The 2023 Sobey Art Award went to the Calgary-based artist, who is known for her wide-ranging, multidisciplinary approach that incorporates and reimagines Inuk traditions
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The 2023 Sobey Art Award went to the Calgary-based artist, who is known for her wide-ranging, multidisciplinary approach that incorporates and reimagines Inuk traditions
BY ALBERT CHEN
In a groundbreaking Christie’s auction on November 9, 2023, Richard Diebenkorn’s seminal artwork, “Recollections of a Visit to Leningrad,” achieved a record-setting price of $46,410,000 US. Painted in 1965, this monumental canvas, measuring 181.3 x 211.1 cm, stands as a testament to Diebenkorn’s transformative encounter with the works of Henri Matisse during a rare trip to the Soviet Union in the 1960s.
Diebenkorn’s journey to the Soviet Union was part of a cultural exchange initiated by President John F. Kennedy and Premier Nikita Khrushchev. During his visit, the artist immersed himself in Matisse’s masterpieces, particularly those housed in the Pushkin State Museum of Fine Arts in Moscow and the State Hermitage Museum in Leningrad (now Saint Petersburg). This experience had a profound impact on Diebenkorn, inspiring a shift in his artistic approach towards abstracted planes of rich and vibrant color.
Richard Diebenkorn, born on April 22, 1922, a celebrated figure for his influential contributions to the art world, left an enduring mark on abstract expressionism and the Bay Area Figurative Movement during the 1950s and 1960s. In the late 1960s, Diebenkorn entered a prolific phase marked by the creation of his iconic series of geometric, lyrical abstract paintings, famously known as the Ocean Park paintings. These masterpieces played a pivotal role in propelling Diebenkorn to international acclaim, establishing him as a luminary in the art community.
“Recollections of a Visit to Leningrad” serves as both an homage to Matisse and a documentation of the evolving art world in the 1960s. Departing from his earlier dynamic brushwork and figurative elements, Diebenkorn embraced bold geometric planes of jewel-like color. The composition, bisected by strong vertical lines, offers a highly abstracted view of a landscape, reminiscent of looking through a window. The painting captures the essence of Diebenkorn’s exploration of interior versus exterior space, a theme he had been delving into since the late 1950s.
The upper left quadrant of the canvas features highly decorative floral curlicues, a direct reference to Matisse’s revolutionary work, “Red Room (Harmony in Red)” (1908). Diebenkorn’s interpretation, however, takes a more capricious route with pronounced twists and turns, creating a densely patterned and Nabis-like decoration.
Diebenkorn’s artistic evolution was characterized by a continual reinvention of his style. As a critical founding member of Bay Area Figuration, he introduced human forms into his abstractions in the mid-1950s. Following his visit to the Soviet Union, he transitioned to the abstract Ocean Park series, lauded by critics as one of the most majestic achievements of the second half of the century.
The painting, showcased in significant retrospectives, including the Albright-Knox Art Gallery’s “Richard Diebenkorn: Paintings and Drawings, 1943-1976,” occupies a pivotal place in Diebenkorn’s oeuvre and postwar art. The exceptional provenance, with the current owner acquiring the painting in 1969, adds to its significance. “Recollections of a Visit to Leningrad” remains a masterpiece that signifies a crucial moment in Diebenkorn’s career and the broader trajectory of postwar art, seamlessly blending influences from European modernism with distinctly American elements.
Founded in 1766, Christie’s is a world-leading art and luxury business with a physical presence in 46 countries throughout the Americas, Europe, Middle East, and Asia Pacific, and flagship international sales hubs in New York, London, Hong Kong, Paris and Geneva. Renowned and trusted for our expert live and online-only auctions, as well as bespoke Private Sales, Christie’s unparalleled network of specialists offers our clients a full portfolio of global services, including art appraisal, art financing, international real estate and education. Christie’s auctions span more than 80 art and luxury categories, at price points ranging from $500 to over $100 million.
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Monet’s Masterpiece Smashes Records at Christie’s with a Staggering $74,010,000 Sale
The World Art News (WAN) is not liable for the content of this publication. All statements and views expressed herein are opinions only. Act at your own risk. No part of this publication may be reproduced without written permission. © The World Art News
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An array of artefacts show how cultural cross-pollination thrived across centuries and continents under Byzantine rule
An array of artefacts show how cultural cross-pollination thrived across centuries and continents under Byzantine rule
By Albert Chen
In a groundbreaking auction at Christie’s on November 9, 2023, Claude Monet’s masterpiece, “Le bassin aux nymphéas,” achieved a record-setting sale of USD 74,010,000. The iconic painting, dating from 1917-1919 and measuring 100.1 x 200.6 cm, surpassed all expectations, becoming one of the most expensive Monet artworks ever sold.
Widely celebrated as a landmark of late Impressionism, “Le bassin aux nymphéas” captures the essence of Monet’s famed gardens at Giverny. The large-scale canvas showcases the artist’s signature play of impasto and vibrant brushwork, offering a mesmerizing portrayal of the flowing planes of flowers and the expansive lily pond.
The auction result exceeded the undisclosed estimate, highlighting the painting’s significance and desirability in the art market. With a provenance tracing back fifty years within the same family collection, the sale adds to the allure of this captivating example from Monet’s water lily series.
Monet’s dedication to depicting the beauty of his Giverny gardens during the late 1910s marked a period of renewal and experimentation. “Le bassin aux nymphéas” exemplifies this transition, departing from smaller paysages d’eau to grand, monumental depictions that later found favor among the Abstract Expressionist movement.
The painting’s journey begins in 1883 when Monet, seeking a permanent home, moved his family to Giverny. The property, with its blossoming fruit trees and meticulously designed water garden, became the artist’s muse. Monet’s stepson, Jean-Pierre Hoschedé, recalled the deliberate planting of water lilies to enhance the visual impact of the pond.
“Le bassin aux nymphéas” stands as a masterful representation of the atmospheric environment of the pond. Monet’s focus on the water’s surface, reflections, and interplay of colors and light captures the viewer’s imagination. The recent sale at Christie’s reflects a renewed appreciation for Monet’s late works, bridging the worlds of figurative and abstract art.
Monet’s ambitious plans for large-scale depictions of water lilies, conceived in the late 1890s and briefly abandoned, saw a resurgence in 1914. The unveiling of the Grandes décorations, a series of twenty-two large panels donated to the French state, solidified his water lily theme’s enduring legacy.
“Le bassin aux nymphéas” not only set a new record for a Monet painting but also reaffirmed the artist’s status as a visionary. The groundbreaking sale at Christie’s cements Monet’s place in art history, showcasing the enduring appeal and influence of one of the art world’s most iconic figures.
Founded in 1766, Christie’s is a world-leading art and luxury business with a physical presence in 46 countries throughout the Americas, Europe, Middle East, and Asia Pacific, and flagship international sales hubs in New York, London, Hong Kong, Paris and Geneva. Renowned and trusted for our expert live and online-only auctions, as well as bespoke Private Sales, Christie’s unparalleled network of specialists offers our clients a full portfolio of global services, including art appraisal, art financing, international real estate and education. Christie’s auctions span more than 80 art and luxury categories, at price points ranging from $500 to over $100 million.
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The World Art News (WAN) is not liable for the content of this publication. All statements and views expressed herein are opinions only. Act at your own risk. No part of this publication may be reproduced without written permission. © The World Art News
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