PARIS.- The two-day auction of the personal collection of renowned French interior designer Jacques Grange drew to a close with a total of 28,387,150 / $33,323,392 witnessing remarkable results across every category, from modern and contemporary art to 20th century design and furniture. Renowned worldwide for his sophisticated taste, the sensational response to the exhibition and auction is testament to Granges impressive eye for collecting.
With a wonderful range of exquisite artworks and objects subject to prolonged bidding battles in the sale room, the auction far exceeded the pre-sale estimate of 8.7-12.6 million after just 39 lots had gone under the hammer. 96% of the 177 lots offered found a buyer with 86% of these surpassing their pre-sale high estimates.
Following the auction, Jacques Grange commented, To me, this collection has always been a story of friendships from my close friendships with my clients, artists, designers to the seamless partnership evident as each decision was made hand in hand with Sothebys. I am sincerely touched at the thought that all of these people wanted to own the works that I have held dear for so long.
Cécile Verdier, Co-Worldwide Head of Design at
Sothebys, said, We are truly honoured to have had the opportunity to unveil the unparalleled collection of Jacques Grange, with whom it has been a delight to work together with every step of the way. Across the exhibition and sales, we saw the market respond with an enthusiasm that matched the passion with which these works were collected attesting to the high quality and superb provenance of the works, but also Granges unique eye as a true collector.
DESIGN
Encapsulating Granges unrivalled gift for living with art, collectors clamoured to the refined and eclectic design pieces in the sale.
Bidders battled for iconic creations by François-Xavier and Claude Lalanne, beloved French sculptors who looked to nature and the animal world for inspiration and aesthetic pleasure. The selection of fifteen pieces was led by the extraordinarily poetic and graceful Les Autruches Bar by François-Xavier, which was hotly contested and soared to 6,191,150 / $7,267,729 (est. 700,000-1,000,000). One of only six examples three of which are held by institutions the notable price for the piece was just shy of an overall record for the artist in dollars*. In a personal note about this work to Grange, Claude had expressed you fell in love with François-Xaviers finest sculptures
I am glad they lived with you all these years and wish them happiness in their new life elsewhere. A further highlight was Deux Moutons de laine created by François-Xavier in 1969. Formerly in the collection of Yves Saint-Laurent and Pierre Bergé who had acquired the works directly from the artist, the pair sold for 1,569,000 / $1,841,833 (est. 500,000-700,000).
Alberto Giacomettis arresting bronze sculpture Masque aux serpents, le modèle créé en 1934 was pursued by no fewer than seven bidders, selling for 513,000 / $602,206 five times above its pre-sale estimate of 80,000-120,000.
A record was achieved for Alexandre Noll, whose highly expressive mahogany Fauteuil from 1847 made 909,000 / $1,067,066 (400,000-600,000). Every one of the fourteen lots offered by the sculptor across the two sales far exceeded their pre-sale high estimates with a combined total of 1,769,000 (est. 531,100-788,000).
CONTEMPORARY ART
The collection featured works by leading lights from the contemporary art world, which were sought after by a broad span of international bidders to reach major prices.
Impressive in size, explosive in composition, psychedelic in palette, Beautiful, pale blue with 2 circles in the middle like glasses, its a lovely one is one of the most magnetic spin-paintings ever made by Damien Hirst. The aptly-titled piece captivated the saleroom, bringing 945,000 / $1,109,326 (est. 350,000-500,000) the highest price seen for a spin-painting in ten years.
Eight bidders drove Tom Wesselmanns red hot Mouth Study for Minneapolis catalogue cover, 1968 to 429,000 / $507,027, four times the pre-sale estimate of 90,000-120,000. Formerly in the collection of avid and esteemed art collector Stanley Seeger, the dramatic painting of a Hollywood smile was conceived on an intimate scale measuring just 25 x 20 cm.
The evening sale drew to a close with Cercle / Cadre by Daniel Buren, an eye-catching and vibrant panel that sold for 489,000 / $574,032 the third highest price for French conceptual artist at auction.
MODERN MASTERWORKS
Imbued with cultural references and moments of discovery, the sale also offered an impressive selection of modern artworks.
René Magrittes LEchelle du feu opened the sale with a flurry of bidding driving the price to a double-estimate 573,000 / $672,639 (est. 200,000-300,000). Painted in 1934, the very year Magrittes interest in burning objects was sparked, the jewel-like work on paper was formerly in the collection of Surrealist poet Paul Eulard.
A ceramic Disque created by Joan Miró in 1956 an imaginative celebration of primary tones on a primordial form sold for over four times its pre-sale estimate at 549,000 / $648,852 (est. 100,000-150,000).
The sale saw a record price for Paul Elie Ranson when Les Princesses à la terrasse from 1894 influenced by Symbolism, Art Nouveau & Japanese prints brought 417,000 / $492,844 (est. 200,000-300,000).
FURTHER NOTABLE PRICES
A record for Italian artist Vittorio Zecchin, after an extended bidding battle drove his luminous tempera and gold on canvas Madonna e Quattro Evangelisti to 681,000 / $799,419 almost 14 times the pre-sale estimate of 40,000-60,000. Zecchins Art Nouveau style was inspired by the history of Venice, from the arrangement of human figures in procession in churches and elaborate abstract patterns of the architecture to the geometrical elements of Murano glass.
A record by medium for a painting by Guy de Rougemont, whose untitled canvas from 1967 sold for 32,500 (est. 8,000-12,000).
Irving Penns striking black and white photographic portrait of Picasso in 1957 tripled expectations to make 200,000 (est. 50,000-70,000).