auction

Pieces 'Maison pour érotomane' and 'Gradiva' were owned by an Argentinian family

The painting, which comes on the market for the first time, will lead Bonhams’ Impressionist and Modern Art sale on Thursday 2 March, and has a guide estimate of €942,000-€1,413,000. The work is a portrait of Dali’s sister, Anna Maria, painted in 1925 and which was only exhibited once, that same year, in the Barcelona Sala Dalmau. The painting was then given to Anna Maria by the artist before their relationship deteriorated. The Director of the Dali Museums, Montse Aguer, explained to the CNA that they had no information on this piece of art, which was considered lost until now. The auction will allow the Dali Museum to get more information on the portrait and complete the details that they had about it in the Museums catalogue. However, Aguer did not specify whether the Museums will participate in the auction in order to bring the painting to Catalonia.

50,000 euros were raised for the Red Cross’ work with refugees in the charity auction ‘Joan Miró & Refugees’, hosted by Christie’s Auction House in London this Thursday. The collection was comprised of 24 pieces and the proceeds will all go towards aiding the Red Cross in their “attention and acceptance of the refugee population that is amassing in Eastern Europe”, stated Red Cross Vice Chairman Rosa Maria Marco. One of the display features of the collection was the piece ‘Thank You’, a sign of gratitude for the Red Cross, created by the artist in 1974. Indeed, Miró had a connection with the organisation since the 60s, when a young doctor in one of their hospitals saved the life of his only daughter, whose car had been hit by a train. The auction was organised with the help of the Mayoral Gallery, which helps showcase Barcelona’s most important artists of the post-war period.

Sotheby’s Paris has auctioned an unpublished diary from Catalan painter Salvador Dalí for the price of 91.800 euros. Sold on the 26^th of April, the leather-bound, handwritten journal was used by the surrealist artist between 1930 and 1935, and is valued at between 40,000 and 60,000 euros. The notebook not only includes original drawings and sketches, but also literary texts, artistic criticism, and even an account of the artist´s daily spending. "It is an extremely sought-after and very moving item”, noted vice president and head of Sotheby's books and manuscripts Anne Heilbronn. 495 additional items were in the collection that was auctioned alongside the journal, comprising the most complete collection dedicated to Dadaism and Surrealism. This set contains collaborations by Breton, Magritte, Penrose, Ernst, Miró, Man Ray, Dominguez, Éluard and Picasso.

A painting of Picasso’s ‘blue period’ with a hidden portrait at the back of the canvas of Picasso’s friend and patron Peter Mañach, has been presented this Friday in London for the first time in 30 years. ‘La Gommeuse’ is a portrait of a naked Parisian woman made in 1901 and the image of Mañach on the reverse was discovered only 15 years ago. Now the canvas will be auctioned at Sotheby's New York with a starting price of $60 million. The painting dates back to Picasso’s ‘blue period’ while living in Paris with Mañach. Artworks of Andy Warhol, Claude Monet and Vincent Van Gogh also will go under the hammer.