Picasso paintings sell for Euro 42 m at London sale
UK: Three works by Pablo Picasso, each depicting a different one of
the Spanish artist's lovers, sold at a London auction on Tuesday for a
total of 42 million pounds, smashing pre-auction valuations.
A 1939 portrait of Dora Maar, who became Picasso's lover and
inspiration after long-time muse Marie-Therese Walter, sold for
£17,961,250 ($29 million, 20.2 million euros) at Christie's
Impressionist and Modern Art Evening Sale.
"Femme assise, robe bleue", which was painted shortly after the
outbreak of World War II, had been unseen since it was exhibited in
Switzerland 1967 and had been expected to realize between £4 million and
£8 million.
1935 work "Jeune fille endormie", an intimate portrait of the
artist's former lover Marie-Therese, fetched £13.5 million, easily
surpassing its £9 million valuation.
The 45-year-old Picasso met his mistress, who was 17 at the time,
when she was leaving the Paris subway in 1927.
The painting shows Marie-Therese asleep and is celebrated for its use
of bold, expressionist colours and brush strokes.
The painting was anonymously donated to the University of Sydney in
2010 and proceeds from the sale will be channelled into the
institution's scientific research programmes.
Giovanna Bertazzoni, Director and Head of Impressionist and Modern
Art at Christie's London, said: "It is an absolute jewel of painting
that has been unseen, hidden in a private collection, for over 60 years.
AFP
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