Christie’s Latin American Art Sale in new York achieved a strong total of $22,571,450 (£13,763,079/ €15,895,387). Held in two sessions on May 26 and 27, the sale was sold 75% by lot, 79% by value and established an impressive 14 new world auction records.
Miguel Covarrubias’ Offering of Fruits for the Temple, 1932 (detail), for which Christie’s established a new world auction record for the artist, realizing $1,022,500 — more than three times the high estimate of $300,000. Photo: Christie’s Images Ltd. 2011.
The top lot was Miguel Covarrubias Offering of Fruits for the Temple, 1932, for which Christie’s established a new world auction record for the artist, realizing $1,022,500 — more than three times the high estimate of $300,000. The magnificent painting was inspired by one of the Mexican artist’s extended trips to Bali in the 1930s. Covarrubias’ pictorial ode to the idyllic beauty of the Balinese women shows a group of beautiful women elegantly balance baskets of fruit on their heads, swathed in brightly colored sarongs. South American artists performed exceedingly well as Ecuadorian artist Oswaldo Guayasamín’s Quito en rojo, realized $314,500; Colombian master Edgar Negret’s Mask realized $80,500 and Peruvian artist Fernando de Szyszlo’s Paclla Pampa (Campo Desolado), 1969 achieved $182,500 — all world auction records for the artists. Another significant world auction record was established a sculpture by the artist Rufino Tamayo, whose Figura sideral from 1990 realized $494,500.
In addition to Covarrubias, new world auction records were achieved for the following artists:
• Julio Larraz (Cuban, b. 1944), Bingham at Noon, 1996. Price Realized: $326,500
• Oswaldo Guayasamín (Ecuadorian 1919-1999), Quito en rojo. Price Realized $314,500
• Fernando de Szyszlo (Peruvian b.1925), Paclla Pampa (Campo Desolado), 1969. Price Realized: $182,500
• Ricardo Martínez (Mexican 1918-2009), Untitled, 1956. Price Realized: $146,500
• Julio Alpuy (Uruguayan 1919-2009), Paisaje constructivista de Montevideo, 1957. Price Realized: $110,500
• Ernesto Deira (Argentinean 1928-1986), Untitled, 1964. Price Realized: $96,100
• Jorge Jiménez Deredia (Costa Rican b. 1954), Genésis recuerdo profundo, 2005. Price Realized: $86,500
• Alipio Jaramillo (Colombian 1913-1999), Zafra Price Realized: $120,100
• Edgar Negret (Colombian b. 1920), Mask Price Realized: $ 80,500
• Miguel Rio Branco (Spanish/Brazilian b. 1946), Barroco/Novena. Price Realized: $ 37,500
• Isabel de Obaldía (Panamanian b. 1957), Ojos arenados. Price Realized: $17,500
• Nicolás García Uriburu (Argentinian b. 1937), Ombu Price Realized: $74,500
• Rufino Tamayo, (Mexican 1899-1991) Figura sidereal 1990 Price realized: $494,500 * world auction record for a sculpture by the artist*
*Estimates do not include buyer’s premium.