PARIS, Dec. 8, 2017
/PRNewswire/ -- Sotheby's (NYSE: BID) December sales of
Contemporary Art in Paris
concluded yesterday with a total of $51.1
million (€43.1 million), bringing the annual total for
the category in France to
$88.7 million (€78.7 million), a
41% increase in USD and 38.8% increase in EUR compared to 2016.
Over the past year, Sotheby's has established landmark prices
for leading French artists of the second half of the
20th century, with four world auction records: for
Pierre Soulages (€6.1 million),
Simon Hantaï (€4.4 million), Germaine
Richier (€3 million) and Hans
Hartung (€2.7 million).
Stefano Moreni, Head of Sotheby's
Paris Contemporary Art Department, said: "These results are
testament to Paris' key position
within the art market and Sotheby's great expertise. We were able
to present truly remarkable works throughout the year and this
week, we saw a great depth of bidding, especially for works by
Germaine Richier and Wifredo Lam which set auction records."
Highlights:
One of Hans
Hartung's 1950s masterpieces, T1956-13, 1956
achieved €2,691,500, four times the pre-sale estimate and double
the previous auction record for the artist set in 2015.
The collection of Alain & Candice Fraiberger attracted
connoisseurs from around the world, many of whom recognised the
importance of Wifredo Lam's, A
trois centimètres de la Terre, 1962, which was executed
at the peak of his career and fetched €4,441,200 – a world record
for the artist.
Germaine Richier's La
Tauromachie from 1953 was pursued by 11 bidders who drove the
final price to €3,086,400, double the previous world auction record
for the artist set in 2013.
Highly sought after by international collectors, Zao Wou-Ki was represented in the sale by
1.9.60, 1960, which tripled
its estimate and realised €3,142,850 (lot 58).
*Estimates do not include the buyer's premium,
and prices consist of the hammer price and the buyer's
premium
Images are available on request
All the catalogues can be viewed online at
www.sothebys.com or on the Sotheby's Catalogue iPad app
33 (0)1 53 05 53 66 | Sophie
Dufresne | sophie.dufresne@sothebys.com
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SOURCE Sotheby's