Paire de boutons de manchettes en ivoire sculpté figurant des têtes de bouddhas.
Paire de boutons de manchettes en ivoire sculpté figurant des têtes de bouddhas. photo courtesy Artcurial
Dans leur écrin - Estimation : 500 / 700 €
Artcurial - Briest-Poulain-F.Tajan - Paris. Vente du Mercredi 31 mars 2010. Hôtel Dassault - 7 Rond Point des Champs-Elysées - 75008 - Paris. Pour toute information complémentaire, veuillez contacter Julie Valade au +33 1 42 99 16 41
Albrecht Dürer, woodcuts & engravings @ Christie's
Albrecht Dürer, Knight, Death and the Devil (B. 98; M., Holl. 74; S.M.S. 69), engraving, 1513. Photo: Christie's Images Ltd., 2010
without watermark, a fine and early Meder a/b impression, printing with great contrast and clarity, trimmed to the platemark, with thread margins in places, occasionally very narrowly remargined and with tiny touches of pen and ink at the extreme sheet edge, remains of old paper tape along the sheet edges verso, a tiny thin spot below, otherwise in excellent condition - P., S. 247 x 190 mm. Est. £100,000 - £150,000. Sold £241,250
Provenance: R. H. Saklikower (not in Lugt); Karl & Faber, Munich, 2 May 1960, lot 87 (DM 14.000).
Notes: With the completion of the Life of the Virgin and the publication of the four woodcut books in 1511, Dürer had changed the medium and transformed the woodcut from a means of illustration to an art form. In the following year, his attention turned once more to engraving, determined to take this technique also to its limits. He began on a small format by completing his series of the Engraved Passion with a few densely worked plates, characterised by intense chiaroscuro effects and a tonal quality never attempted before in an engraving. In 1513 then, he launched into the creation of his most ambitious works in any medium, the three 'Meisterstiche': Knight, Death and the Devil, Saint Jerome in his Study (see the following lot), and Melencolia I.
Whether these three engravings were initially conceived as a series remains unclear, yet they are united by a similar format, a similar date of execution (1513 and 1514) and the concentration on a single figure in a symbolically charged environment. As an overarching theme, the three figures embody three alternative modes of a virtuous life: that of the knight, the scholar and the artist.
Dürer himself referred to Knight, Death and the Devil, as it is known today, simply as 'the rider', thereby leaving room for much speculation, with the interpretations of the figure of the knight ranging from emperor to pope to heretic and robber baron. There can be little doubt, however, that his knight is a a heroic figure, who fears neither death nor the devil. Today it is the generally accepted view that he represents the ideal of the Christian Knight or 'miles christianus', a concept which stems from the Epistles of Paul, but was revived in Dürer's times by Erasmus of Rotterdam in 1503.
In fine and early impressions, such as the present one, it becomes clear that, as much as a depiction of a spiritual concept, Knight, Death and the Devil is also a formal endeavour. In this print, Dürer developed a whole new vocabulary of graphic means, and with a staggering variety of different lines described the glistening hair of horse, the shaggy fur of the dog, the shining armour, the dull rocks, the spiky bushes, the distant landscape, and most subtle effects of the cold light of winter on a multitude of surfaces and textures. He tried - and arguably succeeded - to depict with mere black lines on paper what had previously only been attempted with the brush and oil paint.
The full extent of Dürer's ambition becomes apparent when one considers the direct precusors to Dürer's rider: Donatello's Gattamelata in Padua and Verrocchio's Colleoni in Venice, the two great equestrian statues of the 15th century, both of which Dürer had seen on his journeys to Italy. With this engraving, he was not just competing with painting, but with sculpture - and with two of the most revered artists of the Italian renaissance.
It is the complexity and intellectual depth of the subject, the unrivalled technical mastery with which Dürer executed it, and the sheer ambition and confidence that drove him, which make Death, Knight and the Devil one of the most impressive and desirable works in the print medium.
Albrecht Dürer, Saint Jerome in his Study (B. 60; M., Holl. 59; S.M.S. 70), engraving, 1514. Photo: Christie's Images Ltd., 2010
without watermark, a fine, warm and atmospheric Meder a/b impression, the dark vertical bands evident in the upper part of the subject, trimmed to the subject, very narrowly remargined, with touches of pen and ink in places at the extreme sheet edge, two short un-inked hairlines, one just below the bench, the other in the arch to the right of the window, a tiny surface abrasion just below the central window arch, an unobtrusive horizontal crease on the reverse probably inherent in the paper (not visible recto), remains of old paper tape along the sheet edges verso, with a few small thin spots at the lower edge, generally in very good condition - P., S. 243 x 186 mm. Est. £70,000 - £100,000. Sold £79,250
Notes: Saint Jerome was one of the fathers of the Church and author of the Vulgate - the early 5th century version of the Bible in Latin. By Dürer's time he had, as a scholar and Latinist, become an iconic figure for the humanists. Here he is immediately identifiable by his attributes - the cardinal's hat and the lion - as he sits writing at his desk in a small chamber. It is a friendly room where one might feel welcome, were it not for the lion and a sleeping dog guarding the entrance, and the wooden bench turned away from us as if to shield the saint from any intrusion.
Dated 1514, Saint Jerome in his Study was engraved one year after Knight, Death and the Devil (see previous lot), and like the earlier print, it is full of reminders of death: the human skull on the window ledge, the crucifix on the desk, the candle and the hour glass, and the fly whisk can be read as a reference to the devil. Yet while the knight is physically confronted with death and the devil, Saint Jerome comtemplates them in the quiet and warmth of his study.
It is the bright sunlight (still out-shone by the saint's halo) falling through the windows and filling the room with warmth, described by Dürer with dazzling virtuosity, which is the formal theme of this print, and which make it one of the most charming and best-loved of all of Dürer's engravings.
