Australian and International Fine Art @ Menzies

Monday, 14 March 2011

Australian and International Fine Art @ Menzies

For their first auction of the 2011 season, which takes place in Sydney on March 24, Menzies pulled together a tight (only 100 lots) but strong group of paintings, works on paper, sculptures, and photography. Although the collection lacks significant 18^th, 19^th, and early 20^th Century works (the market for which is dominated by Sotheby’s at the upper end and Leonard Joel at the lower end), the only notable exception is perhaps the lyrical Art Nouveau female nude by Arthur Loureiro (est $8-12,000), a rare and therefore institutionally significant work.

It is undoubtedly within the Modern masters that Menzies has its strengths, and the March offering is replete with representative selection of works by Arthur Boyd, John Brack, Russel Drysdale, Sydney Nolan, Jeffrey Smart, Albert Tucker, Brett Whiteley, and Fred Williams. As the catalogue meticulously indicates, a number of works by the above-mentioned artists have been around the block a few times, having frequently appeared on the art market within the last decade. However, the auction contains a number of outstanding items which are fresh to the market, and which according to the auction staff, have been extremely popular at the Melbourne preview: the market can smell fresh meat!

These include an outstanding beach nude by Brett Whiteley from 1985, Washing Out the Salt (est $1,250,000-1,750,000); a strong work by Albert Tucker, Gamblers and Parrots from 1968 (est $180-240,000), featuring his iconic Etruscan-inspired heads and abounding with colourful darting parrots; and a very extensive collection of sculptures by Robert Klippel, from early, small, delicately whimsical construction pieces (est $30-36,000), to later large-scale edition bronzes ($110-160,000). I also must mention another two pieces by Brett Whiteley, both relatively ‘fresh’ to the market that (if nothing else) are likewise worthy of a closer look: his brightly coloured Feeding the Doves from 1979, constructed along the dominant contrasts of purples and oranges (est $450-550,000); and a slightly earlier Bondi, which is remarkable for the shapes of houses deliciously blocked out in thick, square slabs of rich impastos ($85-100,000).

There is plenty for more contemporary-focused art collectors to feast their eyes on, including at least two significant works by Garry Shead, both of which haven’t seen the market since they were purchased from their respective galleries: Revelation (Royal Suite), from 1997, remarkable for its sheer size and compositional simplicity (est $250-320,000); and Artist and Muse (Velazquez), 2000, an exceptional and dreamlike composition from an important series of artist’s works (est $80-120,000). There are also strong representative pieces by Jon Cattapan, Aida Tomescu, and Ken Whisson.

Those with a taste for younger artists might equally be drawn to paintings and photographs by Julia Ciccarone, Alexander McKenzie, Tim McMonagle, Darren Sylvester, and David Wadelton. None of them are offered at bargain basement prices, but the works are still offered below their retail value. Exceptional among them are perhaps Tim McMonagle’s Princess Park (est $8-12,000) and David Wadelton’s Move on Up (est $10-15,000), very strong pieces by worthy contemporary artists.

As always, should I have been blessed with an unlimited bank account, my three picks for the auction would be the above-mentioned Brett Whiteley beach nude; a very important early Arthur Boyd’s Death of a Husband, painted in 1958 and belonging to an important group of paintings with comparable examples in public collections (est $650-850,000); and a sharp, engaging, and brightly coloured with yellows, purples, and accents of reds, yet minimalist in its aesthetics Lysterfield Hillside II by Fred Williams from 1974, a representative work from the artist’s important period (est $400-500,000). The last two works have been bandied about the auction rooms all too frequently, so there’s a hope that with this auction these worthy paintings would acquire a ‘more’ permanent home.

[© Eugene Barilo von Reisberg 2011. This article is copyright, but the full or partial use is WELCOME with the full and proper acknowledgment]

Fine Art Auction @ Menzies Art Brands

Friday, 10 October 2010

Fine Art Auction @ Menzies Art Brands

Menzies are bucking the trend again by staging their auction at least a fortnight after their competitors, a week before Christmas, and in Melbourne. It is a tighter than usual selection of only 129 lots, which nevertheless does contain quite a few choice pieces.

