Sotheby's has every reason for optimism. Last year's November auction of contemporary art in New York were successful: sales prices soared above the upper estimate: with only two lots have not found buyers, and the day before yesterday the result of the battle for the sculpture of Alberto Giacometti Walking man I »(65 million funtov/104, 3 million) raised this job on top of several rankings - in including the rating of the most expensive works in the history of the auction.

Here on this background, Sotheby's is preparing for the evening trading of Contemporary Art, which will be held on February 10 in London. So ...

at auction exhibited 49 works from the famous collection Lenz Schoenberg "ZERO-art", which Mr. and Mrs. Lenz was collected for more than 50 years. Works from the collections included in the auction catalog are made in different techniques and presents the work of leading European artists of the postwar period, such as Yves Klein, Lucio Fontana, Piero Manzoni, Gunter Yukker, Roman Opalka, and Victor Vasarely, which relate to the artistic movement of "Zero" . It is assumed that the total amount of sales of the Sterling ( detail about "ZERO-art" from the collection Lenz Schoenberg at Sotheby's auction can be read here ) will exceed 12 million pounds.

customers' attention is invited to "Self-portrait with a black eye" Lyusiena Freud (Lucian Freud), written in 1978. He has long been kept in a European private collection, never before exhibited, and therefore not mentioned in the literature about the artist's work. Estimate of this rare, but very large amounts of 3-4 million pounds. detail thong Lyusiena Freud's work, which includes, in addition to "Self ...", four more works from private European collection can read here .

In addition, the auction will be presented landmark works of such masters as Peter Doig, Gerhard Richter, Chris Ofili, Lucio Fontana and Piero Manzoni (of two the latter represented not only as part of the collection of Sterling Lenz Schoenberg), and other artists. It is expected that the amount of sales in the evening auctions of contemporary art will exceed 32 million pounds.

Commenting on the upcoming auction, head of the European branch of modern art Cheyenne Uestfal said: "We continue to be used for recovery of the market has already justified a formula of proposals for papers of the highest quality with attractive estimate:. On the evening of the February auction, we are happy to show works of postwar and contemporary art. Obviously, the collection of "Zero" and was first opened, the highest level of first-class artists, we were able to bring to the auction after the November auction of contemporary art in New York - a convincing proof of confidence in the art market ».

One of the top lots - painting by Peter Doig (b. 1959) "Saint Anthony (Flat light)" (1995-1996, oil on canvas). It undoubtedly occupies a central place in the thematic series of artworks at the "snow" theme, show the audience the first time in 1996 on his second solo exhibition at London Gallery Victoria Miro. This monumental canvas (275 x 275) is one of the largest and canonical in a series of mountain landscapes of the artist and, along with a picture of "Ski Jacket", which was acquired by Tate after Doig nomination for the Turner Prize in 1994, is now regarded as one of its masterpieces. "Saint Anthony (Flat light)", written for a photograph made by the artist himself, collects some elements of his early "snow" works in a single expressive image. The veil of falling snow in the foreground, pink shimmer alpine lighting, high horizon line, sharply receding perspective, the density of the stroke, ranging over the entire surface of the canvas. As a result, raising the horizon line and the plane destroyed the effect of distance perspective - and the mountain panorama presented itself an artist moves to the canvas in a concise, condensed form. To be precise, "flatness", which sends and the second (in parentheses) the name of the picture - it is the prospect of leveling characteristic misty mountain light, which is familiar to every skier. Using painting techniques, Doig makes the viewer almost physically feel the special condition, which occurs only in the mountains. Doig - an artist, of course, very strongly associated with the picturesque tradition. Pieter Bruegel the Elder, Caspar David Friedrich, Claude Monet, Gustav Klimt, Edvard Munch - this is not all masters of different eras, the legacy of which Doig explores and passes through his art. This remarkable work is estimated at 2-3 million pounds.

«Ahrom" by Piero Manzoni (1933-1963) dates from 1958. At this time the artist began using revolutionary material - kaolin, which has opened new horizons in his work. "Ahrom" by Piero Manzoni (estimate 1,5-2 million pounds) - one of the first and best works of this famous series, has ever put up for tender. In "Ahrome" Manzoni seeks to find new meaning to the plane and the material - this is one of the central themes in his art. "Ahrom" excludes history. Remaining silent only the surface, free from narrative and descriptive, symbols and allegories, and loneliness as the absolute elemental essence, not indicating anything but itself. And the role of kaolin in this context - leading. In this paper, canvas becomes a space for dialogue, textures and surfaces by means of geometric tiles, formed a self-regulating dynamics of kaolin. First used Manzoni in 1958, this material does not require any external physical impact. It takes the form in the drying process: first, on the basis of a crumpled canvas pasted with prominent folds and dents, then covered with a solution of kaolin. In its short life, cut short at 30 years, Manzoni been ahead of his time: his revolutionary innovations anticipated and conceptualism, and "poor" art. And the results embodied in such brilliant works as "achromia", had an unprecedented impact on virtually all directions in the world of art of the second half of the twentieth century.

Another top lot - a "spatial concept, Waiting "(1968) Lucio Fontana (1899-1968), who is undoubtedly one of the most important works of the famous artist ever put up for auction. "The spatial concept, Waiting" impresses with its monumental, dramatic contrast effect silky white surface and sharp blacks of eight vertical sections. This work has not appeared on the market since the purchase by its present owner around 1985 and is estimated to be 1,8-2,5 million pounds. The dynamic in composition, literally enchanting beauty, the viewer is a unique dialogue of color and form, this product fully expresses the innovative spatial theory of Fountains. Established two years after the artist received the main prize of the 33rd Venice Biennale in the field of painting, this brilliant work embodies the grandiose ambitions of the artist-pioneer. Stunning white surface "Spatial Concept" - an ideal place of the concept of pure space Fountains. Eight brutal and at the same time delicate cuts symbolize the spontaneity and control, under the knife turning in the master pattern of rhythmic dance performed on the surface of the canvas.

