Sotheby’s London Evening Sale of Contemporary Art on 10th February features landmark works by the masters of post – war art, including one of Gerhard Richter’s greatest abstract paintings, estimated at £14 – 20 million ($21,1 – 30,1 million), Francis Bacon’s seminal self – portrait from 1977, estimated at £13 – 18 million ($19,6 – 27,1 million) and Lucio Fontana’s most famous work, never before seen in the flesh, estimated to fetch £5 – 7 million ($7,5 – 10,5 million).
The sale will also feature a particularly strong group of sculptures which will be led by Thomas Schütte and Juan Muñoz – works which haven ever been offered at auction before – alongside key pieces from the likes of AndyWarhol, Cy Twombly, Yves Klein, Georg Baselitz and Jeff Koons. The estimate of £89,7 – 127,1 million ($135,28 – 191,7 million), is Sotheby’s highest for a sale of Contemporary Art in London, following its strongest ever Frieze week sales in October 2014.
Carrying a combined estimate in excess of £103 million ($155,3 million), the flagship evening and day auctions of Contemporary Art will be followed on 12th February by a major fundraising auction in support of “1 in 11”, a worldwide campaign launched earlier this year by FC Barcelona Foundation, Reach Out to Asia and UNICEF. Featuring 17 works donated by renowned artists such as Takashi Murakami and Damien Hirst, as well as offering the unique opportunity to be a “Barcelona Board member for a day”, the money raised will go towards extending educational opportunities to children in Bangladesh, Indonesia & Nepal.
