INSIDE THE ORANGE BOX: A LIFETIME OF COLLECTING, PROPERTY FROM AN IMPORTANT EUROPEAN COLLECTOR 

AMSTERDAM – On 28 June, Christie’s Amsterdam closed the online sale of an exceptional single-owner collection of Hermès handbags, lifestyle accessories, scarves, homeware, jewellery, watches and scarves with Inside the Orange Box: A Lifetime of Collecting, Property from an Important European Collector: Part III, achieving a total of €1,927,044 / £1,659,814 / $2,111,283. This follows parts I and parts II of the auction in June and October 2022 in Milan, bringing the combined total for this extraordinary three-part collection to €5,935,230 / £5,146,132 / $6,237,136, a new record for any single-owner handbag collection at auction.

Inside the Orange Box: A Lifetime of Collecting, Property from an Important European Collector: Part III featured over 350 lots by the iconic brand Hermès and spanned over three decades of Hermès creativity. The sale attracted global participation with registrants from 54 countries. The sale was 100% sold by lot and 54% of new registrants to the sale were millennials. Leading the white glove sale was a rare, matte white Himalaya Niloticus Crocodile Birkin 35 which sold for €94,500 / £81,395 / $102,151, surpassing its pre-sale low estimate of €60,000. An additional leading highlight was a Custom Petit H Denim & Black Evercalf Leather Shadow Birkin 40 which sold for €50,400 / £43,411 / $54,481. A Petit H Jaune D’Or Clemence Leather, Black Crocodile & Black Fox Fur Kelly 28 by Hermès achieved €35,280/ £30,388 /  $38,136.

Further notable results include a Hermès Matte Blue Paon Alligator Birkin 35 which realised €47,880 / £41,240 / $51,757 alongside a Hermès matte Sanguine alligator Birkin 30 which achieved €44,100 / £37,984 / $47,671.

A selection of accessories and lifestyle items additionally achieved strong results: a limited edition 18k White Gold & Mother-of-Pearl Dial Marche du Zambèze Automatic Wrist Watch by Hermès sold for €13,860 / £11,938 / $14,982 exceeding its estimate of €2,000-3,000. A group of six silver pill boxes in the shape of Hermès handbags sold for €10,710 / £9,225 / $11,577.

Lucile Andreani, Head of Handbags, Christie’s EMEA: “We are thrilled with the results of this exciting three-part single owner collection with a total of €5,935,230 / £5,146,132 / $6,237,136. The first Christie’s handbags auction in Amsterdam, Inside the Orange Box is the largest single owner collection of Hermès handbags and accessories to ever appear at auction, and we are delighted with the phenomenal results of these three online sales, setting a new record for any private handbag collection sold at auction. The Handbags and Accessories department continues to attract millennials, with over half of our new registrants representing the millennial generation.”

Sale Highlights

About Christie’s

Founded in 1766, Christie’s is a world-leading art and luxury business. Renowned and trusted for its expert live and online auctions, as well as its bespoke private sales, Christie’s offers a full portfolio of global services to its clients, including art appraisal, art financing, international real estate and education. Christie’s has a physical presence in 46 countries, throughout the Americas, Europe, Middle East, and Asia Pacific, with flagship international sales hubs in New York, London, Hong Kong, Paris and Geneva. It also is the only international auction house authorized to hold sales in mainland China (Shanghai).

Christie’s auctions span more than 80 art and luxury categories, at price points ranging from $200 to over $100 million. Christie’s has sold 8 of the 10 most important single-owner collections in history, including the Paul G. Allen Collection—the most valuable collection ever offered at auction (November 2022). In recent years, Christie’s has achieved the world record price for an artwork at auction (Leonardo da Vinci’s Salvator Mundi, 2017), for a 20th century artwork (Andy Warhol’s Shot Sage Blue Marilyn, 2022) and for a work by a living artist (Jeff Koons’ Rabbit, 2019). 

Christie’s Private Sales offers a seamless service for buying and selling art, jewellery and watches outside of the auction calendar, working exclusively with Christie’s specialists at a client’s individual pace.

Recent innovations at Christie’s include the groundbreaking sale of the first NFT for a digital work of art ever offered at a major auction house (Beeple’s Everydays, March 2021), with the unprecedented acceptance of cryptocurrency as a means of payment. As an industry leader in digital innovation, Christie’s also continues to pioneer new technologies that are redefining the business of art, including use of hologram technology to tour life-size 3D objects around the world, and the creation of viewing and bidding experiences that integrate augmented reality, global livestreaming, buy-now channels, and hybrid sales formats. 

Christie’s is dedicated to advancing responsible culture throughout its business and communities worldwide, including achieving sustainability by reducing our carbon emissions by 50% and pledging to be net zero by 2030, and actively using its platform in the art world to amplify under-represented voices and support positive change.

Browse, bid, discover, and join us for the best of art and luxury at: www.christies.com or by downloading Christie’s apps. The COVID-related re-opening status of our global locations is available here.

Sotheby's International Realty:
1859 Bel Air Road Los Angeles, California, 90077 United States

Sotheby’s International Realty:

1859 Bel Air Road Los Angeles, California, 90077 United States

 

Enveloped in the lush landscape and bound by the masterful vision of icons in quality and thoughtful execution, award-winning architectural firm Tag Front and world-renowned interior designer Cesar Giraldo, 1859 Bel Air Road offers 20,000 square feet of venerable beauty and an artful abundance of sophistication.

