LONDON.- Christie’s has been entrusted with selling the core collection of 230 artworks from the legendary London restaurants Langan’s Brasserie and Odin’s in December 2012. Ten works will be offered during the Modern British Art Evening Sale on 12 December and a dedicated sale Peter Langan: A Life with Art will present the main body of 220 works at Christie’s South Kensington on 18 December. The works - which have been part of Langan’s and Odin’s much loved mise-en-scene and the backdrop to many a memorable evening - are expected to realise a combined total in excess of £1 million.

A name synonymous with the rocking roll-call of the music, movie, art and literature glitterati in the late 1970s and throughout the 80s, Langan’s Brasserie in London was opened in 1976 by Peter Langan (1941-1988) – also the owner of Odin’s a favourite restaurant with artists such as Patrick Procktor, David Hockney and R.B. Kitaj - in partnership with Hollywood icon Michael Caine. Two became three in 1977 when Richard Shepherd came aboard having previously been head chef at the Michelin starred Capital Hotel, London – later going on to own Shepherd’s in Westminster, a restaurant frequented by many politicians. The rendezvous of choice, Langan’s was the eclectic and electric hub for everyone from Mick Jagger to Sean Connery and Jack Nicholson to gather, dine and party. It has since been emulated with varying degrees of success by many other great restaurateurs.

William Porter, Senior Director, 20th Century British & Irish Art, Christie’s London: “Anyone who met Peter Langan has an extraordinary tale to tell and the more you hear the harder it is to differentiate the man from the legend. His passion for collecting pictures is indisputable and remained unabated for more than 20 years; his relationship with great contemporary artists of the day is particularly notable. It is a great honour to be have been entrusted with auctioning the core of Peter Langan’s collection, raising a glass to the life of the great bon viveur and celebrating the work of artists from David Hockney, R.B Kitaj and Patrick Procktor to Gaston La Touche, Lawrence Toynbee and Eliot Hodgkin, among many others, ahead of the next chapter of Langan’s.”

Richard Shepherd: “I was very lucky that I learned a lot from Peter Langan and over the years acquired with him many of the paintings that are being offered. They are sure to be familiar to many; conjuring wonderful memories and providing unique opportunities. People do not need to worry, Langan’s will continue the tradition of surrounding diners with a wide array of art, retaining our signature atmosphere of creativity and comfort. We also hope that the young artists of today will continue the tradition at Langan’s of ‘eating down’ their work.”

CHRISTIE’S LONDON, 12 DECEMBER 2012
Highlights offered in the Modern British Art Evening Sale
David Hockney and R.B. Kitaj, like many of the great Impressionist and Modern artists, on occasion gave Peter Langan drawings and prints in exchange for meals or as gifts, having been initially introduced at Odin’s by Patrick Procktor in 1967.

Hockney and Langan went on to become friends and the 10 works offered within the Modern British Art Evening Sale are led by a classic large Portrait of Peter Langan in Los Angeles by David Hockney, which was painted in the early 1980s and a gift from the artist to the sitter (estimate: £100,000 – 150,000).

Further Hockney highlights which were gifts between the friends include a striking Still life with flowers and lobster at Odin’s, circa 1980 (estimate: £50,000 – 80,000), an evocative and charming Portrait of Peter Langan with a glass of wine (estimate: £20,000-30,000) and Interior of Odin’s Restaurant, circa 1980 (estimate: £25,000 – 35,000). Works by R.B. Kitaj include his playful drawing in charcoal and pastel Sailor and Girl, a gift from the artist to the sitter which is affectionately signed and dedicated for Peter with love (estimate: £15,000-25,000).

CHRISTIE’S SOUTH KENSINGTON, 18 DECEMBER 2012
PETER LANGAN: A LIFE WITH ART
A true celebration of Langan’s - the man himself and his restaurants - Christie’s dedicated South Kensington sale Peter Langan: A Life with Art captures the inextricable fusion of good food, good wine and good fun with good art that is synonymous with the legendary hot spot; estimates start at just £800. Works by David Hockney include the artist’s first portrait of Langan in 1967 (estimate: £15,000-25,000) and Peter Langan and Jean-Marc Moussis (estimate: £15,000 – 25,000).

In 1975 Hockney was commissioned to design the sets and costumes for Stravinsky’s “The Rake’s Progress” to be performed at Glyndebourne, his friendship with Peter Langan led Langan to organise the now famous Glyndebourne Banquet, an event recorded by the photographer Bob Marchant in his painting Peter Langan’s
feast for David Hockney at Glyndbourne to celebrate the first night of The Rake’s Progress (estimate: £5,000-8,000).

Capturing other very different types of occasions full of drama is Anatomy of Love by the French 19th century artist Gaston La Touche (estimate: £20,000 – 30,000) and Chelsea vs Spurs at Stamford Bridge, 1953, by Lawrence Toynbee, which
was exhibited at both The Fine Art Society and York City Art Gallery in 1985 (estimate: £10,000 – 15,000).

Demonstrating the breadth of subjects and artists featured, other works range from Eights at Henley, by John Cosmo Clark (estimate: £10,000 – 15,000), Faust and Lilith, by Richard Westall (estimate: £7,000 – 10,000) and Berries, by Eliot Hodgkin (estimate: £6,000 – 8,000), to works by Patrick Procktor, one of the very first artists among Peter Langan’s clientele, including Still Life with Flowers (estimate: £2,000 – 3,000), Vaparetto Terminal (estimate: £2,000 –3,000) and Portrait of Peter Langan (estimate: £1,000 – 1,500).