Christie’s Latin American Evening Sale on November 15 achieved $15,333,750/ £9,660,263/ € 11,346,975 and was 83% sold by value and 76% sold by lot.
Fernando Botero (Colombian b. 1932), Dancers, bronze with dark brown patina, executed in 2007. Estimate: $1,500,000 – 2,000,000, Price Realized: $1,762,500. Photo: Christie’s Images Ltd 2011.
The Head of the Latin American Art department, comments: “Brazilian art shines tonight. Record prices were achieved for iconic works by Antonio Bandeira, Hércules Barsotti, José Pancetti, Alfredo Volpi, and Franz Weissmann, proving the tremendous interest in Brazilian art and for works that are fresh to the market and competitively estimated. Across the board, Mexican paintings and sculpture performed well, and we are thrilled with the auction record for Francisco Toledo’s masterpiece Vaca roja, who is in my view, the most important living Mexican painter. Worth noting is the great success of Fernando Botero, highlighted by the record for a sculpture with the monumental bronze Dancers, which was the top lot of the evening at $1.76 million. We look forward to the continuation of Day Sale, mañana.”
Artists’ Records for Evening Sale of Latin American Art:
*Miguel Covarrubias (Mexican 1904-1957), Legong Performance Under Banyan Tree, gouache on heavy paper, executed circa 1930, Estimate: $50,000 – 70,000 Price Realized: $290,500.
*Francisco Toledo (Mexican b. 1940), Vaca roja, oil and sand on canvas, painted in 1975, Estimate: $500,000 – 700,000 ,Price Realized: $902,500.
*Fernando Botero (Colombian b. 1932), Dancers, bronze with dark brown patina, executed in 2007. Estimate: $1,500,000 – 2,000,000, Price Realized: $1,762,500.
*José Pancetti (Brazilian 1902-1958), Abaeté (Serie Bahia, No. 28), oil on canvas, painted in 1957. Estimate: $60,000 – 80,000, Price Realized: $362,500.
*Antonio Bandeira (Brazilian 1922-1967), Blue Streets, oil on canvas, painted in London in 1955 Estimate: $70,000 – 90,000, Price Realized: $482,500.
*Alfredo Volpi (Brazilian 1896-1988), Bandeirinhas estruturadas, tempera on canvas, painted circa 1966 Estimate: $250,000 – 350,000 Price Realized: $842,500.
*Hércules Barsotti (Brazilian 1914-2010), Losango- Proposição multilegível I, acrylic on canvas, painted in 1966 Estimate: $40,000 – 60,000 Price Realized: $170,500.
*Franz Weissmann (Austrian/Brazilian 1911-2005), Estructura, welded steel, executed in 1969 Estimate: $60,000 – 80,000, Price Realized: $386,500.
*Juan Melé (Argentinian b. 1923), Pintura No. 110, acrylic on canvas, painted in Buenos Aires in 1948, Estimate: $50,000 – 70,000 Price Realized: $134,500.
