Impressionist & Modern Art and Surrealism: Beyond Reality, two marquee sales during 20th/21st Century Week at Bonhams, take place in New York on November 15. Impressionist & Modern Art leads with an important early work by Francis Picabia, and Surrealism: Beyond Reality is highlighted by a Max Ernst painting created at the height of his artistic expression.
Impressionist & Modern Art
November 15
While he is now recognised for his major contributions to the Dada and Surrealism movements, Francis Picabia (1879-1953) first gained critical acclaim for his Impressionist and Post-Impressionist paintings. His masterpiece, L'église de Montigny, effet d'automne (1908) estimated at $300,000 – 500,000, headlines the Impressionist & Modern Art sale. The painting was universally praised, exquisitely drawing from the Divisionist method of Paul Signac and the landscape motifs of Alfred Sisley and Camille Pissarro. Picabia's scene depicts the church of Montigny in a warm, autumnal sunlight. Using a newly-adopted Neo-Impressionist technique, the artist transformed the scene into a meticulous capsule mosaic of pure colour.
Landscape highlights continue throughout the sale, including Paysage aux oliviers (circa 1901) by Pierre-Auguste Renoir (1841-1919) estimated at $300,000 – 500,000. Renoir returned to landscape during his mature years, inspired by 18th Century classical painting and infusing his scenes with lightness, joy and a rich colour palette. Playa de Valencia (1910) by Joaquín Sorolla Y Bastida (1863-1923) estimated at $250,000 – 350,000 is an energetic vista depicting fisherman on El Cabañal landing the days catch – a hallmark theme for the Spanish artist.
Modernist highlights of the sale include Maske unterwasserführer (1934) by Paul Klee (1879-1940) with an estimation of $220,000 – 300,000, Bain (circa 1914) by Jean Pougny (1894-1956) with an estimation of $200,000 – 300,000, and Food stand in Bali (1934) by Miguel Coverrubias estimated at $120,000 – 180,000.
Surrealism: Beyond Reality
November 15
A masterful work by Max Ernst (1891-1976) headlines the Surrealism: Beyond Reality sale in New York on November 15. Vénus vue de la terre II (1962), estimated at $100,000 – 150,000, was painted at a time when the artist was celebrated with retrospectives and major exhibitions across the world, including the MoMA, Alexandre Iolas Gallery in New York, Wallraf-Richartz Museum in Cologne and the Zurich Kunsthaus. The painting is also indicative of Ernst's relocation to the deserts of Sedona, Arizona, as seen in his alien landscapes painted during this time.
The mountainous desert landscapes of Arizona were a key influence on the practices of a number of Surrealist artists also featured in the sale. Leonor Fini (1907-1996) and Leonora Carrington (1917-2011) both painted in Sedona, and found a sense of gender, sexual and artistic freedom amongst the expansive terrain. The painting by Fini, Sphinx Ariane (1973) estimated at $100,000-150,000, features a mystical creature liberated from any traditional understanding of gender, depicted in a vibrant desert colour palette. The alchemy and mysticism of the desert surrealists is also apparent in the work of Remedios Varo (1900-1963). Together with Carrington and artist Kati Horna, the trio was dubbed "the three witches" of Surrealism. Her sculptural work, Sofa maqueta (circa 1945) estimated at $15,000 – 20,000, recontextualizes the dollhouse motif, exploring femininity and domesticity. Working primarily in Mexico, Varo and additional female members of the Surrealist group in the region have been historically overlooked and are only recently receiving recognition for their essential contributions to the movement.
Further highlights of the sale include an autographed concept statement and manuscript for the ballet Tristan Fou by Salvador Dalí (1904-1989) estimated at $12,000 – 18,000; the gouache work Sans titre (Plante avec fleur et feuilles) (circa 1946) by René Magritte (1898-1967) estimated at $100,000 – 150,000; and the paintings Derecho de propiedad (1967) by Francisco Corzas (1936-1983) estimated at $30,000 – 50,000 and Dans l'herbe (1960) by André Masson (1896-1987) estimated at $30,000 – 50,000.