
Jean Dubuffet (1901-1985)
“Être et paraître” (To Be and to Seem)
Pittura, olio su tela (150 x 195cm.)
Stima iniziale:
£7,000,000 – £10,000,000
Prezzo ottenuto: £10,021,000
L’asta di Christie’s Londra, dedicata all’arte del dopoguerra e contemporanea, si è chiusa nella notte del 7 marzo 2017 con un risultato complessivo di 96.384.000 sterline. Il catalogo della vendita presentava 61 lotti, di cui 4 sono rimasti invenduti e uno ritirato dal proprietario prima dell’inizio dell’asta.
All’interno della “Great Room” della sede londinese di Christie’s a King Streete, il martelletto ha tuonato dieci volte per scandire altrettanti record mondiali. Tra questi, dopo solo quattro lotti dall’inizio dell’asta serale è un autoritratto di Albert Oehlnen (1954) a sancire il record per l’artista con la cifra di £2,965,000 (3.641.000$). Segue, al lotto 34, il monumentale dipinto “The Sick Leaves” di Cecily Brown con £1,805,000 ($2.216.540), mentre, ad una decina di opere dalla chiusura della sessione, viene battuto il nuovo top price di Carol Rama (1918-2015) aggiudicato per £ 185,000 (USD 227,180). Un record per quest’artista che, ancora una volta, porta la firma di Christie’s.
Nel corso della serata vengono stabiliti anche i record d’artista per Wolfgang Tillmans, Njideka Akunyili Crosby, Henry Taylor e Gunther Uecker, a cui si aggiunge il valore più elevato per Jean Dubuffet di un suo lavoro di carta, “Deux Arabes gesticulant” realizzato nel 1948.

Cecily Brown ( 1969)
“The Sick Leaves”
pittura ad olio, tre parti (261.6 x 633cm.)
Stima iniziale: £900,000 – £1,200,000
Prezzo realizzato: £1,805,000 ($2.216.540)
Complessivamente non vengono deluse le aspettative degli highlights tra i lotti dedicati ai maestri del dopoguerra. “Être et paraître” di Jean Dubuffet (1901-1985) viene aggiudicato per 10,021 milioni di sterline, superando di poco la stima massima. Il dipinto di Mark Rothko (1903-1970) “No. 1 (1949)” ottiene invece 10.693.00 sterline (13.131.005$) dopo essere stato a lungo conteso in sala.
Com’era prevedibile non mancano i risultati sopra al milione di sterline per i lavori di artisti che di queste sessioni d’asta sono spesso protagonisti: Andy Warhol con le sue Marilyn (una singola Reversal raggiunge 1,2 milioni di sterline, mentre la serie di quattro Multicoloured i £2,85 milioni) e Jean-Michel Basquiat. Rispettivamente i due lotti dedicati da Christie’s al graffiti artist raggiungono 2,22 milioni di sterline con un’opera senza titolo e £3,9 milioni con “Alpha Particles”
Ottimi risultati anche per gli italiani Manzoni e Fontana, in particolare quest’ultimo, che supera le stime iniziali di tutti e tre i lotti dedicatogli da Christie’s Londra, seppur con risultati ben distanti dai propri top price. È invece, come accennato, record mondiale per Carol Rama. L’opera “Bricolage” dell’artista torinese, scomparsa nel 2015, viene aggiudicata per la somma di £185,000 , superando il precedente risultato più elevato di 179.000 £

Carol Rama (1918-2015)
“Bricolage”
tecnica mista (58 x 74.4cm.)
Stima iniziale: £60,000 – £80,000
Prezzo realizzato: £185,000 ($227.180)
Tra gli artisti ancora in attività eccelle Peter Doig (1959) presente in catalogo con due opere. Il suo “Cobourg 3 + 1 More” stimato £8-12 milioni è oggetto di una serie di controfferte tra i bidders presenti in sala e quelli collegati al telefono e viene infine aggiudicato per £12,709,000.
Numerosi consensi anche per i due tris di lotti dedicati a Gerhard Richter (1932) e Jeff Koons (1955), tutte e sei le opere sono state vendute. Se la serie di opere su alluminio “Fuji” del pittore tedesco hanno totalizzato complessivamente 1,203,00£, i tre lotti “Jim Beam” di Koons ottengono la cifra totale di 1,599,000£
Tra i risultati positivi dell’asta di Christie’s va evidenziato quello ottenuto dal lotto 29, un vaso decorato da Joan Miró (1893-1983) e Josep Llorens Artigas (1892-1980). La sua aggiudicazione ha segnato il passaggio verso la seconda metà del catalogo della serata e, con le sue 785,000 sterline ($ 963,980) ha determinato il valore più elevato mai ottenuto in asta per un lavoro frutto della collaborazione di più artisti.
