PRE-AUCTION PRESS RELEASE - Koller Auktionen€¦ · The June 24 auction at Koller contains three...

Koller Auktionen AGHardturmstrasse 1028031 Zürich, SchweizTel +41 44 445 63 63 Fax +41 44 273 19 66 [email protected]

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Koller Auctions Ltd. 2, Rue de l‘Athénée1205 Genève, SuisseTél +41 22 311 03 85Fax +41 22 810 06 [email protected]

PRE-AUCTION PRESS RELEASE

Modern & Contemporary Art, Swiss Art, Jewellery, Watches, and 20th

Century Decorative Arts

auctions at Koller Zurich, 22 – 25 June 2016

CAMILLE PISSARRO. Paysage avec meules, Osny. 1883. CHF 800 000 – 1.4 million

Koller’s June auctions feature large-scale works by Anselm Kiefer and Tony Cragg, works by Pissarro,

Renoir and Corinth from significant moments in their careers, an important triptych by Giovanni

Giacometti, as well as fine watches, jewellery and 20th century decorative arts.

Swiss Art

An important triptych by Giovanni Giacometti for the first time at auction

In time for the 10th anniversary of Koller’s stand-alone Swiss Art auctions, Koller will offer an important

and well-known painting by Giovanni Giacometti, “The Panorama of Flims”. Giacometti, the father of

artists Alberto and Diego Giacometti, painted the oil on canvas triptych in 1904 for the luxurious Hotel

Waldhaus, now called Waldhaus Flims Mountain Resort & Spa, to mark the opening of the hotel’s new

casino. The painting remains one of Giacometti’s seminal works (lot 3057, CHF 3 – 4 million). Click here

for a detailed press release about the work.




Other highlights of the Swiss Art auction include “Soup for the poor,” a genre scene by Albert Anker,

from the same private collection as Anker’s “Wine Festival” which realised CHF 4.2 million in Koller’s

December Swiss Art sale (lot 3021, CHF 1.2 – 1.5 million), and a depiction of waves on a winter lake by

Adolf Dietrich, estimated at CHF 70 000 – 100 000 (lot 3080).

Impressionist & Modern Art

Works from key periods in the careers of Pissarro, Renoir, and Corinth

The June 24 auction at Koller contains three works by

celebrated Modern artists, which were all created at a

crucial moment in each artist’s career. “Paysage avec

meules, Osny” was painted by Camille Pissarro in

1883, at the end of the summer he spent painting with

Gaugin in the countryside near Paris, and when the

members of the Impressionist group were all

embarking on new directions (lot 3210, CHF 800 000 –

1.2 million). “La partie de croquet” by Pierre-Auguste

Renoir (lot 3213, CHF 450 000 – 550 000) dates from

circa 1895, a period during which Renoir used light and

fleeting brushstrokes and blurred contours, in a quest

for artistic freedom. Lovis Corinth’s “Zinnias” was

created towards the end of the artist’s life, and the bold

impasto technique and rich colours of this work make it

a wonderful example of Corinth’s late still lifes (lot 3222, CHF 350 000 – 500 000).

GIOVANNI GIACOMETTI. Panorama of Flims. CHF 3–4 million

PIERRE-AUGUSTE RENOIR. La partie de croquet. CHF 450 000 – 550 000




PostWar & Contemporary

Large-format sculptures by Kiefer and Cragg, works by Poliakoff and Shiraga lead the field

The 25 June auction will be dominated, both in

value and sheer physical size, by two massive

sculptures by artists Tony Cragg and Anselm Kiefer.

Cragg’s “Discussions” is a fascinating work from his

“Rational-Beings” series, in which human faces

appear in natural forms (lot 3471, CHF 300 000 –

400 000). Cragg’s work is currently the subject of an

important retrospective at the Von der Heydt

Museum in Wuppertal, Germany. Anselm Kiefer’s

“Nigredo-Albedo-Rubedo” takes the form of a giant

book sprouting dried sunflower stalks, and is

inspired by European mysticism and medieval

alchemy (lot 3480, CHF 300 000 – 400 000). Works

by Kiefer in this form and size only rarely come to

auction. A wonderfully vibrant painting by Japanese artist Kazuo Shiraga (lot 3439, CHF 70 000 – 100

000) is a stellar example of early 1960s action painting by this important member of the GUTAI artistic

movement.

