Amedeo Modigliani
Jeanne Hébuterne (au chapeau)
1919
Estimate: £16-22 million
Modigliani to lead Christie’s sale Christie’s Impressionist and Modern Art Evening Sale in London on 6 February 2013 is expected to realize a total of £67,4 million – £99,7 million. The auction is led by Amedeo Modigliani’s ‘Jeanne Hébuterne (au chapeau)’, 1919.]]>
January 15, 2013, source: Christie’s
It is a tribute to the quality of Jeanne Hébuterne (au chapeau), 1919, by Amedeo Modigliani (1884-1920) that it was included in the small posthumous retrospective of Modigliani’s works held at the XIII Biennale in Venice in 1922, the first such show to take place in his home country (estimate: £16-22 million). The portrait is filled with grace and poise, accentuated by the sinuous curve of Jeanne’s neck and the gentle undulation of her body. These qualities point to why some of Modigliani’s pictures from this late phase in his short but dramatic and influential career are referred to as ‘Mannerist.’
Looking at Modigliani’s life and at his work, it becomes apparent that the two were diametrically opposed in terms of atmosphere. The serene calm of Jeanne Hébuterne (au chapeau) contrasts starkly with the legendary tales of drunkenness and bohemianism with which Modigliani is now so often associated. Perhaps his works provided a balance to his turbulent lifestyle. There is a near-religious sense of grace instilled in this image of his final great love, her hand raised like that of the Madonna. Modigliani created relatively few paintings during his short life – during which he was increasingly accepted as a pioneer in the world of modern art – and, in comparison with those of his counterparts, his works rarely come to the market.
The sale also includes three works by Pablo Picasso (1881-1973): “Nu accroupi”, 1960, is offered from the property of a private American collection and estimated at £3-5 million; “Minotaure aveugle conduit par une petite fille”, 1934, estimated at £2,8-3,5 million; and “Le peintre”, 1967, estimated at £2,5-4,5 million.
Other highlights of the auction include “L’ombrelle”, 1878, by Pierre-Auguste Renoir (1841-1919), which was painted during the height of Impressionism (estimate: £4-7million); and two works by Wassily Kandinsky (1866-1944): “Murnau – Ansicht mit Burg, Kirche und Eisenbahn” (1909) and “Balancement” (1942), each one estimated in excess of £5 million.
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Amedeo Modigliani’s ‘La Belle Romaine’ sells for $68.9 million (news, 2010)
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