Bowie / Collector #3

Harold Gilman
Interior (Mrs Mounter), 1917
Oil on canvas
£150,000-250,000

Gilman

Harold Gilman’s painting, an essay in stillness, of the remains of the day, appears at first glance to be anything but revolutionary. But in the context of British art in the early 20th century, it is, in its own quiet and covert way, very radical.

This was a new kind of subject, a suburban lodger and part-time charlady, lost in thought in a nondescript room in an ordinary London house. For art to be modern, artists like Gilman demanded that it should be concerned with the everyday life of the city, with the peripheral and unseen, with the working classes.

All of this must not have been lost on Bowie, a boy born in Brixton just after the Second World War, when much of London’s housing stock was still as it was in the early part of the century – grand Georgian houses subdivided into flats and bedsits, with tall thin sash windows, linoleum floors and a stove for heat.

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Photograph from Sotheby's Hong Kong

Bowie / Collector #2

A Glimpse inside the Collection

Frank Auerbach
Head of Gerda Boehm, 1965
Oil on board
£300,000-500,000

Auerbach

“My God, yeah! I want to sound like that looks” – David Bowie on Frank Auerbach’s work, quoted in the New York Times, 1998.

Bowie loved the rich, sculptural effects of Auerbach’s paintings (“I find his kind of basrelief way of painting extraordinary. Sometimes I’m not really sure if I’m dealing with sculpture or painting”), and clearly felt a deep affinity with the  artist, whose work could provoke in him a whole gamut of reactions: “It will give spiritual weight to my angst. Some mornings I’ll look at it and go, “Oh, God, yeah! I know!’’ But that same painting, on a different day, can produce in me an incredible feeling of the triumph of trying to express myself as an artist.” [Ibid]  

Head of Gerda Boehm, a portrait of the artist’s cousin, was last exhibited at the Royal Academy, when Bowie lent the work to Auerbach’s much heralded retrospective in 2001.

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Photograph from Sotheby's Hong Kong.

Bowie / Collector #1

David Bowie’s Personal Art Collection to be Unveiled for the First Time Important Paintings by 20th-Century Masters including Basquiat, Hirst and Auerbach to Lead a Major 10-Day Exhibition and Auction at Sotheby’s in London

Musician, actor, icon — David Bowie was for almost 50 years one of the most recognised and revered artists in the world, his influence transcending music to shape the wider culture of our time. His life as an art collector, however, was something he kept almost entirely hidden from public view. Now, for the first time, this little-known side of Bowie will be fully revealed. “Eclectic, unscripted, understated: David Bowie’s collection offers a unique insight into the personal world of one of the 20th century’s greatest creative spirits.” Oliver Barker, Chairman, Sotheby’s Europe.

In November this year, Sotheby’s will stage Bowie/Collector – a three-part sale that includes a selection of around 400 items from the private collection of David Bowie. At its heart will be Bowie’s collection of Modern and Contemporary British art – a richly stimulating group of over 200 works by many of the most important British artists of the 20th century, including Henry Moore, Graham Sutherland, Frank Auerbach and Damien Hirst. Bowie’s famously inquisitive mind also led him to Outsider Art, Surrealism, Contemporary African art and, not least, to the work of the eccentric Italian designer Ettore Sottsass and the Memphis group. This is a collection put together with great thoughtfulness on the basis not of reputation but of Bowie’s highly personal, intellectual response to

each artist’s individual vision.

From 1–10 November, Bowie’s private collection will be exhibited at Sotheby’s New Bond Street galleries in London, giving fans, art historians and collectors a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to immerse themselves in the art and objects that informed his private world.

The landmark November exhibition will be preceded by a series of previews around the world, starting with a three-week exhibition of selected works in London this summer, from 20 July until 9 August.  Further exhibitions will follow in Los Angeles, New York and Hong Kong. The sale catalogue will be available in early October. Register for a copy here or visit: sothebys.com/BowieCollector

A spokesperson for the Estate of David Bowie said, “David’s art collection was fuelled by personal interest and compiled out of passion. He always sought and encouraged loans from the collection and enjoyed sharing the works in his custody. Though his family are keeping certain pieces of particular

personal significance, it is now time to give others the opportunity to appreciate – and acquire – the art and objects he so admired.”