Sotheby's International Realty:1859 Bel Air Road Los Angeles, California, 90077 United States

Sotheby’s International Realty:
1859 Bel Air Road Los Angeles, California, 90077 United States

The sleek curvature of the exterior of the house is a work of art in itself, with clean lines, geometric shapes, and a contemporary design that exudes sophistication and elegance. An eco-green living wall and a manicured pathway above a striking water feature encompass the 350-foot width of frontage and lead to a moment of arrival, peering above the clouds and extending to the views of the ocean, Catalina Island, and the canyons from Bel Air.
The grand, masterpiece spiral staircase connects two stories, appears suspended, and was carefully engineered with aluminum and steel, immediately immersing guests in the home’s meticulous design. A free-flowing main level dialogues with the outdoor veranda from the sunken formal living room and intimate entertainment spaces, to the breakfast nook and Poliform chef’s kitchen with a seamless caterer’s preparation galley ideally hidden directly behind.

The architecture is modern yet the amenities are luxurious

Each statement room is designed with a subtle transition from the last, the architecture is modern yet the amenities are luxurious. The master suite is a true oasis, with a fireplace, a sitting area, two walk-in closets, and a spa-like shower with tubs, steam shower, and dual vanities. Three-story walls of glass drape a bamboo cove exposing the incredible backyard scape totaling 1.6 acres with an outdoor lanai, a substantial infinity pool and spa, and an effortless flow over the canyon.
The lower level allows an ultimate experience in leisure and wellness, complete with a playroom, theater, gym with signature TechnoGym equipment, a wine lounge for over 1,152 bottles, and additional bedrooms to complete the nine-bedroom, ten-bath, three-powder-room offering. One of the premier tri-level estates in Bel Air, a first and last of its kind, 1859 is a home of impeccable attention to detail, an unmistakable eye for global design, and one of the finest vast view lots in Los Angeles. All in all, this Bel Air modern masterpiece is a true gem, offering the ultimate in luxury living. With its stunning design, top-of-the-line finishes, and state-of-the-art amenities, this is the perfect home for one who wants the best of everything. If you’re in the market for a high-end property, this Bel Air mansion is a must-see. Don’t miss your chance to own a piece of real estate history.

Sotheby's International Realty: 1859 Bel Air Road Los Angeles, California, 90077 United States

Sotheby’s International Realty:
1859 Bel Air Road Los Angeles, California, 90077 United States

$68,000,000

9

13 Full

20,000 Sq Ft.

1.39 Acre(s)

 

copyright © Photos: all rights reserved : www.sothebysrealty.com

 

THE CARRERA COLLECTION - JULY 2023

Comprising a total of nearly 90 sports cars across a diverse list of marques, the common thread that unites The Carrera Collection is its impressive diversity. An almost encyclopedic selection of Porsche sports cars represents the majority of the models, including early 356 examples, top-of-the-line 928 grand tourers, as well as multiple generations of the legendary 911 sports coupe. The collection also includes a variety of desirable modern classics from marques including Alfa Romeo, BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Alpina, and Chevrolet. Notably, every car in the collection will be offered without reserve.

The Carrera Collection will be offered across two sales, one in Switzerland and the other in Italy. More details will be announced very soon, and we encourage you to register for an RM Sotheby’s account for the latest updates.


Remarkable Rubens and Bronzino Paintings Lead Masters Week to $100M Sales

Remarkable Rubens and Bronzino Paintings Lead Masters Week to $100M Sales

BY WILL FENSTERMAKER | JAN 30, 2023
Paintings by the Old Masters sold for $26.9 million and $10.7 million respectively.

The Old Masters are at it again: Sotheby’s annual Masters Week auctions again surpassed $100 million in total sales. The highlight of the week was the expertly assembled Fisch Davidson Collection, one of the most important collections of Baroque art to ever appear at auction. All ten lots sold in this $49.6 million white-glove event, led by Salome Presented with the Head of Saint John the Baptist (1609) by Sir Peter Paul Rubens. Part of the Spanish Royal Collection from 1666 to 1700, the shocking and masterful painting – made by a then-unknown artist just returned from Italy – sold for $26.9 million, establishing the third-highest price for the artist.

“Today’s white-glove result for the Fisch Davidson collection was a tribute both to the drama and splendor of these Baroque masterpieces, and to the combination of passion and meticulous dedication with which the collection was put together over the decades,” says George Wachter, Sotheby’s Chairman and Co-Worldwide Head of Old Master Paintings. “I always believed these works would inspire the next generation of Old Master collectors all over the world, and indeed they did.”

Bidding Battle for Bronzino’s “Portrait of a Young Man with a Quill and a Sheet of Paper”

Remarkable Rubens and Bronzino Paintings Lead Masters Week to $100M Sales

Remarkable Rubens and Bronzino Paintings Lead Masters Week to $100M Sales

Bidding Battle for Bronzino’s “Portrait of a Young Man with a Quill and a Sheet of Paper”

Thursday’s Master Paintings auction was led by a riveting portrait by Bronzino (Agnolo di Cosimo) that possibly depicts the artist himself. Its sale for $10.7 million – doubling its high estimate and setting a world record for the artist – marks a resolution for the painting’s remarkable and tragic journey. Painted circa 1527, the portrait is one of Bronzino’s earliest and was once owned by Sir William Temple, a prominent diplomat, politician and essayist. Over the years it was incorrectly attributed to a number of different artists and passed through multiple owners, eventually entering the collection of Ilse Hesselberger, heir to a German sewing-machine company fortune, and Franz Hesselberger, a businessman from Munich.

In 1938 Nazis forced Ilse Hesselberger to sell her property, including the Bronzino portrait, to finance the construction of a transit camp and three years later she was murdered in the Kaunas Concentration Camp. The Nazi architect Gerdy Troost possessed the work – falsely attributed to Jacopino del Conte – for some time before it was recovered by the Allied Monuments Men after the war and displayed in a German office block. At last, only last year was the Bronzino portrait restituted to Ilse Hesselberger’s heirs, then sold by the estate to benefit a number of charities in New York.

