Past Auction

Fine Modern Art

Wed, Mar 06, 2019 at 10am EST |

New York

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Sale Total Topped $500,000 with 90% of the Lots Sold!

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Auction of Fine Modern Art on March 6, 2019
Sale Total Topped $500,000 with 90% of the Lots Sold!
Far Exceeded the Pre-Sale Estimate of $289,100-431,300

NEW YORK, NY -- Following the successful inaugural auction in the category of Fine Modern Art last Fall, Doyle continued the success of the new category with a second sale on March 6, 2019. The auction presented a wide spectrum of affordable paintings, drawings, sculpture and fine prints from various artistic movements and regions of the globe, spanning over one hundred years of creative activity.

With competitive bidding in the saleroom, on the telephones and via the Internet, the auction totaled an impressive $507,656, surpassing the pre-sale estimate of $289,100-431,300, with an exceptional 90% sold by lot and 95% sold by value.

Highlighting the sale was Visage, a painted and partially glazed white ceramic pitcher by Pablo Picasso that achieved $20,000, far surpassing its estimate of $6,000-8,000. Picasso was at his home in the south of France in 1946 when he visited George and Suzanne Ramie at their nearby Madoura Pottery factory and was entranced by their work. The following year he began to make his own ceramics there, eventually creating more than 3,000 objects over the next 25 years. In this pitcher from 1955, Picasso explores one his favorite themes, the face.

Also selling strongly was a metal sculpture from 1991 by American artist Dorothy Dehner (1901-1994). Dehner studied theater and traveled to Paris in 1925. There she was inspired by the Modernists, and upon her return to New York, she entered the Art Students League. She married fellow artist David Smith, and the two influenced each others’ creative endeavors. In the 1950s, Dehner turned her focus to sculpture, such as the vertical totem-like work, Sancho Panza, that sailed past its estimate of $5,000-7,000 to fetch $18,750.

Paul Wonner (1920-2008) was included in the exhibition, Contemporary Bay Area Figurative Painting, at the Oakland Museum of California in 1957, together with fellow artists Richard Diebenkorn and Theophilus Brown. Having studios in close proximity, the three would gather together for life-study sessions. The Model Before a Mirror from 1962 is a prime example of Wonner’s early work, executed in a realist style with broad, expressive brushstrokes and an inventive use of color. It realized a stunning $16,250, many times its estimate of $2,000-3,000.

All prices include the Buyer's Premium.

We Invite You to Auction!

Consignments are currently being accepted for future sales. We invite you to contact us for a complimentary auction evaluation. Our specialists are always available to discuss the sale of a single item or an entire collection.

For information, please contact:
Harold Porcher, 212-427-4141, ext 249, paintings@Doyle.com
Cynthia Klein, 212-427-4141, ext 246, prints@Doyle.com