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Showing posts with label Sotheby's. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Sotheby's. Show all posts

Picasso,Dodie Rosekrans & an evening auction at Sotheby's

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The Picasso's have been sold.
You missed it! Sadly Picasso waits for no one.

The room above belonged to none other than late Dodie Rosekrans & was designed for her by the late great Michael Taylor in the 1970's.  Last year when the charming and charmed Dodie Rosekrans died, author Diane Dorrans Saeks offered up this celebration of Rosekrans sparkling life here, at the Style Saloniste. The timelessly  chic interior design of the Michael Taylor room sits well with the heft of the Picassos.  For devotees of interior design & of Taylor, the dissolution of these rooms is a poignant farewell to both Taylor and Rosekrans.

Charles Moffett of Sotheby's said of Dodie Rosekrans:  She"was blessed with a great eye. Her eclectic tastes & interests were not bounded by strictures, regulations or other people's values. She could always discern what was special, lively &  lovely, often in the most idiosyncratic ways. Whether collecting couture, Old Master, Modern or Contemporary paintings, decorative arts or jewelry, the common threads were freshness, character, and above all, quality."



Dodie Rosekrans
images courtesy of Sotheby's



A trio of Picasso's sold last week at Sotheby's

(from left to right) Picasso's painting of daughter, Paloma at age 7 in 1956, "Fillete aux nattes e au chapeau vert. "Couple a la guitare" painted when the artist was 88 years old. The subject of romantic love filled Picasso's late works and the couple here is the artist himself & his wife Jacqueline.  The last of the Picasso's from the Rosekrans collection is "Femme" from his Surrealist period painted in 1930.  Driven by the 16th c. anatomical drawings, Picasso produced a small series of paintings known as Bones-this work -of his wife Olga. (all images courtesy of Sotheby's)







The results of the sale are listed here, and the subject of each painting is explored at the Sotheby's site. The Paloma portrait sold for 5,906,500, the Couple sold for  9,602,500 and Femme for 7,922,500.




another view of the Rosekrans room
Sotheby's image


This evening Sotheby's offers other works from Dodie Rosekrans estate. Two important Warhol's will be up for auction. The works are considered some of Warhol's most important. The "Round Jackies", silkscreen and gold paint, were completed in 1964 and offer  indelible images of Jacqueline Kennedy using photographs taken on the day of the Kennedy assassination. With this pair of images, Warhol captures the loss of the nation and a woman that carried much of the burden and sense of loss for the entire country. The tondos are part of eight of Warhol's finest screens in this series and also thought to be the first images of Jackie the artist worked with. The two offered this evening show a smiling Jackie & and the second a Jackie with all the tragedy of the day's events etched on her face.  Interestingly the two Round Jackies have always been under the same ownership, this  evening they will be offered individually. I guess the big question will be-if the bidder for the first Lot will secure the second.


May 10 at 7 p.m.






Three works from artist Jacques Dubuffet. The three paintings represent a significant period in the artist's work, 1945-1954. Studying paintings of the insane and the art of children, Dubuffet set out to paint friends and sitters with a style of his own, working from the ideas in these studies. Bracing and sometimes grotesque paintings resulted.


"Portrait de Edith Boissonnas"




If you need another Picasso shot-Picasso and Marie-Thérèse: L’amour fou brings together the paintings, drawings, sculptures, and prints inspired by one of Picasso’s most ideal models and enduring passions. The exhibition is curated by the eminent Picasso biographer, John Richardson, together with Marie-Thérèse’s granddaughter, art historian Diana Widmaier Picasso, who is currently preparing a catalogue raisonné of Picasso’s sculptures. (from the Gagosian Gallery site)
With Picasso's suggestions that he paint a portrait, the many works of Marie Therese began-

'You have an interesting face. I would like to do your portrait. I have a feeling we will do great things together'.--Pablo Picasso






Pablo Picasso with his painting of Marie Thérèse Walter. 1932
"Nude, Green Leaves and Bust"
photograph by Cecil Beaton


"Nude, Green Leaves and Bust"
 


