COLLECTION OF SURREALIST MASTERS OFFERED AT BONHAMS IN JANUARY
Belvedere (Bool 426), 1958 by Maurits Cornelis Escher (1898-1972), estimated at $25,000 – 35,000.
Los Angeles – Over 120 Surrealist and Old Master prints and unique works thoughtfully collected by Urban S.Hirsch III (1941-2024), an esteemed businessman and philanthropist, will be offered at Bonhams from January 9 – 17. Inspired by a career in the printing ink industry, Hirsch’s in-depth knowledge of the various inks used in lithographic printing and interest in the complexities of the printmaking process fuelled his lifelong collecting of graphic works. The collection, a stunning testament to the life and passion of Hirsch, features a range of fantastical works by prominent 20th century artists including René Magritte (1898-1967), Maurits Cornelis Escher (1898-1972), and Dorothea Tanning (1910-2012) as well as influential Renaissance artists such as Pieter Bruegel the Elder (1525-1569) and Albrecht Dürer (1471-1528).
The highlight of the collection is a lithograph from 1958 titled Belvedere by M.C. Escher, a renowned artist and prolific printmaker known for creating thought-provoking compositions. Estimated at $25,000 – 35,000, the striking work on paper depicts a man seated in the foreground holding an impossible cube - one of Escher's iconic paradoxical structures. Also on offer is the first lithograph ever crafted by acclaimed Surrealist René Magritte titled Les Bijoux Indiscrets, 1963 which is estimated at $7,000 – 10,000. Known for his paintings, which place familiar objects in unfamiliar, unexpected contexts, Magritte did not begin making prints until the last few years of his life and so only a small number of lithographs exist.
Several prints by Pieter Bruegel the Elder, one of the great Flemish Renaissance artists recognized for his imaginative and original depictions of peasant life, will be offered in the sale. Of particular note are two duelling sets of prints - The Seven Deadly Sins, 1558, estimated at $20,000 – 30,000, and The Seven Virtues, c. 1559-60, estimated at $15,000 – 20,000. The intricate prints are part of a body of unrivalled figurative designs by Bruegel portraying proverbs and biblical narratives in bizarre and imaginative ways that examine the imperfections of human nature.
Additional highlights of the collection include:
Witch Riding Backwards on a Goat, c. 1500, a striking engraving, by Albrecht Dürer (1471-1528),estimated at $5,000 – 8,000. The print comments on the popular obsession with witches at the time, playing with the belief that witchcraft could reverse the natural order of things. The witch’s hair streams out the opposite direction of the leaping goat, combining humor and menace, in addition to showcasing Dürer's masterful detail and exploration of supernatural themes.
Birthday (Self Portrait at Age 30), c. 1970 by Dorothea Tanning (1910-2012), the iconic American artist whose early work was influenced by Surrealism and her own dreams. Estimated at $3,000 – 4,000, the thought-provoking print is based on Tanning’s oil on canvas, Birthday, 1942, which is now in the Philadelphia Museum of Art.
The Station, 1971, by Paul Delvaux (1897-1994), a Belgian Surrealist known for his unusual depictions of trains and classical architecture, estimated at $4,000 – 6,000.
Sale: Surrealist Treasures | The Urban S. Hirsch III Collection
Location: Online
Date: January 9 - 17
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In 2023, Bonhams achieved 14% growth with $1.14 billion in turnover. Recent important auctions and landmark single-owner collections, include the white glove sales of Sir Michael Caine: The Personal Collection, Alain Delon: Sixty Years of Passion; Sir Roger Moore: The Personal Collection; Personal Property of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg and The Robert & Jean-Pierre Rousset Collection of Asian Art: A Century of Collecting. Other notable single-owner sales included The Estate of Barbara Walters: American Icon; The Alan and Simone Hartman Collection; The Crown Auction: Props and Costumes and The Claude de Marteau Collection.
Top lots for 2023 include 1967 Ferrari 412P Berlinetta, Sold at Quail Lodge, US for US$30,255,000. Tipu Sultan’s Bedchamber Sword (sold in London for £14m – a world record for both an Islamic and an Indian object); Paul Signac (1863-1935), Sisteron, 1902. Sold for US$8,580,000 (estimate US$4-6 million), and Claude Monet (1840-1926), La Seine près de Giverny, 1888. Sold for US$6,352,500 (estimate US$4-6m), both from the Alan and Simone Hartman Collection; A Gilt Copper Alloy figure of Virupaksha, Central Tibet, Densatil Monastery, Early 15th century. Sold for HK$37.9m (£4,060,326) in Hong Kong. Yoshitomo Nara (born 1959) Three Stars. Sold for HK$36,754,000 (£3,930,914, also in Hong Kong
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