Seguono il catalogo della evening e i risultati dei lotti:
Post War & Contemporary Art Evening Auction
Christie’s Londra, 07 marzo 2017
Wolfgang Tillmans
Freischwimmer 186
c-print in artist’s frame image: 66 7/8 x 84 1/8in. (170.6 x 213.6cm.) overall: 71 3/8 x 88 1/8in.(181 x 223.8cm.)
ESTIMATE £80,000 – £120,000 ($98,240 – $147,360)
PRICE REALIZED: £269,000
Victor Vasarely (1906-1997)
Zèbres (Zebras)
oil on canvas 43¾ x 40½in. (111 x 102.9cm.)
ESTIMATE £250,000 – £350,000 ($307,000 – $429,800)
PRICE REALIZED: £485,000
Njideka Akunyili Crosby (b. 1983)
The Beautyful Ones
acrylic, pastel, colour pencil and Xerox transfer on paper 95 5/8 x 66 7/8in. (243 x 170cm.)
ESTIMATE £400,000 – £600,000 ($491,200 – $736,800)
PRICE REALIZED: £ 2,517,000
Adrian Ghenie (b. 1977)
The Hunter (Study for Kaiser Wilhelm Institute)
oil on canvas 78¾ x 52¾in, (200 x 134cm.)
ESTIMATE £500,000 – £700,000 ($614,000 – $859,600)
PRICE REALIZED: £1,805,000
Albert Oehlen (b. 1954)
Selbstporträt mit Palette (Self-portrait with Palette)
oil on board 65 3/8 x 42 1/8in. (166.5 x 107cm.)
ESTIMATE £2,500,000 – £3,500,000 ($3,070,000 – $4,298,000)
PRICE REALIZED: £2,965,000
Thomas Schütte (b. 1954)
United Enemy (Udo)
fimo, fabric, wood, plastic string, pvc pipe and glass dome figure: 14¾in. (37cm.) overall height: 72 3/8in. (184cm.) overall diameter: 9¾in. (25cm.)
ESTIMATE £700,000 – £1,000,000 ($859,600 – $1,228,000)
RITIRATO
Jean-Michel Basquiat (1960-1988)
Untitled
oilstick on paper 42 5/8 x 30in. (108.3 x 76.2cm.)
ESTIMATE £1,000,000 – £1,500,000 ($1,228,000 – $1,842,000)
PRICE REALIZED: £2,225,000
Jean Dubuffet (1901-1985)
Être et paraître (To Be and to Seem)
oil on canvas 59 x 76¾in. (150 x 195cm.)
ESTIMATE £7,000,000 – £10,000,000 ($8,596,000 – $12,280,000)
PRICE REALIZED: £10,021,000
Jean Dubuffet (1901-1985)
Deux Arabes gesticulant (Two gesticulating Arabs)
distemper on paper 12 5/8x 15¾in. (32.1 x 40cm.)
ESTIMATE £600,000 – £800,000 ($736,800 – $982,400)
PRICE REALIZED: £1,109,000
David Hockney (b. 1937)
Sunflowers In a Yellow Vase
oil on canvas 48 x 36in. (121.9 x 91.4cm.)
ESTIMATE £1,500,000 – £2,500,000 ($1,842,000 – $3,070,000)
PRICE REALIZED:£ 1,805,000
Mark Rothko (1903-1970)
No. 1 (1949)
oil on canvas 78¼ x 38¾in. (198.8 x 98.4cm.)
ESTIMATE Estimate on request
PRICE REALIZED:£9,400,000
Carl Andre (B. 1935)
Nineteenth Copper Cardinal
copper, in nineteen parts each: ¼ x 19 5/8 x 19 5/8in. (0.5 x 50 x 50cm.) overall: ¼ x 19¾ x 374in. (0.5 x 50 x 950 cm.)
ESTIMATE £200,000 – £300,000 ($245,600 – $368,400)
PRICE REALIZED: £545,000
Elaine Sturtevant (1926-2014)
Stella Union Pacific
aluminium oil paint on canvas 77 x 148½in. (195.5 x 377.1cm.)
ESTIMATE £400,000 – £600,000 ($491,200 – $736,800)
PRICE REALIZED: £545,000
Gerhard Richter (b. 1932)
Fuji
oil on aluminium (Alucobond plate) 14¾ x 11½in. (37.5 x 29.2cm.)
