New records Impressionists
ARTinvestment.RU   14 мая 2008

The market of art, particularly Impressionist works, despite the increasing weakening U.S. economy, said last Friday, the auction house Sotheby

market of art, particularly Impressionist works, despite the increasing weakening U.S. economy, said last Friday, the auction house Sotheby's.

on the growth of the art market in America, primarily influenced the beginning of May a series of trades, on Impressionism, as well as contemporary art.

«We have achieved an average price per lot of $ 5.7 million, significantly above the average price at 3.5 million dollars for the lot at the same auction in New York six months ago, and in February London », - said the first vice-president of the auction house, Simon Shaw.

statement was made after the May 7 evening auction «impressionist and modern art» (Impressionist & Modern Art) brought Sotheby's 235 million 333 thousand dollars, and May 8 at the auction the same day the auction was the amount received, more than 37 million dollars.

Chief rival Sotheby's - the auction house Christie's, started the spring season of impressionist May 6, also was satisfied with the mood of investors, obtained for the first evening, 277 million dollars and called the third in the history of the result in this category.

auction houses are confident that against the backdrop of weakening dollar, rising oil prices and financial instability, U.S. investors continue to rely on «the eternal values of». «American buyers purchased 67% of all lots, yielding a sufficient satisfaction for the current background of uncertainty about the prospects for the U.S. economy», - said Shaw.

Analyzing the national composition of our buyers, Christie's said that only one third of the investors were U.S. citizens. Most of them - 52% - representing Europe, 2% - Asia and Latin America, and the mysterious 12% «submitted the others». We know that buyers of the ten top lots at least three are U.S. citizens, one - British, the other six wanted to hide under the inscription «anonymous».

Christie's president Marc Porter, in his statement noted that the global market appreciates the investment in art. By the way, 2007 was a record for the Firm, which has established its own record for sales at 6.3 billion dollars.

The most expensive canvas the May auction was the early impressionist work by Claude Monet «Railway bridge in Arzhantee», sold at Christie's evening auction for nearly 42 million dollars (41,481 million), the buyer, who wishes to remain anonymous.

The second hit season - placed on Sotheby's portrait of Joseph Fernand Leger «Lady in Blue» - bought for 39.2 million dollars, and the work of Edward Munch «Girls on the Bridge» was sold for 30.8 million dollars with estimeyte at 24-28 million dollars.

In the sculpture was not the equal work of Alberto Giacometti «Large woman standing» No. 2 (in this series of four pieces), sold for 27.5 million dollars. The figure of more than 2.5 meters in height, intended Giacometti, was to decorate one of the areas of New York, but this plan is not implemented. According to Christie's, «great lady» to bid bought the famous gallery Gagosyana.

«Portrait in Blue Manto» Henri Matisse, which shows the artist's muse - blue-eyed Russian emigrantka, born in Tomsk, Lydia Delektorskaya, for 22.4 million dollars at auction has become an unidentified American buyer.

was not without surprises. Surprisingly, there was no consumer demand for the great Vincent Van Gogh. But still life with geraniums by Henri Matisse from a private American collection, which was not exhibited for sale for more than 30 years, has been sold three times more expensive expert evaluations Sotheby's - for 9.6 million dollars. At $ 10 million above estimeyta - for 27.6 million dollars - were sold four works of Pablo Picasso and Alberto Giacometti from collectors from around the world Raymond and Nancy Nesher.

Source: www.rian.ru , www.sothebys.com