THE $10.7M SALE OF THIS BRONZINO PORTRAIT RESTORES ILSE HESSELBERGER TO THE IMPORTANT PAINTING’S HISTORIC PROVENANCE.

“It was a privilege to witness the record-breaking sale of this extraordinary work at Sotheby’s today, knowing that the proceeds will benefit Selfhelp Community Services and The Lighthouse Guild,” says Raymond V.J. Schrag, President of Selfhelp Community Services. “This work now enters a new chapter of its life, and we are so pleased that through today’s sale Ilse Hesselberger’s name has rightfully been written back into its fascinating and long history.”

Especially strong results were seen by Dutch Masterpieces from the Theiline Scheumann Collection, totaling $8.1 million, while throughout the week, auction records were set for Bronzino, Master of the Spinola Annunciation ($2.4 million), Lieve Pietersz Vershuier ($1.1 million), Master H.B. with the Griffin Head ($441,000), Christian Ezdorf ($264,400, breaking the record set by the same work in 2020) and Isaak van Ruisdael ($176,400). More than a third of the works offered had been off the market for over 30 years, and participation was global across 18 different countries. Institutions made a number of acquisitions – including Bernardo Cavallino’s Saint Bartholomew ($3.9 million) by the National Gallery of London; Anna Dorothea Therbusch’s portrait of a scientist seated at a desk by candlelight by The Cleveland Museum of Art ($441,000); and a moving painting of a young man asleep before an open book by an artist active in the circle of Rembrandt van Rijn acquired by the Stockholm Nationalmuseum ($945,000) – that will see these magnificent works return to public view.

RM Sotheby’s | The Most Valuable Car in the World Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR Uhlenhaut Coupé soldfor an all-time record price of 135 million EUR to establish “Mercedes-Benz Fund”

  • All time record: One of two ultra-rare original 300 SLR Uhlenhaut Coupés from the Mercedes-Benz Classic Collection has been auctioned for 135 million EUR to a private collector, making it the most valuable car of all time.
  • Using this value to drive change: The proceeds will be used to establish a worldwide “Mercedes Benz Fund” that will provide educational and research scholarships in the areas of environmental science and decarbonisation for young people.

Stuttgart.  A Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR Uhlenhaut Coupé from 1955 has been sold at auction for a record price of 135 million EUR to a private collector. This icon of automotive history is an absolute rarity – one of just two prototypes built at the time. Named after its creator and chief engineer, Rudolf Uhlenhaut, it is considered to be one of the finest examples of automotive engineering and design by automotive experts and enthusiasts worldwide.

“The 300 SLR Uhlenhaut Coupés are milestones in sports car development and key historical elements that have shaped our brand. The decision to sell one of these two unique sports cars was taken with very sound reasoning – to benefit a good cause. The proceeds from the auction will fund a global scholarship programme. With the “Mercedes-Benz Fund” we would like to encourage a new generation to follow in Rudolf Uhlenhaut’s innovative footsteps and develop amazing new technologies, particularly those that support the critical goal of decarbonisation and resource preservation,” says Ola Källenius, CEO of Mercedes-Benz Group AG. “At the same time, achieving the highest price ever paid for a vehicle is extraordinary and humbling: A Mercedes-Benz is by far the most valuable car in the world.”

Historische Aufnahmen des legendären Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR Uhlenhaut Coupé.

“As a global company and as a luxury brand we bear a great level of responsibility towards society,” says Renata Jungo Brüngger, Member of the Board of Management of Mercedes-Benz Group AG for Integrity and Legal Affairs, who is responsible for the governance of the “Mercedes-Benz Fund“. “The proceeds from the sale of the 300 SLR Uhlenhaut Coupé provide us with a unique opportunity to strengthen our commitment with a long-term flagship project: We will establish the global scholarship programme “Mercedes-Benz Fund” supporting young people in their studies, commitment and actions towards a more sustainable future. We are convinced that access to education in these areas will be crucial in encountering the great challenges of our time and contribute to greater stability, prosperity and social cohesion.”

Ola Källenius, Vorsitzender des Vorstands der Mercedes-Benz Group AG und Renata Jungo Brüngger, Mitglied des Vorstands der Mercedes-Benz Group AG für Integrität und Recht vor dem Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR Uhlenhaut Coupé bei „The Economics of Desire“ an der Côte d’Azur

Seed capital for scholarship programmes from proceeds

The proceeds from the auction of the 300 SLR Uhlenhaut Coupé serve as seed capital for the global initiative. Mercedes-Benz is committed to investing additional resources in the coming years. The “Mercedes Benz Fund” will be divided into two sub-categories: University Scholarships in order to connect, educate and encourage students to realize/conduct research on environmental science projects and School Scholarships focussing on pupils to realize local environmental projects in their communities. The programme funds will be directed to individuals who otherwise do not have the financial means for their projects and career paths. The programme will go beyond financially supporting the young people and include extracurricular elements like Mercedes-Benz mentorships opening up new career prospects. The “Mercedes Benz Fund” will be jointly developed with and managed by an experienced partner which is currently being evaluated. The detailed set-up and roll-out planning as well as the partner organisation will be announced later this year.

Das Motiv zeigt eines der beiden 300 SLR Uhlenhaut Coupés zusammen mit dem Erfinder Rudolf Uhlenhaut. Dieses Fahrzeug ist im Mercedes-Benz Museum ausgestellt.

History and auction of 300 SLR Uhlenhaut Coupé

The sale of the 300 SLR Uhlenhaut Coupé took place on May 5th at an auction held at the Mercedes-Benz Museum in cooperation with renowned auctioneer RM Sotheby’s. The invitees were among selected Mercedes-Benz customers and international collectors of cars and art, who share the corporate values of Mercedes-Benz. The 300 SLR Uhlenhaut Coupé sold at auction was part of the non-public vehicle collection belonging to Mercedes-Benz Classic, comprising more than 1100 automobiles from the invention of the automobile in 1886 until today.