Albrecht Dürer (1471-1528), Adam and Eve (B., Meder, Holl. 1; Schoch, Mende and Scherbaum 39), engraving, 1514. Photo: Christie's Images Ltd., 2010
with part of a Small Jug watermark (M. 158, dated circa 1525), Meder III, the watermark suggesting a printing date between Meder a and b, brownish and warm, printing clearly and with good contrasts, the finest shading mainly on Eve beginning to wear, trimmed to or just inside the borderline, in excellent condition - S. 249 x 189 mm. Est. £30,000 - £50,000
Albrecht Dürer, The Four Horsemen, from: The Apocalypse (B. 64; M., Holl. 167; S.M.S. 115), woodcut, circa 1497-98. Photo: Christie's Images Ltd., 2010
without watermark, a very good though slightly uneven impression, printing particularly well at the upper right, slightly dry towards the centre and lower left, from the Latin text edition of 1511, with thread margins or trimmed to the borderline, with a short tear and small paper loss at the lower right corner, another small loss at the right edge (just touching the horse's head), a worm-hole at the lower left sheet edge, all with old inked-in repairs, some short tears and nicks at the sheet edges, the title inscribed in pen and ink verso in an old French hand - B., S. 395 x 280 mm. Est. £25,000 - £35,000
Albrecht Dürer, The Dream of the Doctor (B. 76; M., Holl. 70; S.M.S. 18), engraving, circa 1498. Photo: Christie's Images Ltd., 2010
without watermark, a Meder d/e impression, slightly smudged at upper right, trimmed to or just inside the borderline, a tiny repair in the cloth above the woman's left thigh, a small made-up area at the lower edge to the right of the monogram, traces of old adhesive on the reverse where previously mounted - S. 185 x 117 mm. Est. £7,000 - £10,000. Sold £15,000
Albrecht Dürer, Pilate washing his Hands, from: The Engraved Passion (B., M., Holl. 11; S.M.S. 53), engraving, 1512. Photo: Christie's Images Ltd., 2010
without watermark, a good Meder b impression, trimmed on the platemark, some very minor staining at the upper right sheet corner where laid onto an album sheet, very minor foxing mostly visible verso; with Christ before Caiaphas (B., M., Holl. 6; S.M.S. 48) from the same series, engraving, 1512, without watermark, a good Meder b impression, trimmed on the platemark, with thread margins in places, in good condition; and Saints Peter and John at the Gate of the Temple (B., M., Holl. 18; S.M.S. 60) from the same series, engraving, 1513, without watermark, Meder b, trimmed to or on the platemark, two soft, unobtrusive horizontal creases, otherwise in good condition; all laid onto album sheets at the upper corners - P., S. 117 x 74 mm. (and similar) (3). Est. £6,000 - £8,000. Sold £6,875
Albrecht Dürer, Christ Carrying the Cross, from: The Engraved Passion (B., M., Holl. 12; S.M.S. 54), engraving, 1512. Photo: Christie's Images Ltd., 2010
without watermark, a good Meder b impression, trimmed to the subject, several foxmarks mainly visible in the light areas, otherwise in good condition; with Christ crowned with Thorns (B., M., Holl. 9; S.M.S. 51) from the same series, engraving, 1512, without watermark, a good Meder b impression, trimmed on the platemark, an abrasion along the upper right sheet edge just touching the subject, otherwise in good condition; and The Flagellation (B., M., Holl., 8; S.M.S. 50) from the same series, engraving, 1512, without watermark, a good Meder c/d impression, trimmed to or on the platemark, a small backed area at the lower sheet edges, generally in good condition; all laid onto album sheets at upper corners - P., S. 117 x 74 mm. (and similar) (3). Est. £6,000 - £8,000. Sold £8,125
Albrecht Dürer, The Opening of the Fifth and Sixth Seal, from: The Apocalypse (B. 65; M., Holl. 168; S.M.S. 116), woodcut, circa 1497/98. Photo: Christie's Images Ltd., 2010
watermark Tower with Crown and Flower (M. 259), a very good impression from the Latin text edition of 1511, trimmed to or just outside the borderline, fractionally into the borderline at lower left, in very good condition - S. 390 x 281 mm. Est. £6,000 - £8,000. Sold £9,375
Albrecht Dürer, The Four Avenging Angels, from: The Apocalypse (B. 69; M., Holl. 171; S.M.S. 119), woodcut, circa 1496/98. Photo: Christie's Images Ltd., 2010
without watermark, a very good impression from the Latin text edition of 1511, trimmed on the borderline, circa 25 mm. of the left borderline filled in with pen and brown ink where printed thinly, a small skilfully backed area at the left sheet edge, one or two pinpoint foxmarks, paper tape along the right and left sheet edges verso, remains of cloth and paper hinges in places verso, generally in very good condition - S. 391 x 280 mm. Est. £6,000 - £8,000. Sold £9,375
Albrecht Dürer, Christ on the Cross, from: The Engraved Passion (B., M., Holl. 13; S.M.S. 55), engraving, 1511. Photo: Christie's Images Ltd., 2010
without watermark, Meder d/e, trimmed to or just outside the subject, stained and foxed, some minor creases, thinly backed; with Christ before Pilate (B., M., Holl. 7; S.M.S. 49) from the same series, engraving, 1512, without watermark, Meder c, trimmed to or just outside the platemark, foxed, a 2 mm. tear at the right sheet edge, the outer corner tips made up, the sheet thinly backed; and Ecce Homo (B., M., Holl. 10; S.M.S. 52) from the same series, engraving, 1512, without watermark, a good impression, trimmed to or just inside the subject, a repaired paper loss in the blank sky above, foxing, the sheet partially backed; all laid onto album sheets at upper sheet corners - P., S. 118 x 75 mm. (and similar) (3). Est. £6,000 - £8,000. Sold £5,250
Albrecht Dürer, The Harrowing of Hell, from: The Engraved Passion (B., M. Holl. 16; S.M.S. 58), engraving, 1512. Photo: Christie's Images Ltd., 2010
without watermark, a good Meder a impression, trimmed on or just inside the platemark, the tip of the lower left corner creased and a little frayed, generally in good condition; with The Resurrection (B., M., Holl. 17; S.M.S. 59) from the same series, engraving, 1512, watermark fragment High Crown, a very good Meder c impression, trimmed to the subject, an unobtrusive, vertical repaired paper split on Christ's chest, a small repaired paper loss in the tree at the right sheet edge, a 3 mm. tear at the right sheet edge, the tip of the lower right sheet corner made up, a horizontal and vertical central crease, flattened and mostly visible verso; and Christ on the Mount of Olives (B., M., Holl. 4; S.M.S. 46) from the same series, engraving, 1508, without watermark, a good Meder d impression, trimmed on or just outside the platemark, a small, backed repair on Saint Peter's chest, a 2 mm. repaired tear through his lower legs, some staining mainly in the lower part of the sheet; all laid onto album sheets at the upper corners - P., S. 115 x 74 mm. (and similar) (3). Est. £4,000 - £6,000. Sold £5,250