ESTIMATE £200,000 – £300,000 ($245,600 – $368,400)
PRICE REALIZED: £437,000
Gerhard Richter (b. 1932)
Fuji
oil on aluminium (Alucobond plate) 14¾ x 11½in. (37.5 x 29.2cm.)
ESTIMATE £200,000 – £300,000 ($245,600 – $368,400)
PRICE REALIZED: £425,000
Gerhard Richter (b. 1932)
Fuji
oil on aluminium (Alucobond Plate) 14¾ x 11½in. (37.5 x 29.2cm.)
ESTIMATE £200,000 – £300,000 ($245,600 – $368,400)
PRICE REALIZED: £341,000
Robert Rauschenberg (1925-2008)
Transom
oil and silkscreen ink on canvas 56 x 50in. (142.2 x 127cm.)
ESTIMATE £4,000,000 – £6,000,000 ($4,912,000 – $7,368,000)
PRICE REALIZED: £ 4,645,000
Lucio Fontana (1899-1968)
Concetto Spaziale
glazed ceramic diameter: 9 ¾in. (25cm.)
ESTIMATE £100,000 – £150,000 ($122,800 – $184,200)
PRICE REALIZED: £209,000
Lucio Fontana (1899-1968)
Concetto spaziale, Attese
oil on canvas 39 3/8 x 31½in. (100 x 80cm.)
ESTIMATE £3,000,000 – £5,000,000 ($3,684,000 – $6,140,000)
PRICE REALIZED: £ 3,413,000
Peter Doig (b. 1959)
Cobourg 3 + 1 More
oil on canvas 78½ x 98 3/8in. (200 x 250cm.)
ESTIMATE £8,000,000 – £12,000,000 ($9,824,000 – $14,736,000)
PRICE REALIZED: ££12,709,000
Neo Rauch (b. 1960)
Kühlraum (Cold Store)
oil on canvas 82¾ x 118 1/8in. (210 x 300cm.)
ESTIMATE £700,000 – £900,000 ($859,600 – $1,105,200)
PRICE REALIZED: £845,000
Albert Oehlen (b. 1954)
3rd Gear – It’s All Right
oil and resin on canvas 59¼ x 59¼in. (150.4 x 150.4cm.)
ESTIMATE £300,000 – £500,000 ($368,400 – $614,000)
PRICE REALIZED:£365,000
Adrian Ghenie (b. 1977)
Pie Fight Study
oil on canvas 29 3/8 x 21 3/8in. (74.5 x 54cm.)
ESTIMATE £300,000 – £500,000 ($368,400 – $614,000)
PRICE REALIZED: 425,000
Andy Warhol (1928-1987)
Four Multicoloured Marilyns (Reversal series)
acrylic and silkscreen ink on canvas 36¼ x 28in. (92 x 71cm.)
ESTIMATE £3,000,000 – £5,000,000 ($3,684,000 – $6,140,000)
PRICE REALIZED:£2,853,000
Frank Auerbach (b. 1931)
Head of Leon Kossoff
oil on board 8¾ x 8 3/8 x 1 3/8in. (22.2 x 21 x 3.5cm.)
ESTIMATE £600,000 – £800,000 ($736,800 – $982,400)
PRICE REALIZED: £6725,000
Lucian Freud (1922-2011)
Gorse Sprig
conté pencil and crayon on Ingres paper 18 x 12in. (45.8 x 30.5cm.)
ESTIMATE £500,000 – £700,000 ($614,000 – $859,600)
PRICE REALIZED: £701,000
Lucio Fontana (1899-1968)
Concetto spaziale
oil and glass pebbles on canvas 20 1/8 x 18 7/8in. (51 x 48cm.)
ESTIMATE £1,000,000 – £1,500,000 ($1,228,000 – $1,842,000)
PRICE REALIZED: £1,325,000
Piero Manzoni (1933-1963)
Achrome
gesso and grit on canvas 27 7/8 x 20 1/8in. (71 x 51cm.)
ESTIMATE £700,000 – £1,000,000 ($859,600 – $1,228,000)
PRICE REALIZED: £965,000
Joan Miro (1893-1983) and Josep Llorens
Vase
partially painted and glazed earthenware vase height: 13½in. (34.6cm.)
ESTIMATE £150,000 – £250,000 ($184,200 – $307,000)
PRICE REALIZED:£785,000
Alexander Calder (1898-1976)
Guava
hanging mobile—sheet metal, rod, wire and paint 71¼ x 146½ x 46½in. (181 x 372.1 x 118 cm.)
