There are some nice offerings at the fall auctions in NY, but before we get to the paintings, it is noteworthy that for the first time, at least of which I’m aware, prints have made one of the storied evening sales. Both their low estimates exceed the million $ barrier, and both are at Christie’s, consisting of an unsigned Minotauromachie and a signed impression of La Femme qui Pleure, I (Bl.1333), the final (7th) state:
What’s even more remarkable, it seems to me, is the unusually large number of really nice paintings, eleven in the Christie’s evening sale alone.
At Sotheby’s, there’s the fascinating 1927 Guitare accroché au mur:
and the huge late Picasso painting, one of the nicer ones, L’Aubade (The Dawn Serenade, 1967):
At Christie’s (in chronological order), there’s the small 1919-20 Guéridon devant une fenêtre aux volets fermés:
a serviceable Marie-Therese, the 1935 Femme endormie:
a decent Dora, the 1938 Femme assise:
a very nice still life, more colorful than many wartime images, the 1944 Citrons et verre:
a good animal combat, the 1965 Homard et chat sur la plage:
and, last, the 1968 Mousquetaire buste, an amusing piece and a good value for the money:
There are also a couple of wonderful, full-sized drawings, one at Christie’s, the 1938 Figure féminine assise:
the other at Sotheby’s, the 1969 Homme au turban et nu couché, (PP69.399, catalogue # misprinted in their ecatalogue):
Let the games begin!