Albrecht Dürer, The Virgin and Child seated by a Tree (B. 35; M., Holl. 34; S.M.S. 67), engraving, 1513. Photo: Christie's Images Ltd., 2010
without watermark, a good Meder b/c impression, trimmed to the platemark above, with thread margins elsewhere, the upper right corner creased and with a small made-up loss at the outer tip, where the sheet is stuck to an album sheet, some very minor foxing mainly visible verso, otherwise in good condition - P., S. 118 x 76 mm. Est. £4,000 - £6,000. Sold £6,875
Albrecht Dürer, The Betrayal of Christ, from: The Engraved Passion (B., M. Holl. 5; S.M.S. 47), engraving, 1508. Photo: Christie's Images Ltd., 2010
without watermark, Meder f, trimmed to or just inside the platemark, generally in good condition; with The Man of Sorrows standing by the Column (B., M., Holl. 3; S.M.S. 45) from the same series, engraving, 1509, without watermark, Meder c/d, a slipped impression, with thread margins, small paper loss at the lower left margin just touching the platemark; The Deposition (B., M., Holl. 15; S.M.S. 57) from the same series, engraving, 1512, without watermark, Meder e, with thread margins, trimmed to the platemark at lower left; and Heinrich Aldegrever after Georg Pencz, The Four Evangelists (B., Holl. 57-60), the complete set of four engravings, 1539, without watermarks, good impressions, trimmed to the subjects, some very minor foxing mainly at the sheet edges, otherwise in good condition; all prints laid onto album sheets at the upper corners - P., S. 118 x 75 mm. (and similar) (Dürer) - S. 121 x 78 mm. (Aldegrever) (7). Est. £4,000 - £6,000. Sold £4,500
Albrecht Dürer, The Virgin with the Swaddled Child (B. 38; M., Holl. 40; S.M.S. 91), engraving, 1520. Photo: Christie's Images Ltd., 2010
watermark Small High Crown with pendant City Gate (cf. M. 45, dated circa 1550), a good, warm but slightly later impression, between Meder b and c, trimmed on or just inside the platemark, fractionally into the subject above, with thread margins in places, in very good condition - S. 141 x 96 mm. Est. £3,000 - £5,000. Sold £8,125
Albrecht Dürer, The Last Supper, from: The Large Passion (B. 5; M., Holl. 114; S.M.S. 155), woodcut, 1510,. Photo: Christie's Images Ltd., 2010
without watermark, a very good impression from the Latin text edition of 1511, trimmed to or on the borderline, some minor foxing, mainly toward the sheet edges, paper hinges in places at the sheet edges verso where previously laid down, otherwise in very good condition - S. 397 x 285 mm. Est. £3,000 - £4,000. Sold £3,250
Christie's. Old Master, Modern & Contemporary Prints. 31 March 2010. London, King Street www.christies.com
"Vertical Thoughts: Morton Feldman and the Visual Arts" @ the Irish Museum of Modern Art
Mark Rothko, "The Green Stripe", 1955. Oil on canvas, 170.2 x 141.7 cm, The Ménil Collection, Houston . ©1998 Kate Rothko Prizel & Christopher Rothko ARS, NY and DACS, London, 2010
DUBLIN.- An exhibition featuring works by many of America’s and Europe’s most celebrated 20th-century artists opens to the public at the Irish Museum of Modern Art on Wednesday 31 March 2010. "Vertical Thoughts: Morton Feldman and the Visual Arts" focuses on the work of the influential American composer Morton Feldman and the many leading visual artists with whom he was closely associated, including Philip Guston, Willem de Kooning, Jackson Pollock and Mark Rothko. The exhibition, the first of its kind in Europe, marks a decisive period in the coming together of two apparently distinct art forms, reflecting IMMA’s own multi-disciplinary approach to its programme.
Writing in the exhibition catalogue, South African composer Kevin Volans describes Morton Feldman as having “only one subject of conversation: music/art”, and Feldman himself stated that he learned more from painters than he learned from composers. These twin passions came together with his involvement with the New York School of artists, poets and musicians, which was active in the 1950s and ‘60s and was linked, especially, with the emergence of abstract expressionism and so-called action art. In 1967 Feldman curated an exhibition entitled Six Painters in Houston, Texas, which presented the work of Philip Guston, Franz Kline, Willem de Kooning, Piet Mondrian, Jackson Pollock and Mark Rothko.
"Vertical Thoughts" takes the 1967 exhibition as its starting point and includes a number of works, such as Mark Rothko’s "The Green Stripe", 1955, shown in the Houston exhibition. It also illustrates how these works, which are defined by their abstract qualities, inspired Feldman’s equally abstract compositions, which had little connection to traditional compositional systems and which experimented with established musical notation. The exhibition goes further than Six Painters, however, by showing other examples by the six artists’ paintings, which display similar qualities, and works by other artists who were equally influential in Feldman’s work, including Francesco Clemente, Barnett Newman, Jasper Johns, Robert Rauschenberg, Ad Reinhardt, R. B. Kitaj, Sonja Sekula, Alex Katz and Cy Twombly. The composer’s direct relationship with the artists and their work can be seen in compositions such as For Philip Guston, 1984, one of his most ambitious works lasting four and a half hours, and Rothko Chapel, 1971, commissioned on the death of Mark Rothko and performed in a chapel which housed his paintings.
"Vertical Thoughts" features artworks from Feldman’s former collection, as well as from several of the world’s leading galleries, including The Museum of Modern Art, New York; The National Gallery, Washington; The Tate Gallery, London; The Ménil Collection, Houston, and IVAM, Valencia. It also presents music scores, record covers, photographs and documents. A number of Oriental rugs, formally owned by Feldman, which function in a similarly inspirational way to the Abstract Expressionist paintings, are also being shown. The scope of the exhibition is extended further by the showing of films on de Kooning and Pollock, which had scores composed by Feldman. There will also be an accompanying music programme at IMMA, including performances of Rothko’s Chapel, Triadic Memories and The King of Denmark.
Born in New York City in 1926, Morton Feldman was a child prodigy who began composing at the age of nine. In the 1940s he fell under the influence of the early avant-garde composers, going on to become a pioneer of indeterminate music, a development associated with the experimental New York School of composers, which also included John Cage and Christian Wolff. From the 1950s Feldman began to write pieces which bore no relationship to traditional compositional systems and which experimented with musical notation. Feldman found inspiration for these works in the paintings of the Abstract Expressionists and wrote a number of pieces in honour of artists who had become his close friends.
