Jeff Koons. – Balloon Monkey (Blue). Executed in 2006-2013. UPDATE: THIS SOLD FOR £7,555,000
Jeff Koons’ Balloon Monkey (Blue) will be offered by Christie’s as one of the highlights of the October Frieze Week 20th/21st Century London evening sale on October 9. With an estimate of £6,500,000 – 10,000,00 this sculpture is one of five unique versions (Red, Magenta, Blue, Yellow, and Orange).
It is to be installed in St James’s Square, adjacent to Christie’s Headquarters in London, from September 30 to October 9. The work comes to auction following the success of Balloon Monkey (Magenta) sold in 2022 for £10,136,500 and is an evolution of Koons’ renowned Celebration series which began in 1993. The series includes some of his most iconic creations — such as Balloon Dog (1994-2000).
The 1939 letter from Einstein to President Franklin D Roosevelt that ushered in the age of the atomic bomb comes up at Christie’s in New York on September 10 with an estimate of $4 million – $6 million. It will lead the Pushing Boundaries: Ingenuity from the Paul G Allen collection sale. The Einstein letter resulted in the Manhattan Project and the story of atomic power told in the 2023 blockbuster film Oppenheimer might never have happened had it not been written. Two versions were drafted, the shorter version on offer here and a more detailed one delivered to the White House by hand – now in the permanent collection of the Franklin D Roosevelt Library in New York. The sale tells the story of science and technology from pre-history to the present day through nearly 40 inspirational documents and objects. The majority of lots date from the 20th century, reflecting Mr. Allen’s most personal passions and serving as a testament to the rapid pace of technological innovation in living memory.
Marina Abramovic – Performance for the OceansPhotograph by Marco Anelli
Performance for the Oceans (2024) is the result of a collaboration between the Serbian conceptual and performance artist Marina Abramovic and Blue Marine, a charity dedicated to protecting the ocean and tackling overfishing. The work, filmed on Fire Island in New York, depicts Abramovic giving her unconditional love and energy to our oceans, stressing the urgent need for their preservation.
The charity has partnered with Christie’s on Blue: Art for the Ocean. More than 20 world leading artists are donating works to be auctioned within Christie’s 20th/21st Century Marquee Week sales next October to coincide with Frieze Art Fair in London to benefit Blue Marine’s projects around the world. Blue Marine’s mission is to combat overfishing, in order to help life in the ocean perform its vital function of stabilising the Earth’s climate. Among other artists involved are Yoshitomo Nara, Edmund de Waal, Lydia Blakeley, and Jonas Burgert.
There was a new world auction record to Titian at Christie’s in London this evening when his early masterpiece Rest on the Flight into Egypt made £17,560,000. The painting was offered by Lord Bath and the Longleat Trustees as part of their long-term investment strategy. It has been owned by Dukes, Archdukes and Holy Roman Emperors, by Napoleon and stolen in the late 20th century.
Lord Bath said: “It has been fabulous to see the interest in Titian’s work as this unique painting was previewed in the lead-up to this evening’s auction. It has been well-received which clearly demonstrates how the fascination with this exquisite early masterpiece has been maintained across the centuries. It has an extraordinary history, looted by Napoleon, bought by the 4th Marquess in 1878 and then stolen from Longleat in 1995 before miraculously being recovered. As the next chapter in the Rest on the Flight into Egypt’s story is written, I am pleased with the outcome of tonight; which will support our considerable long-term investment strategy at Longleat to build on the vision and legacy of my ancestors for the benefit of future generations.” The Titian was the top lot at Christie’s Classic Week evening sales, Old Masters Part I and The Exceptional sale, which realised a combined total of £50,788,420.
(See post on antiquesandartireland.com for April 4, 2024)
SEVRES ORMOLU-MOUNTED POWDERED LAVENDER AND GOLD-GROUND VASE c1805-1806 MADE $94,500. Courtesy Christie’s Images Ltd.
There was energetic participation by bidders and buyers from 33 countries at Christie’s online sale of two American collections which brought in $2,157,624. More than 200 lots of mostly 18th and 19th century European decorative arts were from the estates of two passionate collectors, Adolphus and Emily Andrews, San Franciso and Donald Bruce Wilson of Memphis. The top lot of the sale came from the Andrews collection, a rare pair of marquetry table screens made for Joachim Murat, King of Naples, which made $378,000, more than seven times its low estimate. The top lot of the Wilson collection was a Sevres ormolu-mounted powdered lavender and gold-ground vase which made $94,500.
