At the top of this year’s Summer Auctions (9 to 11 June 2021) is Emil Nolde’s Sonnenblume from 1928. A fine example of Expressionist painting, this spectacular pastose work was once a part of the Salmon Schocken collection and is estimated at EUR 700,000–1,000,000. Yet another 1928 masterpiece will be included in the Selected Works Auction From Emil Nolde to Neo Rauch – Carl Grossberg’s self-portrait, this classic example of New Objectivity unveils the artist’s fixation with exacting technique, and it’s his sole self-portrait (EUR 300,000–400,000). Nature’s harmony and beauty become tangible in the luminous Reiter in der Allee bei Sakrow, a 1924 landscape painting by Max Liebermann in an exceptionally large format (95.7 x 114.8 cm). This rare motif, the park at Sacrow Palace, is estimated at EUR 500,000–700,000. Alexej von Jawlensky pays homage to the Lago Maggiore with Sommertag in Ascona from 1918, an abstract landscape panorama with a masterfully orchestrated colour scheme (EUR 200,000–300,000). An early work by Franz Marc, Grüne Studie from 1908, is an impressively large format artwork that delivers strikingly powerful colours and bears testimony to the artist’s blossoming creative energy and joie de vivre during his summers in Bavaria (EUR 300,000–500,000). Lovers of Art Nouveau are in for a treat with Heinrich Vogeler’s Träume II (auch ,Frühling‘ oder ,Erwartung‘). This iconic work from 1912 captures the ethereal beauty of the artist’s wife and muse, Martha Vogeler (EUR 200,000–300,000).
The curated evening auction will feature a selection of Contemporary Art’s most brilliant works with outstanding provenances. Two paintings by Gerhard Richter will be on offer – Umgeschlagenes Blatt from 1966 cleverly plays with impressions of reality and picture planes, a nod to a centuries-old tradition of illusionistic painting (EUR 600,000–800,000). Fresh on the market, 1965´s Heidi is an important example of Gerhard Richter’s early blurred works and will be offered at auction for the very first time (EUR 280,000–350,000. Konrad Klapheck’s ähnliche Eltern (1957), a museum piece emblematic of the artist’s early style-defining period, captivatingly plays between the lines of Hyperrealism, Surrealism, and Pop Art (EUR 200,000–300,000). A veritable discovery is Bockwürste auf Pappteller from 1962/63 by Konrad Lueg, who would later go on to become a celebrated gallerist under his birthname Konrad Fischer, nevertheless his artistic œuvre has remained quite limited. Which certainly makes the work on offer, which was exhibited in Gerhard Richter’s and Konrad Lueg’s legendary joint exhibition Leben mit Pop – Eine Demonstration für den Kapitalistischen Realismus, all the more enticing (EUR 80,000–120,000). Back on the market for the first time in almost 50 years is Joseph Beuys’ Eurasienstäbe from 1974, the assemblage is estimated at EUR 60,000–80,000. The most significant artist from the New Leipzig School will be represented in our Summer Auction, Neo Rauch. His Autor, a monumental large-scale early work from 1994, will be on offer in our evening auction on 10 June (EUR 300,000–400,000).
The Contemporary Art auction will feature market-fresh artworks by the artists who have been defining features in Grisebach’s contemporary face. Among these is Katharina Grosse’s Untitled (2004), considered one of the most radically abstract painting positions emerging from Germany (EUR 40,000–60,000). Zwei Frauen (1958), the gouache from Joseph Beuys´ melancholic phase, is estimated at EUR 80,000–120,000, Günter Fruhtrunk´s ROT AUS SCHWARZ AUS GELB from 1970 at EUR 60,000–80,000, and Andy Warhol’s complete 1968 12-part silkscreen portfolio about the spectacle surrounding the JFK assassination, Flash – November 22, 1963 will be called at auction for EUR 50,000–70,000.