Francesco Clemente, "Portrait of Morton Feldman", 1982-87. Watercolour on paper, 36.2 x 50.8 cm. Collection of Alba and Francesco Clemente, ©Francesco Clemente Studio
Philip Guston, Painting, 1954, oil on canvas, 160.6 x 152.7 cm, The Museum of Modern Art New York, Philip Johnson Fund, 1956, DIGITAL IMAGE ©2009
Collectors enthuse over drawings offered by Katrin Bellinger at Colnaghi at Le Salon du dessin, Paris
Simone Cantarini (1612-1648), Jupiter, Neptune and Pluto Paying Homage to the Borghese Coat of Arms, Red chalk, 295 x 430 mm. Sold to a US collector (asking price € 85,000)
Katrin Bellinger was delighted with the number of important works on paper sold at Le Salon du dessin in Paris, from 23 to 29 March 2010. A red chalk drawing of Jupiter, Neptune and Pluto Paying Homage to the Borghese Coat of Arms, masterfully executed with the fluidity and facility so typical of Simone Cantarini (1612-1648), who trained in Guido Reni’s workshop at Bologna, was sold to a US collector (asking price € 85,000).
Another American private collector acquired a pen and ink drawing of Christ Nailed to the Cross, c. 1755/60, one of fourteen Stations of the Cross by Johann Wolfgang Baumgartner (1702-1761) (asking price €18,000). Baumgartner’s composition is infused with dramatic intensity and vitality, emphasizing the horror of the scene. Another violent end is depicted by Paolo Farinati (1524-1606) in The Death of Saint Sebastian. The unfortunate saint, having survived being shot with arrows, is shown being beaten to death by five men. This pen and ink drawing sold to a French collector (asking price € 95,000).
Among other works sold was a pen and brown ink and wash drawing of two warriors by Giovanni Francesco Barbieri, called Il Guercino (1591-1666), which has a distinguished provenance going back to the sale of the collection of Baron Dominique Vivant-Denon in Paris on 1 May 1826 (asking price € 95,000). Guercino is regarded as one of the most significant Italian artists of the Baroque period and is renowned for his fluent draughtsmanship and inventive approach to subject matter. A more peaceful scene of A Shepherd Resting, with Cattle and a Sheep by Nicolaes Pietersz. Berchem (1620-1683) sold to a French collector (asking price € 18,000). Berchem was among the most versatile artists of the Golden Age and is especially admired for such Italianate landscapes.
Katrin Bellinger, celebrating 25 years as a respected dealer in this field, said that she was encouraged to see so many private collectors at this year’s fair, and reported an increase in sales over the last two years, indicating confidence in the market.
Giovanni Francesco Barbieri, called Il Guercino (1591-1666), Two Warriors, Pen and brown ink and wash, 203 x 133 mm
A Qianlong pair of copper-red glazed bowls, a bottle vase & a flambé-glazed bamboo neck bottle vase. Qing dynasty, 18th century
A pair of copper-red glazed bowls. Qianlong seal marks and period. Photo: Christie's Images Ltd., 2010
the exterior applied with a deep raspberry-color glaze (2) - diameter 5 7/8 in., 14.9 cm. Est. 20,000—30,000 USD. Lot Sold 25,000 USD
A fine copper-red glazed bottle vase. Qing dynasty, 18th century. Photo: Christie's Images Ltd., 2010
the pear-shaped body rising to a long slender neck, supported on a slightly splayed foot, with a deep-red glaze applied to the exterior - height 12 1/4 in., 31.2 cm. Est. 8,000—10,000 USD. Lot Sold 8,125 USD
PROVENANCE: Imperial Oriental Art, New York, 2002.
A flambé-glazed bamboo neck bottle vase. Qing dynasty, 18th century. Photo: Christie's Images Ltd., 2010
the globular body and banded neck applied overall with a thick red glazed with splashes of flambé around the mouth and interior - height 16 in., 40.5 cm. Est. 5,000—7,000 USD. Lot Sold 6,250 USD
Sotheby's. Fine Chinese Ceramics & Works of Art. 23 Mar 2010. New York www.sothebys.com
Importantes bagues de rubis @ Artcurial
Bague jonc en or gris pavée de diamants ornée d'un rubis serti clos de taille ronde pesant 3,72 cts. photo courtesy Artcurial
Accompagnée de son certificat du laboratoire GRS attestant : origine Birmanie, sans modification thermique. Poids brut : 13 g - Estimation : 38 000 / 40 000 €
Bague en or gris sertie d'un rubis de taille rectangulaire pesant 2.04cts, épaulé de diamants tapers. photo courtesy Artcurial
La pierre accompagnée d'un certificat GRS attestant : couleur Vivid Red, origine Birmanie. Poids brut : 3 g - Estimation : 10 000 / 12 000 €
Bague en or gris sertie d'un rubis ovale épaulé de deux diamants taillés en triangle. photo courtesy Artcurial
Poids de la pierre 3,09 ct. Poids brut 4 g - Estimation : 9 500 / 11 000 €
Bague en or jaune sertie d'un rubis ovale. photo courtesy Artcurial
Poids de la pierre : 10,19 cts. Accompagné d'un certificat EGL.Poids brut : 5 g. Estimation : 5 000 / 6 000 €
Bague de genre chevalière en or gris sertie d'un rubis. photo courtesy Artcurial
dans un encadrement agrafé d'anneaux sertis de diamants taillés en brillant. Poids du rubis : 7,17 ct - Tour de doigt : 53 - Poids brut : 18,7 g - Estimation : 4 000 / 6 000 €
Artcurial - Briest-Poulain-F.Tajan - Paris. Vente du Mercredi 31 mars 2010. Hôtel Dassault - 7 Rond Point des Champs-Elysées - 75008 - Paris. Pour toute information complémentaire, veuillez contacter Julie Valade au +33 1 42 99 16 41
Pendentif en or jaune à décor de bambous ciselés
Pendentif en or jaune à décor de bambous ciselés. photo courtesy Artcurial
ou sertis de diamants taillés en brillant, l'un serti de baguettes d'émeraudes claires et de diamants taillés en brillant ornant un important cristal d'opale. Ht 6,5 cm. Poids brut: 72,8g - Estimation : 5 000 / 6 000 €
Artcurial - Briest-Poulain-F.Tajan - Paris. Vente du Mercredi 31 mars 2010. Hôtel Dassault - 7 Rond Point des Champs-Elysées - 75008 - Paris. Pour toute information complémentaire, veuillez contacter Julie Valade au +33 1 42 99 16 41
Pendentif serti d'un important cabochon de rutile & Bague ornée d'un important quartz rutilé
Pendentif en or jaune et or gris serti d'un important cabochon de rutile. photo courtesy Artcurial
l'entourage comme la bélière sertis de diamants taillés en brillant. Ht 5,8 cm Poids brut : 39,5g Lg 44 cm - Estimation : 900 / 1 100 €
Bague en or gris et jaune ornée d'un important quartz rutilé. photo courtesy Artcurial
pesant 36.7cts dans un entourage de diamants (0.50 ct) - Poids brut : 24 g. Estimation : 850 / 1 000 €
Artcurial - Briest-Poulain-F.Tajan - Paris. Vente du Mercredi 31 mars 2010. Hôtel Dassault - 7 Rond Point des Champs-Elysées - 75008 - Paris. Pour toute information complémentaire, veuillez contacter Julie Valade au +33 1 42 99 16 41
Christie’s New York Presents Two Historic Jewels : The Emperor Maximilian Diamond & The Catherine the Great Emerald and Diamond
New York - This spring, Christie's New York will present two exceptional jewels with fascinating histories – the Emperor Maximilian Diamond and the Catherine the Great Emerald and Diamond Brooch. Both jewels will highlight Christie’s first major jewelry sale of the year on April 22, 2010 and set the tone for what promises to be another exceptionally strong year for rare jewels in the global auction market.
