German and French expressionist at Sotheby's and Christie's.

Synchronous February auctions Sotheby's and Christie's claim to sensational results long before the first hammer blow. five-day marathon has been called upon to accommodate not only the traditionally prestigious impressionists and modernists, but also Surrealism , post-war and contemporary artists, as well as representatives ultrafashionable lines today - the German and Austrian expressionists.

Waiting for sensationalism, it was dictated by the statistics and fortuitous circumstances. Summarizing the results of 2006 showed that the art market has never felt so good, but a new generation of wealthy collectors and investors quite comfortably decides millions segment. If you take only auction statistics, in 2006, according to the Artprice.com At least 810 works were sold more expensive than a million dollars, totaling 2.7 billion dollars (the whole market is estimated at 6.4 billion dollars). For comparison: the previous year have been sold 487 of the segment in the total amount of 1,4 billion dollars. This statistics. A «conjuncture» is that in the past year, died several prominent collectors, so at the February auction, a number of works the museum level, which in other circumstances would not have been on the market. Finally, another «engine», above the market is desperately scarce, in fact, have a high price. Owners of masterpieces and high quality items may no longer hold them in anticipation of a favorable environment. It has already occurred.

Apart from the Impressionists, in all the prestigious strings - the former of our people. And the first names of world significance. Artists innovators, which for historical reasons, are considered to be German, French. From the Russian Empire of linking the event of birth, environmental factors and education, less often - education. And with Europe - a creative development, social circle, original discoveries and the recognition (sometimes late, but in all cases the lifetime). Alexei Yavlensky, Vasily Kandinsky, Nikolai de Stal, Haim Soutine, Marc Chagall ... the work of these artists are now the top of world art. And for the presence of Russian collectors of their works in the auction catalog - an opportunity both to participate in the «Russian bid», and in the main world.

ALEXEY YAVLENSKY. Rezi. 1909. Wood, oil. 71,5 × 50,5. Estimeyt: 0,8-1,2 million pounds. Grade D: 0,9 million pounds. Sale price: 1.364 billion pounds. Sotheby's. 05.02.07. Lot number 4

Name Alexei Yavlenskogo is known in Russia is much less than the name of Vasily Kandinsky, despite the fact that the importance of these artists to the art world is comparable. The reasons again historical. From Russia Yavlensky gone long before the revolution, to support the fledgling republic in the early years of its formation did not return. Fame had come to him in Germany, where patrons free, able to buy his work for the Russian Museum and Tretyakov, the Soviet state had already left. And time is not in our museums - the artist is not ours. Probably so, and turned out that Kandinsky for the majority of Russians have a Yavlenskogo, one of the main figures expressionism, such as the almost.

partly close this gap has helped Yavlenskogo exhibition held in 2000 in the Russian Museum. The exhibition was assembled from foreign museums and private collections. Among the items were then brought and «Woman with Flower» (1911) - now the lot is 0058 at the tender «impressionists and modernists» house Christie's. Estimeyt 1,2-1,6 million pounds for a portrait to look clearly undervalued. According to D ¹ , the work of this class should cost about 2.2 million pounds, the there is exactly as long as the buyer paid for it. This is a justifiable price for the expressionistic portrait, which is especially apparent emotional blurring of the figurative beginning to step into abstraction.

The February auction features artwork related to several interesting areas of the artist. In addition to portraits, there is good expressionist still-life. However, in this case limits the genre itself a means of expressing emotion, which makes still lifes Yavlenskogo ceteris paribus are cheaper portraits. A trunk and theme «Russian Germans» - abstract heads of different years. According to D, «head Abstract: summer», work in 1931, should cost 450 thousand pounds, more expensive upper estimeyta.

In 1933, already severely ill Yavlensky begin work on their legendary «Meditation» - a series of abstract faces, which are visible through the image cross. «Meditation» became the latest falls in the artist's works. Hands affected by arthritis, more than heard it: In recent years the artist worked as a brush, tied to the wrist, and later did was bedfast. By this time the Nazis have already attributed to the creativity Yavlenskogo «degenerative art» and banned him, like many other artists, the exhibition activities. A native of Russian Torzhka died in Wiesbaden, Germany in 1941.

