Submitted by aarAdmin on Tue, 12/02/2014 - 00:00
Brett Whiteley’s Washing the Salt Off II 1984 was hotly contested at Sotheby’s Australia November 25 Sydney Important Australian & International Art auction, changing hands for $976,000 (including buyers premium) on a $800,000- $1,000,000 estimate.
The auction, comprising 72 paintings, reached $5.36 million – 65 per cent by volume and 102 per cent by value.
Seagull over Lavender Bay 1979 by the same artist sold for $732,000 – cementing Whiteley’s pre-eminence as one of Australia’s most sought after artist.
Setting a new auction record for the Australian leading modernist, Grace Cossington Smith’s The Window 1956 sold for $671,000 against a pre-sale estimate of $250,000-$350,000.
Another highlight was Hans Heysen’s Bushfire, Hahndorf, South Australia 1912 – conveying the terror and immense destruction caused by Australian bushfires and selling to a telephone bidder for $244,000.
Jeffrey Smart’s The Four Closed Shops (1982) was a highlight from a private collection of modern art assembled in Melbourne over the past 50 years.
The painting exceeded its high estimate and sold for $695,400 (estimate $350,000-450,000).
Also from this collection Bridget Riley’s Study 1970 Orange, Violet and Green Twists in Different Proportions 1970 was contested by local and international bidders and achieved $51,240.
The remarkable story of Rupert Bunny’s Au Soleil (Girl in Sunlight) (1913), which was stolen in 1991 and recovered after being hidden from the public for nearly 20 years, has secured a new owner – selling for $244,000.
Australian Impressionism featured strongly in the sale including Tom Roberts’ With Wistful Eyes (1889) that nearly doubled its high estimate and achieved $158,600 (estimate $60,000-80,000).