ESTIMATE £3,000,000 – £5,000,000 ($3,684,000 – $6,140,000)
PRICE REALIZED: £4,533,000
Alexander Calder (1898-1976)
Untitled
standing mobile – sheet metal, rod, wire and paint 108 5/8 x 142½ x 59 in. (276 x 362 x 150cm.)
ESTIMATE £3,500,000 – £5,500,000 ($4,298,000 – $6,754,000)
PRICE REALIZED: £3,525,000
Jean-Paul Riopelle (1923-2002)
Untitled
oil on canvas 31¾ x 39 3/8 in. (80.6 x 100cm.)
ESTIMATE £700,000 – £1,000,000 ($859,600 – $1,228,000)
PRICE REALIZED: £965,000
Ali Banisadr (b. 1976)
Time for Outrage
oil on linen 48 ¼ x 60in. (122.5 x 152.6cm.)
ESTIMATE £220,000 – £320,000 ($270,160 – $392,960)
PRICE REALIZED: £413,000
Cecily Brown (b. 1969)
The Sick Leaves
oil on linen, in three parts overall: 103 x 249¼in. (261.6 x 633cm.) each: 103 x 83 1/8in. (261.6 x 211cm.)
ESTIMATE £900,000 – £1,200,000 ($1,105,200 – $1,473,600)
PRICE REALIZED: £1,805,000
Thomas Schütte (B. 1954)
Stahlfrau No. 6 (Steel Woman, No. 6)
steel 65 x 98 3/8 x 60 5/8in. (165 x 250 x 154cm.)
ESTIMATE £1,200,000 – £1,800,000 ($1,473,600 – $2,210,400)
PRICE REALIZED: £2,629,000
Miquel Barceló (b. 1957)
Pase de Pecho
mixed media on canvas 25 5/8 x 31 7/8in. (65 x 81cm.)
ESTIMATE £1,000,000 – £1,500,000 ($1,228,000 – $1,842,000)
PRICE REALIZED: £1,145,000
Joe Bradley (b. 1975)
Alien in a Garbage Dump
oil, oilstick and mixed media on canvas 90 1/8 x 74in. (228.9 x 188cm.)
ESTIMATE £300,000 – £500,000 ($368,400 – $614,000)
PRICE REALIZED: £293,000
Henry Taylor (b. 1958)
Terri Philips
acrylic and collage on canvas 93¾ x 76½in. (238 x 194.2cm.)
ESTIMATE £40,000 – £60,000 ($49,120 – $73,680)
PRICE REALIZED: ££149,000
Jean-Michel Basquiat (1960-1988)
Alpha Particles
acrylic, oilstick and silkscreen ink on canvas 86¼ x 68¼in. (219 x 173.3cm.)
ESTIMATE £2,500,000 – £3,500,000 ($3,070,000 – $4,298,000)
PRICE REALIZED: £3,973,000
Andy Warhol (1928-1987)
Marilyn (Reversal)
acrylic and silkscreen ink on canvas 20 1/8 x 15 7/8in. (51 x 40.5cm.)
ESTIMATE £1,000,000 – £1,500,000 ($1,228,000 – $1,842,000)
PRICE REALIZED: £1,205,000
Maurizio Cattelan (B. 1960)
Untitled
dog skeleton and Liberation newspaper 15¾ x 31½ x 19¾in. (40 x 80 x 50cm.)
ESTIMATE £500,000 – £700,000 ($614,000 – $859,600)
PRICE REALIZED: £485,000
Keith Haring (1958-1990)
Untitled
acrylic on canvas 48 x 36in. (122 x 91.5cm.)
ESTIMATE £300,000 – £500,000 ($368,400 – $614,000)
PRICE REALIZED: £569,000
Jeff Koons (b. 1955)
Jim Beam – Observation Car
stainless steel and bourbon 10¼ x 16 x 6½in. (26 x 40.6 x 16.5cm.)
ESTIMATE £400,000 – £600,000 ($491,200 – $736,800)
PRICE REALIZED: £545,000
Jeff Koons (b. 1955)
Jim Beam – Baggage Car
stainless steel and bourbon 7 x 15½ x 6½in. (17.7 x 39.4 x 16.5cm.)
ESTIMATE £400,000 – £600,000 ($491,200 – $736,800)
PRICE REALIZED: £557,000
Jeff Koons (b. 1955)
Jim Beam – Log Car
stainless steel and bourbon 7¾ x 14¼ x 6½in. (19.7 x 36.2 x 16.5cm.)
