Veritable treasures are to be featured at the upcoming auctions — works by old masters from esteemed collections, and even gems of contemporary art yet to find a home in museums.
The Emily Fisher Landau Collection
November 8–9, New York, Sotheby’s
Works of art by renowned artists such as Pablo Picasso, Mark Rothko, Jasper Johns, Andy Warhol, and others will be sold as part of the estate of collector and benefactor Emily Fisher Landau in New York City. She began assembling her collection in the 1960s, was a significant supporter of the Whitney Museum, and personally knew many of the masters. The highlight of the auction is expected to be Picasso’s “Femme à la montre,” where he portrayed Marie-Thérèse Walter during their passionate affair. The piece is expected to bring in no less than $120 million.
Cornelis Paulus van Pauwvliet
November 21, London, Bonhams
Cornelis Paulus van Pauwvliet’s private Amsterdam collection, assembled over 50 years, pays homage to the “Golden Age” of Dutch decorative arts and crafts. Two hundred items from this collection, including furniture, silverware, ceramics, as well as paintings and graphics by Dutch masters, will be up for auction in London this November. Among the highlights are an 18th-century mahogany and gilded bronze floor clock (£70–100 thousand) and a landscape painting by modernist Kees van Dongen, Deauville, le champ de courses (£300–500 thousand).
Swiss Fine Art
December 5, Zurich, Sotheby’s
After the successful September auction named The François Meyer Collection: Color Passion in Paris, a dozen pieces from the collection of the famous Swiss photographer and collector have been moved to Zurich for auction. Meyer, who passed away last year, was known for photographing artists and collecting their works, not just for his portraits. The roster was striking, ranging from Pablo Picasso to Bernard Venet. The auction features pieces by Sam Francis (€100–150 thousand) and Victor Brauner (€100–150 thousand), among others.
Modern British Art
November 22, London, Bonhams
A seminal work by the leading 20th century British sculptor Henry Moore will headline the Bonhams’ British Modernism auction. A distinctive female head, hewn from hematite and set on a marble pedestal, is estimated at £2.2–2.6 million. The piece is seen as a transitional work in the artist’s oeuvre: it still resonates with the symmetry of Art Deco and the influence of Brancusi, but already exhibits the fluidity and anthropomorphism characteristic of Moore’s style, as recognized by contemporary audiences. The sculpture has been showcased in numerous exhibitions worldwide.
Old Master & 19th Century Art
November 22, Paris, Artcurial
Jean-Honoré Fragonard’s painting Le sacrifice au Minotaure is valued at €4–6 million at the auction, which coincides with the Paris fair Fine Arts Paris & La Biennale. The artwork, created as part of a mythological series following the artist’s retirement in Rome, originates from the collection of the renowned couturier Jacques Ducet. After being acquired at the sale of his estate posthumously, it has been preserved in a private collection for over a century. Also leading the auction are two Baroque pieces — a still life with apricots and plums by Louise Muayon and John the Evangelist by Bartolomé Esteban Murillo.
Photo: press-office