“We are proud that we can contribute with our historical collection to this initiative connecting the past with the future of engineering and decarbonisation technology”, says Marcus Breitschwerdt, Head of Mercedes Benz Heritage. “The private buyer has agreed that the 300 SLR Uhlenhaut Coupé will remain accessible for public display on special occasions, while the second original 300 SLR Coupé remains in company ownership and will continue to be displayed at the Mercedes-Benz Museum in Stuttgart.“

Offert-Zeichnung zu dem wertvollsten Auto der Welt: Das Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR Uhlenhaut Coupé.
Quotation drawing of the most valuable car in the world: the Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR Uhlenhaut Coupé.

The special circumstances behind its creation, its unique design and its innovative technology have endowed the 300 SLR Uhlenhaut Coupé with a remarkable level of mystique that endures to this day. The design of the 300 SLR Uhlenhaut Coupé set benchmarks that put it among the world’s most significant automotive icons – not least on account of its distinctive “gullwing” doors. Added to this is the outstanding performance delivered by its thoroughbred racing technology. Together, both have secured the 300 SLR Uhlenhaut Coupé its acclaimed position in sports car mythology and a very special place in the hearts of Mercedes fans around the world.

More information about the Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR Uhlenhaut Coupé is available in our web special.

Painted in April 1932, 90 years ago to the month, Femme nue couchée is one of Pablo Picasso’s most monumental and uninhibitedly sensual portrayals of Marie-Thérèse Walter. Appearing at auction for the first time, the large-scale painting is poised to achieve in excess of $60 million at Sotheby’s Modern Evening Auction on 17 May, making it one of the most valuable portraits of Marie-Thérèse Walter ever offered at auction.

Marie-Thérèse was the inspiration for many of Picasso’s greatest works, with 1932 – the year in which he was finally able to give full painterly voice to his passion – widely regarded as his ‘annus mirabilis’. So extraordinarily was Picasso’s output that year, an entire museum exhibition has been dedicated to it (“Paris 1932”, at Tate Modern in 2018). And while the works from this moment stand out for their creativity and their joyous mood, what perhaps marks them out most of all is the intensity of desire that underpins them. (In fact, the French leg of exhibition at the Musee Picasso was called “Paris 1932: année erotique”.)

Femme nue couchée a Monumental Achievement in Picasso’s Oeuvre and the History of Portraiture, Is Poised to Achieve in Excess of $60 Million

© 2022 ESTATE OF PABLO PICASSO / ARTISTS RIGHTS SOCIETY (ARS), NEW YORK | JULIAN CASSADY PHOTOGRAPHY

But of the many portraits Picasso painted of Marie-Therese in that year, this particular image stands out: it is a uniquely compelling composition that is radically different, both from anything else in his oeuvre, and from the broader art historical tradition of the female reclining nude. In this work, Picasso evokes Marie-Therese with the strong and sensuous fin-like limbs of a sea-creature. Though he would go on to render subsequent lovers in animalistic form, the allusion to the sea here is significant: Marie-Thérèse was also an avid and accomplished swimmer whose powerful, athletic grace in the water was a source of constant fascination for Picasso (something that was perhaps all the more beguiling for him, given that – for all the time he spent on the beach as a child and subsequently – he in fact he never learned to swim). In addition to which, the headiest days of their blossoming relationship were spent by the sea: in the summer of 1928, Picasso took his then-wife Olga and son Paulo to the seaside at Dinard. Unbeknown to them, he also installed his then-still-secret-lover Marie-Thérèse in a holiday camp nearby, ‘eloping’, whenever possible for secret romantic encounters by the sea.

“Picasso’s portraits of his golden muse Marie-Thérèse are undeniable hallmarks of 20th century art. When unveiled at his career retrospective in 1932, this cycle of monumental works scintillated with their rapturously romantic and sensuous depiction of Picasso’s heretofore sequestered mistress. A radical departure from tradition, this striking painting is at the same time a deeply lyrical ode to the artist’s unbound desire for Marie-Thérèse; with her fin-like, endlessly pliable limbs, the portrait continues to enchant as it perfectly captures Picasso’s muse as the ultimate expression of his genius.”

BROOKE LAMPLEY, SOTHEBY’S CHAIRMAN AND WORLDWIDE HEAD OF GLOBAL FINE ART SALES

Furthermore, a lover of the sea (‘I am a child of the sea; I long to bathe in it, to gulp down the salty water’) and an avid film goer, Picasso may well have been influenced in this composition by Jean Painlevé’s 1928 surrealist masterpiece, La Pieuvre, “a captivating love letter to one of nature’s most intelligent and enigmatic creations.

Building on the lineage of the reclining nude in art history, Picasso’s Femme nue couchée offers a daring new take on the tradition, upending naturalism for the biomorphic forms of Surrealism and a curvilinear approach derived from his simultaneous sculptural practice, which would prove highly influential to generations of artists to come.

In early 1932 Picasso was planning a major retrospective scheduled for June, and in preparation for the exhibition began his first dedicated series of paintings depicting his muse and mistress Marie-Thérèse Walter in the seclusion of his new country home of Boisgeloup. In Femme nue couchée, which was completed during this period, Picasso charted new territory with his portrait of Marie-Thérèse, not only in his own body of work, but in the history of the nude figure with his depiction of her reclining in a highly abstracted space, highlighting her biomorphic figure with touches of fertility, sexuality, and grace. As a landmark work within Picasso’s oeuvre and his famed series completed in 1932, as well as a pivotal exampale in the history of portraiture, Femme nue couchée’s arrival at auction for the first time this Spring marks a significant moment in Picasso’s unrivaled legacy in the art market.

