27
Both a social event but also a marker (the word is in fashion), of the art market, the autumn 2024 nocturnals and other auctions at Christie’s in New York have exceeded the hopes and predictions that one could envisage for the sale of modern painters (if the word has any meaning!).
It is true that the program (yes it is also a show), the sale of the collection Mica Ertegun was enough to tempt or provoke many reactions.
Thus the paintings of the artists proposed and of which here is a non-exhaustive list: Ed Ruscha, Roni Horn, Sarah Sze, Ana Mendieta, Susan Rothenberg, Firelei Báez, Hilary Pecis, Sasha Gordon, Amédée Ozenfant, Denzil Forrester, Christian Schad, William Eggleston. Keith Haring but also Jean-Michel Basquiat, Louise Bourgeois and Roy Lichtenstein for drawings.
A sale (or rather several sales, as the choices were so diversified and their programs planned) in New York in the opulent salons of the Rockefeller center that our American correspondent was able to follow on site, but also a global sale by telephone where the putatives (the I like the word) buyers could submit their bids.
Let’s cut to the chase and talk big money, all around this sales session, the entire Mica Ertegun collection was sold to reach the tidy sum of $183,915,000. selling 100% per lot, 100% per value, and 132% at hammer and premium compared to the low estimate (Christie’s sources).
René Magritte (1898-1967), The Empire of Lights, 1954. Oil on canvas. (145.4 x 113 cm). Mica Ertegun Collection.
Twenty Christie’s. New York November 19, 2024
Of course, some pivotal works marked this sale, notably some paintings. Of Magritte First of all, The empire of lightsan oil on canvas from 1954 sold for $121,160,000 on November 19, a record for this artist as well as for a surrealist work. A spectacle, isn’t it, too (and this is in no way derogatory), the announcement of the result of the auction aroused, as it was reported to me, thunderous applause. Other paintings by Magritte also went under the hammer such as Memory (1945) et The Court of Love (1960) sold respectively for $3,680,000 and $10,530,000.
David Hockney also shared the lights with Still life on a glass table ( Still life on a glass table) a 1971 still life painted in acrylic and sold for $19,040,000. A somewhat intimate painting whose analytical interpretation refers to the private life of the painter.
Alberto Giacometti (1901-1966). Walking Woman (II) Bronze with brown patina, 146.2cm
Christie’s 20th century sale. November 19, 2024
Later, on November 19, a sumptuous Walking woman (II) of Alberto Giacomettia superb bronze with brown patina dating from 1961 was sold for $26,630,000.
As highlighted in the Fondation Giacometti about this work; in this case it is an achievement “ Created during his surrealist period, the Walking Woman marks the artist’s return to the representation of the human body.
It is the first sculpture by Giacometti whose motif is a walking figure.
The theme is linked to Gradiva – a novel by Wilhem Jensen, in which an archaeologist recognizes in a young woman the contemporary incarnation of an ancient sculpture – which also inspired Sigmund Freud, Salvador Dalí and André Breton.
This female representation is reminiscent of Egyptian art with its stylized forms and its frozen pose, the foot forward causing a slight rotation of the shoulders. Without arms or head, the thin and delicate body resembles an archaeological object and also recalls Symbolist sculpture. The theme of the marching figure would not reappear until after the war. »
American paintings oblige, an oil on canvas of De Kooning (born Dutch then naturalized American), precursor of abstract expressionism, City Landscape (1955) was sold for $17,085,000 and a work on paper by Roy Lichtenstein, George Washington (1962) reached the record price of $7,068,000 for this category.
We will not fail in the near future to update in WUKALInoblesse oblige, a study on post-war American painting that we had published and the considerable influence that his rise to power signified not only on the art market of which he is an epiphenomenon, but above all having regard to the balance of power then born within the Western world for what it would be appropriate to call nowadays the “leadership“, or better but in French, intellectual and artistic, political and artistic sovereignty, cultural entropy in a way, the softpower as they say, in short an analysis “Gramscian»1 of the role of art.
