The June 4th evening sale is divided into two sections — in part because of the remarkably successful acquisition within the contemporary segment — with two corresponding catalogs: „Selected Works” and „Contemporary Art.”
Works presented in the section of modern art span from important examples of German Impressionism and Expressionism to art made during the postwar era. Paula Modersohn-Becker is represented with two spectacular paintings: a rare Self-Portrait with Yellow Wreath circa 1901 (estimate of € 200,000/300,000) and an atmospheric still life entitled White Roses in Front of the Studio Window estimated at € 100,000/150,000. One hundred years ago, Max Liebermann moved into his summer residence at Wannsee in Berlin. A depiction of the artist’s renowned garden (The Kitchen Garden at Wannsee Toward Northeast) is up for auction with an estimate of € 100,000/150,000. A jewel coming up for auction is Franz Marc’s color-intensive work Red and Blue Horse from 1912, whose works such as this are extremely rare and highly sought after. A study for the painting belonging to the Lenbachhaus in Munich, the mixed technique applied in Marc’s Red and Blue Horse has never been offered on the art market. Coming from a private collection in Munich, the work is estimated at € 150,000/200,000. Further remarkable highlights are by, among others, Gustav Klimt, Egon Schiele, Gabriele Münter, and Otto Mueller. Outstanding is furthermore Alexej von Jawlensky’s impressive, large-format Abstract Head: Last Irradiance from 1931, which is estimated at € 250,000/350,000. A significant convolute of expressionistic graphic works includes extremely rare incunables from the early period of Brücke Expressionism by Ernst Ludwig Kirchner, Erich Heckel, Karl Schmidt-Rotluff, and Emil Nolde. Among the notable offering of sculptures is Gerhard Marck’s famous Swimmer II (estimate of € 70,000/90,000) of which another example is currently included in the new exhibition of the permanent collection at the Neue Nationalgalerie in Berlin.
The evening sale „Contemporary Art” commences with Konrad Klapheck’s large-format bell motif Four Life Styles from 1962 (estimate of € 100,000/150,000) and different works by Günther Uecker, for example, Clock from 1969 with an estimate of €150,000/200,000, and works such as Skinned from 1970/71 by Gotthard Graubner (estimate of € 50,000/70,000). The 1980s are well-represented by Albert Oehlen’s powerful painting O.T. from 1988 (estimate of € 150,000/200,000) and Per Kirkeby’s widely exhibited Hest from 1981 (estimate of € 120,000/160,000). Gerhard Richter is present with three paintings: Grey from 1974 (estimate of € 80,000/100,000), Abstract Study from 1988 (estimate of € 70,000/90,000) and Abstract Painting from 2004 (estimate of € 300,000/400,000). Concurrently with the grand exhibitions honoring the fiftieth birthday of Neo Rauch in Leipzig and Munich, Villa Grisebach is offering Rauch’s large scale painting Main Building from 1997 (estimate of € 200,000/300,000). The evening sale ends with Olafur Eliasson’s sculpture 3D Fivefold Symmetry from 2001 (estimate of € 60,000/80,000) as well as major works by Anselm Reyle, Daniel Richter, and Dirk Skreber.
Villa Grisebach’s traditional preview exhibition with selected works tours to Hamburg via Dortmund, Zurich, Düsseldorf, and Munich from May 6th through May 26th, 2010. For the first time, all works from the contemporary art evening sale will be exhibited at Villa Grisebach in Berlin from May 3rd through May 27th, 2010. Hereby, the auction house intends to emphasize the continuously growing significance of Berlin as a center of contemporary art. Beginning on May 29th, all works of Villa Grisebach’s spring auctions can be viewed at Fasanenstraße 25, 28, and 73. Additionally, the five auction catalogs are available online at www.villa-grisebach.com
