NEW YORK, NY.- Swann Galleries has long been known for their auctions of works of art on paper, and the large volume of Old Master through Contemporary Prints they sell. Recently, Swann has begun to expand the number and quality of unique works they offer, and the Thursday, March 3 auction contains a particularly strong selection of drawings by famed 19th-and 20th-century artists.

Among the 19th-century examples are Paul Cézanne’s Étude de Pomme, watercolor and pencil, likely from a sketchbook, circa 1890 (estimate $70,000 to $100,000); Henri Toulouse-Lautrec’s La Misère a Londres, a group of three risqué pencil sketches, 1888 ($25,000 to $35,000); and Gustav Klimt’s Frauenakt, pencil on paper, circa 1897 ($10,000 to $15,000).

A rich assortment of 20th-century drawings includes Amedeo Modigliani’s Study of a Dancer, a portrait of Nijinsky in costume for the Ballets Russes, pencil, circa 1915 ($40,000 to $60,000); Georges Valmier’s Le Violon, watercolor and gouache,circa 1924 ($10,000 to $15,000); Henry Moore’s Seated Figures II, brush and black and gray ink, 1933 ($15,000 to $20,000); Moïse Kisling’s Bouquet de Mimosas, oil on canvas, with a dedication by the artist to a friend, 1945 ($20,000 to $30,000); Max Ernst’s Etude pour une Eclipse, color pastels and collage on paper, 1951 ($18,000 to $22,000); Alexander Archipenko’s Yellow Figure, gouache and pen and ink and wash on paper, 1961 ($25,000 to $35,000); and Pablo Picasso’s Bouquet pour Jacqueline Picasso, color crayons on cream wove paper, 1966, drawn on the occasion of his wife's 40th birthday party, with a sheet of signatures and birthday wishes from dinner guests ($40,000 to $60,000).

In addition to the wonderful selection of unique works, the auction also features a plethora of fine prints. The sale opens with a separate catalogue titled Industry & Innovation: A Century of American Prints, and continues with a large offering of 19th & 20th Century Prints by American and European artists.

Among the highlights of the American prints are city scenes including Edward Hopper’s Night Shadows, etching, 1921 (estimate: $25,000 to $35,000); John Marin’s very scarce Modernist etching, St. Paul's against the El, 1930, from an edition of about 20 ($7,000 to $10,000); Howard Cook’s luminous New York Night, lithograph, 1931 ($6,000 to $9,000); and Samuel Margolies’s scarce Storm over City Hall, etching and aquatint, 1936 ($3,000 to $5,000).

The range of other subjects and styles in the first session is suggested by Charles Burchfield’s Autumn Wind, lithograph, 1951 ($5,000 to $8,000); Stuart Davis’s Study for a Drawing, color screenprint, 1955 ($7,000 to $10,000); a superb impression of Philip Guston’s extremely rare Untitled Abstract Expressionist lithograph, 1966, ($4,000 to $6,000); and Willem de Kooning’s scarce large lithograph, High School Desk, on Italia paper, 1970 ($6,000 to $9,000).

There are also prints by George Bellows, Adolf Gottlieb, Martin Lewis, Louis Lozowick, Reginald Marsh, John Sloan, William Zorach and others.

Highly desirable 19th-century prints include Mary Cassatt’s rare drypoint Tea, fifth and final state, circa 1890 ($18,000 to $22,000); Claude Monet and George W. Thornley’s scarce La Douane, Effet de l'après-midi, lithograph printed in green, circa 1892 ($15,000 to $20,000); Camille Pissarro’s Église et Ferme d'Éragny, color etching, 1895, one of only three lifetime impressions to come to auction in the past 20 years ($40,000 to $60,000); Pierre-Auguste Renoir’s Le Chapeau Épinglé, lithograph printed in greenish gray, 1898, a color proof aside from the edition of approximately 100 ($30,000 to $50,000), and his Baigneuse, debout, en pied, color lithograph, 1896 ($40,000 to $60,000); and Paul César Helleu’s stunning portrait of La Duchesse de Marlborough, drypoint, circa 1900 ($15,000 to $20,000).

A run of works by James A.M Whistler features two lithographs once in the collection of the artist’s sister-in-law Ethel Birnie Philip: Nude Model, Reclining, a lifetime impression, third and final state, 1893 ($20,000 to $30,000); and a scarce impression of The Sisters, 1894, depicting his wife and Ethel Philip ($25,000 to $35,000).

There are also many fine prints by Picasso, including Portrait de Jacqueline, color lithograph, 1956 ($20,000 to $30,000);Jacqueline de profil, lithograph, 1957 ($30,000 to $50,000); and a pair of color linoleum cuts, Homme à la fraise, 1962 ($40,000 to $60,000); and La Dame à la Collerette (Portrait de Jacqueline à la fraise), 1963 ($50,000 to $75,000).

Other notable modern European prints are Wassily Kandinsky’s Kleine Welten III, color lithograph, 1922 ($18,000 to $22,000); Henri Matisse’s Figure allongée sur un lit d'Acajou, etching, 1929 ($10,000 to $15,000); Kees van Dongen’s Deauville, complete portfolio illustrated with soft-ground etchings with pochoir coloring, one of 20 copies set aside for friends of the publisher, Paris, 1931 ($20,000 to $30,000); an early Joan Miró print, Série II, color etching and aquatint, 1952-53 ($15,000 to $20,000); Massimo Campigli’s Composizione con figure, color monotype, 1955 ($15,000 to $20,000); Georges Braque’sEquinoxe, color lithograph, 1962 ($10,000 to $15,000); and Marc Chagall’s L'Écuyère, color lithograph, artist's proof, aside from the edition of 50, 1964 ($15,000 to $20,000).

The first session of the auction, Industry & Innovation: A Century of American Prints, will begin at 10:30 a.m. on Thursday, March 3, and will be followed by 19th Century Prints & Drawings at noon. The afternoon session, comprising 20thCentury Prints & Drawings, will begin at 2:30 p.m.