There are three major single-owner sales in Paris this coming week with the Funck-Bretano collection, the Cannone Collection, and the Niomar Sodré Bittencourt Collection up for auction. I cannot wait to pay a visit to the centre of the European art world this week and to see these three superb collections go up for sale.
At Christie’s the top lots of the sales constitute an eclectic but heavily European melange of high calibre works: from a superb Soulages of 1954 to Renoir’s classical portrait: Jeune fille appuyée sur sa main. My highlight is this extraordinary work on paper by the master of pastel, Odilon Redon, but there is also a Van Gogh flower painting, a 1909 van Dongen La Bottine jaune and more than one great Jean Dubuffet from which to choose.
Sotheby’s boast a stunning, and reasonably estimated, Caillebotte painting entitled Marronnier rose together with a vast selection of great French Post-War works. Soulages is well represented and this large 1951 work by Nicolas de Stael is amongst my favourite pieces: Composition en noir et blanc (Les pavés). Unusually, Sotheby’s Paris are offering a ‘Cheerful Yellow’ Kandinsky which is well worth a look; and for a painting very well estimated too – though small.
The sales are as follows:
8th April
Christie’s Paris, Collection Funck-Bretano: 1500 CET
9th April
Christie’s Paris, Collection Henri Cannone: 1600 CET
Christie’s Paris, 20/21 Art Evening Sale: 1700 CET
10th April
Christie’s Paris, Art Impressioniste et Moderne Day Sale: 1400 CET
Sotheby’s Paris, Collection Niomar Moniz Sodré Bittencourt: 1600 CET
Sotheby’s Paris, Art Moderne et Contemporaine Evening Sale: 1800 CET
11th April
Christie’s Paris, Contemporary Art Day Sale: 1400 CET
Sotheby’s Art Moderne et Contemporaine Day Auction (online): 2-11 April closing 1500 CET
I shall be in Paris from Monday (7th) for two days and would be delighted to help if required. Please do use an advisor when buying high value works of art as there are pitfalls galore in the art market!