ICONIC PORTRAIT DE MARJORIE FERRY LEADING HIGHLIGHT OF CHRISTIE’S IMPRESSIONIST AND MODERN ART EVENING SALE
London – Tamara de Lempicka’s Portrait de Marjorie Ferry (1932, estimate: £8,000,000-12,000,000) will be a leading highlight of Christie’s Impressionist and Modern Art Evening Sale on 5 February 2020, co-leading the auction. The painting was commissioned by the husband of the British-born cabaret star Marjorie Ferry at the height of Lempicka’s fame in Paris where she was the most sought-after and celebrated female modernist painter. She was also recognised as an influential socialite who was determinedly independent. By 1930 Lempicka had become the première portraitist in demand among both wealthy Europeans and Americans, specifically with those who had an eye for classicised modernism.
Keith Gill, Head of Evening Sale, Impressionist and Modern Art Christie’s:
“Tamara de Lempicka’s striking portraits came to symbolise the exuberance and freedom of the post-war society during the 1920s and early 30s. Portrait de Marjorie Ferry is one of the artist’s most iconic paintings, last seen at auction 10 years ago when it rightly set the record at the time for her work, sold from the collection of legendary fashion designer Wolfgang Joop. Marjorie Ferry married a financier who commissioned Lempicka in 1932 to create this exquisitely painted composition that not only captures the vibrancy of its sitter but reflects the Art Deco style that had defined the previous decade. Lempicka’s work has seen renewed interest in recent years with great prices being achieved and we are honoured to present Portrait de Marjorie Ferry as one of the leading highlights of the Impressionist and Modern Art Evening Sale.”
This February 2020, Christie’s London presents The Impressionist & Modern Art Evening Sale — a historically significant auction of Impressionist & Modern art. Tamara de Lempicka’s Portrait de Marjorie Ferry (1932), and Alberto Giacometti’s Trois hommes qui marchent (Grand plateau) (1948), will both lead the Impressionist and Modern Art Evening Sale. Further highlights include George Grosz’s politically charged Gefährliche Straße (1918), and a rare Fauve period still life by Vlaminck Nature morte à la table verte (1907), both of which have remained in private collections for over 50 years and will appear at auction for the first time. A group of three still lifes by Pablo Picasso demonstrate his career-long dedication to evolving the genre with exceptional examples from the 1940s, 50s and 60s: La cafetière (1943); Intérieur au pot de fleurs (1953), and Nature morte au chien (1962). Works on paper by Gino Severini, Egon Schiele, Paul Klee, Pablo Picasso and Max Ernst provide intimate insight into key artists of the 20th century.
CHRISTIE’S IMPRESSIONIST AND MODERN ART EVENING SALE
Auction
London
8 King Street
St. James ‘s
5 Feb, 7pm
Viewing
London, King Street
30 Jan, 10am – 8pm
31 Jan, 9am – 4:30pm
1 Feb, 11am – 5pm
2 Feb, 11am – 5pm
3 Feb, 9am – 4:30pm
4 Feb, 9am – 3pm