There is a striking Little Orange (Sunset) by Brett Whiteley ($750,000-850,000); a large scale John Brack Double Nude I from the 1980s ($1,500,000-2,000,000); a confident though not especially overwhelming William Robinson of Tweed Valley Rainforest ($200,000-240,000); a sparkling little Hillside by Streeton from c.1915 ($55,000-75,000); exuberantly energetic golden-yellow Chinese Restaurant watercolour by John Olsen ($40,000-50,000); and a sharp and delicate little still life by Adrian Feint ($1,500-2,500).

For someone with an eye for more contemporary things, there is a most striking deep turquoise Aida Tomescu’s Albastru IV ($20,000-28,000); a delicate and poetical Thornton Walker ($5,000-6,000); and a superbly-executed large scale Tim Maguire ($70,000-$80,000). One Afternoon in Yokohama by Lin Onus is also a good, well-executed work, though the bright orange of maple (?) leaves is rather distracting and throws the entire painting off its otherwise delicately balanced palette ($90,000-120,000).

True, a number of works have been up on the auction block before at least two or three times within the last decade. Hopefully this time round they might find a better home that would keep them for more then two or three years before chucking them back onto the art market.

If I were fated to walk away with three works from this auction, regardless of their value, I would definitely pick the joyously energetic John Olsen watercolour; the Aida Tomescu painting, which is easily among the better works by the artist (but then I am partial to the colour scheme of this work); and perhaps the Brett Whiteley, once again for the joyous energy contained within. I must confess that I was drawn also to Max Dupain’s At Newport of 1952, perhaps one of the most iconic images by the artist, but its 1970s vintage rubs off a bit gloss from the picture, which is conservatively estimated at $3,500-5,500.

http://www.menziesartbrands.com

[© Eugene Barilo von Reisberg 2010. This article is copyright, but the full or partial use is WELCOME with the full and proper acknowledgment]

 

Australian & International Fine Art @ Menzies, Melbourne

Thursday, 10 June 2010

Dear Diary,

Menzies Art Brands unveiled last evening their selection of artworks for the forthcoming Australian and International Fine Art Auction in Sydney on 24 June 2010. The comparatively modestly sized offering of roughly 130 works contains a number of outstanding, better than average paintings, works on paper, graphics, and sculpture by well-known artists. These include John Brack’s Backs and Fronts, Brett Whiteley’s Shui, Jeffrey Smart’s Holiday and Approach to a City III (both of which are well-known and have been widely reproduced). There is also a great Fred Williams of Saddle at the You Yangs; a couple of very good still lives by Justin O’Brien; a good early Arthur Boyd of Moby Dick Hill; a plethora of Nolans; and John Olsen’s ubiquitous frog. There are also a couple of late Tom Roberts landscapes from the 1920s, which are sadly not as sparkling and effervescent as Streetons of the same vintage. Speaking of whom – there is a charming mother and child by Streeton, a rare nude figure study in the artist’s oeuvre. There is also a good sprinkling of works by Norman Lindsay, including Three Graces, a charming watercolour in a remarkable condition.

Lovers of the early moderns would find a good selection of Ronald Wakelin landscapes; those with a penchant for the 1970s could be tempted by a stunning Roger Kemp. For those with a more contemporary bend, there is a good urban landscape by Rick Amor, a humorous and well painted dog by Tim Storrier, a striking Lin Onus, which almost competes in its subtlety with the nearby Philip Wolfhagen. Gordon Bennett’s Home Decor is perhaps one the strongest works in the contemporary selection; while Vince Fantauzzo’s Brendon, previously shown in the Archibald Prize, is definitely the strongest portrait painting in the present auction. Other contemporary market favourites on offer include Stephen Bush, Michael Zavros, Ex de Medici, and Patricia Piccinini.

What would be my pick of three items at the auction if $$$ were not an issue? Jeffrey Smart’s Holiday, which is a classic example of the artist’s oeuvre at his prime (est. $800,000-$1,000,000); Brett Whiteley’s Shui, a lyrical piece in luscious greens and blues (est. $500,000-$700,000); and the Gordon Bennett, a representative example from one of the artist’s best periods, an example of which is at the National Gallery of Victoria ($40,000-$50,000).

Happy shopping!!!

[© Eugene Barilo v. Reisberg 2010. This article is copyright, but the full or partial use is WELCOME with the full and proper acknowledgment]

Review of Portraits @ Menzies March 2010 Auction

Sunday, 21 March 2010

Dear Diary,

Given my interest in portraiture, I became more aware of portraits that appear in Australian auction rooms. Internationally, portraits by Old, Modern, and Contemporary masters at auctions form a very distinct group, and those by Rembrandt, van Dyck, Reynolds, Lawrence, Renoir, Picasso, Modigliani, van Gogh, Klimt (and my very own Winterhalter) have broken auction records and / or brought significant results.