Rahul Kadakia, Head of Jewelry at Christie’s New York, commented: "Since the record-breaking sale of the Wittelsbach-Graff diamond in December 2008, Christie's has been the world's leading source of historically important jewels. This April we are honored to present two legendary gems not seen in public for decades - the Emperor Maximilian Diamond of 39.55 carats and the Catherine the Great Emerald and Diamond Brooch, set with a Colombian emerald of over 60 carats. Aside from their exceptional rarity, these large stones bear a fascinating history and provenance that renders them truly priceless in the world of fine jewels. We look forward to unveiling them both in New York for our auction on April 22."
The Emperor Maximilian Diamond 39.55 carats Estimate: $1,000,000-1,500,000. Photo: Christie's Images Ltd., 2010
The Emperor Maximilian Diamond of 39.55 carats (estimate: $1-1.5 million) is one of two large diamonds the Archduke Maximilian (pictured above) acquired in Brazil in 1860, in the years just before he was named Emperor of Mexico at the urging of Napoleon III. In 1866, under pressure from the United States, Napoleon III backed away from financial and military support for Maximilian, effectively abandoning him. Soon thereafter, republican forces captured and court-marshalled the young emperor and sent him before the firing squad. Legend holds that Maximilian was wearing the Emperor Maximilian Diamond in a small satchel tied around his neck when he was executed. The diamond was returned to his wife, Princess Charlotte of Belgium, who later sold the jewel. Its whereabouts remained unknown until 1919 when it was purchased by a Chicago gem dealer who kept the diamond until 1946.
The cushion-shaped diamond appeared at auction at Christie's in July 1982, where it was purchased by London jeweller Laurence Graff after an intense round of bidding. The winning bid was $726,000 - more than twice the estimated price of $330,000. The following year, Mr. Graff sold the Emperor Maximilian Diamond together with two other important diamonds, to Madame Imelda Marcos, wife of the President of the Philippines. Subsequent private transactions followed, until it was acquired by the present owner. The upcoming auction marks the first public viewing of this historically significant diamond since 1982.
The Catherine the Great Emerald and Diamond Brooch Estimate: $1,000,000-1,500,000. Photo: Christie's Images Ltd., 2010
Also highlighting the April 22 sale is the stunning Catherine the Great Emerald and Diamond Brooch (estimate: $1-1.5 million), long considered one of the outstanding jewels of the world. The brooch centers on a hexagonal-cut Colombian emerald of exceptional quality weighing between 60 and 70 carats. Uniquely precious and suited for imperial elegance, the emerald is set within rows of rose and old mine-cut diamonds and mounted in silver-topped gold. This Imperial gem originally belonged to Catherine II of Russia (pictured above), who ascended to the Russian throne in 1762. She was known as one of the greatest jewelry collectors of all time, and took great pleasure in her most treasured gems, including the emerald and diamond brooch, which is renowned not only for its quality, but also for its sheer size.
In 1776, Catherine gave the brooch to Sophie Dorothea, princess of Württemberg, as a wedding gift on the occasion of her marriage to Catherine’s son and successor Tsar Paul I. It was subsequently handed down to the princess’s descendents, and remained the property of the noble house of Hohenzollern for the next three generations. In 1972, the brooch was sold to a private American buyer whose estate now offers the historic jewel for the first time in nearly 40 years.
Global jewelry market update
Despite the downturn in the US economy during late 2008 and 2009, auction prices for fine jewelry and diamonds have remained surprisingly resilient, led by strong demand among investors for top-quality diamonds and signed jewels by the top houses. In 2009, Christie’s global sales in this category totaled over $270 million. Multiple new auction records were achieved for exceptional jewels, including The Vivid Pink, which set a new per-carat record price for any gemstone at $2.1 million per carat or US$10.8 million, and The Annenberg Diamond, a 32-carat D Flawless diamond, which set a new per-carat record price for a colorless diamond at $240,000 per carat or US$7.7 million. The 2010 outlook for top-quality jewels at auction remains buoyant and Christie’s anticipates continued demand for high-quality historic jewels with exceptional provenance, as well as increased buying activity from clients in emerging and newer markets.
Top Ten Results from Property from the Arthur M. Sackler Collections sale
Theow H. Tow, Deputy Chairman of Christie’s Americas and Honorary Chairman of Christie's Asia said: “We are thrilled once again with the excellent sale of Property from the Arthur M. Sackler Collections, which totaled $4,005,250, tripling its pre-sale expectations. We welcomed a number of new collectors and witnessed competitive bidding with a rate of 99% sold by value and 96% sold by lot, and with many lots selling for prices well above their estimates. The top lot, a very rare large limestone figure of a kneeling Bodhisattva, sold for an astounding $914,500 to a new collector. We look forward to tomorrow’s sale of Fine Chinese Ceramics and Works of Art.”
