Art

Sotheby’s Prepares to Auction Modern and Impressionist Art This Week

The Paris branch of famed auction house Sotheby’s has been showing presale exhibitions for its upcoming auction on the 10th of December. Entitled “Art Impressionniste et Moderne”, it will feature a great many works by some of the most influential artists of the past 125 years. Paintings by Pablo Picasso, Marc Chagall, and Joan Miró hold the highest appraisals of the lot, with the top 3 artworks valued at $4.6-6.6 million. Other familiar names available for viewing and purchase include:

Femme Assise - Picasso

Pictured above is the star of the show, Picasso’s 1909 painting Femme assise (Femme au châle). The model is believed to have been Fernande Olivier, his companion and relatively prolific model. She had modeled for numerous other artists as well as appearing in his transformative Demoiselles d’Avignon. That landmark painting was actually still hanging in the artist’s studio when Femme assise was made. The influence of Braque’s work on Picasso is clearly visible here, particularly in the muted, earthy color palette. Though not a particularly well known image on its own, the painting is expected to earn $2.2-3.3 million for representing a key period in the artist’s life.

Le Cabinet Anthropomorphique - Dali

For those with lighter wallets or preferences towards sculpture, Salvador Dalí’s bronze statue Le Cabinet Anthropomorphique is a relative bargain at $11,000-16,000. Based on his 1936 painting of the same name, this sculpture shows a reclining figure with its hand outstretched. The body has been replaced with a chest of drawers, which the figure gazes down into, its vision of the world around it obscured by a singular focus. The imagery suggests the storing of memories, particularly close to the heart. The figure reaches out while looking inward, feeling its way by means of inward reflection, intuition, or emotion. A beautiful example of the 330 castings made, it typifies Dalí’s Surrealist style.

To check out all the wonderful art being auctioned on Thursday, head over to Sotheby’s e-catalog.

About the Author

Joe Strouth is a photographer and art lover with a Bachelor of Arts in Art History. He enjoys reading, minimalist sculpture and music, and documentary photography from the second half of the 20th century. Having lived all over the world, he tries to visit museums any time he travels.