The picture of Malevich sold over 60 million
ARTinvestment.RU   05 ноября 2008

It is at this price and the expected auction house Sotheby's. It certainly could be higher, but 60 million is also a good idea. However, the total proceeds for the evening auction in New York on November 3, did not reached the lower limit of estimeyta

the evening of November 3 in New York held an auction of works of the Impressionists and modernists Sotheby's. The outcome of his rather controversial. The main items are the buyers, but to say that the auction was very successful, you can not. «Suprematist composition» Kazimir Malevich , spring won the heirs of the artist in Amsterdam Stedelijk Museum, was able to be sold for $ 60 million *. At the same time, bidding had 223 812 $ 500 - if estimeyte in 317,8-475,4 million dollars.

«just an adjustment market», - declared the director of Gagosian Gallery, John Hood (John Good), leaving the auction room after the auction. Who in this situation is indeed fortunate, because it is the buyer of the Malevich. Indeed, in a more favorable time, the price of a sheet of «Suprematist song» could rise to 100 million dollars. Even before the auction became known, that Sotheby's has already secured a buyer at this picture, who promised to buy it at a price equal estimeytu - 60 million. He was the only one who offered a price - more willing to buy the work of Russian artist was not found. Of course, $ 60 million - the price is fantastic, but when it comes to Suprematist paintings of Malevich, it no longer seems prohibitive. Therefore, the mysterious buyer, you can congratulate the bargain. Who could provide six months ago that «Suprematist composition» of interest to only one buyer and the selling price will not exceed estimeyt? .. Perhaps, when the crisis ends and willing to buy the masterpieces will be greater, the owner of the painting could sell it for 100 million and earn at the round sum.

In general, the results of bidding on 3 November is not something that is very encouraging. Buyers have found only 45 of the 70 lots. This 64 per cent - the lowest result for bidding Impressionist and modern works since May 2001. The second top lot - pastel «Resting Dancer» Edgar Degas (Edgar Degas) - was sold for 37 million dollars. This is a record for the artist's works, but the aftertaste, as they say, is: It is expected that work will bring more than 40 million. Serene comes from a collection of one of the Top-10 collectors of works of art according to the magazine ArtNews - Henry Krevisa (Henry Kravis), who acquired it in 1999 for 28 million dollars. The buyer of the work became the head of Sotheby's Tokyo office Yasuaki Isidzaka (Yasuaki Ishizaka).

One of the few results that have led to genuine joy of the organizers of bidding - 38,5 million dollars, which brought the picture the Norwegian Edvard Munch (Edvard Munch) «Vampire». For it fought several buyers. The winner is an American collector, bid by phone. 38.5 million were a record price for artist's works, whose recent paintings are very well sold at auctions . Estimeyt work accounted for 30 million dollars.

But there has not been without a small spoon tar. The Art Newspaper reports that the picture of Munch was also a guaranteed buyer, but at the last moment, he feared the crisis, terminated the agreement with the auction house. Although the auction house said that no buyer had been a symbol in the catalog, pointing to its existence - is merely a mistake. We know that the icon that resembles the rubble at the side shoed, placed next to the name of work, if there is a hundred percent guarantee that its purchase of pre-agreed price. In the Sotheby's catalog shoed were two works: the «Suprematist song» and «Vampire». Symbol standing next to a picture of Munch, pobyl there for a while and disappeared. Although Sotheby's and insists that the error occurred, The Art Newspaper is still considered surprising that the drafters of the directory to allow such a lapse.

Crisis frightened not only the mythical guaranteed buyer «Vampire», but also to sell another painting, which also was to become one of the top auction lots. Shortly before the auction became known that very rare canvas «Harlequin» Pablo Picasso (Pablo Picasso), estimated at 30 millions of dollars withdrawn from the auction and know when to appear again on the market . Sale «Harlequin» had to be postponed until better times, although it is possible that the November 3, he, like the paintings of Malevich, Munch, and Degas, to find a buyer.

But many less expensive works at Sotheby's are out of luck. Remained unsold works of Camille Pissarro (Camille Pissarro), Alberto Giacometti (Alberto Giacometti), Paul Cézanne (Paul Cézanne), Marc Chagall (Marc Chagall) and Vasily Vasilyevich Kandinsky . Multimillion failures were also. No one wanted to buy any picture «Seated man» Amedeo Modigliani (Amedeo Modigliani), valued at 18 million dollars, or canvas «Cathedral in the fog» Claude Monet (Claude Monet), lower estimeyt which was 16 million. «Failed» as a rare painting by Vincent van Gogh (Vincent van Gogh) with the image of the statue (estimeyt 10 million) and still lifes of Picasso and Matisse (Henri Matisse). At Sotheby's 16 lots has given assurances - that is promised to the sellers to pay some amount even if the work no one will buy. Buyers do not have guaranteed all four lots, which means that the loss of the auction house is not very big.

Preparing for the auction began in the summer, before the art market began to feel the effects of the financial crisis. Of course, the auction house estimeyty handed that inspired record spring auction. But in October, Sotheby's confidence that the work will be sold at such high prices, is seriously shaken. Recent auction organized by Sotheby's in London were not very successful , but they did better than the October auctions Christie's , and Phillips de Pury. Then, Sotheby's, in contrast to other auction houses, «podstelil a straw»: persuaded sellers to lower the reserve price work. This time, they say, the auction house, too, tried to negotiate with sellers.

«terrible was nothing but a good auction, not call», - transmit words Bloomberg Escher dealer Edelmana (Asher Edelman). «Just look out the window to see that we live in a new world - said auctioneer Tobias Meyer (Tobias Meyer). - But the world still needs the arts».

Today, tomorrow and after tomorrow in New York will auction the works of Impressionist and Modern Christie's. They say that the evening auctions 5 and November 6 could be 560.8 million dollars. Next week, the two giant auction business conduct auctions of postwar and contemporary works by artists: Sotheby ' s - November 11 , a Christie's - 12 November . Previously, it was expected that this two-week marathon will be the November auction houses 1.9 billion dollars, but for now, «due» auction results on 3 November, experts doubted that this figure will be reached.

* All sales prices are mentioned in the text, include the Buyer's premium.

Material prepared Yulia Maksimova

Sources: bloomberg.com , theartnewspaper.com , artinfo.com , artinvestment.ru