)

Los Angeles by David Hockney (born 1937) made £121,250 at Christie's. Picture courtesy Christies Images Ltd., 2012. (Click on image to enlarge).

Los Angeles by David Hockney made £121,250 at the Hockney on Paper sale at Christie’s, South Kensington, on February 17.  The pencil, coloured pencil and coloured crayon work on paper, the top lot, had been estimated at £20,000-30,000. It is signed with initials, dated and inscribed Los Angeles 1967/DH. The auction brought in £1,399,400, selling 80% by lot and 85% by value.

Richard Lloyd, International Head of Department, and Alexandra Gill, Head of Department at Christie’s commented after the sale:  “It is a rare pleasure to be able to curate a single-artist sale and we are thrilled with the results of the ‘Hockney on Paper’ auction which followed an exceptionally well-attended view. Strong bidding was received across all channels with several works selling for many times over their pre-sale estimates. The success of the sale is a testimony to both Christie’s skill at organising these landmark sales and David Hockney’s versatility as a draughtsman.”

See post on antiquesandartireland.com for February 3, 2012.

Gerhard Richter, Abstraktes Bild (768-4), 1992, oil on canvas, 200 by 160cm. made £4,857,250. (Click on image to enlarge).

The consolidated total for Sotheby’s contemporary art auction February series amounted to  £66,074,225 against a combined pre-sale estimate of £46,942,600-65,621,100.    The February 16 day auction brought in  £15,385,775, the sale on the previous evening made £50,688,450.  Gerhard Richter’s oil on canvas Abstraktes Bild signed, dated 1992 and numbered 768-4 on the reverse, was the top lot of the series. It made £4,857,250.

Commenting on the results, Olivia Thornton, Sotheby’s deputy director and head of the Contemporary Art day auction, said: “We are extremely pleased with the results achieved for today’s sale which brought a total comfortably within pre-sale expectations of £12.4-17.5 million. Following on from our evening auction last night, Gerhard Richter and Jean-Michel Basquiat dominated the sale once again, demonstrating the unabated demand for their work.”

See post on antiquesandartireland.com for February 15, 2012.