LONDON.- On 13 July Christie’s South Kensington will present The Claudio Bravo Collection: From the Artist’s Studio and Home, Morocco, an auction of fine and decorative art from the collection of the late Chilean artist, Claudio Bravo (1936-2011). Bravo was, until his death in 2011, arguably the most prestigious Chilean painter of his time. He gained international recognition as a much sort after society portraitist in Madrid and held many successful exhibitions in New York and London. He later moved to Morocco, where he created two magnificent homes in Tangier and Taroudant filled with fine art, furniture and objects, which both stimulated him creatively and often became the theatrical setting for his paintings. Bravo spent the last 30 years of his life living in and working from Morocco – a place that heavily influenced his later work.

The sale presents a selection of the fine and decorative artworks from Bravo’s homes and studio that were of constant inspiration to this truly original artist. They showcases the breadth of Bravo’s interests across periods and media; from antiquities to Spanish furnishings, and colourful textiles through to the contemporary artists that inspired him. This collection also features 15 works by Bravo presented alongside works by contemporary artists such as Pomodoro, Picasso and Bacon. Highlights include Sfera by Arnaldo Pomodoro (estimate: £40,000-60,000); an etching by Pablo Picasso titled Quatre femmes nues et tête sculptée from La Suite Vollard (estimate: £15,000-20,000) and a lithograph titled Oedipus and the Sphinx (after Ingres) by Francis Bacon (estimate: £6,000-10,000).

Further highlights in the sale include a Roman marble male figure, circa 2nd century A.D. (estimate: £30,000-50,000); Konstruktion aus einem Kreisring (Construction from a ring) by Max Bill (estimate: £60,000 - 100,000) and a French polychrome-painted large écorché horse (estimate: £5,000-10,000).

Artist Rafael Cidoncha on Claudio Bravo: “Claudio lived a life entirely dedicated to the arts, with painting being his particular focus. He lived to paint and always surrounded himself with beauty—a beauty which was reflected in his houses, gardens and the objects with which he surrounded himself.

He was a true ‘Renaissance man’ and his homes were like living museums. They resonated with a spiritual atmosphere created by the exquisite detail of every object as well as its intrinsic beauty. Each object’s placement, proportion, and interaction with other works of art was a reflection of his spatial sense and awareness of order. He was a man of taste with an intuitive eye – with years of practice, yet with an innate spontaneity.”

The Claudio Bravo Collection: From the Artist’s Studio and Home, Morocco demonstrates Claudio’s varied and refined taste and with estimates ranging from £400 up to £60,000 there is something to suit every budget. The preview will open at Christie’s South Kensington on 9 July.