Sotheby's managed to establish some of the highest auction prices for works of the German artist Gerhard Richter (b. 1932) and hold them as a whole in his work and his abstract painting. This time the auction will be a monumental scenic canvas Abstraktes Bild (estimate 2-3 million pounds). Work originating from a private Belgian collection was created in 1988 and two years later acquired by its current owner. Abstraktes Bild (200 x 180) - one of the most expressive and accomplished works of the epic cycle of abstract Gerhard Richter, fully embodied with mature aesthetics of abstract figurative painter. Saturated powerful energy-color stripes, like seeping through the surface of the canvas, it trickles down, then converge, then run away, almost disappearing, and as a result creates an effect very dramatic effect. This work, written by multiple overlay layers of shimmering yellow, blue and gray, - evidence of ownership of the phenomenal technique, which has established a reputation Richter, one of the outstanding artists of our time. Abstraktes Bild - evidence of continuous technological experiments in abstraction, as well as a rare scenic and intellectual sophistication. Richter was obsessed with abstraction throughout the 1980's, as a result of these experiments are increasingly in demand in recent years. This work - one of the most impressive evidence of more than a decade of study of the technical and aesthetic possibilities of abstraction artist.

After the phenomenal success of "Two hundred-dollar bills", Andy Warhol (1928-1987), departed from Sotheby's auction in New York last year for a record $ 43.7 million, Sotheby's in London is proud to present no less interesting work of the artist - "Jackie" (acrylic and silkscreen on canvas) - signed and dated 1964 year. Rare at auction, which is a kind of Jackie Kennedy's image on a gold background, this work - a classic pop artovskoe product of one of the best periods of Andy Warhol. Unlike other versions of this "gold" silk-screen series of Andy Warhol Museum in Pittsburgh, rented Baltimore Museum of Art, in this study composition mirror reversed (the face of Jackie on the right) that makes it unique, allowing you to look into the artist's creative laboratory. Since then, the husband Jackie was elected president of the United States in November 1960, in an atmosphere of general optimism prevailing in the newly resurgent postwar America, it became the idol of millions of people. Designed as a youth, beauty and style, Jackie embodied the ideal wife, mother and first lady. In this work, embodying Jackie at the funeral of her husband after the historic tragedy, when, during a triumphant visit to the open limousine sniper shot the 35 th U.S. president, but the incident has become synonymous with the abbreviation JFK With light hand photojournalists nationwide drama imprinted in the mass consciousness. Warhol chose the immense mass of these images, eight for further work on them. The work of the artist, filled with atmosphere scandalous tragedy and death, of course, one of the best in his work. "Jackie" - it destroys all the conventions of the response to one of the most tragic moments of modern American history, deeply humane way, private drama in the context of a national drama. The work of museum quality estimated at 0,8-1,2 million pounds.

Another significant piece offered for auction - "Untitled XIV» (1983, oil on canvas) Willem de Kooning (1904-1997), acquired directly from the artist to present owner. Not recognizing the monotony in the work of Willem de Kooning in the 1980's started to create a series of monumental works "Untitled", who are worthy of the crown of his creation. Almost all the previous ten years, the artist with the support of his former wife Elaine, whom he divorced in 1955, struggled with severe alcoholism. After winning the dependence on alcohol in 1980, de Kooning with a new force began its work, and creating a series of compositions of lines and planes, in which the visible influence of abstract collages of Matisse, with their pure colors and contour lines. Estimate "Untitled XIV» - 2-3 million pounds.

«Madonna I» Andreas Gursky (digital photography, color printing in the frame of the artist, signed and dated 2001 and numbered 2 /2 AP with a dedication to Madonna on the reverse side). Gursky (b. 1955) recorded the pop star at a concert on Sept. 15, 2001 in Steplz Center in Los Angeles. The concert was scheduled for September 11, but then postponed due to terrorist attacks. Recalling the global solidarity and unity, the photographer shows Madonna wearing a suit in a U.S. flag, and in the left corner on the wide screen TV can be seen the outlines of the New York skyline after Sept. 11. This work has a circulation of 6 copies plus two artist's proofs estimated at 0,9-1,3 million pounds.

Among the top lots of the auction organizers pay attention to the bidders on the works of artists of the London School , in particular Frank Auerbach (b. 1931). At the tender exhibited two of his works: "Big Head JYM» (1981, board, oil), previously estimated by experts of the auction house in the 600-800 thousand pounds, and "Head of Leon Kosova" (charcoal, chalk, paper), with the estimate: 60 -- 80 thousand pounds. By the way, the work of the same name, performed Auerbach oil on canvas, in the last year was sold to Sotheby's for 1.7 million pounds in the November auction of contemporary art. Current auction catalog includes works of the Kosovo Leon (b. 1926) "Flower shop", "Terminal", "Spring" (all - the board, oil), they are all created by the artist in 1994 and exhibited with equal estimate: 140-180 thousands of pounds.

At auction is exposed and the work of Chris Ofili (b. 1968) "Through the grape vine", created in 1998, when the artist was awarded the Turner Prize. This original artwork (acrylic, oil, resin, glitter, collage of paper, elephant dung, two stands of elephant dung) is estimated at 250-350 thousand pounds. An additional factor of interest in work, of course, is an exhibition of Chris Ofili at the Tate Gallery in January - March 2010, which represented 45 of his works.

Material prepared Elena Vladimirova, AI

Source : press releases Sotheby's, artinvestment.ru