If you calculate the price index of products Yavlenskogo on how artprice.com and track its dynamics, it turns out that the conditional $ 100 invested in mid-2000 in the work of the artist, by October of 2006 become a 171 dollar. Formally, is not outstanding, but quite typical for the artist, whose works do'rogi, and value creation for long-standing history of art is beyond question. Subjectively, as «head» and other basic subjects Yavlenskogo fairly quickly added to the price and have high liquidity.

Haim Soutine - another name, «fell» from the context of Russian art, but particularly significant in the context of the arts world. Born Śmiłavičy place (on the outskirts of Minsk), the tenth child in a family of tailors, at the age of 20 as a result of the adventures he goes to Paris, where the Louvre, Montparnasse, poverty, disorder, Modigliani and Lipszyc, casual earnings, fear and suffering. And he is unlikely to think of 17 million dollars, which will offer customers across 80 years in the battle for his expressionist portraits.

Portfolio Haim Soutine is not uncommon for the gallery and auction markets. But landscapes, which he created quite a lot, the most valuable part of his artistic heritage. Slavu Soutine had openly revolting still lifes depicting bull carcasses score birds and strange portraits of commoners - confectioners, messengers, receptionists, the elderly and old, reflecting a rather ignoble traits of human nature than its depth in all their diversity. Particularly because they attached to the use of red - the color to which the artist is believed to be fed unhealthy addiction.

There is an opinion that Soutine not surround himself with unusual coincidence characters. Experts suggest this as an attempt to mentally return to their home Śmiłavičy, surrounded himself with people who resemble mestechkovyh friends. In the war the Germans destroyed much of the population of the Belarusian Jewish town. And at this time in France Soutine was trying to survive with a forged passport, constantly changing place of residence. When he had acute ulcer, the hospital had to deliver the artist's sly, roundabout ways, with the loss of precious time, perhaps, has been the cause of his death in 1943.

«The man in the red Scharfe» 1921 - meter portrait exposed to estimeytom 3,5-5 million pounds. At first glance, the work is close portraits «Konditer from Kanya» and «Messenger of the" Maxim "», Soutine paintings are very expensive: the same line, the same painful izlomannost. Especially in sutinski are folded hands. There is a stain and a red scarf. Decent thing. As a result of it and paid 8756 million pounds. Nevertheless, assessment of D - 3 million pounds, below estimeyta. Also a big figure, but the character portraits are a fairly neutral, but to justify the higher prices should be stronger emotion.

Marc Chagall. Yellow Village. 1968. Oil on canvas. 73,5 x 50,2. Estimeyt: 400-600 thousand pounds. Grade D: 700 thousand pounds. Sale price: 580 thousand pounds. Christie's. 06.02.07. Lot number 0046

Unlike painting «formalist» Soutine and Yavlenskogo, creative visionary Vitebsk Marc Chagall has been known in the Soviet Union. Former Commissioner of art workshops in the early 1970's, even went to the USSR for its exhibition in the Tretyakov Gallery. Generally, this artist, working in a very individual style, which can be described as surrealistic expressionism, not silenced by our authorities. His love flying over the city on numerous replica, but the name was synonymous with «our School», able to conquer the West. However, it is subjective. But objectively to 1950 Chagall was already masters, innovator, inventor of the unique style, and no matter whether he was at the historic home as persona non grata or privechaemym guest.

Chagall's artistic heritage is huge, and his work distinguished by the highest liquidity. It is no coincidence that he was from year to year is the best top ten artists by turnover in the money. According to statistics from artprice.com, suspended $ 100 invested in the art of Marc Chagall in the mid-2001, by October 2006 to become the first $ 210. Price index of the artist is able to add 35 per cent a year.

In the case of Chagall investor it is important to pay attention to the dating of work. The artist died in 1985, did not live up to two years of his century. That is the work of the late 1960's - early 1970's, which were widely represented in the auction - this picture of the artist, on the right 80-year anniversary. Class, technical skill, recognizable subjects - all with them. But on the other hand, the buyer should understand clearly that these things can not be earlier reverie and energy inherent in the young Chagall. This fact should be disclosed, and naturally the prices.

Nevertheless estimate D for the work of the late 1960's «Yellow village» - estimeyta above, about 700 thousand pounds, and for «Dancing on a blue landscape» - 70 thousand pounds, below estimeyta.