“As one of the star highlights of Tate Modern’s world-class exhibition devoted to 1932 as a pivotal year for Picasso, Femme nue couchée is a ground-breaking, extraordinarily sensual work that remained within the artist’s estate for decades before its acquisition directly from the family of the artist . Marking the first time this painting will appear at auction, our Modern Evening Sale will be a defining moment in solidifying 1932 as one of Picasso’s most critically important and sought-after periods.”

HELENA NEWMAN, SOTHEBY’S WORLDWIDE HEAD OF IMPRESSIONIST & MODERN ART
© 2022 ESTATE OF PABLO PICASSO / ARTISTS RIGHTS SOCIETY (ARS), NEW YORK | JULIAN CASSADY PHOTOGRAPHY

The story of Picasso’s first encounter with Marie-Thérèse, and their subsequent love affair, is among the most compelling in 20th century art history. Picasso first met Marie-Thérèse in Paris in 1927 when she was seventeen years old. The couple’s relationship was kept a well-guarded secret for many years, both on account of the fact that Picasso was then still married to Olga Khokhlova, a Russian-Ukrainian dancer he had met on tour with Diaghilev, and because of Marie-Thérèse’s age. It was during these preceding months that he first cast his artistic spotlight on the voluptuous blonde. Until then, Picasso had only referenced his extramarital affair with Marie-Thérèse in code, sometimes embedding her symbolically in a composition or rendering her unmistakable profile as a feature of the background. But by the end of 1931, Picasso could no longer repress the creative impulse that his lover inspired, and over Christmas 1931 and into early 1932, Marie- Thérèse emerged, for the first time, in fully recognizable, languorous, form in his work.

For Picasso, Marie-Thérèse offered a sensual amalgam of the lover, the model, and the goddess, and would be cast in many roles throughout his body of work. In Boisgeloup, Picasso increasingly devoted his time and creative energy to sculpture, including a number of plaster busts and reclining nude portraits of Marie-Thérèse. The influence of this medium is visible in Femme nue couchée in the monumental sculptural force with which Picasso portrays the female body. At the same time, the psychological state of the sleeping woman resonates in the soft modelling of the figure, creating an atmosphere of reverie and carefree abandon. Seeking to convey his erotic desire, Picasso generates morphological permutations and distortions of the female anatomy. Abandoning any attempt at naturalism, he creates a figure composed of biomorphic forms, a technique that developed from his earlier, Surrealist works.

Picasso’s treatment of the female figure is undoubtedly rooted in the great tradition of the reclining nude in art history, following his predecessors Goya, Ingres, and Manet, among others. Yet, the artist’s shocking new take on the nude and frank sexuality would provide an influence to some of the greatest artists in the generations to follow.

“There were many notable years in the long, dramatic career of Pablo Picasso, but 1932 stands out as particularly momentous. In this ‘year of wonders,’ Picasso produced the most sensuous depictions of his great muse and lover Marie-Thérèse Walter, who would inspire some of the artist’s most iconic images. In Femme nue couchée, she is presented with a potent mix of sensuality and youthful naivety, and heralds a major creative turning point for Picasso as he was no longer willing to hide his passion and affair.”

JULIAN DAWES, SOTHEBY’S HEAD OF MODERN ART, AMERICAS

Exhibition Schedule
Hong Kong 8 – 12 April
London 20 – 24 April
New York 6 – 17 May

Lamborghini NFT Space Time Memory on auction with the start of the lunar year. A bridge between the physical and the digital world, this project celebrates human space exploration

Lamborghini NFT Space Time Memory on auction with the start of the lunar year. A bridge between the physical and the digital world, this project celebrates human space exploration

Lamborghini NFT Space Time Memory on auction with the start of the lunar year. A bridge between the physical and the digital world, this project celebrates human space exploration

Lamborghini NFT Space Time Memory on auction with the start of the lunar year. A bridge between the physical and the digital world, this project celebrates human space exploration

Sant’Agata Bolognese27 January 2022 – Auction details for the first-ever NFT (non-fungible token) of Automobili Lamborghini are now confirmed. Lamborghini has partnered with NFT PRO and RM Sotheby’s and will receive bids on the five pairs of physical and digital artworks by the renowned artist Fabian Oefner between February 1st, the first day of the new lunar year, and February 4th. The auction for the first of the five NFTs will take place on nft.lamborghini.com start at 4:00 pm CET, while each of the other auctions will start and end 15 minutes later then their preceding one. Every auction will last for 75 hours and 50 minutes, the exact time it took Apollo 11 to leave Earth and enter the moon’s orbit – not the only reference to human space exploration.

The physical artwork, the Space Key, contains carbon fiber pieces that Lamborghini sent to the International Space Station back in 2020, as a part of a joint research project. Engraved with a unique QR code, these carbon fiber parts link the digital element, are a series of five photographs of a Lamborghini Ultimae, lifting off toward the stars. The images depict five separate moments within seconds from each other as the car rises above the earth. Its parts, the engine, the transmission, the suspension and hundreds of nuts and bolts are shooting away from the chassis like the exhaust flame of a rocket.

What may look like a computer-generated image is in fact entirely created from elements of the real world: the artist captured more than 1500 individual parts of a real car. The photograph of the earth`s curvature was made by sending a weather balloon equipped with a camera to the edge of the stratosphere. The artist then carefully assembled all of these images into an artificial moment in time. Each of the five NFTs has more than 600 Million pixels. As one starts to zoom in, hidden details of these hyperrealistic photographs are revealed. The resolution is so enormous, that you can read tiny markings on the firing order of the V12 engine or marvel at the different milling patterns on the transmission cog wheels. The longer you look at the composition, the more secrets you discover…

The artist, Fabian Oefner, on the idea behind his creation: “For me, ‘Space Time Memory’ is an analogy to the memories we make in life. Memories are rooted in the physical world; we make them in reality. We then store them in our brains, what could be considered the digital world. I often wonder, what is more precious to me, the actual moment or the memory of that moment? Analog to that, I wonder with the ever-increasing amount of digital realities around us, what is more precious, reality itself or the copies and derivatives of it, that exist in the digital universe.”

