International breakthrough at the Modern Spring Sale
”We ’ve gotten global prices on the Swedish art market”, states Anna-Karin Pusic, head of the art department. Active biddings and all lots sold on high levels for the sculpture department and the water color Le Remorqueur by Fernand Léger was sold for SEK 5 193 690.
The fact that the international department went extremely well confirms and emphasizes the increasingly internationally oriented art market. Many of the international works were sold at doubled estimates, as did a small red Josef Albers and a sculpture by Matisse.
Léger’s water color was purchased directly from the artist by Rolf de Maré, the Swede who founded Les Ballets Suédois in Paris, one of the most radical dance companies at that time. Léger was a close friend and obviously engaged in the avant garde performances in the 1920s. Later, de Maré gave away the work to his friend Bengt Häger, founder of Dansmuseet and administrator of the dresses and settings from the dynamic era. It has never figured and the market ever since, until now.
A solid piece of Swedish sculpture history also got a new owner today. Bondpolskan by Bror Hjorth, the happy couple that has been standing at the cafeteria at Åhléns, the department store in Central Stockholm since 1964, was sold for a good bit over estimates, SEK 1 113 000.
16 works sold for more than SEK 1 Million, day 1
Josef Albers, "Study for Homage to the Square: 'Starblue'". SEK 6 550 000
Marc Chagall, "La Mariée à la Lune". SEK 5 367 000
Fernand Léger, "Le remorqueur". SEK 5 193 690
Olle Baertling, "Mithra". SEK 3 440 000
Josef Albers, "Study for Homage To The Square: 'Wet and Dry' ". SEK 3 613 750
Gösta Adrian-Nilsson, "Flotte"/ "Flotta" (Franska matroser). SEK 2 885 000
Leander Engström, "Varitédansöser". SEK 2 327 000
Henri Matisse, Etude de pied. SEK 2 111 000
Henri Laurens, "Tête de jeune fillette". SEK 1 640 000
Olle Baertling, "Ayarb". SEK 1 264 000
Knut Lundström, ”Nature Morte (Accord en bleu)". SEK 1 200 000
Philip von Schantz, "Rensåpa". SEK 1 200 000
Olle Baertling "Dynamique Diagonale". SEK 1 113 000
Bror Hjorth, "Bondpolskan". SEK 1 113 000 kr
Carl Kylberg "Människor på väg I". SEK 1 012 880
Carlos Cruz-Diez, "Physichromie 748". SEK 1 004 500
(Prices include buyers commission and droit de suit)