A stellar line-up of worldwide artists, amongst them icons of the twentieth century like Francis Bacon, Louise Bourgeois, Marc Chagall, David Hockney and Pablo Picasso, attracted bidders from 20 international locations to Strauss & Co’s annual Worldwide Sale on Tuesday.
The 2-part sale earned a mixed income of R24.9 million with 69 of the 97 tons within the Night Sale promoting (71% lot sell-through price).
Marc Chagall’s mixed-media drawing La Fenêtre à Paris (Window in Paris), 1974, earned the highest value when it bought to a phone bidder for R8 million.
A decided phone bidder additionally secured Pablo Picasso’s Tête (Head), a recto-verso drawing from 1967, for R7.3 million, one in all 5 works by the Spanish grasp bought for above estimate.
Scottish painter Jack Vettriano’s The Proposal netted R1.6 million.
In a sale chock-a-block with large names, it was the little-known Czech artist Zdeněk Burian – a celebrated painter, guide illustrator and paleoartist famend for his depictions of prehistoric life – who introduced the best buzz.
Burian’s oil portray of a feathered dinosaur, Archaeopteryx, attracted 4 phone and a number of on-line bidders and ultimately bought for R462 100. All eight works by Burian supplied – three oils and 5 works on paper – bought for effectively above their estimates.
Alongside Chagall and Picasso, strong costs had been achieved for British painters like Merlyn Evans, Ken Howard, Sidney Nolan and John Piper.
Harrington Mann’s undated Lady in an Inside bought effectively above estimate, reaching R323 470 after 38 enthusiastic bids.
Collector curiosity in Picasso endures.
His aquatint etching Le Peintre et son Modèle (The Artist and His Mannequin), 1963, one in all 5 works by the Spanish colossus supplied, bought for R293 125 to a phone bidder.
The Worldwide Sale included a star-studded listing of artists acquired by legendary Johannesburg artwork supplier Linda Givon (1936-2020), together with editions by John Baldessari, Louise Bourgeois and Henry Moore.
Unique works on paper by Alan Davie, Mimmo Paladino and David Shrigley, additionally from the Givon Assortment, achieved or exceeded their estimates.
Works on paper had been a preferred draw all through the 2 classes, with strong outcomes achieved for works by Pierre Bonnard and Georges Braque.
An artist’s proof of Francis Bacon’s intaglio and aquatint triptych Metropolitan bought for R693 150.
5 ink and gouache drawings by Zdeněk Burian within the Day Sale attracted a number of bids, with the 2 top-selling works, Ape Males and Ape in Quicksand and Roaming Bear, attracting greater than 50 bids apiece and promoting for R152 425 every.
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