ARTISTS
Sotheby鈥檚 to Present Modern Masters: Impressionism and Early 20th Century Art
An Inaugural Selling Exhibition of Impressionist and Modern Art in Hong Kong 26-28 November 2010
黑料不打烊
26 Sep, 2010
Hong Kong, September 2010听
In response to the increasing interest throughout Asia and especially within听China in the field of Impressionist and Modern art, Sotheby鈥檚 is pleased to announce a major selling exhibition to be听held this autumn. Modern Masters: Impressionism and Early 20th Century Art will comprise approximately 20听works representing many of the most important artists active in Europe from the late 19th and early 20th century and听who left an indelible impression on art history, including Claude Monet, Pierre-Auguste Renoir, Marc Chagall, Pablo听Picasso and Edgar Degas, among others. The exhibition will preview in Beijing from 22-25 October 2010 and will听then move on to Hong Kong from 26-28 November 2010. The works included in this exhibition are priced from听US$2 million to $25 million (HK$15.6 to $195 million).
鈥淭his exciting event is both a first for Sotheby's and for China,鈥� said Patti Wong, Chairman of Sotheby's Asia. 鈥淲e听have been impressed by the interest in the field of Impressionist and Modern Art from within China and across Asia in听our recent auctions. While we will continue to serve this market through our regular auctions of Impressionist and听Modern Art in London and New York, mounting a selling exhibition specifically for the Asian market consisting of high听quality works from significant artists in this field is a unique opportunity for our many clients in the region. Asian听collectors have historically shown considerable interest in other Sotheby鈥檚 selling exhibitions of modern and听contemporary sculpture - at Chatsworth House in Derbyshire, UK and Isleworth Country Club in Orlando, Florida,听U.S.A. We look forward to bringing this assembly of works directly to our discerning Asian clients, and continuing to听develop enthusiasm among collectors for this important field."
鈥淭hroughout history, the passion of collectors has been a key factor in the development of art and the art market,鈥澨齝ommented David Norman, Co-Chairman of Sotheby's Impressionist and Modern Art Department听Worldwide. 鈥淭he most exciting and active growth in collecting today is occurring in China and other countries in听Asia. As a result, we wanted to bring great works of art directly and exclusively to that audience. We have selected听representative examples by many of the most important artists of the movement including some of the most beloved听and important subjects by the respective artists, such as Monet鈥檚 Haystacks, Renoir鈥檚 Portraits and Bathers and Chagall鈥檚听depictions of the Circus. The exhibition will also present a more in depth view of certain artists such as Picasso, and will听include works from many of the different phases of his career 鈥� his romantic, early Blue Period; the radical experiments听of Cubism which were then followed by the Neoclassicism of the 1920s; a depiction of his most famed lover, Dora听Maar; and, finally, his great, late Expressionist paintings created after 1960. We look forward to exhibiting these听wonderful works of art, discussing and sharing our enthusiasm with our clients, and learning more about their interests as听we plan new exhibitions for the future.鈥�
Exhibition Highlights
M猫re Tenant un Enfant (La Maternit茅) is arguably one of the most significant听paintings of Picasso鈥檚 early career. Not only does the work represent the burgeoning听of the artist鈥檚 coveted 鈥淏lue Period鈥�, it is also among the earliest complete depictions听of his enduring Mother and Child theme. The painting demonstrates a tenderness听and vulnerability altogether new in Picasso鈥檚 work at the time. Picasso painted the听present work in 1901 during his second visit to Paris, a pivotal moment in his career.
One month after exhibiting with the celebrated dealer Ambroise Vollard, the artist听entered his groundbreaking 鈥淏lue Period鈥�, characterised by a sombre, introverted听mood. This marked a significant departure from the colourful cabaret scenes that had听inspired many of the artist鈥檚 major works to date. His choice of subjects invokes the religious iconography of the Renaissance and demonstrates the influence of the Old Masters on his work. The听continuing importance of the Mother and Child theme in Picasso鈥檚 personal iconography cannot be underestimated.听Over the span of his career it charts his relationships with his lovers and, ultimately, with his own children.听
Also by Picasso is Jeune Fille aux Cheveux Noirs (Dora Maar), a striking portrait of Dora Maar听completed by the artist in 1939. Dora Maar鈥檚 relationship with Picasso is one of the most tumultuous love stories in the听history of 20th century art. Picasso met Maar, the Surrealist photographer, in the autumn of 1935 and became听enchanted by the young woman鈥檚 powerful sense of self and commanding presence. In the eight years that followed,听Maar was Picasso鈥檚 principal model and the subject of some of his most important portraits. Picasso's war-time听depictions of Dora Maar are among the most famous of his oeuvre and have come to symbolize the collective emotions听of that era. Shockingly abstract yet undeniably alluring, these pictures have a certain tragic beauty and power of听presence that few other portraits in Picasso's vast repertoire were able to achieve.