ESTIMATE £400,000 – £600,000 ($491,200 – $736,800)
PRICE REALIZED:£497,000
Yoshitomo Nara (b. 1959)
Adieu Fille d’Automne
acrylic on canvas 89 5/8 x 71¾in. (227.5 x 182cm.)
ESTIMATE £1,200,000 – £1,800,000 ($1,473,600 – $2,210,400)
UNSOLD
Carol Rama (1918-2015)
Bricolage
mixed media on masonite 22¾ x 29 3/8in. (58 x 74.4cm.)
ESTIMATE £60,000 – £80,000 ($73,680 – $98,240)
PRICE REALIZED: £185,000
Neo Rauch (b. 1960)
Nerv
oil on paper 97 5/8 x 78in. (248 x 198cm.)
ESTIMATE £250,000 – £350,000 ($307,000 – $429,800)
PRICE REALIZED: £353,000
Peter Doig (b. 1959)
Metropolitain (Stag)
oil on canvas 23 x 17in. (58.5 x 43cm.)
ESTIMATE £500,000 – £800,000 ($614,000 – $982,400)
PRICE REALIZED: £485,000
Anselm Kiefer (b. 1945)
Sefer Hechaloth
iron rods, acrylic and emulsion on canvas 74 7/8 x 110 5/8in. (190.3 x 281cm.)
ESTIMATE £400,000 – £600,000 ($491,200 – $736,800)
PRICE REALIZED:£509,000
Gunther Uecker (b. 1930)
Spirale I, Spirale II (Doppelspirale)
nails and latex paint on canvas laid down on wood, in two parts, accompanied by an artist’s architectural drawing(i) (ii), each: 78¾ x 78¾in. (200 x 200cm.)(iii) 31½ x 78¾in. (80 x 200cm.)(3)
ESTIMATE£1,000,000 – £1,500,000($1,228,000 – $1,842,000)
PRICE REALIZED:£2,629,000
Sterling Ruby (b. 1972)
SP57
acrylic and spray paint on canvas96 1/8 x 84in. (244 x 213.3cm.)
ESTIMATE£200,000 – £300,000($245,600 – $368,400)
PRICE REALIZED:£413,000
Yoshitomo Nara (b. 1959)
No Way!
acrylic on canvas mounted on fibreglass diameter: 37 3/8in. (94.7cm.)
ESTIMATE £350,000 – £450,000 ($429,800 – $552,600)
PRICE REALIZED:£581,000
Anish Kapoor (B. 1954)
Untitled
resin and paint66 x 66 x 27½in. (167.6 x 167.6 x 69.9cm.)
ESTIMATE£450,000 – £650,000($552,600 – $798,200)
UNSOLD
Antony Gormley (B. 1950)
Gauge II
3 mm square section stainless steel bar 79½ x 26¾ x16 1/8in. (202.5 x 68 x 41cm.)
ESTIMATE £180,000 – £250,000 ($221,040 – $307,000)
PRICE REALIZED: £341,000
Nicolas de Stael (1914-1955)
Composition
oil on canvas 6 3/8 x 8¾in. (16 x 22cm.)
ESTIMATE £200,000 – £300,000 ($245,600 – $368,400)
PRICE REALIZED: £281,000
Nicolas de Stael (1914-1955)
Fruits
oil on canvas 18 1/8 x 24in. (46 x 61cm.)
ESTIMATE £400,000 – £600,000 ($491,200 – $736,800)
PRICE REALIZED: £461,000
Sean Scully (b. 1945)
Passenger Yellow Grey
oil on two attached canvases 60 3/8 x 56 3/8in. (153.5 x 143cm.)
ESTIMATE £350,000 – £450,000 ($429,800 – $552,600)
PRICE REALIZED: £425,000
Günther Förg (1952-2013)
Untitled
acrylic and lead on wood 94½ x 63 x 2½in. (240 x 160 x 6.2cm.)
ESTIMATE £250,000 – £350,000 ($307,000 – $429,800)
PRICE REALIZED: £281,000
David Shrigley (B. 1968)
A Burden
nylon, cotton, velcro, plastic, steel and mannequin on metal base 86 5/8 x 45 3/8 x 50in. (220 x 115 x 127cm.)
ESTIMATE £15,000 – £20,000 ($18,420 – $24,560)
PRICE REALIZED
Informazioni utili
Christie’s Post War and Contemporary Evening Auction
Londra, 7 marzo 2017