Rare van Gogh painting and a Giacometti sculpture fetch millions

NEW YORK — A rare piece of artwork painted by Vincent van Gogh weeks before his death sold for $61.8 million Tuesday and a sculpture by Alberto Giacometti took in over $100 million at a sale kicking off New York City's fall art auctions of impressionist and modern art.

Van Gogh's 1890 painting, "Still Life, Vase With Daisies and Poppies," had expected to fetch between $30 million and $50 million at Sotheby's evening sale in Manhattan.

One of the founders of the Museum of Modern Art, A. Conger Goodyear, acquired it in 1928. It remained in the family for decades and was on permanent exhibition at the Albright-Knox Art Gallery in Buffalo for 30 years. The most recent owner bought it around 1990.

The auction record for a van Gogh is $82.5 million.

The big-ticket auction at Sotheby's brought in $101 million for Giacometti's "Chariot." The rare 1951 bronze sculpture features an elongated goddess-like figure perched atop a wheeled chariot. The price almost broke the $104.3 million record for the Swiss artist.

The 1951 piece, embellished with paint to enrich the textural quality of the bronze, has been in the same collection for over 40 years. Giacometti made six casts of the "Chariot" during his lifetime. The one sold Tuesday is one of only two painted examples. Another important sculpture sold at the auction was Amedeo Modigliani's "Tete." It fetched $70.7 million, just topping the previous auction record for the artist at $69 million. The deitylike elongated head was carved in 1911 and 1912 from a block of limestone scavenged from a Paris construction site. It had a presale estimate of $45 million. The auction house Bonhams, which is selling more than 700 items from the homes of Lauren Bacall, offered two Henry Moore sculptures from her collection on Tuesday.

"Maquette for Mother and Child: Arms" sold for $281,000, just over its pre-sale estimate high of $200,000, and "Working Model for Reclining Figure: Bone Skirt," sold for over $1 million, topping its presale estimate of $600,000 to $800,000.
The legendary actress' other artwork, jewelry and furniture will be offered for sale in March.

All prices included the buyer's premium.

The major fall sales continue Wednesday at Christie's. Among the highlights is a celebrated portrait of a Parisian actress by Edouard Manet. "Spring" has a presale estimate of $25 million to $35 million.

The Getty is revealed as the buyer of Manet's 'Spring'

A portion of the work 

"Spring"

Written by The AP

Friday, 07 November 2014 07:54

The J. Paul Getty Museum was revealed on Nov. 6 as the buyer that paid a record $65.1 million for Edouard Manet's "Spring," a celebrated portrait of a Parisian actress as an embodiment of the season.

The painting will join several other Manet works on display by the end of the year, the Los Angeles museum said.

"Spring" was auctioned Wednesday at Christie's in New York City. The price, which included Christie's commission, was well above the expected high price of $35 million.

It also nearly doubled the previous record of $33.2 million paid four years ago for "Self Portrait with a Palette," another work by the 19th century French artist.

The Getty's other Manet works include "Portrait of Madame Brunet," "The Rue Mosnier with Flags," "Bullfight" and "Portrait of Julien de la Rochenoire."

Painted in 1881, two years before Manet's death, "Spring" portrays actress Jeanne Demarsy in a flowered dress, bonnet and parasol. It was presented at the 1882 Paris Salon.

"Spring" was intended to be one of four paintings featuring Parisian women representing the seasons but Manet only completed "Spring" and "Autumn" before he died in 1883 at 51.

The painting had few owners and had been in the collection of an American family for more than a century.

Christie's did not identify the seller but said proceeds will benefit a private American foundation that supports environmental, public health and other causes.

Spring was the last of Manet's Salon paintings still in private hands, Getty Director Timothy Potts said in a statement.

"It is a work of extraordinary quality and beauty, epitomizing Manet's influential conception of modernity, and executed at the height of his artistic powers," Potts said.

                     
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Thomas Kinkade Gallery in Placerville is closing

After many years in business, the owner of the Kinkade Gallery that started it all for the Northern California artist is going to focus his attention to another business he has been developing.

Thomas Kinkade best known for his cottage art or Americana art that features bridges and cottages in Northern California passed away a few years ago while working on new release art.

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