LONDON.- Works by the painters and sculptors who defined the revolution in art at the turn of the century are among the highlights of Bonhams Impressionist and Modern sale in London on 23 June.

Prominent among these is Le Compotier by Georges Braque (1882-1963) estimated at £350,000-550,000. Braque and Pablo Picasso – Braque once said they were ‘like climbing partners roped together’ – were the first and best known exponents of Cubism and key figures in the development of abstract art in the 20th century. Braque was always drawn towards still life and Le Compotier is a vibrant example of his singular vision.

Other major works in the sale include:

Paysage bord de mer by Pierre-Auguste Renoir (1841-1919) is estimated at £150,000-200,000. Following his move to the Côte d'Azur in the early 1900s on medical advice, Renoir experienced a renewed passion for landscape painting. He was inspired not only by the Italian masters he had seen on his Grand Tour in the 1880s but also by his rediscovery of French 18th century landscapists like Claude Lorrain and Watteau.

Renoir’s depictions of his new surroundings near Cagnes-sur-Mer have a pastoral quality typified by Paysage bord de mer. It is a perfect example of his mastery of the light and colours of the South: the rose pinks, russets, silvery greens and most importantly the rich blues of the sea and sky.

La Jeunesse triomphante by Auguste Rodin carries an estimate of £120,000-180,000. The piece had its origins in the sculptor’s career-defining commission for Portes de L’Enfer, awarded in 1880 by the Directorate of Fine Arts in Paris. Rodin worked on this commission for much of the rest of his life and it proved a well spring of creativity, inspiring a host of independent works. In recent months Bonhams has sold two other works with their inspiration in Portes de L’Enfer - L’Eternal Printemps sold at Bonhams London in February for £938,500 – a world record for a second state casting of the statue – and Eve was sold in New York in May in $1,060,000.

Tête de torero by Bernard Buffet (1928-1999) is estimated at £150,000 - 200,000. His enormous canvas – it is 152 x 113cm (59 13/16 x 44 1/2in) –was painted in 1961 and is a striking example of the French artist’s middle period style.

Bonhams Director of Impressionist and Modern Art, India Phillips, said, “The turn of the 20th century was one of the most exciting periods in art history. In this sale we are offering high quality works illuminating the movements and stylistic developments of that time which resonate to this day.”