«Suprematist composition» Malevitch at Sotheby's. Three days before the record
ARTinvestment.RU   31 октября 2008

Three days later, on 3 November 2008, at Sotheby's auction with a record result will be sold to one of the rarest and most likely the most expensive work in the history of Russian art

Three days later, on 3 November 2008, at Sotheby's auction with a record result will be sold to one of the rarest and most likely the most expensive work in the history of Russian art.

How much confidence? Because no options. After all, to bid as a result of incredible multi-restorative combination enters the picture, representing the most valuable period of a recognized in the West, Russian artist, had a significant influence on the ideology of the art world in the XX century. Perhaps, and enough with the epithets. On both sides of the ocean in general is three words: Malevich, Suprematist compositions. Well, maybe add a couple of phrases: a legally perfect, without any doubt the authenticity. The rest, and so clear: that the chance to buy works of this class gets every 20-30-50 years old, and that they may actually cost any money - because of rarity and of great significance, and so on. That is why guaranteed irrevocable bid to $ 60 million, which made an anonymous foreigner who is perceived as only really start. There are 100 and 120 million dollars, why not? For one and a half - three million dollars for each of the nearly forty heirs, for whom the work will be sold. Although I would be more likely to put the figure at 75 million dollars.

Interestingly, «Suprematist composition» - this is not the last chance for collectors and investors. For the foreseeable future for auction will probably have four works by Malevich unprecedented quality . With the exception of one kubisticheskoy work in 1913, everything else - masterpieces of Suprematism 1915-1922 years. And today there is a great occasion to remember the history of the issue and talk about the fate of the paintings - all the more so because the details have not yet managed to erase the memory.

The fact that five masterpieces Malevitch certainly come to the auction, the world learned 24 April 2008. On that day it was announced that the agreement between the City of Amsterdam and the heirs of Kazimir Malevich at the avant-gardist of controversial works from the collection of Stedelijk Museum. New York law firm Herrick, Feinstein LLP, represents the interests of the heirs, made the transfer of five major works from the museum collection.

It is believed that the Stedeliyk Muzium was a bona fide purchaser of the work. In 1958 they were legally purchased from the architect Hugo Heringa. Then it turned out that Hering had no right to dispose of them as his property. This reminded lawyers and heirs. At first the situation seemed a stalemate: on the Dutch laws because of the lapse of time from the perspectives of legal action in Europe was not. But lawyers have found a loophole and built «Malevitch» ambush. As part of the collection Stedeliyka, 14 paintings, left in 2003 for exhibition in the States (in New York's Guggenheim and the Houston Menil Collection), started in attack. In the States the work of Stedeliyka become vulnerable.

Why «dokopalis» to Stedeliyka? We know that there is the greatest and most significant collection of works by Malevich. It consists not only of the works for the Berlin exhibition of 1927, but part of the collection of Nicholas Hardzhieva and his wife Lilia chaga. The same collection with the archive, which has been unofficially removed from the USSR in 1990 and also gave rise to legal disputes, but that's another story. The battle unfolded just outside the picture to the Berlin Exhibition of 1927. For Malevich, it was «a breakthrough to the West», a rare opportunity to express their ideas in priority, so work for her, he chose with great care. Malevich was already feared that his work and innovative solutions can be concealed by the Soviet regime from the world community. And this was for good reason - the permission to travel abroad has proved to last.

From the press publications of Investigation managed to gather the following picture. In the Berlin of his Leningrad studio Malevitch brought about a hundred works, including some seventy paintings. But even before the expiry of the travel Malevitch telegram suddenly aroused back in the country. In anticipation of wrong, but still hoping to return, Malevich left their work for the storage architect Hugo Heringu. But take them Malevich was not destined to: abroad he is not allowed until his death in 1935. Upon completion of the work of Hering sent Suprematists deposited museum director Alexander Dorner Hanover. It is them and then saw the MOMA director Alfred Barr, which is taken in Europe, the material for the exhibition «Cubism and abstract art». Ostensibly believing Dorner authorized manager of the works, Barr bought him two pictures and a couple of pictures. A further seventeen works selected for exhibition in New York. (In different documents the number of different, but now it is not important.) According to other sources, Dorner had to be at any price to get a visa to leave Germany, and is believed that the paintings of Malevich used as an argument in this matter.

Somehow miraculously managed to ship the goods abroad. The historical landscape was such that the Nazis have one's heart hinged labels «degenerative art». Already there were confiscated, and even your purchased, Malevich, who also represented the «art of degeneration», Director Barr the passage across the border secretly, hidden in the paintings umbrella. Three years after the events described and the very Dorner had to emigrate to the United States, taking with them a picture and drawing. And the rest - back Hugo Heringu from which all started. What would later say about Heringe, but he still managed to safely hide paintings and drawings, and to preserve the legacy of Malevich in the military liholetya.

Then, in 1958, recalling the work done, Heringa were bought by Dutch museum. So Stedeliyke was smart selection Suprematist oils mid 1910-ies (size 70 x 60, and sometimes m), 1913-1914 kubisticheskie song's and other valuable works. All finished, high-quality masterpieces.

In the meantime work uplyvshie with Barry over the ocean, are regularly exhibited in the MOMA. In 1963, when nearly three decades, none of the heirs are not told of their rights, they become part of the permanent museum collection. Problems began in 1993 when the Soviet Union after the collapse of the heirs of Malevich, with the assistance of the German art historian Clemens Toussaint initiated negotiations with the MOMA on the return of works. As a result in 1999, the New York Museum of Modern Art agreed to pay monetary compensation to the heirs (size is not named, but rumored to have been paid about five million dollars) and return one of the sixteen paintings - « Suprematist composition »with black and red rectangles forming the cross . The remaining fifteen works seem to be left in the museum. So wrote the newspaper of the time. There are also another version of that picture got more (in that little hard to believe). But it must be admitted that the museum in any case easily away.

The fate of same otsuzhennoy in 1999 from MOMA «Suprematist song» was clear as soon as God's day. Already in May 2000 at Phillips auction in New York, oil on canvas sold for 17 million dollars ( line 5 in the rating of the most expensive paintings Russian artists ) against the expected ten million. Perhaps this experience, and taught the heirs continue to monetary compensation does not change - to take pictures profitable.

Malevich - one of the forges artists. Relatively safe to work with his belongings (usually graphics) may be only a very experienced kollekitsonery. It is therefore important that the work otsuzhennye heirs, will not simply with Iron provenansom, but now the whole «white», from a legal point of view: the new owner can no longer terrorize the claims, playing on the dubious origin (eg, tortured Andrew Lloyd Webber, with its «Portrait of Angel Fernandez de Soto »(1903) painted by Picasso ). Completely legal Malevitch, released from a dark past - it is a huge rarity in the market, that is the thing that has the highest liquidity. Buy it securely from all points of view. And benefit from all points of view. As stated, this thing «to a wide range of readers», even in art does not necessarily understand. So the record is not long to wait. Total is for three days.

In article used materials publications magazine «Director info» .

Vladimir Bogdanov ,

ARTinvestment.RU