«Old master»: sensation at Sotheby's and Christie's
ARTinvestment.RU   04 февраля 2009

Pictures Hals, Chardin Surbarana and did not find buyers, but the work of Hendrik Terbryuggena and Federico Barocci fired a real sensation. However, the most expensive lot was the predictable pattern Turner

Last week in New York was held major works of Old Masters auction Sotheby 's and Christie's . The most expensive work was the J. M. W. Turner (J. M. W. Turner) «The Temple Jupiter Panellinskogo », which brought 12.9 million dollars at Sotheby's * 29 January . Her estimeyt was 12-16 million. Sotheby's to insure against failure by looking for the guaranteed buyer, but the precaution was unnecessary: buy «The Temple of Jupiter Panellinskogo» wanted another bidder, which eventually passed, and the picture.

«The Temple of Jupiter Panellinskogo» took off in the second row in the ranking of Turner's most expensive ever sold at auction. Now the former owner of the painting, the art dealer Richard Feige (Richard Feigen), bought it in 1982 for 648 thousand pounds sterling (1,1 million dollars). Turner is a record for the amount of 35,8 million dollars, which was sold in 2006 canvas «Dzhudekka, La Donna della Salute and San Giorgio».

Total auction brought 57 647 000 dollars. Eleven operations have left for amounts exceeding a million.

The most sensational, no doubt, become a canvas for sale «piper» brush Dutch painter Hendrick Terbryuggena (Hendrick Ter Brugghen). The work brought $ 10 million in the estimeyte 4-6 million. For it fought several buyers, including Feige. The winner was the London dealer Johnny van Heften (Johnny van Haeften). Boom was caused by the fact that «piper» - is very rare. Last time it was exhibited at public auction in 1938, with its then-owner, Herbert von Klemperer (Herbert von Klemperer), does not like this - he was forced to sell the picture of the Nazis. Almost seventy years «piper» provisel in Cologne museum Wallraf-Richartz, has not yet reached the heirs of von Klemperer and not otsudili it. Cloth was the most expensive piece of Terbryuggena ever sold at auction. This artist in general bidding a rare visitor: since 1986 his work appeared at auction only 15 times. Its previous record amount was 1.9 million euros (2.5 million dollars).

In the third place in the list of the most expensive work sold at Sotheby's on Jan. 29, is the canvas «Prison of San Marco. Capriccio. Citizens and Vehicle Square »Italian painter Canaletto painted (Canaletto). The work went for 2.88 million dollars with estimeyte 2,5-3,5 million.

It should be painting «Celebration in honor of St. George. Dancing around the May tree »Pieter Bruegel, Jr. (Pieter Brueghel the Younger), brought 2.4 million (estimeyt 1,5-2 million).

closes the first five «Portrait of Prince Alois von Václav Kaunits-Ritberga» hand of Francisco de Goya (Francisco de Goya). This rare painting was sold for 2.2 million (estimeyt 2,5-3,5 million).

was not at Sotheby's, and without frustration. Among the lots did not find a buyer proved such blockbusters as the «Salome with the head of John the Baptist» Titian (Titian), and two paintings by Frans Hals (Frans Hals) - «Portrait of a man with gloves» and «Portrait of a woman with a scarf». On the canvases Hals got an interesting history: first was planned that the works will be sold separately, but at the last moment of their owner, the Belgian collector Eric Albada (Eric Albada), decided that the picture is better to sell together - or not selling at all. So the portraits have been merged into one lot, estimeyt which amounted to 15-20 million dollars. The painting was found only one candidate, but to put more than 11.5 million, he did not want - that's still working fine without the new owner. However, Eric Albadu you can understand: the pictures depicted a husband and wife, negozhe them separate.

were in the tender and pleasant surprises. Thus, over 1.3 million dollars went the picture «Muse Erato» brush Francois Boucher (François Boucher), estimated at 300-500 thousand modest. The previous owner bought it at Christie's in 1991 for 330 thousand. Another sensation - sales of the XVIII century French artist Pierre Syubleyra (Pierre Subleyras) under the title «Portrait of Pope Benedict XVI». Specialists of the auction house gave the painting estimeyt 100-150 thousand dollars, as much as it had 986.5 thousand. Happy owner of the work - the New York dealer Adam Williams (Adam Williams).