Bowie & the Art World

The depth of Bowie’s engagement with the art world cannot be overemphasised. He was an artist, critic, patron, publisher, curator and magazine editor, with London – and Modern British art – at the heart of this passion. In 1994 – in a characteristically unorthodox move for a rock superstar – he joined an invitationonly academic coterie on the editorial board of Modern Painters magazine, for which he interviewed the likes of Jeff Koons, Damien Hirst and Tracey Emin. In 1998, he launched the art-book publishing company 21 alongside Karen Wright, then editor of Modern Painters, the gallerist Bernard Jacobson and Sir Timothy Sainsbury.  His time at 21 is best remembered for perhaps the most infamous hoax in recent art history, when Bowie hosted an elaborate party at Jeff Koons’ Manhattan studio for the launch of a book celebrating the life and work of a mysterious artist named Nat Tate, a wholly fictional creation of his friend, the novelist William Boyd.

Bowie painted throughout his life and was immersed in the artistic communities not only of London, but also of New York and Berlin. He first met Andy Warhol at the legendary ‘Factory’ studio in New York in 1971; and was critically acclaimed for his portrayal of the American Pop pioneer in Julian Schnabel’s 1996 biopic, Basquiat.

The Collection in Focus 

Simon Hucker, Senior Specialist in Modern & Post-War British Art at Sotheby’s, said:

“As a collector, Bowie looked for artists with whom he felt some connection, and for works

that had the power to move or inspire him. This is what led him to British art of the early

and mid-20th century in particular, which, of course, also led him home.”

Born and raised in South London, it is perhaps no surprise that Bowie was drawn to chroniclers of the capital’s streets such as Harold Gilman, Frank Auerbach and Leon Kossoff, whose tutor and inspiration David Bomberg Bowie also collected in depth.  Away from the city, the British landscape was also a constant source of fascination for Bowie, represented here by the St Ives school and later post-war and contemporary painters such as Ivon Hitchens and John Virtue.

Bowie’s collecting was by no means limited to British art: from early century pioneers such as Marcel Duchamp to Jean-Michel Basquiat (represented in the summer London preview by his 1984 masterpiece Air Power), to Contemporary African art and ‘Outsider’ artists from the Gugging Institute in Vienna, the collection is truly breathtaking in its scope, encompassing paintings, drawings, sculpture, prints and photographs. Set to be unveiled in its entirety in the coming weeks and months, it reveals a collector of far-reaching interests, intellectual rigour and subtle vision.

Bowie was also a voracious collector of the work of Ettore Sottsass and his revolutionary Memphis Design group.

Cécile Verdier, Co-Head of 20th Century Design at Sotheby’s, said: “The works produced by the historical avant-garde design collaborative Memphis Milano, led by Ettore Sottsass, could not have found a more receptive and tuned-in audience than David Bowie. This is design with no limits and no boundaries. When you look at a piece of Memphis design, you see their unconventionality, the kaleidoscope of forms and patterns; the vibrant contrasting colours that really shouldn’t work but really do.”

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Photograph from Sotheby's Hong Kong

Marking the Start of the International Tour of Highlights from Defining British Art

To mark the start of the international tour of highlights from Christie’s 250th anniversary London sale Defining British Art, Christie’s announces the sale of three further major works by three of the great modern British painters of the 20th Century which will be sold in London on the 30 June 2016. The paintings by Francis Bacon (left), Sir Stanley Spencer, offered from the Andrew Lloyd Webber Foundation, (top right) and L.S Lowry (bottom right) were executed in 1968, 1929 and 1951 respectively. Each defines a high point in the artists’ careers at moments when their invention established them as innovative geniuses of their generation. These highlights will be on public view in New York (6-12 May) and Hong Kong (26 to 30 May) alongside other renowned paintings by Lucian Freud, Lord Leighton and Sir Joshua Reynolds, before being sold in London, when Christie’s celebrates the artistic legacy of four centuries of British art at the global headquarters in London from 17 June to 15 July. 

Francis Bacon’s landmark work Version No. 2 of Lying Figure with Hypodermic Syringe, 1968, is a soaring canvas that shows Bacon at his most formally inventive and is a rare example of a female nude in his practice. (Estimate on Request: in the region of £20 million). Apparently based in part on a photograph of Henrietta Moraes, one Bacon’s inner circle and closest companions from Soho’s Colony Club, the work is one of the last of a major series of reclining figures on beds, a theme that had preoccupied Bacon since the late 1950s, that are amongst his most renowned works. One of the few paintings of lying figures with syringes that Bacon made in the late 1960s, two others of which are now housed in the Museo Nacional de Arte Reina Sofia in Madrid and the Fondation Beyeler in Basel, the work was previously a centrepiece in the much celebrated Vanthournout collection. The painting also provides a rare insight to Bacon’s understanding of Abstract Expressionism and in particular the legendary painting of women by Willem de Kooning; the central figure of Bacon’s canvas is described by swathes of abstract brushwork that animate her entire being, describing not only an external appearance but also the psychological drama of the 20th-century human condition. The work is one of the few reclining nudes to come to the market in recent years and follows the standout performance of Portrait of Henrietta Moraes (1963) at Christie’s in May 2015. 