Picasso's obsession produced the layered paintings seen in "Nude, Green Leaves and Bust" with Picasso using other of his works of Marie Therese , the bust (shown below) in the painting. Picasso's "Visage" at left. and "Tete de Femme" at right










The Gagosian exhibition takes up Picasso's work with more than 80 pieces from the years 1927 to 1940, including several works shown in the States for the first time.
for those that can not venture a Picasso fortunately Gagosian has a book to preorder here





more more more:
from the Style Saloniste here
Picasso at little augury here
Michael Taylor at little augury here
Warhol at little augury here
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Noblesse Oblige: The Duchesse de Berry

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The Duchesse de Berry
(1798-1870)

Marie-Caroline de Bourbon-Deux-Siciles,Duchesse de Berry
Sir Thomas Lawrence, 1825

Caroline was born at the Caserta Palace as the eldest child of Prince Ferdinand, heir to the throne of Naples and Sicily. Her mother was an Archduchess of Austria herself the tenth child and third daughter of Leopold II, Holy Roman Emperor and Maria Luisa of Spain. Her parents were double first cousins. more here from the Esoteric Curirosa

Tomorrow Sotheby's in London sends the largest collection of Duchesse de Berry's possessions since her lifetime to auction.

Dr. Philipp Duke of Wurttemberg, Vice-Chairman Sotheby’s Europe and Managing Director Sotheby’s Germany said:

“The sale of this significant group of property from the collection of the Duchesse de Berry is testament to the exquisite taste and eye for the finest objects that this extraordinary and rightly renowned lady possessed. They also reflect the quality and rarity of the other items of aristocratic provenance to be offered – the entire sale is compiled of pieces that were originally selected by European aristocrats and connoisseurs for their craftsmanship and beauty and will no doubt appeal to discerning collectors today.”





Princess of her time, having married Louis XVIII's nephew Charles Ferdinand d'Artois in 1816 at the age of 18, Caroline was a great patron of miniaturists, cabinetmakers and porcelain manufactures, acquiring many of their works, adding to the famous collection of her late husband. Along with her patronage of the Arts,  the new technique of lithography made the Duchesse de Berry's beauty admired and recognized throughout Europe.



Princess Maria Carolina Ferdinanda Louisa 
by Jean-Baptiste Paulin Guerin





Pierre Louis ('Henri') Grevedon, after Sir Thomas Lawrence lithograph, circa 1829 (1825)








"I painted Her Highness the Duchess de Berri, who gave me sittings at the Tuileries with the politest punctuality, and besides showed me a friendliness than which none could have been greater. I shall never forget how, while I was painting her one day, she said, "Wait a moment." Then, getting up, she went to her library for a book containing an article in my praise, which she was obliging enough to read aloud from beginning to end. During one of these sittings the Duke de Bordeaux brought his mother a copybook in which his master had written "Very good." The Duchess gave the boy two louis. The little Prince, who might have been about six, began to jump for joy, shouting, "This will do for my poor - and for my old woman first of all!" When he was gone the Duchess told me that her son referred to a poor soul he often met when he went out and of whom he was particularly fond. While the Duchess sat for me I would become irritated at the number of people who came to make calls. She took note of this and was so considerate as to say, "Why did you not ask me to pose at your house?" Which she did for the two final sittings. I confess that I never could think of such affecting warmth of heart without comparing the time I devoted to this genial Princess with the melancholy hours Mme. Murat had made me spend.  I painted two portraits of the Duchess de Berri. In the first she is wearing a red velvet dress, and in the other one of blue velvet. I have no idea what has become of these pictures." Madame Vigée Le Brun: 


The Duchesse de Berry
from the factory of Denuelle, ca 1820 after the bust by Henri Joseph Ruxthiel (1775–1837)




In 1820 when the Duke was assassinated,Caroline was carrying their child, Henri.Known as the Comte deChambord, Duc de Bordeaux  &  to the masses as "the miracle child"-continuing the direct Bourbon line of King Louis XIV of France. A daughter Louise had been born to the couple before the Duke's death.