A day before the auction was Christie's, the results of which were much more modest: auction brought 14 189 500 dollars. However, «blockbusters», like Turner and Terbryuggena paintings, exhibited at Christie's was not. The amounts that have the most expensive items, many times less «sotbisovskih» million, but Christie's and the failures were smaller in caliber.

So, remained unsold series of 12 canvases by Francisco de Surbarana (Francisco de Zurbarán), estimated at 2-3 million dollars. Maybe potential buyers discouraged by the fact that the great Spanish painter of these pictures have created not one, but with students, as auction house experts have warned explicitly in the catalog, writing that «the quality is not always the same» and that some elements out worse than others . Another top lot, which was unable to find a new owner, - «Still life with copper pot, jug, fish glass, two nuts and onions» Jean-Baptiste Simeon Chardin (Jean-Baptiste Siméon Chardin), estimeyt which amounted to 1.2 -1.8 million dollars.

The most enjoyable moment of bidding, no doubt, was selling work by Federico Barocci (Federico Barocci) «The head of St. John the Divine». This rare picture decorate the cover of the catalog, was estimated at 400-600 thousand dollars, and brought entire 1.76 million. The work was studies for the painting «The Entombment», which is in the church of Santa Croce in the Italian town of Senigallia. I bought it in London dealer Jean-Luc Baroni (Jean-Luc Baroni) - the one that last December, laid out 2.8 million pounds (4.2 million dollars) for the picture Tiepolo (Giovanni Battista Tiepolo) «Flora», found in the attic . Baroni said that the acquired «head of St. John the Divine» not for himself but for a collector who wanted to remain anonymous. According to the dealer at Christie's it was very lucky: estimeyt in the picture was very low. January bidding works of old masters in general has been successful for Baroni: graphics at auction Sotheby's, also held on 28 January, his colleague in the gallery of Jean-Luc Baroni Ltd. I bought a wonderful picture Goya «hunter with a dog on a background landscape» of 698.5 thousand dollars (estimeyt 600-800 thousand).

«The head of St. John the Divine» has become the most expensive piece sold at Christie's. In addition to it, broke the million mark two other works - watercolors J. M. W. Turner «View to pass Brunig of Meringena, Switzerland» and picture of John Constable (John Constable) «Type Selisberi». Both pieces have gone for 1 082 500 USD, and linen Constable exceeded estimeyt (500-800 thousand), and Turner's watercolors, on the contrary, to estimeyta not dotyanula. It was expected that «View to pass Brunig ...» will be the most expensive lot auction experts evaluated it in 1,5-2,5 million. However, the million-plus, too, the result is good. Both works come from the collection of William and Eleanor Wood Prince (William & Eleanor Wood Prince), well-known philanthropists in Chicago. Many other works from this collection used in the Christie's success - for example, «Portrait of Albertus Delantera, Secretary Navarre» brush painter from the circle Fouque, Jean (Jean Fouquet); estimeyt this work was 30-50 thousand dollars, but trading had 206.5 thousands. Another example - the picture «Madonna and spindle» Work follower of Leonardo da Vinci (Leonardo da Vinci); estimated at 20-30 thousand, the work went for 152.5 thousand.

In the first five of the most expensive lots Christie's, in addition to works Barocci, Turner and Constable, includes works by Benjamin West (Benjamin West), Pieter Bruegel, Jr., and Antonis van Dyck (Anthony van Dyck). Painting West «The Battle of Cape La Gogh» had 722.5 thousand dollars estimeyte at 400-600 thousand. She placed second in the list of the most expensive works of American artist. Charming work Bruegel Jr. «The trap for the birds», estimated at 300-500 thousand, had 674.5 thousand. A «Portrait of Ann Kevendish» Van Dyck (estimeyt - 500-700 thousand), went for 542.5 thousand dollars.

In general, the results of the January auctions once again proved that the market works by old masters of the most successful sellers who manage to put on the auction of this rare piece. An example of this can be a sale of paintings by J. M. W. Turner, Federico Barocci and Hendrick Terbryuggena.

* All prices include the Buyer's Premium.

Material prepared Yulia Maksimova

Sources: sothebys.com , christies.com , artinfo.com , nytimes.com , artprice.com , artinvestment.ru