Painted in the summer of 1894 on the Plaine des Ajoux, LesDemoiselles de Giverny is an audaciously modern听composition and a fascinating continuation of Monet鈥檚听famous Haystacks series. While the painting鈥檚 formal subject听is the small haystacks, Monet鈥檚 primary concern remains the听changing effects of light across his landscape: 鈥淔or me,听landscape does not exist at all as landscape, since its aspect听changes at every moment, but it lives through what surround听it, through light and air which change continuously鈥� (quoted in W. Byvanck, Un Hollandais 脿 Paris, 1892, p. 177).
Les听Demoiselles de Giverny succeeds in capturing a fleeting moment of dawn, when the landscape is lit but the sun has yet听to fully rise. For Monet, the form of the grainstacks in the early morning light is similar to that of a woman, an听association he expresses in the title of the piece.
Pierre Auguste Renoir鈥檚 depictions of his infant Jean at play with hisnurse remain some of the most appealing works of the late-19th century.In L茅ontine et Coco (Claude Renoir), Renoir returns to painting this听type of intimate domestic scene. The artist portrays his son Claude, also听known as Coco, in the company of L茅ontine, a young woman who听worked in the Renoir household in the latter part of his life. Intimate in听feeling yet monumental in form, this brilliantly coloured work is typical of听the classicism of Renoir鈥檚 last phase.
Edgar Degas鈥� Danseuses au Foyer reflects the artist鈥檚 lifelong fascination with听dance. Early in his career, Degas was attracted to the public spectacle of live听performance in classical ballet. Later, he became interested in more intimate, behind the-听scenes moments that allowed the artist to focus on the psychology of his subjects听as much as their form. Danseuses stands as an excellent example from this period,听and also reflects Degas鈥� shift away from the linear towards a new interest in colour in听his pastels of the 1890s. A palette of strong, bright tones and a degree of听abstraction are direct products of this newfound freedom of expression.
Le Paysan Allong茅 is a classic example of Marc Chagall's iconic style, in which the听artist assembles a world of folkloric images in a dense and colourful composition.听Some of the artist鈥檚 most popular and recurrent themes are present: against the听backdrop of rural rooftops, a reclining peasant gazes up at a crescent moon and听observes a haloed woman dancing. Each figure is masterfully rendered through the听combination of intense colour and spatial experimentation that is the essence of听Chagall's work, reflecting his own personal delight in the act of painting.
In response to the increasing interest throughout Asia and especially within听China in the field of Impressionist and Modern art, Sotheby鈥檚 is pleased to announce a major selling exhibition to be听held this autumn. Modern Masters: Impressionism and Early 20th Century Art will comprise approximately 20听works representing many of the most important artists active in Europe from the late 19th and early 20th century and听who left an indelible impression on art history, including Claude Monet, Pierre-Auguste Renoir, Marc Chagall, Pablo听Picasso and Edgar Degas, among others. The exhibition will preview in Beijing from 22-25 October 2010 and will听then move on to Hong Kong from 26-28 November 2010. The works included in this exhibition are priced from听US$2 million to $25 million (HK$15.6 to $195 million).
鈥淭his exciting event is both a first for Sotheby's and for China,鈥� said Patti Wong, Chairman of Sotheby's Asia. 鈥淲e听have been impressed by the interest in the field of Impressionist and Modern Art from within China and across Asia in听our recent auctions. While we will continue to serve this market through our regular auctions of Impressionist and听Modern Art in London and New York, mounting a selling exhibition specifically for the Asian market consisting of high听quality works from significant artists in this field is a unique opportunity for our many clients in the region. Asian听collectors have historically shown considerable interest in other Sotheby鈥檚 selling exhibitions of modern and听contemporary sculpture - at Chatsworth House in Derbyshire, UK and Isleworth Country Club in Orlando, Florida,听U.S.A. We look forward to bringing this assembly of works directly to our discerning Asian clients, and continuing to听develop enthusiasm among collectors for this important field."