The situation is dramatically different in Australia, where portraits at auctions are few and far between. This can be attributed in part to the fact, that the majority of portraits that appear in Australian auction rooms (but not all!!!) fail to progress from being a mere likeness of a person to that of a transcendent and sophisticated work of art of universal appeal. The former rarely make it to the market and largely continue lingering in artists’ studios or the homes of their sitters unless they are donated to public institutions or appear at lower-end art clearance sales. The latter however make their distinguished appearance at the upper end of the auction market, bringing good sales results, with some inspired bidding from both institutional and private collectors.

(Deutscher-)Menzies auction in December 2009 featured a number of interesting portraits. They had, for example, a striking in its originality portrait of John Singleton by Brett Whiteley (sold $55,000 hammer); a beautifully intimate portrait by Rupert Bunny of his wife, Jeanne (sold $396,000 hammer); a mask-like portrait of an African prince, Kininga Wunca, by Donald Friend (unsold); and William Dobell’s preparatory drawing for his celebrated portrait of Helena Rubenstein (sold $1,600 hammer).

The auction also had two remarkable self-portraits – a dark and brooding “Self-Portrait in a Country Town” by Rick Amor (unsold), and a rather irreverent in its larrikinism “Self Portrait (The Afternoon Walk, Dunmoochin)” by John Olsen (sold $70,000 hammer).

The portraits by Whiteley and Bunny, and the self-portrait by Olsen illustrate the point. All three are big-name artists; all three have produced portraits, which are very much in the style and manner these artists are famous and admired for; these works have brought accordingly good results. Admittedly, the paintings of female nudes by Whiteley and Bunny on a similar scale (or of frogs and giraffes by Olsen) would have brought more significant sums, but the universal appeal of these works speaks for itself and is reflected in their art market prices.

Helena Rubenstein by William Dobell is a celebrated portrait in the annals of Australian art, so it is not surprising that it has found a buyer (not to mention at a very modest price). On the other hand, Donald Friend is perhaps more known for his watercolours of nude South-East Asian youths (and later still lifes which are also popular on the market). Hence a rather heavy, mask-like portrait failed to find a buyer.

Sadly, the same can be said of Rick Amor’s work. I deeply admire his self-portraits, which encapsulate the inner, psychological darkness that is so prevalent in his landscapes. However, it appears that the art buying public is able to take more easily to his landscapes, the physiological loading of which can be read ambiguously (or perhaps completely ignored by a certain cross-section of buyers). Not so with the self-portraits, which are more often than not direct, confronting, and uncompromising. It is sad – though not surprising – that this portrait did not find a buyer on the auction night.

I do acknowledge that the line-up of artworks is largely dependent on what an auction house is able to consign from its vendors, so chasing an impressive selection of portraits (or indeed any such “curatorial” agenda) would be far from the auctioneers’ mind – unless they strike a golden vein and develop the market and / or collectors’ following in this genre.

Therefore, I am saying the following as an observation rather than a recrimination or criticism – the representation of portraits in Menzies’ forthcoming auction is much thinner on the ground as compared to the previous auction of December 2009. In fact, it is limited to a charmingly naïve watercolour portrait of a girl by an unknown 19^th-Century Australian artist (lot 142; est. $900-1,200). While the childish cherubic face is wonderfully, even sweetly resolved, the head is bizarrely out the proportion with the rest of the body. There is a beautiful lively glint in the girl’s eyes, but it does little to compensate for the inadequacy in the drawing of the rest of the figure.

(An argument can be raised that Norman Lindsay’s portrait of Rita (lot 35, est. $40,000-50,000), and Richard Larter’s innumerable depictions of his wife (for example, lot 110, est. $10,000-15,000) can be also treated and examined as portraits. However, the relationship between the artist and the model is quite different to that of the artist and the sitter. While the artists capture the general appearance, pose, and attitude of the models, their personalities and identities are more often than not sublimated (or even indeed sacrificed) in favour of the artists’ aesthetic approach and visual codification.)

[© Eugene Barilo v. Reisberg 2010. This article is copyright, but the full or partial use is WELCOME with the full and proper acknowledgment]