European art collection to be sold at Christie’s Paris

On 14 April, Christie’s Paris will sell 46 post-WWII works belonging to two European collectors. The sale is expected to generate close to EUR 1.5 million in turnover. Most of the artistic movements featured are French: New Realism, Figuration Libre, Figuration Narrative and a large selection of French post-war abstract art. Works by the Cobra group – such as Animals by Karel APPEL (EUR 160,000-200,000) and Flexions et réflexions by Asger JORN (EUR 150,000-200,000) – are also included.

The star lot is by Jean DUBUFFET (1901-1985): “Landscape Under Red Sky”, a 1.3 metre-wide oil on wooden panel dating from 1952 and estimated at EUR 200,000-300,000. Dubuffet’s personal record was set by Pèse-Cheveu, which sold for USD 4.8 million in 1990, and his works often top the million euro mark. Il parle was the most recent to achieve such a sales tag, going under the hammer for USD 1.3 million in November 2004. Given the consistent uptrend in the artist’s price (+60% since 1997, according to Artprice), this modest estimate could be exceeded.

The auction house is also offering works by Robert COMBAS, Jacques VILLON, Hans HARTUNG, Serge POLIAKOFF, Valerio ADAMI, CORNEILLE and Lynn Russell CHADWICK for EUR 20,000-30,000.