The Garage, 1929, is one of an important series of five pictures - defining the industrial rebuilding and growth of Britain at the end of the 1920s - by Sir Stanley Spencer, R.A. (1891–1959), a key artist in the history of 20th century figurative painting. This is one of the largest and most successful works in the series commissioned by the Empire Marketing Board on the theme of Industry and Peace. Painted in 1929, when industry was critical to the future of the country and the Empire, and with the Wall Street crash looming, the car industry would prove vital to the regeneration of the country. Britain was seeking to replicate the new modern success story which had blossomed in America with the Ford Motor Company. One of the finest works by Spencer from this period to come to auction, this panorama captures not only a technological but social phenomenon: depicting women and men working together as equals; intrepid, modern, forward looking and glamorous. Celebrated for his visionary style and intensity of technique, this magnificent painting exemplifies Spencer’s characteristically complex figurative work. Compositionally, the rich curves and angles of the cars and the equipment tie the multiple characters together, creating an overarching balance and harmony. This remarkable painting is being offered for sale by the Andrew Lloyd Webber Foundation, which will use the proceeds to further develop its worldwide support of vital projects that enhance arts education and participation, improve access and increase diversity across arts, culture and heritage. The painting is estimated to realise between £1.5 and £2.5 million. 

Laurence Stephen Lowry, R.A. (1887-1976) dedicated 40 years of his career to depicting the urban and industrial landscape of the North of England, drawing inspiration from his surroundings, particularly around Manchester where he lived from 1909 to 1948 (estimate: £1.5-2.5 million). Painted in 1951, Industrial scene is a highly complex landscape, combining many of Lowry’s trademark motifs to create an extensive urban panorama. Filled with figures and houses against a background teeming with factories with billowing smoke from towering chimney stacks, this is one of the artist’s most compositionally successful and well-balanced industrial scenes. Characteristically, this is not a topographically accurate view but one that Lowry composed from many recognisable landmarks which recur throughout his work. This painting highlights the way that Lowry often painted from an elevated viewpoint, giving the hurrying figures in Industrial scene a particularly diminutive feel, as they become almost engulfed within the urban sprawl that fades into the background, pulling the viewer into the heart of the scene. Lowry was fascinated with exploring the changing face of industry on both the landscape and the human figure. He painted some of his most successful industrial landscapes in the early 1950s, many of which are now held in public collections; the present work provides collectors with a rare opportunity to acquire an exemplary work from a private collection. 

Ever since James Christie first opened his doors for business in 1766, in St James’s London, where the headquarters remain today, Christie’s has championed British art and artists, with both Reynolds and Gainsborough among the regular visitors to Christie’s salerooms. The greatest masterpieces are those that define the artist; paintings and sculpture that reflect the quintessential nature of that artist’s lasting legacy. Christie’s Loan Exhibition and Evening Sale will present works which exemplify this.

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Defining British Art

London - An intimate family portrait by Lucian Freud painted in 1992 (below); a pivotal example from 1864 of British Aestheticism at auction for the first time in 100 years by Frederic, Lord Leighton (below); and from 1778, an exquisite portrait by Sir Joshua Reynolds on the market for the first time (below), are among the great works of British art to be offered in a sale alongside an exhibition which will launch Christie's 250th anniversary in London this June. Building on the success of Christie's pioneering series of curated Evening Sales to date, including Looking Forward to the Past and The Artist's Muse in 2015, Christie's will celebrate the artistic legacy of four centuries of British artists, with Defining British Art: Evening Sale (30 June) and Defining British Art: Loan Exhibition (17 June to 15 July). These Evening Sale highlights, a trio of exceptional figurative paintings which come from major private collections and illustrate the evolving face and social customs of British portraiture over three centuries, are among the works that will tour to Christie's New York: 6 to 12 May and Christie's Hong Kong: 26 May to 30 May.