鈥淭hroughout history, the passion of collectors has been a key factor in the development of art and the art market,鈥澨齝ommented David Norman, Co-Chairman of Sotheby's Impressionist and Modern Art Department听Worldwide. 鈥淭he most exciting and active growth in collecting today is occurring in China and other countries in听Asia. As a result, we wanted to bring great works of art directly and exclusively to that audience. We have selected听representative examples by many of the most important artists of the movement including some of the most beloved听and important subjects by the respective artists, such as Monet鈥檚 Haystacks, Renoir鈥檚 Portraits and Bathers and Chagall鈥檚听depictions of the Circus. The exhibition will also present a more in depth view of certain artists such as Picasso, and will听include works from many of the different phases of his career 鈥� his romantic, early Blue Period; the radical experiments听of Cubism which were then followed by the Neoclassicism of the 1920s; a depiction of his most famed lover, Dora听Maar; and, finally, his great, late Expressionist paintings created after 1960. We look forward to exhibiting these听wonderful works of art, discussing and sharing our enthusiasm with our clients, and learning more about their interests as听we plan new exhibitions for the future.鈥�
Exhibition Highlights
M猫re Tenant un Enfant (La Maternit茅) is arguably one of the most significant听paintings of Picasso鈥檚 early career. Not only does the work represent the burgeoning听of the artist鈥檚 coveted 鈥淏lue Period鈥�, it is also among the earliest complete depictions听of his enduring Mother and Child theme. The painting demonstrates a tenderness听and vulnerability altogether new in Picasso鈥檚 work at the time. Picasso painted the听present work in 1901 during his second visit to Paris, a pivotal moment in his career.
One month after exhibiting with the celebrated dealer Ambroise Vollard, the artist听entered his groundbreaking 鈥淏lue Period鈥�, characterised by a sombre, introverted听mood. This marked a significant departure from the colourful cabaret scenes that had听inspired many of the artist鈥檚 major works to date. His choice of subjects invokes the religious iconography of the Renaissance and demonstrates the influence of the Old Masters on his work. The听continuing importance of the Mother and Child theme in Picasso鈥檚 personal iconography cannot be underestimated.听Over the span of his career it charts his relationships with his lovers and, ultimately, with his own children.听
Also by Picasso is Jeune Fille aux Cheveux Noirs (Dora Maar), a striking portrait of Dora Maar听completed by the artist in 1939. Dora Maar鈥檚 relationship with Picasso is one of the most tumultuous love stories in the听history of 20th century art. Picasso met Maar, the Surrealist photographer, in the autumn of 1935 and became听enchanted by the young woman鈥檚 powerful sense of self and commanding presence. In the eight years that followed,听Maar was Picasso鈥檚 principal model and the subject of some of his most important portraits. Picasso's war-time听depictions of Dora Maar are among the most famous of his oeuvre and have come to symbolize the collective emotions听of that era. Shockingly abstract yet undeniably alluring, these pictures have a certain tragic beauty and power of听presence that few other portraits in Picasso's vast repertoire were able to achieve.
Painted in the summer of 1894 on the Plaine des Ajoux, LesDemoiselles de Giverny is an audaciously modern听composition and a fascinating continuation of Monet鈥檚听famous Haystacks series. While the painting鈥檚 formal subject听is the small haystacks, Monet鈥檚 primary concern remains the听changing effects of light across his landscape: 鈥淔or me,听landscape does not exist at all as landscape, since its aspect听changes at every moment, but it lives through what surround听it, through light and air which change continuously鈥� (quoted in W. Byvanck, Un Hollandais 脿 Paris, 1892, p. 177).
Les听Demoiselles de Giverny succeeds in capturing a fleeting moment of dawn, when the landscape is lit but the sun has yet听to fully rise. For Monet, the form of the grainstacks in the early morning light is similar to that of a woman, an听association he expresses in the title of the piece.
Pierre Auguste Renoir鈥檚 depictions of his infant Jean at play with hisnurse remain some of the most appealing works of the late-19th century.In L茅ontine et Coco (Claude Renoir), Renoir returns to painting this听type of intimate domestic scene. The artist portrays his son Claude, also听known as Coco, in the company of L茅ontine, a young woman who听worked in the Renoir household in the latter part of his life. Intimate in听feeling yet monumental in form, this brilliantly coloured work is typical of听the classicism of Renoir鈥檚 last phase.
Edgar Degas鈥� Danseuses au Foyer reflects the artist鈥檚 lifelong fascination with听dance. Early in his career, Degas was attracted to the public spectacle of live听performance in classical ballet. Later, he became interested in more intimate, behind the-听scenes moments that allowed the artist to focus on the psychology of his subjects听as much as their form. Danseuses stands as an excellent example from this period,听and also reflects Degas鈥� shift away from the linear towards a new interest in colour in听his pastels of the 1890s. A palette of strong, bright tones and a degree of听abstraction are direct products of this newfound freedom of expression.
Le Paysan Allong茅 is a classic example of Marc Chagall's iconic style, in which the听artist assembles a world of folkloric images in a dense and colourful composition.听Some of the artist鈥檚 most popular and recurrent themes are present: against the听backdrop of rural rooftops, a reclining peasant gazes up at a crescent moon and听observes a haloed woman dancing. Each figure is masterfully rendered through the听combination of intense colour and spatial experimentation that is the essence of听Chagall's work, reflecting his own personal delight in the act of painting.
