Leonard Joel adapts to changing auction art trends

In Leonard Joel’s 95^th year as an auction house, head of art Sophie Ullen reflects in the latest catalogue on how the business has adapted to changing Australian and European art trends while retaining its eclectic appetite for all fine art periods as the company gets ready for its fine art auction from 6.30pm Tuesday September 16 at 333 Malvern Road, South Yarra.

“It seems to me that in 2014 a street art auction, a contemporary art sale or even the estate of Pro Hart sits as comfortably at Leonard Joel as the traditional fine art categories,” she said.

With this in mind, she has shared three works from the periods that are represented in the auction.

The first, Clarice Beckett’s Eternity (lot 78), reminds Sophie of how the artist’s atmospheric landscapes always succeeded in happily transporting her mind elsewhere.

The second, Billabong (lot 17) by Henri Bastin reminds Sophie of her childhood growing up in a home overflowing with naïve art – and the third Dean Bowen’s Aeroplane Boy (lot 55) as an additional member of the family, full of character but asking little in return.

The three works are among an eclectic mix of art from many periods and regions.