At the start of the project, Oefner meticulously studied the engineering plans of the Lamborghini Aventador Ultimae and created an accurate sketch of what the final photograph will look like. Based on that sketch, Lamborghini prepared all the necessary parts and components of a production ready Ultimae. The pieces were then photographed by Oefner and his team in a makeshift photo studio right next to the production line at the Lamborghini Factory in Sant’Agata Bolognese. Upon his return to his studio in the US, where the artist works and lives near New York City, he combined the countless images into the composition envisioned in the sketch. It took Oefner and his team more than 2 months to create a moment, which is shorter than the blink of an eye.

“We’re thrilled to have been chosen as preferred NFT partner by such an iconic brand as Lamborghini and incredible artist, Fabian Oefner”, says Christian Ferri, CEO of NFTPro™. “We pride ourselves for being the #1 enterprise NFT solution in the market, serving the largest category leaders in the world, and working with Lamborghini and Fabian Oefner validates even further our position. Our company is committed to supporting Lamborghini throughout the NFT journey and are humbled to be working with such a visionary team in the years to come”.

What are NFTs?

NFTs (non-fungible tokens) are unique identifiers recorded on a distributed ledger known as Blockchain and tied to a digital asset such as pictures, videos, music, or other records (e.g. vehicle VIN numbers). Each token is unique, allowing their owners to guarantee asset authenticity, scarcity, programmability and trackability over the internet.

About Fabian Oefner

Fabian Oefner’s work explores the boundaries between time, space and reality. He creates fictional moments and spaces, that look and feel absolutely real, yet aren’t. Through this, Oefner dissects the different components of reality and gives us a clearer understanding of how we perceive and define it. Inspired by science, Oefner’s approach to art is highly methodical and at the same time playful for unexpected moments to happen. He creates carefully orchestrated works, that are planned down to the last detail as well as pieces, that use a loose framework for art to happen.

About RM Sotheby’s

RM Sotheby’s is the world’s largest collector car auction house by total sales. With 40 years of proven results in the collector car industry, RM’s vertically integrated range of services, from auctions (live and online) and private sales to estate planning and financial services, coupled with an expert team of Car Specialists and an international footprint, provide an unsurpassed level of service to the global collector car market. RM Sotheby’s is currently responsible for six of the top ten most valuable motor cars ever sold at auction. 2022 has seen RM Sotheby’s move into offering NFTs, collaborating with both clients and partners, working alongside NFT PRO, to bring to market leading NFT projects that have a strong automotive theme.

About NFT PRO

NFTPro™ is the #1 enterprise white label NFT solution for global brands, making NFT campaigns seamless, easily executed, and on-brand. Thanks to an enterprise-grade platform, proprietary methodology and enterprise-level support, they help global enterprises strategize, create, sell, and distribute NFT-based digital authentic assets to engage communities, drive new revenue streams, and boost cross-sales of physical products while ensuring full company control, sustainability, and global regulatory compliance.

IN THIS CELEBRATORY YEAR MARKING THE 300TH ANNIVERSARY OF PIERRE JAQUET-DROZ’S BIRTH, THE MAISON UNVEILS AN EXCEPTIONAL UNIQUE PIECE RESERVED FOR THE “ONLY WATCH” CHARITY AUCTION.

For the ninth consecutive time, Jaquet Droz is proud to donate a unique piece of its own creation, designed exclusively for Only Watch, a charity sale to benefit the Association Monégasque contre les Myopathies (Monegasque Association against Muscular Dystrophy), and featuring a degree of technical ambition and aesthetic never-before achieved: A Grande Seconde Skelet-One Tourbillon adorned with a plique-à-jour enamel dial.

The original idea was to extend the initial purpose of the Grande Seconde to provide its owner with the finest and most accurate reading of the seconds—hence its largely dimensioned and off-center dial at 6 o’clock, exclusively dedicated to this effect. How could this precision be achieved? By adding a tourbillon. This escapement, itself a genuine watchmaking complication, aims to compensate for the harmful effects undergone by a timepiece that performs across multiple planes, all subjected to the force of gravity which alters its precision.

The tourbillon of the new Grande Seconde Skelet-One Tourbillon “Only Watch” was born of Jaquet Droz’s in-house expertise, but entirely reworked in the purest chronometric approach. Thanks to its realization in titanium and the elimination of the sapphire bridges, the cage has been lightened and optimized with regards to its chronometric functions. The balance spring and pallet lugs are made of silicon. Highly open to let light pass through, the tourbillon gives the illusion of being both large and lightweight all at once. Completely revised and placed at noon, it accords the piece a dedicated identity of strength and technicality.

The underlying aesthetic architecture is as technical as it is unique. The skeleton structure is brand new: while the original Skelet-One favored soft and supple curves, the Grande Seconde Skelet-One Tourbillon “Only Watch” focuses on straight lines, angles, modernity and perfect symmetry. This very contemporary skeletonization is as technical as its highly precise tourbillon movement can be, furthering the technical and aesthetic consistency of the piece. Its bridges, finished in black, confer a powerful matte appearance. The tourbillon cage follows the geometry of the skeleton movement, with a triple cross shape which, once a minute, aligns perfectly with its bridges.

