Sotheby´s Latin American Art Auction
Achieves a Total to $20,221,938
The Latin American Art sale from Sotheby’s brought the overall sale total to $20,221,938, over the $19.1 million low estimate, with 66% of lots sold and 77.8% sold by value.
Rufino Tamayo’s Watermelon Slices which was being sold by The Museum of Modern Art, New York, to Benefit the Acquisitions Fund, reached $2,210,5000 surpassing its high estimate of two million. The piece, acquired by a U.S. private collector, fuses both the international modernist aesthetics of Cubism with a local subject matter and symbolism. Also, Claudio Bravo´s Seraphim (White, Yellow, and Green), from 1999, the most important work by the artist to have appeared at auction since his death this June (est. $700/900,000) achieved $992,500. La India del Lago, by Alfredo Ramos Martínez, one of the most important paintings by the artist to have appeared at auction for many years (est. $900,000/1.2 million), was sold on $962,500.
The main Wifredo Lam painting in the sale, Bonjour Monsieur Lam (Au Commencement De La Nuit) from 1959 (est. $600/800,000), reached $674,500, followed by Venus en su alcoba, from Tamayo, sold on $638,500. Frutero y Dominó (est. $270,000-$370,000), also by Tamayo, was sold for $530,500. Fernando Botero´s Man in a Horse, was sold for $626,500. Matta´s Lispard du Mêdi, painted circa 1953, was acquired by a European buyer on $566,500 surpassing its high estimate of $450,000 two million. Escritura Cobalto, by Jesús Soto, an elegant and lyrical composition, was sold on $530,500 (est. $250/350,000). Physicichromie 88, from Cruz-Diez, was sold on $518,500, surpassing also its high estimate of $300,000 and establishing a new record on sales (previous one was $422,500). Angel Zárraga’s Nature Morte was sold on 134,500 establishing also a new record (previous one was $34,120).
Other new records were set by Francisco Corzas with Desnudo (Fleur du mal), sold on $218,500 (previous record $ 140,000); Enrique Swinburn, with El nevado de Longavi, sold on $10,000 (previous record $3,728); Maria Luisa Pacheco, with Untitled sold on $3,125 (Previous record $10,000) and Claudio Gallina´s School, sold on $10,000 (previous record $1,959).
New records for works on paper by the artists was achieved by Abstracción No #, by Martha Boto, sold on $56,250 (previous record $50,000), and Omar Carreño with Untitled sold on S25,000 (previous record $22,500). The record for a painting by the artist was achieved by Roberto Burle-Marx´s Lapa, sold on $12,500 (previous record $3,500). Also the following artists set new records: Juan Roberto Diago, Marina Núñez del Prado, and Boris Viskin.
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SERAPHIM (WHITE, YELLOW, AND GREEN). Signed and dated MXMXCLX lower right. Oil on canvas, 58 5/8 by 78 3/4 in. / Firmada y fechada MXMXCLX en la parte inferior derecha. Oleo sobre tela, 148.9 by 200.02 cm. Courtesy/cortesía: Sotheby´s. -
PHYSICICHROMIE 88. Signed Cruz-Diez Paris, titled, dated 31 Dic 62´, and inscribed Felíz Año on the reverse. Acrylic painted cardboard elements on wood panel, 12 by 30 by 2 in. Firmada Cruz-Diez Paris, titulada, fechada 31 Dic 62´, e inscrita Felíz Año en el reverso. Acrílico pintado, elementos de carbón sobre panel de madera, 31 x 76 x 4.5 cm. Courtesy/cortesía: Sotheby’s New York -
Watermelon Slices. Courtesy/cortesía: Sotheby’s New York.