A Very Rare Large Limestone Figure of a Kneeling Bodhisattva, 10th-12th Century. Photo: Christie's Images Ltd., 2010
Well carved as Avalokitesvara with head turned to the right and kneeling on the right knee atop a lotus base, with left hand raised and right hand grasping part of the long scarf draped over the left arm, wearing a beaded necklace tied in back with long ends that trail down the back and onto the base, a scarf tied diagonally around the torso and a dhoti folded over at the waist that falls in crisp folds over the edge of the base, the hair dressed in knotted tresses that fall atop the shoulders and in a topknot partially obscured by the foliate crown centered by a seated figure of Amitabha Buddha and tied with ribbons gathered in bunches at the sides - 42 in. (106.5 cm.) high. Estimate $300,000 - $500,000 . Sold $914,500£613,758 €687,593 to an U.S. Private.
Provenance: Tonying & Co., New York.
Avery Brundage Collection, acquired prior to 1960.
Nagatani, Inc., Chicago, January 1965.
Acquired 1965-1969.
Literature: O. Sirén, Chinese Sculpture from the Fifth to the Fourteenth Century, vol. II, reprint, 1998, pl. 564 B.
Sun Di, ed., Zhonguo liu shi hai fo jiao xiang zong he tu mu (Comprehensive Illustrated Catalogue of Chinese Buddhist Statues in Overseas Collections), vol. 7, Beijing, 2005, p. 1312.
Exhibited: Portland Art Museum, Portland, Oregon, Exhibition of Chinese Sculpture, 15 July - 15 September 1940, no. 3.
On loan: Princeton University Art Museum, 1969 - October 2008.
Notes: The image of Amitabha, the Buddha of the Western Paradise, in the crown of this magnificent figure identifies him as an incarnation of Avalokitesvara, the most venerated and benevolent of all bodhisattvas. The broad, corpulent figure is shown in princely guise, with long hair gathered up into a high chignon behind the crown and splendidly draped in sumptuous silk scarves and jewelry as befitting his regal heritage. The sensitive modeling, rounded forms and flowing drapery display a marked interest in movement and naturalism, which is a departure from the restraint and penchant for abstract form and line of earlier eras.
The mate to the present figure is in the Avery Brundage Collection, Asian Art Museum of San Francisco. The two figures are shown in mirror image, each with one arm raised to hold an offering. In Chinese, Korean and Japanese Sculpture, Japan, 1974, p. 262, Clarence Shangraw describes the offering held by the Brundage figure as a "six-lobed saucer containing an unidentified object that resembles a crystaline-like substance". In early publications, the Sackler figure is shown holding a similar offering, which is now missing. Both figures are shown wearing very similar garments and festoons of beaded chains. The Brundage figure, however, is shown with a scarf draped over the shoulders, and the crown on that figure has an outer band of flattened spirals which frame a cuspate tiara centered by an intricate chain ending with a jewel, which hangs pendent at the forehead. Shangraw notes, ibid, p. 262, that it has been suggested that the Brundage figure may represent Bixia Yuanjun (Primal Princess of the Azure Clouds).
In the past this pair of figures has been given various dates, ranging from the Sui period to the Song. However, the overall proportions, with elegantly tapering waist, broad but sloping shoulders, soft, rounded modeling and large oval head with crisp facial features are all characteristics of Liao and Jin sculpture of the 10th to 11th centuries. Compare, for example, the stucco figures in the Preservation of Sutras Hall, Lower Avatamsaka Temple (Xia Huayan Si), Datong, Shanxi province, dedicated in AD 1038, illustrated in Hua Yan Si, Beijing, 1980, pls. 39-59, and in particular pls. 60-65, which show bodhisattvas in poses similar to that of the Sackler and Brundage figures. A similar sense of graceful movement and soft, rounded modeling can also be seen on a smaller (44.5 cm. high) grey limestone figure of Guanyin, dated Liao or Jin dynasty, eleventh-twelfth century, illustrated by M. G. Neill in the exhibition catalogue, The Communion of Scholars, Chinese Art at Yale, China House Gallery, China Institute in America, New York, 1982, p. 57, no. 21.
The Sackler and Brundage figures also compare well stylistically to gilt-bronze bodhisattva figures of Liao date, such as two examples illustrated by S. Matsubara, Chuugoku bukkyo chokokushi ron (The Path of Buddhist Sculpture), vol. 3, Tang, Five Dynasties, Sung and Taoism Sculpture, Tokyo, 1995, pls. 800-a and 821-b.
Techinical Examination Report available upon request.
A Rare Small Yellowish-Green Jade Bangle, Warring States Period, 5th Century B.C. Photo: Christie's Images Ltd., 2010
The sides carved in low relief with a continuous pattern of J-shaped scrolls alternately combined with either striated or scale pattern scrolls, within plain narrow borders, the stone semi-translucent - 2¼ in. (5.7 cm.) diam. Est. $7,000 - $9,000. Sold $266,500£178,859 €200,375 to an Asian Private.
Provenance: A.W. Bahr Collection, Weybridge, 1963.
A Bronze Tripod Steamer, Xian, Late Shang/Early Western Zhou Dynasty, 12th-11th Century B.C. Photo: Christie's Images Ltd., 2010
The deep bowl cast in intaglio with a taotie band filled with black inlay below a pair of upright rope-twist handles, each mask centered between the three bovine masks hollow cast at the top of each leg, the bottom of the interior fitted with a hinged, rounded triangular grate pierced with five cross motifs, with a single character cast below the rim on the interior - 14 3/8 in. (36.5 cm.) high. Est. $10,000 - 15,000 - Sold $146,500£100,342 €110,150 to an Asian Trade
Provenance: Collection of Frank A. McMillan "Thornewood Castle"; Sotheby Parke Bernet, New York, 29 May 1973, lot 2.
Literature: Chen Mengjia, Yin Zhou qingtongqi fenlei tulu (In Shu seidoki bunrui zuroku; A Corpus of Chinese Bronzes in American Collections), 2 vols., Tokyo, 1977, A132, R235.
Sun Zhichu, Jinwen zhulu jian mu, Beijing, 1981, no. 1410.
J. Rawson, Western Zhou Ritual Bronzes from the Arthur M. Sackler Collections, vol. IIB, The Arthur M. Sackler Foundation, 1990, pp. 334-9, no. 31.