For Only Watch, Jaquet Droz put to work its Ateliers d’Art as well, in order to produce a highly exclusive plique-à-jour dial, made specially for the famous charity sale. Once again, whereas the Maison’s most recent plique-à-jour creations featured curves and soft, slightly domed lines, the Skelet-One Tourbillon “Only Watch” is made up of various straight and geometric sections separated by white gold, thus forming a dial which has been entirely polished flat. The Maison achieved this unprecedented result by applying an extremely fine diamond powder polish to each area of the enamel, the only kind capable of achieving this thickness.

Every tone of enamel has been painstakingly selected for the model and fired at a very high temperature several times in a row. The choice of these colors therefore owes nothing to chance: a color chart was proposed by Only Watch associating different tones with certain characteristics. The Maison thus translated these variations of red, orange and yellow into an expression of happiness, passion, optimism and even energy—all values that support the cause championed by Only Watch.

An aesthetic and technical achievement, the first Grande Seconde Skelet-One with tourbillon, the first with plique-à-jour enamel, a new geometry of skeleton movement, a fully updated tourbillon… the Grande Seconde Skelet-One Tourbillon “Only Watch” is many things. It’s also the perfect match between an age-old complication and craftsmanship on the one hand, and an eminently modern technique and geometry on the other. A rare, precise balance, like any Jaquet Droz timepiece, which foreshadows all the ambitions of the Maison’s future Skelet-One collection.

Christie’s Watches Online: The New York Edition

A selection of highlights from our upcoming sale

Patek Philippe, Perpetual Calendar, Chronograph, Platinum, Diamonds, Ref. 3990E

CIRCA: 1994
CASE MATERIAL: Platinum, Diamonds
CASE DIAMETER: 35.5mm
MOVEMENT NO’:876.839
CASE NO’: 2.945.342
DIAL: Black, Diamonds
MOVEMENT: Manual
FUNCTIONS: Perpetual Calendar, Chronograph
BOX: Yes
PAPERS: No
ACCESSORIES: Patek Philippe Platinum and Diamond Tang Buckle, An Additional White Diamond Patek Philippe Dial, A Patek Philippe Extract From the Archives Confirming Date of Sale: September 14th, 1994, Product Literature, Patek Philippe Service Box, Patek Philippe Presentation Box
$150,000-250,000


Patek Philippe, American Calendar Pocket Watch, 18K Yellow Gold, Ref. 725/4

CIRCA: 1969
CASE MATERIAL: 18k Yellow Gold
CASE DIAMETER: 46mm
MOVEMENT NO’: 931.257
CASE NO’: 327.503
DIAL: White
MOVEMENT: Manual
FUNCTIONS: American Calendar, Digital Display, Moonphases,
Subsidiary Seconds
BOX: No
PAPERS: No
ACCESORIES: A Patek Philippe Extract From the Archives Confirming
Date of Sale April 17th, 1973
$30,000-50,000


Patek Philippe, Retailed by Hausmann & Co., 18K Gold Wristwatch, Ref. 570, Formerly Owned by Andy Warhol

CIRCA:1954
CASE MATERIAL: 18k Yellow Gold
CASE DIAMETER: 35.5mm
DIAL: Silver
MOVEMENT: Manual
FUNCTIONS: Time Only
BOX: No
PAPERS: No
ACCESSORIES: A Patek Philippe Extract from the Archives confirming date of sale on June 20, 1955, Sotheby’s 1988 Jewelry and Watches Catalogs, featuring this watch as Lot 264 of the December section ‘The Andy Warhol Collection’
$45,000-95,000


Cartier, Crash, 18K Pink Gold, Ref. W1544251

CIRCA: 2003
CASE MATERIAL: 18k Pink Gold
CASE DIAMETER: 38mm X 23mm
DIAL: White
MOVEMENT: Manual
FUNCTIONS: Time Only
BOX: No
PAPERS: No
ACCESSORIES: 18k Pink Gold Cartier Deployant Buckle, Cartier Sales Receipt Dated December 31, 2003, A Cartier Valuation Report for insurance value Dated September 27, 20
$40,000-60,000


Rolex, Triple Calendar, Chronograph, Steel, Ref. 6036

CIRCA: 1963
CASE MATERIAL: Steel
CASE DIAMETER: 36.5mm
SERIAL NO: 943969
DIAL: White
MOVEMENT: Manual
FUNCTIONS: Day, Date, Month, Chronograph
CALIBER: 72C
BOX: No
PAPERS: No
$80,000-120,000


Breguet, 18K White Gold, Skeletonized, Tourbillion, Ref. 3355

CIRCA: 2010s
CASE MATERIAL: 18k White Gold
CASE DIAMETER: 36mm
DIAL: Skeletonized
MOVEMENT: Manual
FUNCTIONS: Skeletonized, Tourbillon
BOX: No
PAPERS: No
ACCESSORIES: White Gold Tang Buckle
$30,000-50,000


Rolex, Chronograph, Steel, Ref. 6034

CIRCA: 1963
CASE MATERIAL: Steel
CASE DIAMETER: 36.5mm
SERIAL: 907700
BRACELET MATERIAL: Steel
BRACELET SIZE: Approximately 165mm Overall Length
DIAL: White
MOVEMENT: Manual
FUNCTIONS: Chronograph
BOX: No
PAPERS: No
$20,000-40,000


Rolex, Sea Dweller, “Great White”, Steel, Ref. 1665

CIRCA: 1978 CASE MATERIAL: Steel
CASE DIAMETER: 40mm
SERIAL: 5410564
BRACELET MATERIAL: Steel
BRACELET SIZE: Approximately 185mm Overall Length
DIAL: Black
MOVEMENT: Automatic
FUNCTIONS: Date,
BOX: No
PAPERS: No
ACCESSORIES: Original Crystal Included
$18,000-24,000


