ARTCURIAL HIGHLIGHTS IN NEW YORK - FROM 3 TO 9 NOVEMBER 2014

PRESS RELEASE
23.10.2014
ARTCURIAL HIGHLIGHTS IN NEW YORK
- FROM 3 TO 9 NOVEMBER 2014 -
Georges Rouault, Clown de profil, 1938-1939, oil
on paper mounted on canvas (estimate : 300 000
- 400 000 € / 400 000 – 550 000 $).
Jean-Michel Basquiat, Untitled, 1981, oil pastel on
light card (estimate : 80 000 - 120 000 € / 100 000 –
150 000 $).
Paris – On 3 to 9 November 2014, Artcurial will show future sales highlights in New York, at the Arader Galleries in the heart
of the Upper East Side. This will provide an opportunity for international collectors and enthusiasts to view a selection of the
most prestigious pieces appearing in the IMPRESSIONIST & MODERN and POST-WAR & CONTEMPORARY sales to be held in Paris
in December 2014.
The selection of work to be shown was made to highlight culturally and artistically important groups of work, while also
recognising the tastes of private collectors.
Pride of place will be given to the Ernesto and Liuba Wolf Collection, displaying a quality and diversity that reflects the range
of tastes and choices made by enthusiasts. Through modern art to manuscripts, including tribal and cycladic art, Ernesto and
Liuba Wolf demonstrate the universality of art.
Representing contemporary art, a selection of work by 20th century American artists will be on show. Andy Warhol, JeanMichel Basquiat and Sol Lewitt will return to New York.
IMPRESSIONIST & MODERN : THE ERNESTO AND LIUBA WOLF COLLECTION
Bruno Jaubert, director of the Modern Art department at Artcurial, explains « In the spirit of Cabinet d’Amateur, this
collection unites different collections covering various areas of interest, using one guiding principle: « to bring together
masterpieces and extraordinary objects » in Ernesto Wolf’s own words. Rich, eclectic and highly personal, it becomes an act of
creation by juxtaposing Medieval antiquities with Oriental art from Ancient times through to the Renaissance, books and
manuscripts from the Middle Ages to the 20th century and Primitive art with modern sculpture.”
If Ernesto Wolf (1918 – 2003) is best known for the collection of byzantine and medieval glass that he donated to the
Landesmuseum Württemberg in Stuttgart, he was also a major collector of modern art, antiquarian books and primitive art. Wolf
dedicated his life to the quest for beauty and together with his wife Liuba, he acquired, in his own words, « masterpieces and
extraordinary objects » across every domaine. These great collectors were equally enamoured with the art of their time. Friends
of Marc Chagall and Pablo Picasso, they assembled a compilation of modern and contemporary paintings that included
Georges Rouault as well as Marx Ernst and Serge Poliakoff. Examples of note include a Composition by Serge Poliakoff, 1966,
in shades of gray, beige and blue, but also a bronze sculpture by Germaine Richier, Mediterranée, which she designed to
represent sculpture at the Languedoc Mediterranée pavilion for the Exposition Internationale des Arts et Techniques in 1937.
Serge Poliakoff, Composition, oil on canvas, 1966 (estimate 150 000 –
200 000 € / 190 000 – 255 000 $)
Max Ernst, Tête, 1967, oil on canvas (estimate : 80 000 – 120 000 € /
110 000 – 165 000 $)
Germaine Richier, Méditerranée, 1937, bronze with brown patina (estimate :
50 000 – 70 000 € / 65 000 – 9 000 $)
POST-WAR & CONTEMPORARY : THE AMERICAN ARTISTS
Hugues Sébilleau, contemporary art specialist at Artcurial explains « For this latest New York exhibition, we have chosen
to present key pieces representing American art during the second half of the 20th century : from the master of Pop Art, Andy
Warhol, with one of his iconic pieces, to a minimalist work by Sol Lewitt and a pastel drawing by Jean-Michel Basquiat. »
Sol Lewitt, Serial Project A 8 B 8, 1967, enamel on metal (estimate : 70 000
– 90 000 € / 90 000 – 115 000 $)
Andy Warhol, Brillo soap pads box, 1969, silkscreen ink and house paint on
plywood (estimate : 250 000 – 300 000 € / 320 000 – 385 000 $)
Sam Francis, SFF. 301, 1959, oil on wood panel (estimate 130 000 –
150 000 € / 165 000 – 190 000 $)
**********
High-resolution images available on request
Catalogues available online at www.artcurical.com
Estimates in dollars provided as a guide
About Artcurial – Founded in 2002, Artcurial confirmed its position as the leading French auction house in 2013 with 123 sales organised across 20
specialist departments. In 2013 the auction house achieved an overall sales total of 178.1-million euros, representing an increase of 24% on 2012,
and notably achieved the third highest auction price of the year in France with the sculpture La Rivière, by Aristide Maillol, that sold for over 6.1-million
euros. It has also confirmed its position as market leader for Comic Strips in Europe, Collectors’ Cars in continental Europe, jewellery and watches in
France and Monaco and Old Master Paintings in Paris. In 2014 Artcurial has continued its development and strengthened 20th Century fields with the new
Photography, Limited Editions and Tribal Art departments. With a strong international bias, Artcurial maintains its presence abroad with offices in Milan and
Brussels, and travelling exhibitions in the United States and Asia.
Venue details :
Artcurial Highlights at Arader Galleries
1016 Madison Avenue
10021 New York, NY
Viewing dates :
From Monday 3 November 2014
To Sunday 9 November 2014
From 10.00 to 18.00
Contact Press :
Jean Baptiste Duquesne
Chargé des relations presse
+ 33 1 42 99 16 52
jbduquesne@artcurial.com
www.artcurial.com