The sale which took place during the day on November 20 at Christie’s highlighted an essential Picasso, Three standing figures (1969, oil stick, oil pastel with pencils on paper which sold for $567,000
Pablo Picasso. Three standing figures. Oil sticks, colored wax crayons and pencils on paper. 44.4×31.5cm
Vente Christie’s, Mica Ertegun collection, New York, 20 November 2024
A rider with bouquet on a horse (1955), a painting on paper by Marc Chagall estimated at $500 to $700,000 went for $1,008,000, as for a Degas, Dancer pulling her swimsuit (Precaution)a very beautiful drawing, pastel and charcoal measuring 20/25cm, it reached the sum of $478,800.
Edgar Degas (1934-1917). Dancer pulling her swimsuit (Precaution). Pastel and charcoal on paper, 20x25cm, circa 1882-1885
The subject is interesting and we can compare it to a bronze statue by Degas on almost the same subject ( Dancer tying the cord of her swimsuit) and acquired by the state with the generosity of the heirs of Edgar Degas and the Hébrard family in 1931, and today exhibited at the Musée d’Orsay.
A few days in New York of great intensity and concentration far from the ordinary tumults therefore, on the evening of November 21, other sales at Christie’s again. A Jean-Michel Basquiat attracted attention for an oil stick on paper Untitled (Untitled), dating from 1982 which provoked a fierce telephone bidding competition and which was sold for $22,950,000
Jean-Michel Basquiat (1960-1988). Untitled1982. oil sticks on paper. (161.3 x 111.8 cm).
Vente Christie’s New York, 21 November 2024
- Gramsci (1891-1937) was an Italian communist philosopher and political theorist, who can recognize the validity of his reflections on cultural hegemony and the importance of sensitive, artistic and intellectual values as objects of influence vis-à-vis political and social societies ↩︎
**How does the prominence of post-war American painting in theChristie’s auction reflect broader shifts in global artistic influence and cultural power?**
## Open-Ended Questions for Discussion based on the Christie’s Art Sale Article
This article offers a fascinating glimpse into the high-stakes world of art auctions and highlights several significant themes. Here are some open-ended questions designed to spark discussion and encourage diverse viewpoints:
**The Art Market and its Influence:**
1. **The article mentions the “considerable influence” of post-war American painting on the art market. In what ways do you think this influence extends beyond the financial realm? How has it impacted artistic movements, artistic expression, and even cultural perceptions?**
2. **The author uses the term “soft power” to describe the influence of art. Do you agree with this assessment? Can art truly exert a significant form of “power” in the world? How does this compare to other forms of power?**
3. **What role do you think auction houses like Christie’s play in shaping the art world and its trends? Do they primarily act as neutral facilitators or do they exert a degree of influence on public taste and artistic values?**
**Specific Artwork and Artists:**
1. **Alberto Giacometti’s “Walking Woman (II)” is described as an important work representing the artist’s return to figurative art. How does this sculpture reflect themes of the surrealist movement? What might be the significance of the work’s “stylized forms and frozen pose”?**
2. **De Kooning, Lichtenstein, Picasso, Chagall, and Degas are all represented in the article. What do these artists have in common, and how do their individual styles and contributions reflect the broader artistic landscape of their respective periods?**
3. **When interpreting art, how important is it to consider the historical context surrounding its creation? How might this knowledge enrich our understanding of a piece like Degas’ “Dancer pulling her swimsuit”?**
**Art as a Commodity:**
1. **The article mentions record-breaking prices for several artworks. Does this reflect the intrinsic value of the art itself, or does it reveal more about the dynamics of the art market and the desires of collectors?**
2. **Should art be considered an investment opportunity, or is it something that transcends monetary value? How can we balance the financial aspect of the art world with the preservation and appreciation of artistic expression?**
3. **What are the ethical implications of buying and selling art at such high prices? Does it risk commodifying something that should be valued for its cultural and aesthetic significance?**
These questions are intended to be starting points for a deeper exploration of the complex issues raised by the article.
