Collector pieces in Melbourne art auction

At $1.5 million high catalogue estimate, Howard Arkley’s (1951-1999) Neapolitan delight 1993 (lot 24) leads strong collector value works in Duetscher and Hackett’s forthcoming Sydney art auction, from 7pm Wednesday May 7 at 36 Gosbell Street Paddington.

Almost $11 million estimated worth of paintings and sculptures (76 in total) are up for grabs in the sale.

One of two Arkley paintings in the auction – the second is titled Floral Interior 1996 (lot 25) – the painting is typical of the artist’s preoccupation with Australian suburbia over many years.

When asked about his obsession by a British interviewer during his 1999 stint as Australian representative to the Venice Biennale, Arkley responded that that was where 95 per cent of Australian lived.

Leading Nineteenth/20^th century Australian landscape impressionist artist Arthur Streeton (1867-1943) is well represented with Brander’s Ferry 1889 (lot 9) and La Salute 1908 (lot 10) with respective catalogue estimates of $500,000-$700,000 and $450,000-$650,000.

The first painting was part of the now famous 9 by 5 Impression Exhibition of 1889 – a landmark event in Australian art history organised by three relatively young artists Charles Condor, Tom Roberts and Arthur Streeton keen to make their mark.

It has a distinctive provenance because respected 19^th century society member Madam Pfund, who ran the exclusive St Kilda girls’ school Oberwyl, bought the painting direct from the exhibition.

La Salute is typical of Streeton’s time spent in Venice where he painted several canal scenes that exhibited his extraordinary talent for capturing the shimmering light and ethereal beauty of the romantic Italian city.

Leading Melbourne businessman and Streeton patron Arthur Sydney Baillieu (1872-1943) bought the painting which has been in various branches of the family ever since.

Another Australian impressionist John Peter Russell (1858-1930) makes a strong impact with Portofino c1914 (lot 11).

With his inherited wealth, Russell was able to travel to Europe and spend time in Paris alongside leading French impressionists Emile Bernard, Henri Toulouse-Lautrec and later Vincent van Gogh.

A summer of 1886 trip to Belle-Ile, one of a group of islands off the Brittany coast, afforded Russell the chance to meet Claude Monet who took a liking to the young Australian and permitted him to watch him work.

This was a breakthrough for Russell who then used his new style in paintings later made in Italy and Sicily, including the one up for auction.

Iconic Australian artist John Brack (1920-1999) demonstrates his legendary prowess with Iceland poppies 1954 (lot 16) – the first of a small group of still life paintings completed in the 1950s.

Another Brack work is Flowers and leaves 1958 (lot 17), once again showing the artist’s ability to find subjects of worth in his immediate surroundings, along with Seven on the table 1990 (lot 23).

Ian Fairweather (1891-1974) had the distinction of his 1936 painting Tombs in Peking (lot 14) being purchased from London’s Redfern Gallery that year by Lady Strathcona – the work then passed down through the family.

Fairweather was recognised for his uncanny ability to meld Chinese and Western ideas and techniques following two visits to China from 1929-1933 and 1935-1936 and Tombs in Peking is one of the best examples.

Other important works include Russel Drysdale’s (1912-1981) The fossicker 1949 (lot 15), Jeffrey Smart’s The park 1959 (lot 18), Sidney Nolan’s (1917-1992) Kelly and floating policeman c1964 (lot 19) and Charles Blackman’s (1928-2018) Head of Alice with cup and saucer 1956 (lot 20).

 

Viewing:

Melbourne

1pm-6pm Friday April 25

11am-6pm Saturday April 26 and Sunday April 27

105 Commercial Road, South Yarra

Sydney:

11am-6pm Thursday May 1 to Tuesday May 6

36 Gosbell Street, Paddington