Ever since James Christie first opened his doors for business in 1766, in St James’s London, where the headquarters remain today, Christie’s has championed British art and artists, with both Reynolds and Gainsborough among the regular visitors to Christie’s salerooms. The greatest masterpieces are those that define the artist; paintings and sculpture that reflect the quintessential nature of that artist’s lasting legacy. Christie’s Loan Exhibition and Evening Sale will present works which exemplify this.

Orlando Rock, Chairman, Christie's UK: ' A celebration of Britain's artistic achievement, the Defining British Art Loan Exhibition and Evening Sale will break new ground for Christie's, charting the evolution of British art over the last 400 years.  A fitting launch to Christie's 250th Anniversary celebrations in London and inspired by James Christie's own innovative spirit, the sale and exhibition will create dynamic juxtapositions and, we hope, inspire artists and collectors of the future. Open to all, I would like to encourage not only those who are already friends of Christie's but also those we have yet to welcome, to share in these celebrations and become part of our next chapter, looking ahead to the next 250 years and beyond.

Jussi Pylkkänen, Global President of Christie’s International: “On the night of 30 June here in London we will hold a landmark sale of major paintings and sculpture to celebrate our 250th year. The auction will be the first sale of its kind to span four centuries of great British painting from Sir Joshua Reynolds to Frederic, Lord Leighton and Lucian Freud. Our specialists from across the globe have worked together to curate what promises to be a fascinating overview of British Art.”

LUCIAN FREUD (1922–2011)

Ib and her husband

oil on canvas

66 ¼ x 57 ¾ in. (168.3 x 146.7 cm.)

Painted in 1992

Estimate on request (in the region of £18 million)

Lucian Freud Ib and Her Husband, 1992, is a scene of family affection: (Estimate on Request: in the region of £18 million). The tender brushstrokes that describe the entwined figures of Freud’s daughter Ib (Isobel Boyt) embraced by her partner Pat Costelloe, give a glimpse into the world of the artist’s family at a moment of extreme intimacy: Ib’s pregnancy. Freud’s paintings of his daughters trace an ever-growing tenderness between father and child that was only forged later in life, since Freud had been absent for much of Ib’s childhood. This painting has been exhibited in Freud’s major retrospective, ‘Lucian Freud: Recent Work’ (1993-4) which took place in London, The Whitechapel Art Gallery; New York, Metropolitan Museum of Art and Madrid, Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofía. 

Frederic, Lord Leighton, P.R.A. (1830-1896)

Golden Hours

oil on canvas

31 1/2 x 49 in. (80 x 124.5 cm.)

Painted in 1864

Estimate: £3,000,000-5,000,000

At auction for the first time in 100 years, Golden Hours, 1864, by Frederic, Lord Leighton (1830–1896) is a celebration of youth, beauty, and love, three universal elements which transcend time and geographies (estimate: £3-5 million). Transporting the viewer to 16th century Venice and the world of Giorgione, this work is recognised as a pivotal masterpiece of British Aestheticism, allowing the viewer to revel in the seductive atmosphere, and to dream. With most major works by Leighton in museum collections, this is one of the last remaining examples in private hands. Last seen in public 20 years ago, it was exhibited in the Leighton retrospective at the Royal Academy of Arts in 1996.

Sir Joshua Reynolds, P.R.A. (1723-1792)

Portrait of Lucy Long, Mrs George Hardinge (d. 1820), daughter and heiress of Richard Long of Hinxton, Cambridgeshire, in a white dress with a sheer brown scarf and a ribbon and pearls in her hair, with her spaniel, in a landscape

oil on canvas

50 1/8 x 40 1/4 in. (127.3 x 102.1 cm.)

Painted in 1778

Estimate: £2,000,000 - £3,000,000

Never previously offered for sale, Sir Joshua Reynolds, P.R.A. Portrait of Lucy Long, Mrs George Hardinge - a society beauty - is one of the finest works by the artist to come to the market in a generation (estimate: £2-3 million). Preserved in remarkable condition, this is a prime example of the work of the first President of the Royal Academy, who was a close friend and advisor to James Christie. Offered from the collections at Harewood House, Yorkshire, it was originally painted for Georgina, Lady Peachey in 1778, two years after Christie’s was founded. A prime date for the artist, it has passed by direct descent through the Marquess’ of Clanricarde to the present day. Last included in a public exhibition at the Royal Academy in 1934, this painting has not been seen outside of Harewood for over 80 years.

Further details about Evening Sale highlights will be available in May.

The Loan Exhibition will present many outstanding British art works that have been handled by Christie’s in the last 250 years, including examples by leading artists working in Britain (open free to the public from 17 June to 15 July).

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Photos: by Christie's