The three Alfa Romeos from 1953 to 1955 owe their futuristic streamlined shape to the aircraft engineer Franco Scaglione. They made $ 15.5 million.
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(Foto: Ron Kimball © 2020 RM Sothebys)
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New York The chorus of outraged voices has grown steadily louder since the beginning of October. Occasion: That Baltimore Museum of Art had announced to sell three major works. The goal: the establishment of a hoped for 65 million dollars extremely generously endowed “Foundation for the future”.
The line painting Brice Mardens and Clyfford Still’s work “1957-G” should be two highlights in Sotheby’s New York auction on Wednesday evening bring in at least $ 22 million. Andy Warhol’s 1986 “Last Supper” was set to switch hands for an estimated $ 40 million in private sales. Two former members of the museum board recently joined the nationwide protest. They withdrew promised donations to the Baltimore Museum of $ 50 million.
That had an effect: shortly before the auction, after consulting with the Association of Art Museum Directors (AAMD) known to put the sales plans on hold for the time being. In order to enable largely privately financed museums to survive the pandemic, the association allowed a two-year temporary relaxation of the strict regulations against inventory sales in April. This triggered a wave of divestments.
Now AAMD Director Brent Benjamin is rowing back: “Art collections should not be monetized, except under very limited circumstances.” Two other museums, on the other hand, successfully used Sotheby’s unscheduled New York evening auctions of impressionists, modernists and contemporaries on October 28th.
Seven of the Brooklyn Museum of Art released works of art fetched a high $ 20.8 million. The estimate was 12.6 million. The income should serve to maintain the collection.
Designed in 1949, the dining table held collectors on their toes for over ten minutes before the hammer fell at $ 6.2 million. A new record for Italian design.
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(Foto: Sotheby’s New York)
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Especially the amazing dining table by the architect and designer Carlo Mollino from 1949, the frame of which is reminiscent of a spinal column, kept collectors on their toes for over ten minutes. Mollino’s eccentric furniture always fetched high prices, but on Wednesday the hammer only fell at $ 6.2 million – a new record for Italian design.
Of course, three spectacular Alfa Romeo BAT Concept Cars 5, 7 and 9 from 1953 to 1955 were particularly eye-catching. They owe their streamlined shape to the aircraft engineer Franco Scaglione. The American consignor had them offered together for at least $ 14 million. But with moderate interest, the hammer fell at $ 15.5 million including buyer’s premium.
Legendary painters establish their price level
Claude Monet’s atmospheric painting of a river landscape “Les îles à Port-Villez” from 1897, however, saw fierce competition as the only offer from Classical Impressionism. An Asian phone bidder was hit by an online bidder at $ 4.6 million.
The Palm Springs Art Museum sold Helen Frankenthaler’s giant “Carousel” format, over five meters long, in glowing red and purple tones from the particularly valued 1970s. After seven minutes of wrestling, the highest expectation was exceeded at $ 4.7 million. “Tonight we are continuing the well-deserved recalibration of the market for legendary post-war women painters,” commented David Galperin of Sotheby’s. This included Lee Krasner’s orange painting “Camouflage” from 1963, which sold for $ 3.8 million.
Again, the four-hour distribution was broadcast via live stream from London, with colleagues from Hong Kong and New York. Oliver Barker, Chairman Europe, conducted his screens with the usual concentration and routine. According to Sotheby’s, almost a million viewers followed the action. A total of 75 tickets sold brought in $ 283.9 million. Contemporary art made $ 142.8 million, impressionists and modern art $ 141.1 million.
Five lots fetched more than ten million dollars, only one of them from contemporary art. With a few exceptions, there were no bidding fireworks, most of the bids were in line with expectations.
High sales rates
The evening’s high hammer rates are remarkable: only two plants ended up on the decline list. Unfortunately, there was also the top lot of the evening, Mark Rothko’s dark play of colors “Black on Maroon”, which should bring in at least 25 million dollars. The handy format, in which Sotheby’s has a stake according to the catalog symbol, fetched 27 million dollars gross at the last auction appearance in May 2013.
The late flower painting became the second most expensive work of the session at $ 16.3 million. It stayed within the range of the estimate.
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(Foto: Sotheby’s)
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However, there was intense contention for two late three-dimensional works by Jean-Michel Basquiat with the words “Jazz” and “Black”. It was consigned by the estate of Basquiat’s early patron, the Paris dealer Enrico Navarra, who died in August. Estimated at four to six million dollars each, “Jazz” jumped to $ 8.1 million. Amy Cappellazzo, Chairman Fine Art Division, was able to take advantage of this and tried to get “Black”, but unfortunately without success. The work was assigned to a colleague at $ 6.9 million.
The evening was particularly successful for impressionists and modernists. All 36 lots were sold. Alberto Giacometti’s sculpture “Femme Leoni” achieved the highest price of the evening at $ 25.9 million. The second most expensive work was Vincent van Gogh’s late flower painting. At $ 16.3 million, it was assigned to the only prospect. René Magritte is currently being reassessed. “L’Ovation”, formerly in the de Menil Collection in Houston, was able to confirm the estimate at 14 million dollars.
More: High-end auctions in New York: T-Rex skeleton for 31 million – The world of high-priced art
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