It’s rare to come across an object that can so brilliantly bring a historical figure to life. An absolute treasure and one of European porcelain art’s most compelling creations will be offered at auction – a flute case made in Meissen in 1761 for the personal use of Frederick the Great (EUR 250,000–350,000).
Upcoming highlights in the Modern Art department include Georg Tappert’s vibrant “Geisha-Revue” from 1911/13, an evocative embodiment of pre-1914 exoticism and an incunabulum of German Expressionism (EUR 350,000–450,000), and Otto Dix’s “Zirkusscene” from 1923 (EUR 200,000–300,000), a metaphorically charged depiction of life in the 1920s with an impressive exhibition history. Especially noteworthy is Alexej von Jawlensky’s gripping interplay of figuration and abstraction in “Abstrakter Kopf: Komposition Nr.9” from 1924, which displays Jawlensky’s pursuit in creating an archetype of the human face in intense and luminous colouring (EUR 250,000-350,000). Following the world record for Hans Grundig at the previous spring auction (EUR 462,500 for “Schüler mit roter Mütze”), we have “Mädchen mit rosa Hut” from 1925, another iconic piece of Dresdener New Objectivity and one of the artist’s last early paintings on the art market (EUR 100,000-150,000). “Cammin” from 1934 displays exciting colour contrasts between turquoise, yellow and brown, making it a wonderful example of Lyonel Feininger’s prismatically broken cubism (EUR 500,000-700,000). The painting is a testimony to Feininger’s summers spent on the Pomeranian coast of the Baltic Sea. A gauche will be offered in our evening sale from the master of mystery, René Magritte. “Le domaine enchanté” is a 1953 study on the mural cycle inside a casino in Knokke-Heist, a Belgian coastal town, and serves as a deconstruction of their allegedly impregnable security, it’s estimated at EUR 400,000–600,000.
The highlight of Contemporary Art featured in the “Selected Works” is a large format from the master of fascinating realism, Karin Kneffel’s “Untitled” from 2003, another museum quality painting from the Thomas and Raffaela von Salis Collection (EUR 100,000–120,000). A major discovery is Catsuit - after William Morris (EUR 100,000-120,000) and its companion piece Victoria (EUR 100,000–120,000) by South African artist Marlene Dumas in collaboration with Dutch artist Bert Boogaard. The works combine two artistic worlds, Dumas’ watercolour female figures are superimposed with Boogaard’s optically transparent ornamentation.
The multidisciplinary range of evening offerings will be enriched by a rarity from the realm of photography. The most important portrait photographer of his time joins forces with one of the most important modern artists in “Porträt Wassily Kandisky” by Hugo Erfurth in 1925 (EUR 10,000–15,000). The vintage print is from the estate of László Moholy-Nagy and was exhibited in the legendary 1938 Bauhaus premiere exhibition at the New York Museum of Modern Art.
A special auction with its own separate catalogue will be dedicated to the Calábria Collection on December 4th. The auction will feature the collection from the former Brazilian ambassador, Mário Calábria, who cultivated a large network of artist friends in East Berlin. His passion for collecting was primarily devoted to abstract and concrete art, which is exemplified by the major works from Hermann Glöckner, Almir da Silva Mavignier, among others. Calábria established his collection not only out of passion, but also because he felt a social responsibility to support artists, both materially and ideationally.
The Contemporary Art department will proudly present a compelling and varied selection. From approximately 180 lots, the highlight is Per Kirkeby’s impressive oil painting “Untitled” from 2006, estimated at EUR 300,000–400,000. The monumental, abstract landscape was exhibited at the extensive retrospective honouring the artist’s 70th birthday at the Louisiana Museum of Art. Martin Kippenberger’s “Young Beach believe Us. Young Beachbelievers” from 1986, shows a typical, ironic collage, with mixed media like differing cotton fabrics, silicone, and latex. This quirky and pop-esque sujet, while uncharacteristic from the artist, is from the Blake Byrne Collection, Paris/Los Angeles (EUR 50,000–70,000).
The Thomas and Raffaela von Salis Collection has been eclectically developed for more than three decades, and serves as a testament to the art dealer duo’s keen eye and distinguished taste. Grisebach is thrilled to include individual works from their collection in the upcoming Autumn Auctions. The collector’s refined sensibility and lifelong passion for art is reflected in fascinating juxtapositions of artists such as Arnulf Rainer, Robert Mangold, Clement Meadmore, Lucio Fontana and Mario Giacomelli, amongst others.
The highlight lot of the 19th Century Art auction is Carl Gustav Carus’ oil painting Schiffsmühle auf der Elbe bei Dresden from around 1826, a precious jewel from the likes of Dresdener Romanticism – the resemblance to Caspar David Friedrich is indisputable – the work is estimated at EUR 100,000–150,000. Peder Balke was also inspired by Friedrich, and his fellow Scandinavian Johan Christian Dahl, as seen in his artwork Kliff an der nord-norwegischen Küste (around 1845, EUR 30,000–40,000). The “Turner of Scandinavia” was an exceptional artist whose spectacular studies can be seen on display at the National Museum in Oslo as well as in the Louvre. The glowing sunset in Carl Rottmann’s Aegina mit dem ApollotempelI (circa 1835, EUR 18,000–24,000) transforms the piece into a brilliant celebration of colour. The study is from his famous Grecian cycle and serves as a prelude to his artistic leitmotif of the 1840s.
175 lots for modern and contemporary photography alone will be offered at the Autumn Auctions at Grisebach. Special collector’s pieces include the cover lot entitled Flag by the American photographer Mitch Epstein from the year 2000 (EUR 25,000–30,000), as well as Parlour Games’ Munich from 1991 by one of the most famous photographers of the 20th century: Helmut Newton (EUR 20,000–30,000).
In total, nearly 900 works of art will be offered in our auctions taking place from December 2nd to 4th, with a lower estimated price of 15.5 million Euros. The preview in Berlin will take place at three different locations on Fasanenstraße (25, 27, 73) beginning November 20th until December 1st.
Micaela Kapitzky