30 years of KUNST-WERKE BERLIN e.V. will be celebrated at Grisebach! As part of the Contemporary Art auction on 11 June, more than 30 artworks will be offered at auction by artists whose work reflects the unique exhibition program and who have played significant roles in shaping the history of the KW Institute for Contemporary Art and the Berlin Biennale these past 30 years. The proceeds will support future projects at the KW and the Berlin Biennale.
Artists: Marina Abramović, Mounira Al Solh, Kader Attia, BLESS, Monica Bonvicini, Keren Cytter, Simon Denny, Olafur Eliasson, Elmgreen & Dragset, Ceal Floyer, Cyprien Gaillard, Katharina Grosse, Lynn Hershman Leeson, Carsten Höller, Sergej Jensen, Kris Lemsalu, Leonilson, Michel Majerus, John Miller, Piotr Nathan, Susan Philipsz, Willem de Rooij, Julian Rosefeldt, Aura Rosenberg, Tino Sehgal, Jeremy Shaw, Santiago Sierra, Katharina Sieverding, Wolfgang Tillmans, David Wojnarowicz, Amelie von Wulffen.
On 10 June a special auction with its own catalogue will be dedicated to the extraordinary Sander Collection, whose origins go back to the internationally renowned photographer August Sander (1876-1964). More than just a few of these works will be summoned to the art market for the very first time. Such is the case for Wandbild für einen Fotografen from 1925 by Franz Wilhelm Seiwert (EUR 400,000–600,000), a masterpiece and likely the most personal testament to the intimate exchange between Sander and Seiwert. Two icons from the Cologne Progressives will be featured – the striking Self-Portrait by Heinrich Hoerle from 1931 (EUR 60,000–80,000), and a beguiling image, Die Geste, by Gottfried Brockmann from 1928 (EUR 5,000–7,000). Another highlight within the Sander Collection is Ländliche Familie (Familie Jatho) by Franz Wilhelm Seiwert from the year 1923 (EUR 100,000–150,000).
American conceptual and colour photography is the focal point of the Photography department this summer. Including works by the greats such as William Eggleston, Larry Sultan, Lewis Baltz, or Mitch Epstein, as well as a rare discovery – 11 portraits of prostitutes active in the New Orleans red light district in 1911/13, shot by the portraitist Ernest J. Bellocq and rediscovered and reproduced by Lee Friedlander (EUR 40,000–60,000). Two rayographs by the DaDa artist, photographer, and filmmaker Man Ray will be at auction on 9 June. These black and white graphics were made using a photomechanical technique that the artist developed himself and date from 1922 and 1924 (each EUR 7,000–9,000).
One highlight of the 19th Century Art Auction, which has traditionally commenced the auction week at Fasanenstraße, will be Wilhelm Leibl’s 1897 oil study Mädchenkopf (genannt ‚Die Malresl‘). This non finito is a complete masterpiece in thrilling and beautiful form (EUR 100,000–150,000). Brought back to the eyes of the public and at auction for the first time in over 100 years is Adolph von Menzel’s 1877 drawing Frühmorgens im Nachtschnellzug (EUR 80,000–120,000). As Adolph Menzel once brought medieval suits of armor to life, so comes alive the Totenschädel mit Rosen by Carl Schuch (EUR 50,000–70,000). Two master Menzel drawings from the Max and Martha Liebermann Collection will be offered. Tagebau in Königshütte from the year 1872 (EUR 25,000–35,000) was created in direct association with Eisenwalzwerk (Alte Nationalgalerie, Berlin), after Menzel was commissioned to complete the work by his painter colleague’s uncle, Alfred Liebermann. The second sheet (Die Personen des “Flötenkonzerts”, EUR 30,000–40,000) is the composition study for the figure’s depicted in Menzel’s renowned Flötenkonzert (1850-52, Alte Nationalgalerie, Berlin). The large format ink drawing is the older of the two known versions held by the Berlin Kupferstichkabinett and was recently restituted to the Liebermann heirs.
In sum, a total of 783 artworks with an average estimation total of approximately 18 million will be offered at auction in 6 catalogues over 3 days at Grisebach.
The extended preview will take place in Berlin from 25 May to 8 June at Fasanenstraße 25, 27, and 73.