|
For Immediate Release
Vancouver - April 2, 2009
Heffel's April Online Auction of Fine International Art exhibits a selection works by world-renowned artists. A total of 56 lots will be up for the competition of bidders worldwide with a pre-sale estimate of $1 million to $1.3 million.
Highlights include a collection of important modern sculptures by Henry Moore, Hans (Jean) Arp and Lynn Chadwick. Also featured is a collection of works by modern Chinese masters Lin Fengmian, Zhang Daqian, Huang Junbi and Li Keran, as well as French artist Le Pho.
Henry Moore's Seated Figure: Armless, conservatively estimated at $150,000 - $200,000, is a superlative example of Moore's classic representation of the female form. Cast at Fiorini's foundry of London in 1955, this piece was originally acquired by prominent Montreal collector, George J. Rosengarten (Order of Canada) from Canadian dealer Max Stern of the Dominion Gallery, Montreal.
Stern, who was one of the most prominent art dealers in Canadian history, first met Henry Moore in 1956 at Moore's studio in Much Hadham. This same year the import tax on sculpture had been lifted by the Canadian government, a policy influenced in part by Stern's connections. Following this meeting, the Dominion Gallery went on to represent Moore and many other modern European sculptors including Hans (Jean) Arp (also featured in this sale) and Auguste Rodin. Thus a number of these important works now reside in Canadian collections. The original plaster maquette for Seated Figure: Armless is in the collection of the Art Gallery of Ontario, Toronto.
One of Moore's most famous works is the 1955 brick relief on the facade of the Bouwcentrum Building Center in Rotterdam. Dutch architect J.W.C. Boks commissioned Moore to do the design for the brick wall. Maquette No. 2, estimated at $25,000 - $35,000, was one of the nine different maquettes created by Moore for this project. According to the Moore foundation records, Moore had intended to cast this work as an edition of ten but the edition was not completed. There were only five completed plus one artist's proof. One of the casts is in the collection of the Henry Moore Foundation along with two duplicates and another is in the collection of the Art Gallery of Ontario.
Two bronze works by French sculptor Hans (Jean) Arp from his post-Dada period are also among the highlights in the April sale. Fruit préadamite, 1938, has a presale estimate of $100,000 - $150,000 and Regard nocturne (Nächtlicher Blick), 1964, is estimated at $50,000 - $70,000. Both works are examples of Arp's "concretions " which he began to create in the 1930s. The fluid "concretions" were intended to signify processes in nature. Examples of these sculptures are included in museum collections worldwide.
Lin Fengmian was one of the leading masters of modern Chinese art. He moved to Paris in 1920 on a scholarship to study in Paris at the École des beaux-arts. His work was influenced by the Impressionist movement in Paris as well as traditional Chinese techniques. Chrysanthemums by Lin Fengmian has a presale estimate of $70,000 - $90,000. Also featured are works by Zhang Daqian, Huang Junbi and Li Keran as well as French artist Le Pho.
The three-session sale will close for bidding April 30, 2009. Bidders can participate by telephone, absentee bidding or online by registered paddle.
Works can be previewed from April 2 - 30, 2009 at Heffel's locations in Vancouver, Toronto and Montreal and online at www.heffel.com
For further information please contact:
|
|
HENRY MOORE
1898 - 1986 British
Seated Figure: Armless
bronze sculpture with green patina, 1955
17 1/2 x 5 1/2 x 7 in, 44.4 x 14 x 17.8 cm
Provenance:
Dominion Gallery, Montreal
George J. Rosengarten OC
Private Collection, Vancouver
Estimate: $150,000 - $200,000
|
|
|
|
HANS (JEAN) ARP
1887 - 1966 French
Fruit préadamite
bronze sculpture with brown patina, 1938
signed with monogram, editioned 5/5 and stamped Susse Fondeur Paris
11 1/2 x 10 x 7 1/2 in, 29.5 x 23.5 x 17 cm
Provenance:
Mrs. Marguerite Arp
Edouard Loeb, Paris
Waddington Galleries, Montreal
Private Collection, Montreal
Estimate: $100,000 - $150,000
|
|
|
|
HANS (JEAN) ARP
1887 - 1966 French
Regard nocturne (Nächtlicher Blick)
bronze sculpture with rich brown patina,
edition 2/5 1964
11 1/8 x 7 1/4 x 7 1/4 in, 29 x 22 x 19 cm
Provenance:
Flair Gallery, Cincinnati
Estate of Janet Kohlmeyer, New Orleans
Christie's New York, May 9, 1991, lot 264
Private Collection, Montreal
Estimate: $50,000 - $70,000
|
|
|
|
HENRY MOORE
1898 - 1986 British
Maquette No. 2
bronze relief sculpture, 1955
signed
13 x 17 1/2 x 1 in, 33 x 44.4 x 2.5 cm
Estimate: $25,000 - $35,000
|
|
|
|
LIN FENGMIAN
1900 - 1991 Chinese
Chrysanthemums
ink and colour on paper,
signed and with the seal of the artist
26 7/8 x 26 1/2 in, 68.3 x 67.3 cm
Provenance:
Cape of Good Hope Gallery, Taiwan
Private Collection, Vancouver
Estimate: $70,000 - $90,000
|
|
|
|
LI KERAN
1907 - 1989 Chinese
Water Buffalo
scroll, ink and colour on paper,
signed Li Keran at Beijing, inscribed "Mountain green again after heavy rain, painted for Lady Jiang Zhen" and stamped Shiniu Tang and with two other seals of the artist
28 x 18 in, 71.1 x 45.7 cm
Provenance:
Cape of Good Hope Gallery, Taiwan
Private Collection, Vancouver
Estimate: $40,000 - $60,000
|
|
|
|