Other pieces in the auction of the Duchess' include  a French exhibition quality parcel-gilt silver musical automaton model of the Océan classe ship Duc de Bordeaux, given to the son of the Duchesse de Berry, Henri, Duc de Bordeaux on the occasion of his christening in 1821 by the city of Bordeaux (est. £50,000 – 80,000) lot 198.



La duchesse de Berry & her children,1822
François_Gérard







Mme Vigée Lebrun painted the duchess de Berry in 1820 at the age of 22, just after her husband was murdered by Louvel.  After the Duke's death his young charming widow became the center of the royal court, and fashion arbiter-wearing shorter skirts &  adopting tailored menswear for riding. She also ushered in interior decoration in the Renaissance and neo-Gothic styles after becoming tired of the Empire style of the period.




lots from the Duchesse de Berry
lot 187 the Duchesse de Berry's seal  --with all lots there after to lot 252.
 
other auction highlights- include lots 17,18, 19, 20-jewelry of the Duchesse's period-Italian
an Art Deco console table lot 330




the beauty of words

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they are free

"Your soul is a chosen landscape
Where charming masked and costumed figures go
Playing the lute and dancing and almost
Sad beneath their fantastic disguises.

All sing in a minor key

Of all-conquering love and careless fortune
They do not seem to believe in their happiness
And their song mingles with the moonlight.

The still moonlight, sad and beautiful,

Which gives the birds to dream in the trees
And makes the fountain sprays sob in ecstasy,
The tall, slender fountain sprays among the marble statues."
-Paul Verlaine


tomorrow at SOTHEBY'S in PARIS~ RIMBAUD, VERLAINE, MALLARMÉ AND THEIR FRIENDS: BOOKS, MANUSCRIPTS AND PHOTOGRAPHS FROM THE POETICAL COLLECTION OF ERIC AND MARIE-HÉLÈNE B

Verlaine photograph here

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Local Food auctioned as Fine Works of Art at Sotheby's

Sotheby's New York swaps Braque for Broccoli. "Farm to Table: The Art of Farming", the newest collision of the gourmet  and fine-art worlds, an auction of Edible Heirlooms that will run from September 23 until October 6.

As part of  this year’s Eat Drink Local Week (September 26-October 6, 2010) hosted Edible magazines and GrowNYCSotheby’s will be hosting a special auction of food items and culinary experiences on September 23rd that celebrate the local flavors of New York State called “Farm to Table: The Art of Farming”. The event site explains some of the lots up for sale:
More than 40 farmers from the tri-state area will produce vegetables and offer them for sale at the auction. Also on the block will be food and drink experiences such as summer internships on farms, field trips for school classes, celebrity chef dinners, vegetable futures, farm-to-table dinners, New York wine country getaways, Brooklyn brewmaster tastings, and a barrel of Hudson Manhattan rye whiskey from Tuthilltown Spirits paired with an in-home whiskey tasting for ten people.
Proceeds will benefit two food related programs, The New Farmer Development Project – helping immigrants establish themselves as farmers in the region – and The Sylvia Center at Katchkie Farm – teaching children about raising food and healthy eating.
Here are some lovely pictures of heirloom vegetables, fruits and other tasty compositions.






Photo courtesy of LA Times






Photo courtesy of Nowness



Les Trois Musiciens: The Prequel


LES TROIS MUSICIENS, FERNAND LÉGER, 1932

I'll admit it. I'm in a yellow phase. Have been for well over a year now. I still love orange, and will not be giving up my mid-century orange fiberglass chairs or Heller plastic any time soon, but I've moved on to yellow. So when I saw this version of Les Trois Musiciens, which sold on Wednesday night at Sotheby's for $5,000,000, it just knocked my socks off. It could just be a matter of my current color bias, but the black and white treatment of the musicians with the solid yellow background is so fresh and contemporary. It's got that altered-b&w -photo look of Baldessari or an iPod ad. Check out the 1945 version of the painting at MoMA. It looks quaintly "modern" by comparison.