Graphic Works, Multiples and Photography

Kirchner and Picasso alongside Nan Goldin and Julian Opie

An expressive etching by

Ernst Ludwig Kirchner,

“The Wanderer” (lot 3609),

made during his residency

in Switzerland, will be

offered for CHF 15 000 –

20 000, alongside several

other prints by the same

artist. A series of

lithographs by Pablo Picasso, including two versions of “Inès et son enfant” from 1947, illustrate

Picasso’s extraordinary use of lithography to capture unique phases in his work (lots 3613 and 3612,

CHF 12 000 – 18 000 / 10 000 – 15 000). Among the contemporary works in this sale, Nan Goldin’s

“Self-portrait in Blue Bathroom, London 1980” is a haunting photograph from the artist’s “Ballad of

Sexual Dependency” series from the early-mid 1980s (lot 3727, CHF 10 000 – 15 000). A series of

multiples by contemporary British artist Julian Opie, “Boat”, “Sheep” and “Pebbles” seem to float on the

wall where they are hung, and with their simple lines emanate a pastoral yet intense energy (lots 3735 –

3737, CHF 5 000 – 7 000 each).

KAZUO SHIRAGA. Untitled. 1961. CHF 70 000 – 100 000

JULIAN OPIE. Boat.3. 2015. CHF 5 000 - 7 000




Watches

Jumbo Nautilus by Patek Philippe

The Watches auction on 22 June features a Patek Philippe Jumbo

Nautilus watch by Patek Philippe from circa 1977 (lot 2545, HF 25 000 –

28 000). The Nautilus, made of polished steel, broke with the tradition of

solid gold luxury watches, and Patek’s advertisement at the time

underscored just how revolutionary this was, exclaiming: “One of the

world’s most expensive watches is made of steel!” Other highlights from

the auction include a rare Rolex GMT master from circa 1958 (lot 2579,

CHF 10 000 – 18 000), this one of more traditional yellow gold, and a

Blancpain Tourbillon 2100 Automatic in white gold, estimated at CHF 20

000 – 30 000 (lot 2526).

Jewellery

Van Cleef & Arpels dream set

Ten carats of diamonds will adorn the lucky purchaser of the top lot

in the jewellery auction on 22 June, a diamond necklace with

bracelet and matching ear pendants by Van Cleef & Arpels (lot

2060, CHF 280 000 – 380 000). Several rings in the auction are

also projected to sell in the six-figure range, including a ruby and

diamond ring with a 10.47 ct. Mozambique ruby (lot 2056, CHF 250

000 – 350 000), and a gold ring set with diamonds and a nearly 12

ct. Columbian emerald, estimated at CHF 200 000 – 300 000 (lot

2066). A pair of ruby and diamond ear pendants by Yessayan is

certain to make someone feel very loved: each boasts a dozen ruby

hearts surrounded by diamonds and is surmounted by a diamond-

set heart-shaped clip (lot 2054, CHF 12 000 – 18 000).

PATEK PHILIPPE. Jumbo Nautilus, ca. 1977. CHF 25 000 – 28 000

VAN CLEEF & ARPELS. Diamond necklace, bracelet & ear pendants. CHF 280 000 – 380 000.




Art Nouveau & Art Deco / Design

Art Deco lions and truisms by Jenny Holzer

An Art Deco “Lions” vase by French glassmaker Gabriel Argy-Rousseau is

very rarely found in this highly attractive

combination of the colours blue, aqua and green

(lot 1089, CHF 25 000 – 35 000). A very fine

patinated bronze and ivory “Starfish” sculpture by

Demeter H. Chiparus will also be auctioned on 24

June, with an estimate of CHF 25 000 – 35 000

(lot 1129). Koller’s design auction on the following

day will feature a collaboration between designer

Philippe Starck and contemporary artist Jenny

Holzer. The “HOOO!!!” lamp was produced in a

limited edition of 49, and shows a running text by

Holzer realised by Moritz Waldmeyer in LED lights

(lot 1311, CHF 15 000 – 25 000). Several Art

Deco pieces acquired directly from designer Jean-

Michel Frank will be offered in the 25 June sale,

including a “Colonne” lamp from 1931-32 for CHF

20 000 – 30 000 (lot 1213).

PRESS RELATIONS

Further press information and news:

http://www.kollerauktionen.ch/en/Ueber_uns/presse.asp

NEW: High resolution photos available on each Lot Details page of the online catalogue

https://www.kollerauktionen.ch/en/auctioncalendar.htm

PRESS CONTACT

Karl Green, [email protected] +41 44 445 63 82

ABOUT KOLLER AUCTIONS

Koller is the leading Swiss auction house, with offices in London, Munich, Dusseldorf, Milan, Hamburg, Beijing,

Moscow and New York. Each year Koller holds over thirty auctions, covering all of the major collecting categories in

the fine and decorative arts, jewellery, Asian art and wine. Koller regularly sets record prices and benefits from a

large base of international bidders. With its team of highly experienced specialists, as well as its membership in the

worldwide group “International Auctioneers,” the family-owned auction house combines the distinct advantages of

an internationally active auction house with Swiss reliability and efficiency.

PHILIPPE STARCK & JENNY HOLZER. “HOOO!!!” lamp.

CHF 15 000 – 25 000

G. ARGY-ROUSSEAU. “Lions” vase. CHF 25 000 – 35 000

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