What a difference a professional restoration can make. Pictured here are before and after conservation images of The Madonna of the Cherries by Quentin Metsys, which will be a highlight at Christie’s Old Master sale in London on July 2. Painted in the 1520’s in Antwerp all trace of the work was lost following the death of its then owner in 1668. It resurfaced in Paris in the 1920’s with an altered composition including a curtain across the window and was no longer recognised as work by Metsys. With its overpainting and varnish it was offered at Christie’s in 2015 as a studio variant deriving from the original, reflecting scholarly opinion at that time. Subsequent conservation was transformative and enabled scholars to recognise it as the original. The estimate for the work is now £8 million – £12 million (€9.40 million – €14.09 million).
ANDY WARHOL (1928-1987) – FLOWERS WHICH SOLD FOR $35.5 MILLION
Flowers, a 1964 work by Andy Warhol, was the top lot at Christie’s evening sale in New York on May 16. It made $35.5 million in a sale with global participation which totalled $413.3 million. Other top lots included Vincent Van Gogh’s Coin de jardin avec papillons, which realised $33.2 million, David Hockney’s A Lawn Being Sprinkled, which made $28.6 million and Alberto Giacometti’s sculpture, Femme Leoni, which brought $22.3 million. Of the 58 works sold, 15 achieved prices above $10 million, with Georgia O’Keeffe and Joan Mitchell counted among the top ten.
George Stubbs – Mares and Foals in an extensive landscape
One of the largest pictures that George Stubbs painted – Mares and Foals in an extensive landscape – will be a highlight at Christie’s Old Masters sale in London on July 2. Stubbs was the most revered animal painter in the history of European Art and this work is one of the last two on this scale of any subject to remain in private hands. Dated to circa 1769, this monumental canvas is the artist’s grandest statement on the theme of Mares and Foals, the series of paintings executed in the 1760’s. The picture is believed to have been painted for the Prime Minister of Britain from 1768-1770, Augustus Fitzroy, 3rd Duke of Grafton (1735-1811), who was part of the closely-connected nexus of ‘Whig’ statesmen that provided Stubbs with his most important patronage during this career-defining period. Estimated at £7. – £10 million this painting last appeared on the market in 1976, since when it has been part of an important private collection in Illinois, U.S.A.
The Allnatt, a fancy vivid yellow diamond of 101.29 carats at Sotheby’s, Geneva. UPDATE: THIS WAS NOT SOLD
Kashmir sapphires, Burmese rubies, Colombian emeralds and lots and lots of diamonds – what’s not to like? Traditionally this is the month for sales which bring a global audience of very rich buyers to Geneva for eye watering jewels with all sorts of exotic provenance and stories histories.
The collections of modern and historic jewellery at sales like these are fascinating. Some lots make millions. But passion for fine jewellery is not the exclusive preserve of the super rich. There will be plenty of pickings for the rest of us at sales on May 14 at both James Adam in Dublin and Matthews in Kells and O’Reilly’s in Dublin on May 15 with no shortage of choices across all price levels.
An exceptional pigeon’s blood ruby and diamond ring at Christie’s. The 5.03 carat ruby originated in Burma (Myanmar). UPDATE: THIS MADE 1 MILLION CHF AT HAMMER (€1.02 MILLION)
On the international scene yellow diamonds are the flavour of the month this month. Christie’s will offer The Yellow Rose in Geneva on May 15, an unmounted rare fancy intense yellow pear modified and brilliant cut diamond of 202.18 carats. Like most intense yellow diamonds it is from South Africa where deposits are rich in nitrogen.
Sotheby’s claim to have one of the world’s most significant fancy vivid yellow diamonds as a highlight of their magnificent jewels sale in Geneva on May 14. The Allnatt – named for its first recorded owner Major Alfred Allnatt, renowned British racehorse owner, philanthropist and patron of the arts – weighs in at 101.29 carats and is celebrated for its richly saturated gold colour, older cutting style and elegant 1950’s mounting by Cartier. It too originates in South Africa and the estimate is 5.6 million – 6.5 million Swiss francs (€5.74 million – €6.67 million).
Both sales are distinguished by one of a kind pieces and historic and modern jewellery from houses like Harry Winston, Cartier, Van Cleef & Arpels, Tiffany, JAR and many others.