All Shagal included in auction catalogs, fitted marked on the positive conclusion of Chagall. This verdict, in effect, requires any works that it has acquired the status of the market. In other words, the author of Chagall is recognized as such only after examination of the Committee. Rigid policies of the organization (in particular taken for examination and found false work will not be returned to owners) allowed over time to bring order to this once alive counterfeit market. By the way, just the other day for his great contribution to the strengthening and development of Russian-French cultural relations, Vladimir Putin has awarded the President of Marc Chagall, Jean-Louis Prata Christian Order of Friendship.

Nicholas de Steel (Stal von Holstein) is perhaps one of the most mysterious artists of Russian foreign countries. In the West he is considered to be religious, in Russia, few people have heard about it. The son of assistant commandant of the Peter and Paul Fortress in 1919, a miracle with their parents managed to flee the revolutionary Petrograd. Not destiny, as a kaleidoscope: the early orphaned, served in the French Foreign Legion, has returned from the war in France.

De Stal studied with Fernand Leger, exhibited, along with Kandinsky in occupied Paris, under the influence of Andrew Lanskoe turned to abstraction. In the 1950's, it came to success. His abstract expressionism (deal, which means able to create an abstract allusion to the figurative imagery) have begun to buy, good buy. And in 1955, on the crest of glory, when, seemingly, already have established, 41-year-old de Stal surprised the last time: he was out of the window of his studio.

things set up closer to the mid 1950's, are the most valuable in the artist's works. Today, the price of them can be 2-3 million dollars. Formally medium abstraction «Zhantii» 1952, too close to a valuable period. Express words of a vague feeling of imperfection, in this case it is difficult: it may lack the decoration; can size may, what is called «power», but to evaluate D, the price of this work at auction February 8, shall not exceed the upper estimeyta to 350 thousand pounds. From the investment point of view the work of Nicholas de It has become a valuable period - enviable facility for investment. Even the average statistics is impressive. Conditional $ 100 invested at the beginning of 2002 in the work of de Steel, by October of 2006 become a 242 dollar. This is a good indicator for the artist, whose works are expensive and there is no reason to consider them undervalued. Particularly successful mature abstractions de steel gallery market can be 1,5-3 million dollars.

Wassily Kandinsky. Diagonal. 1930.
Cardboard, oil 49 × 70. Estimeyt: 0,85-1,2 million pounds. Grade D: 800 thousand pounds. Sale price: 1.028 billion pounds. Christie's. 06.02.07. Lot number 0074

Vasily Kandinsky is considered one of the founders of abstract painting. This careful wording is used because it give anyone a clear priority in the invention of abstract painting has still not succeeded. This lever, perevernuvshemu painting XX century, at the same time came a few artists. But «the father of abstract art» is called Kandinsky. It was his, not Yavlenskogo to steal Mondrianom work in Hollywood detective. His latest schedule rastirazhirovana on the posters, and even Kandinsky - a world brand name, common name, only partly associated with Russia. And in vain, because the best abstraction of the artist are kept in the Tretyakov Gallery. And in the world's auctions of such a class seldom appear. But late geometric graphics in 1930's and 1940's - often.

At this time of Kandinsky overpayment. According to D, to acquire «Diagonal», 1930 in estimeyta was not too expensive. Early approaching abstract «Veylhaym-Marienplatz» 1909 could easily be rated D in the 2.8 million pounds, while the medium «geometry» «Heavy between Light», 1924, to evaluate D, should cost 400 thousand pounds, that is within estimeyta.

In general, the Russian segment of the February auction Sotheby's and Christie's presented strong things, but not absolute masterpieces. Good shopping can make the fans work Alexei Yavlenskogo and Marc Chagall. But if it is close to the «Russian trace». If you expand the scope of interest to those of German and Austrian expressionists (whose investment potential is still far from being exhausted), in the masterpieces of the case will not be.

 

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¹ In this article we introduce the notion of deliberately evaluate D, the value of which differs from estimeyta and the actual purchase price. Our assessment - this is subjective figure, responding to a question, how much should cost a thing in this class, if the purchase is not dominated by the emotional component, and the logic of investment and knowledge of market realities.