Notes: The single character or graph is recorded by Zhou Fagao et al., Jinwen gu lin, 16 vols., Hong Kong, 1974-5, fulu, p. 613 (2256).
A Large Bronze Ritual Ewer, Yi, Late Western Zhou Dynasty, 8th Century B.C. Photo: Christie's Images Ltd., 2010
The broad body raised on three legs, cast in intaglio below the rim with a band of scales above a chevron band, with further scales on the sides of the ear-shaped handle that terminates in a horned animal head biting the rim 6 15 in. (38.1 cm.) long. Est. $12,000 - 18,000. Sold $134,500£90,268 €101,127 to n Asian Private
Provenance: Acquired in 1966 or earlier.
Literature: Tch'ou To-i, Bronzes Antiques de la Chine Appartenant, C.T. Loo & Cie, Paris and Brussels, 1924, p. 17.
Jung Keng, Yenching Journal of Chinese Studies, Monograph Series No. 17, The Bronzes of Shang and Chou, vol. II, Beijing, China, 1941, pl. 453, no. 860.
R. Poor, Bronze Ritual Vessels of Ancient China, New York, 1968.
J. Rawson, Western Zhou Ritual Bronzes from the Arthur M. Sackler Collections, vol. IIB, The Arthur M. Sackler Foundation, 1990, pp. 712-5, no. 120.
A Very Rare Mother-Of-Pearl-Inlaid Black-Lacquered Low Table, Yuan/Early Ming Dynasty, 13th-14th Century. Photo: Christie's Images Ltd., 2010
The rectangular top finely inlaid in mother of pearl with butterflies and bees flittering above lush branches of blossoming peony, within wire-twist borders and an outer border of peony scroll, each blossom meticulously inlaid in the center with lotus, birds, peony, bees or stylized roundels, above split, beaded aprons on each long side, and plain, beaded aprons on each narrow side, the beading continuing to the bottom of the short, double hoof-shaped feet, joined on the underside by single stretchers of rounded section - 6 5/16 in. (16 cm.) high, 37 5/8 in. (95.6 cm.) wide, 22 9/16 in. (57.3 cm.) deep, wood box. Est. $70,000 - 90,000. Sold $134,500£90,268 €101,127 to Littleton & Hennessy Asian Art
Provenance: Sammy Y. Lee & Wangs Co., Hong Kong, 1973.
Literature: Lee Yu-kuan, Oriental Lacquer Art, New York/Tokyo, 1972, pp. 302-3, no. 231.
M. Beurdeley, Chinese Furniture, Tokyo, New York and San Francisco, 1979, p. 36, no. 46.
Notes: When published by Lee, the present lot was dated Song dynasty, 10th century. In his discussion, the author noted that Senator and Mrs. Hugh Scott, avid collectors of Chinese art, and Cheng Te-Kun of Cambridge, England, examined the table and suggested an earlier date, possibly Tang dynasty, although Lee notes that its construction is more consistent with furniture of a later date. This is confirmed by two radiocarbon analyses peformed on the wood which confirm a date between 1223-1399. However, while some portions of the wood may have a date range which includes early Ming, the table is stylistically more likely to be Yuan in date. Compare a very similar conjoined floral scroll seen on the edge of the Ju Yong Guan stone gate at the Nan Kou pass near Beijing, which is dated 1345, illustated by J.M. Addis, Chinese Ceramics from Datable Tombs and Some Other Dated Material, Sotheby Parke Bernet, London and New York, 1978, pp. 43-6, nos. 29a-e, where the author notes that "the flower-scroll with strongly marked encircling stem and variant flower-forms is characteristic of late Yuan decoration on porcelain".
The shape of the present table can be found as early as the Five Dynasties period, as evidenced by a much larger wooden platform excavated in 1980 from the tomb of Cai Zhuang in Jiangsu. (Fig. 1) It is interesting to note the similarity in the shape of the legs and spandrels, although those on the present table are more fluid and less formalized. While it is possible that the present table may have had removable legs to adjust its height, low tables of this form with similar abrupt feet are known. See a longer low table in a detail of a Five Dynasties painting in the Palace Museum, Beijing, of scholars playing weiqi, illustrated in Zhongguo Meishu Quanji - Hui Shu Bian, vol. II, Beijing, 1988, p. 120, no. 61. (Fig. 2) Another low table, also with similar feet, is illustrated ibid., p. 118, no. 60.
An Extremely Rare Blackish-Brown Lacquered Eight-Legged Table, 12th/Early 15th Century. Photo: Christie's Images Ltd., 2010
With rectangular top indented at each corner, supported on each narrow side by four tall, ribbed cabriole legs terminating in upswept feet, covered overall in a finely crackled blackish-brown lacquer - 19 3/8 in. (49.2 cm.) high, 16 5/16 in. (41.4 cm.) wide, 13½ in. (34.3 cm.) deep. Est. $60,000 - 80,000. Sold $128,500£86,241 €96,616 to an US private
Provenance: Sammy Y. Lee & Wangs Co., Hong Kong, 1973.
Literature: Lee Yu-kuan, Oriental Lacquer Art, New York/Tokyo, 1972, pp. 298-9, no. 228.
M. Beurdeley, Chinese Furniture, Tokyo, New York and San Francisco, 1979, no. 35.
Notes: Surviving examples of early lacquer furniture such as the present lot are very rare, primarily due to the fragility of the materials used, as many early examples employed softwood frames which are more subject to breakage. When published by Lee in 1972, the present table was dated Tang dynasty, eighth century, perhaps due to stylistic similarities to other early known examples. See a detail from the Five Dynasties painting entitled 'The Reading Lesson,' attributed to Huang Quan (903-965), included in the Special Exhibition of Furniture in Paintings, National Palace Museum, Taipei, 1996, pl. III, where a scholar and his attendant are seated beside low tables with numerous legs joined by base stretchers. (Fig. 1) However, examples of this form can be seen as early as the Han dynasty, as evidenced by a tall carved lacquer armrest dated to the Warring States period, excavated from Xinyang district in Henan, illustrated in Arts of China: Neolithic Cultures to the T'ang Dynasty, Tokyo, 1968, p. 58, nos. 103-4. It is interesting to note that the excavated armrest is also raised on four legs on either side and its height (48 cm.) is very similar to that of the present lot, leaving the possibility that the present table may have also been used as an armrest.
