PARIS.- Christie’s FIAC week sales opened with the second edition of Christie’s Paris Avant-Garde auction which realised a strong €38,6M/£34,4M/$45,6M. Christie’s France’s President, François de Ricqlès, held the hammer in a packed room selling 27 lots to international buyers from 12 countries. The highly-expected Grande Femme II by Alberto Giacometti achieved an impressive €24,907,500/£22,167,675/$29,390,850, becoming the most expensive work of art sold in France in 2017. This sculpture was first conceived by Giacometti in 1960 when he was asked to realise a project for the Chase Manhattan Bank’s public plaza in New York.
Pierre Martin-Vivier, Director, Chairman’s Office: “We are thrilled with the very good results achieved tonight and especially for the new high for any work of art sold in France in 2017 with Grande Femme II and it was a great honor to be entrusted with the sale of this prestigious work of art”.
The first edition of Facile by Paul Eluard and Man Ray was sold for €823,500 to Jean-Baptiste de Proyart bidding in the room on behalf of a private client, establishing a new auction record for any 20th century French editioned book. A world auction record was achieved for Claude Cahun’s photograph that sold for €223,500 against a pre-sale estimate of €100,000-150,000.
Jean Dubuffet was well represented in the sale with two drawings and an exceptional painting, realised in 1964 from the Hourloupe series, which was acquired by international collector Mr. Samir Traboulsi for €1,927,500.
A strong result was also realised for Through the Dusk (Homage to the square) by Josef Albers which sold for €631,500, three times its presale estimate and the mobile sculpture by Alexander Calder from the personal collection of Tal Coat was sold for €1,327,500.
Tudor Davies, Co-Head of Sale: “The second edition of our Paris Avant-Garde sale was a real success and we are pleased to have seen so much interest from international collectors present in Paris for FIAC. In addition to the great result achieved by the Giacometti’s sculpture, may more artworks realised strong results such as Sonia Delaunay’s oil on canvas created in 1913 and originally from the Bing gallery which was sold for €1,567,500”.
