Photo courtesy of Taiwan News, (Wikipedia Commons Christie’s Photo)

Basquiat is expected to sell for $31M in Asia making it the most expensive Western work ever auctioned.

As one of the most highly-rated contemporary artists, Jean-Michel Basquiat continues to rule at  Christie’s in Hong Kong next month. “Warrior”, a painting created in 1982, will be auctioned on March 23. The artwork is estimated to fetch between $31 million and $41 million dollars.

The large-scale painting of a sword-wielding figure with Basquiat’s trademark skull-like head appears in the painting, created with acrylic, oil sticks, and spray paint on a wood panel. The subject is brutality and in the early ’80s, Basquiat had human rights violations in mind.  

Warrior’s value will have skyrocketed if it sells for more than its estimated amount. The current owner is a private American collector who paid $8.7 million for the painting at Sotheby’s London in 2012. Prior to that, the painting was sold at Sotheby’s in 2007 for $5. 6 million, and before that sold for $1.8 million in 2005.

Although the latest valuation is more than three times the work’s previous selling price 9 years ago, Christie’s representative points to the $30.7 million sales of “La Hara” in 2017 as an indication of the work’s future value. La Hara portrays a threatening picture of a police officer behind bars.

Basquiat’s most important works were produced during a brief period between 1981 and 1982, and are becoming increasingly scarce. His works are becoming increasingly rare each year, as the majority of them are now in museums.

The Hong Kong market has defied the pandemic’s economic grasp, and the city’s fall sales season has been impressive. Christie’s Hong Kong has set 17 new records for contemporary artists, making it the most popular auction house in Asia.

The Asian art market has defied the pandemic’s economic grasp, and Hong Kong’s Fall and Winter sales have been impressive. Christie’s Hong Kong has set 17 new records for contemporary artists, making it the most popular auction house in Asia.

Following the Basquiat sale on March 23rd, a 20th Century sale titled, ”Art of the Surreal” will feature works by Alexander Calder, Joan Miró, and Rene Magritte will be auctioned.

Learn more about Jean Michel Basquiat and the painting on the auction block at Christie’s Hong Kong 

Check out more of our new ArtSpeak Series here and look for weekly updates.

 

Photo courtesy of Drouot Auction House, Paris

Manet painted a family pet and gifted it to Marguerite Lathuille, whose family treasured the artwork for 140 years.

The painting by Edouard Manet of a pet dog named “Mannay” will be sold through a Parisian Auction house in February. The work of art has been in the Lathuille family for 140 years. They’ve rejected all prior attempts to place it on the market for sale. 

In 1879, Marguerite Lathuille, the daughter of a Parisian innkeeper sat for her Manet portrait, and as a gift, the French modernist painter created a quick painting of her pet dog.  The painting, measuring 12.6 x 9.6 inches, is said to have been created in 20 minutes and is an example of the technical ability of Manet, said art expert Fredrick Chanoit.

“It’s not one of his masterpieces. That said, it is a wonderful symphony of tufts and touches demonstrating his pure genius,” It is different from his classic works. It demonstrates his technical skill as a painter. This little dog looks like a ball of fur, full of movement and extraordinary living eyes.” said Chanoit.

The painting has been cataloged but never publicly exhibited. “Records indicate in the 1920s an art dealer wrote to Marguerite begging to buy it from her but she refused. The artwork was passed directly to her children.” Chanoit said.

The Story 

Young  Marguerite Lathuille owned a small dog named Mannay.  Her pup was a Brussels Griffon.  The painting of the little dog is an oil on canvas.  Records indicate the portrait is one of eight dog paintings. All were created by Edouard Manet between 1875 and 1883. 

Marguerite’s father was Gauthier Lathuille, the owner of a cabaret and restaurant that featured other Manet paintings, including the well-known artwork Chez le Père Lathuille. Gauthier himself is in the background. The portrait of Marguerite hangs in the Lyon Museum.   

According to the Drouot, “This portrait is owned by the Lathuille family for over 140 years”. The auction will take place on February 26, 2021, at Drouot Paris.  The auction estimates are in the $380,000. – $400,000. range. 

Learn more about Edouard Manet and the painting on the auction block at Drouot Auctions, Paris

Check out more of our new ArtSpeak Series here. 

 

Courtesy of Christian Chevez/ AP

Designers say they hope the work will inspire people to create bridges between cultures.

A set of Day-Glo pink seesaws that allowed people to connect across the U.S.-Mexico border won the prestigious 2020 Design of the Year award. The designers indicated they hoped the work would inspire people to create bridges not barriers between cultures.

Continue reading ArtSpeak Series: Pink Seesaws across Mex.- US borders, named Design of the Year

 

Abraham and the Angels (1646), Rembrandt van Rijn courtesy Sotheby’s

Rembrandt van Rijn’s “Abraham and the Angels” was painted in (1646). The dimensions of 6 x 8 inches may be small but the price tag is rather large.  

Continue reading ArtSpeak Series: Rare Rembrandt could fetch $30m at auction

Smithsonian Institute and PBS announce Partnership – Courtesy of PBS and Smithsonian Institute

For Smithsonian Secretary Lonnie G. Bunch III, education was already a top priority, but when COVID-19 closed his museums, he realized that the museum’s rich offerings could meet fresh demands and make it available to more Americans, so he set out to find partners.

Continue reading ArtSpeak Series: Smithsonian partners with PBS to distribute education online

The US will build national museums for American Latinos and Women’s History.

The legislation to establish the American Latino National Museum and the National Women’s History Museum in Washington, DC under the umbrella of the Smithsonian Institution was accepted by the US Congress after a decades-long struggle.

Continue reading ArtSpeak Series: US to Build Museums Featuring Women and Minorities

The Guggenheim Museum plans to re-open on October 3, 2020. Photo by Jean-Christophe Benoist.

New York Governor Andrew Cuomo made the official announcement last week that museums, botanical gardens, aquariums, and other cultural centers in the state of New York would begin reopening for business. As of today according to a New York Times article, the Brooklyn Museum, New York Botanical Gardens, and The New York Aquarium are open for business.

This is a big step! Continue reading ArtSpeak Series: MoMA and the Brooklyn Museum Re-Opening Announced

A Limited Edition print from Charles Bragg’s Erotic Suite.

In the inaugural issue of ArtSpeak, I delved into the nuances between Artist Proofs (AP) and Hors de Commerce (HC). In hindsight, that topic might have been better suited for a subsequent entry. So let’s backtrack a bit and demystify what exactly a limited-edition fine art print entails.

In the realm of fine art, just as in many niche retail sectors, there’s a continual quest for the rare and the extraordinary. Whether it’s vintage cars from the ’30s, iconic muscle cars from the ’60s and ’70s, sports collectibles, exclusive wines, or limited-run watches, they all share a key attribute: scarcity. A limited-edition item becomes a coveted asset, drawing the attention of aficionados and collectors alike.

Continue reading ArtSpeak Series:The Allure of Scarcity: Unpacking the Art, Craft, and Business of Limited-Edition Prints