ZURICH.- On 27 June, a painting by the famous pointillist artist, Paul Signac, was sold for CHF 5.3 million at Koller Auctions in Zurich. „We are very pleased with this sensational result,“ stated auctioneer Cyril Koller. At CHF 5.3 million, this is the highest amount ever paid in Switzerland for a work by Paul Signac and the highest price paid for a late work by the artist world-wide. The painting, which stems from a French private collection, was acquired by a bidder from the United States. This painting is the fourth painting by Signac sold at a top price by Koller over the past two years.

CHF 4.7 million for „Spring“ by Ferdinand Hodler and top results for Albert Anker
In the auction for Swiss Art, Ferdinand Hodler’s painting “Der Frühling” (Spring) sold for CHF 4.7 million. This painting is the fourth version of the famous motif, with which Hodler achieved international recognition. The artist sold the first version to the German collector, Karl Ernst Osthaus, who purchased it for the Folkwang Museum in Essen in 1904. In the same auction, Koller sold “Strickendes Mädchen am Fenster” (Girl knitting at a window) by Albert Anker for CHF 1.5 million and “Kinder bei den Hausaufgaben” (Children doing their homework) for CHF 1.4 million.

“Trois femmes jouant avec des crabes” (Three young women with crabs) of 1910 by Félix Vallotton likewise reached a high price and was acquired by a Swiss collector for CHF 572 000. Significant paintings by the Swiss Expressionist, Hermann Scherer, are very rarely found on the market. His work “Mendrisiotto”, ca. 1925/26 was acquired by a Swiss bidder for CHF 420 000.

The top price of the auction for Contemporary Art was achieved on the next day by Baselitz’s “Eschenbusch” of 1969. A German collector was willing to pay CHF 572 000 for this painting. The abstract landscape by the Chinese painter Chu Teh-Chun sold for CHF 300 000. In the Auction for Modern & Contemporary Prints, the lithography “Nu au cous- sin bleu à côté d’une cheminée” of 1925 by Henri Matisse, which was created in an edition of 50, sold for CHF 90 000, and Andy Warhol’s “Mao”, 1972 sold for CHF 79 200.