Turquoise, lapis lazuli and diamond bracelet at Adams. UPDATE: THIS MADE 19,000 AT HAMMER
Meantime in Ireland viewing is underway both in Dublin and in Kells for the jewellery sales on May 14 at Adams and Matthews and the regular monthly jewellery and silver sale at O’Reilly’s of Francis St. in Dublin takes place on Wednesday. Top lots at Adams include a c1960 Serpenti bracelet watch and a ruby and diamond ring both by Bulgari. Each is estimated at €40,000-€60,000. A rare turquoise, lapis lazuli and diamond bracelet by Fred, Paris c1960 is estimated at €20,000-€30,000.
A Trinity bangle by Cartier is estimated at €6,000-€8,000 while a Trinity ring by the same maker (€700-€900) is one of a selection of lots available at under €1,000 in a catalogue with 268 lots in total.
A vintage diamond and enamel ring by David Morris hallmarked London 1975 is the top lot at O’Reilly’s with an estimate of €58,000-€65,000. It comes with a gold rope link and black enamel surround. A total of 234 lots will come under the hammer.
A selection of lots from Matthews
In Kells the auction at Matthews will offer silver and gold from various executor instructions, pawnbrokers unredeemed pledges and lots from private clients. The top lot is a Toi et Moi diamond ring (€12,000-€18,000). There is much to choose from in a wide selection of rings, brooches, bracelets, earrings, pendants and wristwatches. Happy hunting….
The Italian Version of Popeye Has no Pork in His Diet by Jean-Michel Basquiat at Christie’s. UPDATE: THIS SOLD FOR $32 MILLION
The Italian Version of Popeye Has no Pork in His Diet, a lawn being sprinkled, a haunting portrait of a lover and muse, scientific literature and Irish and Mexican myth getting the surreal treatment all feature at the big art sales at Christie’s and Sotheby’s in New York this month.
The 20th/21st Century series at Christie’s and masterworks spanning more than a century of production at Sotheby’s underline the glorious diversity of Modern, Contemporary and Post-War Art and the boundary pushing art of now.
Jean-Michel Basquiat’s arresting 1982 work The Italian Version of Popeye has no Pork in His Diet will be a highlight at Christie’s 21st Century evening sale on May 14. Peppered with figures, numbers, shapes and crossed out words it mixes symbols, text and portraiture and is estimated to achieve around $30 million (€28.03 million). It is part of a series featuring tied together wooden supports on which a canvas has been mounted.
In a market that is weaker than latter years Basquiat continues to exert strong pulling power. A highlight at Sotheby’s Contemporary Auction in New York on May 13 is one of the most significant paintings created jointly by Basquiat and Andy Warhol during their famed period of collaboration from 1983 – 1985. “Andy would start one and put something very recognizable on it, or a product logo, and I would sort of deface it” Basquiat said once, while Warhol credited Basquiat with getting him into painting differently. Untitled (1984), a large scale example of this collaborative series, is estimated in the region of $18 million (€16.82 million).
Now aged 86 David Hockney continues to make great art today (he says he does not feel his age when in the studio). Hockney’s mesmerising A Lawn being Sprinkled at Christie’s dates to 1967 and is estimated at $25 million – $35 million (€23.36 million – €32.7 million). It is from the Los Angeles collection of legendary screenwriter, producer and activist Norman Lear and his wife Lyn Davis Lear.
Portrait of George Dyer Crouching by Francis Bacon at Sotheby’s. UPDATE: THIS SOLD FOR $27,735,000
Francis Bacon’s Portrait of George Dyer Crouching at Sotheby’s Contemporary evening auction on May 13 dates to 1966 and is the first of a cycle of ten monumental portraits of Dyer created between 1966 and 1968. It offers a haunting glimpse of Dyer – who died from a drugs and drink overdose in Paris two days before the opening of the Francis Bacon Retrospective at the Grand Palais in 1971 – both as hero and a figure of vulnerability. The estimate is $30 million – $50 million (€28.03 million – €46.72 million).
Les Distractions de Dagobert by Leonora Carrington at Sotheby’s. UPDATE: THIS SOLD FOR $28,485,000
Born in 1917 to an upper class Catholic family in rural north west England Leonora Carrington’s childhood was shaped on one hand by rigid social structures and on the other by magical myths from her Irish grandmother and nanny. She returned often to Irish legends, especially in works like Les Distractions de Dagobert which is rife with Celtic imagery. Following a rebellious youth, a brief sojourn with the Parisian Surrealist group and a harrowing flight from war torn Europe Carrington painted this tour de force at the age of 28. The centrepiece at her first retrospective exhibition at the Pierre Matisse gallery in New York in 1948 it is at Sotheby’s Modern evening auction on May 15 with an estimate of $12 million – $18 million.