The results of three radiocarbon analyses performed on the present table place the date of the wood between 1037-1268, and the lacquer between 1320-1423. While the table may therefore be of earlier date than the lacquer, the latest its date of construction can be is early 14th century-early 15th century.
A Copper-Inlaid Bronze Ritual Wine Jar, Hu, Late Warring States Period, 4th-3rd Century B.C. Photo: Christie's Images Ltd., 2010
Heavily cast, the sides encircled by three bands of fine abstract curl pattern bordered by narrow inlaid bands with raised edges, with a pair of taotie mask and loose ring handles on the shoulder and a band of pendent blades inlaid in copper below the mouth rim, with a further narrow inlaid band encircling the foot - 11½ in. (29.2 cm.) high. Est. $15,000 - 20,000. Sold $110,500£74,161 €83,082 to an Asian trade.
Provenance: Sotheby's, New York, 16 November 1971, lot 6.
Literature: J. So, Eastern Zhou Ritual Bronzes from the Arthur M. Sackler Collections, The Arthur M. Sackler Foundation, 1995, pp. 278-83, no. 50.
A Rare Mottled Olive-Green Jade Hoof-Shaped Tubular Ornament, Neolithic Period, Hongshan Culture, circa 3500 B.C. Photo: Christie's Images Ltd., 2010
Probably a hair ornament, the walls of the oval tube flaring somewhat from the oblique lower edge to the upper edge which rises in a curved arch along one side, the semi-translucent stone with veins of black inclusions and veins of buff mottling showing mica-like inclusions, with a lustrous polish and some small surface adhesions - 5 3/8 in. (13.7 cm.) high. Estimate $20,000 - 30,000. Sold $92,500£62,080 €69,548 to an Asian Private.
Provenance: C.T. Loo & Co., New York.
Frank Caro, New York, acquired prior to 1977.
Exhibited: Exhibition of Chinese Arts, C.T. Loo & Co., New York, 1 November 1941 - 30 April 1942, no. 249.
An Exhibition of Chinese Archaic Jades, C.T. Loo & Co. at Norton Gallery of Art, West Palm Beach, Florida, 20 January - 1 March 1950, pl. XXXVII (3).
Notes: This distinct shape of jade has been labeled 'horse hoof' or mati by Chinese archaeologists excavating Hongshan cultural sites in Liaoning and northern Hebei provinces. The working of the jade tends to be thinner at the upper walls of the tube. They are now thought to be some kind of hair ornament, as they have been found under or next to the head of the occupants of Hongshan tombs. A photograph of Tomb 4 at Liaoning, Niuheliang, area 11, showing a hoof-shaped jade beneath the head of the deceased, is illustrated by J. Rawson, Chinese Jade from the Neolithic to the Qing, British Museum, 1995, p. 116, fig. 1. One of these ornaments from a tomb at Liaoning, which appears to be of similar color to the present piece, and which has two holes drilled on either side above the lower edge, is illustrated by Xiaoneng Yang, ed., in The Golden Age of Chinese Archaeology: Celebrated Discoveries from the People's Republic of China, National Gallery of Art, Washington, 1999, pp. 83-4, no. 11.
Two ornaments of this type in the Winthrop Collection, are illustrated by M. Loehr, Ancient Chinese Jades, Fogg Art Museum, Harvard University, 1975, no. 323, a shorter version that has a similar scooped shape to the top rim and appears to be of similar stone, and no. 324, which has a more even upper edge. See, also, two others illustrated by Yang Boda in Chinese Archaic Jades from the Kwan Collection, Art Gallery, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, 1994, nos. 8 and 9, both of which have a similar upper edge.
A Rare Bronze Ritual Food Vessel, Fangding, Late Shang Dynasty, 12th-11th Century B.C. Photo: Christie's Images Ltd., 2010
The rectangular body raised on four columnar legs and cast on each side with a taotie mask divided by a narrow flange repeated at the corners and above to divide pairs of small dragons with hooked tails, all reserved on a leiwen ground highlighted by black inlay, with a pair of bail handles at each end of the rim, with an inscription cast on an interior wall, extensive encrustation with cloth and matting impressions - 8 in. (20.3 cm.) high. Estimate $30,000 - 40,000. Sold $92,500£62,080 €69,548 to an US private.
Provenance: Acquired prior to 1966.
Literature: R. Poor, Bronze Ritual Vessels of Ancient China, New York, 1968.
N. Barnard and Cheung Kwong-yue, Rubbings and Hand Copies of Bronze Inscriptions in Chinese, Japanese, European, American and Australasian Collections, Taipei, 1978, no. 1300 (inscription only).
R.W. Bagley, Shang Ritual Bronzes in the Arthur M. Sackler Collections, The Arthur M. Sackler Foundation, 1987, pp. 472-5, no. 88.
Notes: The inscription consists of three elements: the bottom is the stem gui written in its early form; the graph above is of uncertain meaning; and at the top are two figures kneeling either side of a ritual vessel toward which they reach. This latter graph may be read as qing or xiang. The two top graphs have been found on other bronzes and interpreted as a clan sign. See the variation of the inscription in a rubbing from a gui in the Avery Brundage Collection, Asian Art Museum of San Francisco, illustrated by R.W. Bagley, Shang Ritual Bronzes in the Arthur M. Sackler Collections, 1987, p. 474, fig. 88.1.
A Small Parcel-Gilt-Decorated Incised Bronze Bowl, Early Western Han Dynasty, 3rd Century B.C. Photo: Christie's Images Ltd., 2010
The exterior cast with three bow-string bands superimposed by two mask handles, the lower body, base, interior and everted rim incised with scrolling decoration and dogtooth bands retaining gilding; together with a small bronze stand, Han dynasty, raised on three bear supports, with circles cast atop the rim, and inlaid with a ring of now opaque ivory-colored material; and a small gilt-bronze ding and cover surmounted by three recumbent rams, Han dynasty - 6½, 5 5/8 and 6 in. (16.5, 14.3 and 15.2 cm.) across (3). Est. $6,000 - 8,000. Sold $86,500£58,053 €65,037 to an Asian Private.
Provenance: Parcel-gilt bowl: acquired prior to 1977.
Stand: A.W. Bahr Collection, Weybridge, 1963.
Gilt-bronze ding and cover: acquired prior to 1977.
Christie's. Fine Chinese Ceramics and Works of Art Including Property from the Arthur M. Sackler Collections. 26 March 2010. New York, Rockefeller Plaza www.christies.com
