LONDON.- Sotheby’s sale of 19th Century European Paintings in London today (which included works by Spanish, Orientalist, German, Austrian, Scandinavian and Symbolist artists) brought a total of 11,166,050 (€13,168,101), a figure comfortably within pre-sale expectations of 8.6-12.8 million.
• Spanish Painting: The top-selling lots of the sale overall were two outstanding beach scenes by the Spanish master, Joaqun Sorolla. Depicting children by the sea, both works were painted over the summer of 1904 on Cabaal beach, Valencia , a favourite location of the painter. El Pescador sold for 3,065,250 (against an estimate of 2-3 million) while Nios en la playa brought 1,945,250 (above the estimate of 1-1.5 million). Seven works by the Spanish artist were presented in total and all sold very well.
• The Scandinavian Sale: This session of the sale was led by Gerhard Munthe’s masterpiece, Idyll, which sold for 361,250, establishing a new record for the Norwegian artist at auction by a considerable margin. Never before offered at auction, Idyll is a seminal work by the artist, won by the grandfather of the consignor, in a lottery organised by the Kunstforeningen in Bergen in December 1886, the year in which it was painted. It depicts Munthe’s then 17-year-old fiance, Sigrun Sandberg, sitting in profile next to Bacchus, her dog, in a Nordic summer landscape.
In the same sale, a landscape by the Danish artist Vilhelm Hammershi entitled Unge Egetrer (Young Oak Trees), soared above its estimate of 120,000-180,000, to sell for 247,250 to a private Scandinavian buyer.
• The Orientalist Sale: The Orientalist works were led by an evocative view of The Galata Bridge in Constantinople by the German Orientalist artist, Hermann Corrodi. The atmospheric view of the Ottoman capital, with the imposing New Mosque dominating the skyline, comfortably exceeded its pre-sale estimate of 80,000-120,000 to sell for 187,250.
• German & Austrian Works: Notable highlights of this section of the sale were Arnold Bcklin’s exquisite Moonlit Landscape, which was the subject of much competition and sold for 139,250 against an estimate of 60,000-80,000, and Wilhelm Leibl’s recently restituted Peasant Girl, which brought 97,250, within the pre-sale estimate.
• Symbolist: The stars of the Symbolist session were Lucien Lvy-Dhurmer’s dream-like depiction of Venise, which sold for 58,850 against an estimate of 25,000-35,000, and Lon Spilliaert’s Self Portrait, which made 79,250 (est. 40,000-60,000).
Yesterday’s auction follows the previous day's Greek Sale, which realised a total of 3,970,600 (€4,644,408), and established six new artists records, including Nicos Hadjikiriakos-Ghika’s Mistras, which made 445,250 against an estimate of 150,000-200,000, and Yiannis Tsarouchis’ Soldier Dancing Zeimbekiko, which made 349,250 against an estimate of 300,000-500,000.
This brings the total for the two days to 15,136,650 (€17,812,509).
