Paris Auction Previews

John and I were pleased to see that Christie's and Sotheby's, two of the big auction houses in Paris, were having previews this week so we went down to them to see what was on the market these days. 

Let's have a look at what Christie's had on view. (Note: June 17th -- we've added the prices gained for each lot in Canadian dollars).

Zao Wou-Ki, Untitled, 1949. ($249,000) Don't know this artist but a big show of his work just opened at the Musée d'Art moderne de la Ville de Paris and we are off to see it today!

We enjoyed seeing Yayoi Kusama's Infinity Nets, 2005. ($1,280,344) We have recently seen a wonderful retrospective of her work in Toronto.

Here is a detail so you can see the shimmering marks that make up this work.

Louise Nevelson, Untitled, 1959. About a foot high -- just the right size for our collection!

Ben, J'aime ce trou, 1999 ($13.409)

Georg Baselitz, Ekely 1943, 2004. ($563,235) A beauty!

Looking at Larry Poons' Cherry Smash, 1963 ($416,082), I admitted to John that I didn't think I'd be able to live with it. My eyes would rebel.

Arman, Superposition, 2001. Tubes of paint in resin.

Yoshitomo Nara, Pup Cup, 2003 ($1,916). We know someone who would LOVE this one.

Robert Indiana, Love (authorized replica, 2009) ($4,788). Speaking of LOVE.

Roni Horn, Cat, 2000

Sam Francis, Untitled, 1980

Gilbert & George, White Hands, 2008 (withdrawn). I like this but this time John resists.

Calder, untitled mobile, 1963 ($1,592,809). Who could resist this little beauty!

Marlene Dumas The Beginning of Tiranny, 1989 ($13,414)

Meret Oppenheim, Nachtspaziergang, 1959 ($30,661), from a group of Surrealist works for sale.

Leonora Carrington, Ajusco 2 a.m., 1987 ($124,565). Wild!

Max Ernst, Dove, 1925-26 ($249,156). Unusual and lovely.

We found the staff at both houses very polite and welcoming, not to mention nicely turned out!

OK, Let's go around the corner and down the Faubourg Saint-Honoré and see what Sotheby's is showing.

 

Joan Mitchell, To Starboard, 1990 ($1,393,740). Beautiful and big. Across town, L'Orangerie is showing the roots of Abstract Impressionism in Monet's late work. Mitchell's work is featured.

John in the main floor showroom.

 and here is Nicolas De Staël's, Striped Pot, 1952 ($3,418,082) seen behind him. Nice one!

Another great Yayoi Kusama. Silver Night, 1982. A  basket of glittering blue penises anyone?

We were not familiar with Julius Bissier ($12,270-$33,745) but this collection of small pieces sold us on his work.

Yayoi Kusama. Pumpkin, 1998 ($915,456)

We thought this untitled Keith Haring from 1979 was stunning.

We loved this early, dark, Jean Fautrier; Head of a Wild Boar, 1926 ($896,745). We became familiar with Mr. Fautrier at a wonderful retrospective of his work earlier this visit (again at Musée d'Art moderne de la Ville de Paris). A post about that show is upcoming.

Pierre et Gilles, The Prisoner (Laurent Combes), 1994

Jean-Pierre Pinceman, Untitled, 1986-1987 ($99,638)

We also loved Georg Baselitz' huge Untermensch, 1991 ($510.513), hanging in Sotheby's lobby. Two very enjoyable previews!
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Auctions are going to be on June 7th and 8th. We'll add what the works went for if we can.