Patek Philippe, Nautilus, Steel, Diamonds, Ref. 3800/1

CIRCA: 1996
CASE MATERIAL: Steel
CASE DIAMETER: 35.5mm
MOVEMENT NO’: 3.021.860
CASE NO’:4.009.746
BRACELET MATERIAL: Steel
BRACELET SIZE: Approximately 175mm Overall Length
DIAL: Black, Diamonds
MOVEMENT: Automatic
FUNCTIONS: Date
BOX: Yes
PAPERS: No
ACCESSORIES: Patek Philippe Outer Box, Patek Philippe Presentation Box, A Patek Philippe Extract from the Archives, Confirming Date of Sale February, 26th 1997
$30,000-50,000


Patek Philippe, Perpetual Caledar Chronograph, Yellow Gold, Ref. 5970J, Double Sealed

ψ This image is of a similar watch of the same model for display purposes only and is not the actual watch being offered for sale nor included in this lot. The endangered species strap is also shown for display purposes only and is not for sale. The actual watch for sale will be supplied with a calf leather strap.
CIRCA: 2008
CASE MATERIAL: 18k Yellow Gold
CASE DIAMETER: 40mm
DIAL: White
MOVEMENT: Manual
FUNCTIONS: Perpetual Calendar, Chronograph, Moonphases
BOX: Yes
PAPERS: Yes
ACCESSORIES: 18k Yellow Gold Patek Philippe Buckle, Patek Philippe Certificate of Origin, Patek Philippe Presentation Box, Leather Folder, Product Literature
ψ Please note the endangered species strap is shown for display purposes only and is not for sale. Upon sale, this watch bag will be cut and the watch will be supplied to the buyer with a non CITES strap (not shown). For further information please refer to the Conditions of Sale.
$100,000-150,000

SOTHEBY’S

Monet, Basquiat and Twombly Headline a $702 Million Week of Auctions

BY SOTHEBY’S | MAY 12, 2021

An epic week of auctions that brought together a stellar array of Impressionist, Modern and Contemporary Art was led by a three-auction evening which realized a total $596.8 million. Conducted by Sotheby’s auctioneer Oliver Barker, the live-streamed event featured in-room bidders in New York, telephone bidders in London, Hong Kong and New York, and online bidders from around the world, who all vied for remarkable artworks by Monet, Picasso, Warhol and Basquiat, and many other exceptional artists of the 20th and 21st centuries.

Warhol, Still, Richter and Diebenkorn Lead the Marion Collection

Starting off the evening was American Visionary: The Collection of Mrs. John L. Marion, an auction of extraordinary works from the collection of legendary philanthropist and arts patron Mrs. John L. Marion. Totalling $157.2 million, the sale featured works representing the height of achievement in the American Abstract Expressionist and Pop art movements. Among the highlights was Richard Diebenkorn’s luminous Ocean Park #40, 1971, which sold for $27,265,500 – setting a new auction record for the California artist. New auction records were also reached for a work by Kenneth Noland, whose 1958 painting Rocker sold for $4,255,000, and Larry Rivers’s Africa I, 1961–62, which achieved $2,077,000. Other exciting moments from the auction were the sale of Clyfford Still’s PH-125 (1948-No. 1), 1948, which achieved $30,712,500 and Andy Warhol’s larger-than-life Elvis 2 Times, 1963, which sold for $37,032,000.

Watch Bidding Battle for Diebenkorn

Watch Bidding Battle for Diebenkorn

100% Sold Contemporary Art Auction Brings $218.3 Million

Demand for Contemporary luminaries continued in the white glove Contemporary Art Evening Auction, propelled by Jean-Michel Basquiat and Cy Twombly, bringing a total $218.3 million. The auction included works from the Collection of Morris and Rita Pynoos, the Collection of Kay Unger and Hidden Harmony: An Exquisite Private Collection, among others.

Top lots from the evening included Basquiat’s Versus Medici, 1982, which achieved $50,820,000 and Twombly’s Untitled (Rome), 1970, which sold for $41,628,000.

A lively bidding battle of nearly seven minutes took place for Robert Colescott’s George Washington Carver Crossing the Delaware: Page from an American History Textbook, 1975. The work achieved $15,201,000, more than 16 times Colescott’s previous auction record of $912,500.

Watch Bidding Battle for Banksy

Watch Bidding Battle for Banksy

Banksy’s Love is in the Air sparked another bidding face-off. After nearly 14 minutes, the 2004 painting – a quintessential example from the artist’s oeuvre – achieved $12,903,000. In a world first for a fine auction house, bidders on the work had the option of making their payment in cryptocurrency.

Auction records were set for Elizabeth Peyton, Raymond Pettibon and Jeff Koons (whose Quad Elvis sold for $9.5 million, setting a record for a painting by the artist).

Monet Steals the Show with $70.4 million Water Lilies

Capping the trio of marquee auctions and driven by a wonderful example of Claude Monet’s waterlilies, the Impressionist & Modern Art Evening Sale brought a total $221.3 million.

Le Bassin aux nymphéas, an exquisite example of Monet’s most iconic series, achieved $70,353,000 following a heated bidding battle lasting nearly five minutes between five different bidders. The result makes the painting among the top five most expensive works by the artist to be sold at auction.

Watch Bidding Battle for Monet

Watch Bidding Battle for Monet

Other star lots included Pablo Picasso’s striking portrait of Françoise Gilot, entitled Femme assise en costume vert ($20,946,000); Paul Cézanne’s poignant Nature morte: pommes et poires ($19,969,350); and a painting from Amedeo Modigliani’s mature period,Jeune fille assise, les cheveux dénoués (Jeune fille en bleu) ($16,350,000).

Leonor Fini’s arresting Autoportrait au scorpion, the only self-portrait the artist chose not to sell in her lifetime, set a new auction record for the artist at $2,319,000.