Phillips de Pury & Company is pleased to announce highlights from the June Modern and Contemporary Editions sale offering 251 lots. The viewing will take place at the downtown Chelsea location at 450 West 15th Street whilst the auction will be held at the uptown galleries at 450 Park Avenue.
“Our June Modern and Contemporary Editions sale is the finale of the auction season and has something fun and affordable for both new and seasoned collectors. This is the perfect time and last chance before the summer, to win works by both blue-chip and emerging artists on the auction block! We’re thrilled with the curated selection and look forward to an exciting sale.” Kelly Troester and Cary Leibowitz, Co-Directors of Modern and Contemporary Editions.
The featured cover lot, La Historia Me Absolvera, 1999 is one from the complete series of six etchings by Walton Ford which also includes Swadeshi-cide, 1998, Benjamin’s Emblem, 2000, Tale of Johnny Nutkin, 2001, Compromised, 2002, and Visitation, 2004. The complete series is estimated at $40,000 to $60,000. All are large scale etchings inspired by Audubon’s Birds of America and are delicately rendered in rich, saturated color.
The sale features several fine examples from modern artists including Henri Matisse’s Dix danseuses series: Danseuse au fauteuil en bois, 1925-26, estimated at $7,000 to $10,000 and Nu sur chaise de repos sur fond moucharabieh, 1922, estimated at $5,000 to $7,000. Both works illustrate the grand figurative skill and mastery of line by Matisse. Pablo Picasso’s dimensional Hands with Fish, 1953, a ceramic platter with partial glaze and deep incisions, estimated at $6,000 to $8,000 leads a strong group of Picasso earthenware. Picasso examples present multiple etchings, lithographs and ceramics illustrating his masterful designs in multi-media.
Contemporary works pop throughout the sale. Roy Lichtenstein’s Crying Girl, 1963 estimated at $40,000 to $60,000 and CRAK!, 1963-64 estimated at $15,000 to $25,000 are prime examples. Works by Andy Warhol including the complete set of 10 screenprints in color from the series Ads, 1985 estimated at $250,000 to $350,000 exemplify the iconic pop love of media and advertising style of Warhol. The 10 screenprints are fittingly titled Mobile, Blackglama (Judy Garland), Paramount, Life Savers, Chanel, Rebel without a Cause (James Dean), Van Heusen (Ronald Reagan), The New Spirit (Donald Duck), Volkswagen and Apple. Additional Warhol works include 25 Cats Named Sam and one Blue Pussy book, 1954 estimated at $18,000 to $25,000 contains six hand-colored prints within the complete set of seventeen offset lithographs and a unique variation of Martha Graham: Letter to the World (The Kick), 1986 estimated at $15,000 to $25,000 with a spiral of multi-colored limbs superimposed on a white background.
A strong selection of Minimal masters in the sale include Sol LeWitt’s portfolio, All Combinations of Arcs from Corners & Sides, Grids & Circles, Using Four Colors, 1972 estimated at $15,000 to $25,000, which is the complete set of 24 screenprints. Robert Ryman’s, Seven Aquatints portfolio, 1972 estimated at $15,000 to $25,000 is the complete set of seven varying white prints in the original linen box. Four meditative screenprints from Agnes Martin’s On a Clear Day: portfolio, 1973 estimated at $15,000 to $25,000 as well as the early Frank Stella’s Black Series II, 1967 estimated at $12,000 to $16,000, comprised of the complete set of eight black and white lithographs are offered to round out the Minimal highlights.
Bold graphic works by John Baldessari highlight the sale with the lithograph set of cut-out Plexiglas and assembled framed parts Object (with Flaw), 1988 estimated at $20,000 to $30,000 and A Suite of Five Lithographs for Tristam Shandy, 1988 estimated at $12,000 to $18,000, the complete portfolio contained in the original box.
Several works by Robert Gober highlight throughout including the back cover lot, Untitled, 1992 estimated at $9,000 to $12,000, which depicts the artist modeling a wedding gown. Untitled 1993-94 estimated at $3,000 to $5,000 is the complete set of two photolithographs resembling supermarket advertisements for whole and fresh pigs. The sale includes an exciting selection of Gober’s recognizable newsprint images.
The sale features a lovely collection of portraits by Elizabeth Peyton in her characteristically fluid and immediate style including the brightly hued woodcut Julian, 2006 estimated at $4,000 to $6,000 and a portrait of the popular British royal brothers Prince William and Prince Harry, 2000 estimated at $3,000 to $5,000.
