ZURICH.- Artists’ treatments and visions of landscape painting have continuously evolved since its inception, and Koller’s June auctions provide a fascinating overview of this genre, beginning with Gustave Loiseau’s post-Impressionist work, ‘La Rivière (Eure)’ from 1921 (lot 3208. CHF 150 000/250 000), one of the highlights of the Impressionist & Modern Art auction on 23 June. An important group of Expressionist works from a private Basel collection also focusses primarily on the landscape, including seven by Erich Heckel. ‘Yellow Sun’, 1917, is an excellent example of Heckel’s tempera works from the final years of World War I (lot 3243, CHF 100 000/150 000). The collection also features four works by Emil Nolde, including ‘Twilight with dark clouds’ from circa 1920 (lot 3247, CHF 120 000/180 000). Marc Chagall often included landscapes in the background of his paintings, and the two floral-motif paintings in the auction are no exception: ‘Le vase bleu’ (lot 3222, CHF 150 000/250 000), and ‘Grand bouquet à Vence’ (lot 3267, CHF 300 000/400 000).

Among the Swiss Art on 23 June, the landscape naturally also takes a place of honour. ‘View of Lake Sils from Capolago’ by Giovanni Giacometti is a wonderful depiction of the artist’s native Engadine (lot 3039, CHF 250 000/350 000), as is the intimate view of his garden from 1929 (lot 3042, CHF 120 000/180 000). Félix Vallotton is represented by several landscapes, including ‘Bateaux à quai, Honfleur’ (lot 3028, CHF 100 000/150 000). Gottardo Segantini created an homage to one of the most celebrated works by his father Giovanni in ‘Ave Maria at the Crossing’ (lot 3024, CHF 150 000/250 000).

The PostWar & Contemporary art auction on 22 June features a 2015 work by Shara Hughes, ‘Night Night’, in which the artist transforms a landscape into a form of self-reflection (lot 3460, CHF 250 000/400 000). Per Kirkeby’s ‘Fram Herbst’ is also not a landscape in the classic sense, but according to the artist stems from a process which ‘is in many ways reminiscent of the processes that have created the earth or landscapes over a very long period of time’ (lot 3457, CHF 80 000/140 000). In ‘Aquarium’, Mark Tobey attempted to create a sort of underwater seascape which captures the effect of the ‘shimmering colours and shapes of the sea’ (lot 3413, CHF 130 000/180 000).

A special auction of Decorative Arts entitled ‘From Baroque to Design’ will be held on 23 June. Consisting mainly of two important private collections, it spans four centuries of artistic creation, from German Baroque marquetry chests of drawers to a fabulous dressing table by Art Deco master Emile-Jacques Ruhlmann (lot 1028, CHF 120 000/180 000), to a pair of mid-century chandeliers by Finnish designer Paavo Tynell (lot 1067, CHF 30 000/50 000).