Sotheby’s and Christie’s auction sales preview

In the forthcoming highly prestigious auctions organised by Sotheby’s and Christie’s, the star attractions will be works by big names such as Joan Miro, Yves Tanguy, Pierre Bonnard, Chaïm Soutine, Gustave Caillebotte, Lucian Freud, Joseph Vernet, Gino Severini and Gustave Moreau.

The first major auctions of 2005 will be hosted in New York and will focus on old master paintings and drawings. On 25 January, Christie’s will be offering 248 old master drawings, the star piece being Gustave Moreau’s “Saint Sebastian in an Extensive Mountain Landscape” with an estimated value of USD 300,000 – 400,000. The following day, Sotheby’s will offer 179 drawings including a piece from Giovani Bellini’s school “Head and Shoulders Portrait of a Young Man” which, estimated at USD 700,000 – 900,000, is expected to fetch the highest price.

In 2004, the most expensive work in the old master drawings category was a portfolio of 14 inks on paper by Zhao Mengfu entitled “The Heart of the Great Perfection of Wisdom Sutra” which fetched USD 1.7 million at Sotheby’s in New York on 22 September. Indeed, that sale was the strongest example of the current sharp inflation of Chinese works at auction. Collectors of Chinese art will also find some quality work at Christie’s on 24 January 2005.

– New YorkChristie’s: Chinese Export Art (24 January)Christie’s: Old Master & 19th Century Drawings (25 January)Sotheby’s: Old Master Drawings (26 January)Christie’s: Important Old Master Paintings (26 January)Sotheby’s: Old Master Paintings (27 January)Sotheby’s: Property from Kennedy Family Homes (15-17 February)- London Christie’s: Impressionist and Modern Art (7 February)Christie’s: The Art of the Surreal (7 February)Sotheby’s: Surrealist Sale (8 February)Sotheby’s: Impressionist and Modern Art, Part 1 (8 February)Sotheby’s: German & Austrian Art (8 February)Christie’s: Post-War and Contemporary Art (9 February)Sotheby’s: Contemporary Art, Part 1 (10 February)