Modern art sale offers Gauguin's Tahiti magic
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.JOHN MCKIE
The finest collection of Impressionist and Modern Art seen in Britain this year - including a sculpture never before seen by the public - is to be sold this week in two auctions in London.
Sotheby's will offer some of the century's best works in a two-day sale, opening on Monday, with paintings by Gauguin, Monet and Pissarro. Among them is one of Paul Gauguin's first canvases of the South Seas, Femmes au Bord de la Riviere, which dates from his first visit to Tahiti in 1891- 3. Last June, Gauguin's last landscape of Tahiti fetched pounds 5.5m at Sotheby's and this smaller work is expected to fetch pounds 1.5-2m.
Claude Monet's Matinee sur la Seine (est. pounds 1-1.25m), Degas's La Toilette (est. pounds 0.8-pounds 1m) and a selection of work from German expressionists, including Max Pechstein, Egon Schiele and Erich Heckel, are on offer as well.
On Tuesday, Christie's offers work never before seen by the public, a version of Constantin Brancusi's Le Commencement du Monde. The bronze sculpture is expected to realise up to pounds 2m. Christie's also has works by Bonnard, Picasso, Degas and Magritte.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments