1.
Francis
Picabia, Volupté (1932), $130K
2. Joan Miró, Femme (Femme debout) (1969), $4.5M -$8M
3.
Joan
Miró, Femme, étoile (1942),
$500K-$800K.
4.
Joan
Miró, L’echelle d’évasion (Escape Ladder)
(1939), $800K - $1.3M
5.
Joan
Miró, Signes et figurations, $1M-
$1.5M
6.
Joan
Miró, Tête (1970), $800K - $1.1M
7.
Max
Ernst, La Forêt (1934/35), $50K-$80K
8.
Max
Ernst, Roter Gratenwald mit Sonne (Red
Forest with Sun) (1936), $650K-$1M
9. Paul Delvaux, ecce homo (la descendre de croix) (1949), $1M - $1.4M
10.
Paul
Delvaux, La Première Rose (1947),
$1.6M - $2.4M
11. Paul Delvaux, Les nymphes des eaux (1938).
$5M-$8M
12.
René
Magritte, A la rencontre du plaisir
(1950), $2M-$3M
13.
René
Magritte, La traverse difficile (II)
(1946), $400K-$600K
14.
opt.
Edvard Munch, Robat
pa sjøen (1904), $1M
Cheaper by the Baker’s Dozen
Or… if I had $10 Million Dollars … I’d Buy Us a … Miró, a
Delvaux and a Munch
I would never actually advise anyone as to what art they should or
should not consider purchasing, but while reading Hedley Twidle’s
interesting article about South African Nobel Literary Laureate John
M. Coetzee in the Financial
Times, I noted the advertisement for Christie’s upcoming Surrealist Art
Auction in London (08 Feb, 2013), and could not resisting clicking on the
teaser icon. “Hmmm, I see…”
Truthfully, I have a love and hate
relationship with Surrealism, but many of the pieces in this particular auction
draw closer to Modernism than to Surrealism, though all are definitely impacted
by Surrealist forms and theory. The
first few selections in their slide show did not hold my attention. They were fine, but not of the quality or the
creativity I would expect for those prices.
But after imagining the excitement the wives of attorneys, Freshmen
Congressmen and the other Long Island types whom I assume bid on such pieces, I
caught a glimpse of Joan Miró’s Femme – a large, brilliant sculpture in black matte-finish bronze …
And the expected price range for the piece?
A mere $4.5 million. “Nice – I’d sure like to see the commission
on that one,” I thought to myself.
Going through the slideshow catalogue, I
noted several other Miró’s that I felt to be rather special and a few other
works by other artists, ending up with a baker’s dozen-or-so that I felt would
be well worth the trip to view. The
combined recommended minimum for the full dozen, roughly a cool $19.5 Millions – not really so
bad if you really think about it.
But… more realistically, what if the widow
of a deceased retail tycoon offered me a budget of some $10 millions of dollars
to establish an appropriate artistic memorial donation to the local art
institute – What would I buy?
First off, I imagine that I would have to
explain just exactly why I would not recommend going after the glory pieces –
the Salvador Dali’s et al that were included in the show. My reasoning is very simple. These are minor works by well-known
artists. While owning a Dali or having donated a Dali would indeed give one a
certain cachet amongst the local wine-and-dine
set at the University Club, it is not a donation that is going to excite
either the recipient institution, or the budding connoisseurs one hopes the
piece would eventually attract and stimulate.
“No,
ma’am, look past the Dali’s, they’re just glitz and name, look again at the Miró
sculpture – that is where the investment for our local culture would best be
spent.”
Truthfully, while I greatly admire and
respect Miró’s work (and proudly note that Frazier, from the hit comedy show, proudly
displayed an art book of Miró’s work in his apartment, thereby gaining
credibility in my eyes), I am certainly not up
as to what his most important pieces are.
But, I can state convincingly that Femme
seems to be a solid example of his mature, trademark style and a topic that
would be of interest to his followers – both artistically and academically. “If we
had to look at just one piece, this is the one that I would most strongly
recommend … especially for the American Midwest.” Furthermore… it is monumental in size – over
six feet tall (74.5 inches).*
“But!...”
I would strongly caution, “let us not yet
too excited … let us more closely inspect the dozen-or-so other works from my
list…”
I feel that art collecting should never be
done for investment – because any investment trends that you now follow now are
in fact merely trends and fads – one must strive to establish one’s own
artistic perception and interest and build on that. In this case, I feel that there are two sets
of works that are both complementary and very synergistic to
Midwestern culture – whether in Madison, Chicago or the Twin Cities. The first set is relatively inexpensive. Both are by Max Ernst, a German surrealist
with strong ties to American arts patron Peggy Guggenheim (in fact, they were,
for a short time, married).
 |
| (left) Ernst, Roter Gratenwald mit Sonne, (right) Ernst, La Forêt, courtesy Christie's |
The first is an intriguing oil entitled Roter Gratenwald mit Sonne (Red Forest with Sun) (1936) with his La Forêt (1934/35). Of the two, I feel that the former is the
more important piece and would be able to stand more successfully on its
own. La
Forêt, while a bit weaker, nevertheless is a nice FOIL to the first piece
and serves as a contemplative bookend, augmenting the power and authority (or
impact) of Roter Gratenwald.
As for their synergistic place in a
Midwestern collection, the two pieces together speak very strongly of the
outdoors – Boundary Waters National Wilderness Area came to mind immediately
with Roter Gratenwald, as did views
of the tundra forests in south-central Alaska and Yukon. More than that, I think that the pieces
converse with each other in a sort of artistic dialogue about the cycles of
nature – the summer and the autumn.
Perhaps a bit deeper, La Forêt
might perhaps speak to the wilderness that we now possess and enjoy or even a
primeval past, while Roter Gratenwald
perhaps touches that deep felt worry we now feel towards this natural heritage
and its future under the impact of human civilization and big business and our
shared ultimate fate and fears regarding Global Warming and Climate
Change. Ernst’s pieces not only fit into
our shared cultural heritage and awareness, but speak to us today, possessing a
readily apparent sense of Zeitgheist
– a factor that I feel is too often overlooked or undervalued by dealers and
curators at present.
 |
| Delvaux, La traverse difficile (II) courtesy Christie's |
In a not totally unrelated manner, I would
next recommend René Magritte’s La
traverse difficile (II) (1946).
Again, this is a piece from a previous generation that has now transcended
the meaning of its own day to both reflect that original intent while speaking
to the ecosystem and culture of the Great Lakes, and climate change, and our
determination to live in this land, to thrive, and to find security and
contentment today. La traverse is a powerful narrative work that one could
contemplate for lengthy periods of time and be totally content. The contrast between the stormy sea and the
calm symbols of culture and ease – a lit cigar, a full cigar box, a steady
lamp, are powerful and easily approached.
The storm doesn’t worry the smoker… but perhaps he has gone on to
responsibly lock down that loose shutter…
La
traverse speaks to us of responsibility and stewardship. I would imagine numerous school-level essays
being written about how Magritte indicates civilization and its responsibility
for nature (the stormy sea), to be aware of it and to know how to rise to its
challenges while calmly reading a book or smoking a cigar. I cannot help but imagine this being the
scene from the lighthouse at Split Rock, Minnesota, the night of the sinking of
the Edmund FitzGerald, or in the approach of a fierce Nord’easter bearing down
on North Chicago over Lake Michigan. Few
images speak so well to that inner strength and determination to survive and
thrive while trusting in civilization and in one’s self that Magritte, though
not a Midwesterner, has managed to capture and convey. La
traverse would be my third choice.
We are now at $1.1 millions of dollars.
 |
| Magritte, A la rencontre du plaisir, courtesy Christie's |
Fourth, I would contemplate another Magritte that plans to be sold in
this auction – A la rencontre du plaisir
(1950), actually the first piece of the second recommended pair.
This piece speaks of many other, very different social aspects of our
shared humanity that are also quite pertinent to the Midwest. The image is of two men – are they passing,
are they leaving, do they know each other, are they the same man? So many questions come to mind as one
contemplates the quite, isolated scene.
Magritte gives us at least three immediate clues as to what might be occurring
in this painting – a random meeting
of two men indicating no familiarity in an otherwise empty landscape, at dusk…
in the trees. Is this a secret, possibly
homosexual tryst?
 |
| Delvaux, courtesy Christie's |
While many other potential explanations are
readily apparent and easily come to mind, La
rencontre retains an aura of compelling mystery and motivation as to the
subjects – the scene itself seems of vital importance – but why? Is it the beauty of the cultivated fieldscape
or is it the isolation that provides a moment of privacy and security? What is the plaisir or encounter with pleasure that is captured in this
scene. I can think of few paintings that
speak to so many potential Postmodern audiences and provoke such compelling
questions of pertinence and interest to contemporary Midwestern audiences. This is a painting that would both provoke
and maintain interest and dialogue. It
is, however, a bit expensive at $2M to $3M.
We will hope for a break -- perhaps a Midwestern-style blizzard will hit London the day of the auction. At $2M,
the purchase would bring us up to $3.1 millions of dollars or just under 1/3 of
our total budget.
This year’s auction promises some great
work by Paul
Delvaux, including La première
rose (1947), his ecce homo (1949), and
finally, Les nymphes des eux (1938). Arguably and definitely from a surrealist
perspective, Les nymphes is the strongest piece with the widest potential
appeal. It is vivid, busy and full of
narrative action, wild imagination and beautiful naked women. Apparently, Christie’s would agree. They have priced Les nymphes at over twice that of the other Delvaux pieces. But what of those pieces? Ecce
homo is a startling piece of great imagination and controversial
images. Ecce homo smacks of religiosity and irreligiosity at the same time
– very difficult. Moreover, it is a
piece whose interpretation and appeal is likely to expand and increase over
time while maintaining a certain perennial appeal to younger audiences. In its way, it might also appeal to newer
Midwestern cultures – one of the first thoughts that came to my mind was the
Mexican tradition of the Day of the Dead
parades and gatherings. Certainly, the
Midwest is spiritual enough to draw more than enough inspiration for thought in
that regard.
 |
| Delvaux, La première rose., courtesy Christie's |
But, the Delvaux that catches my eye is La première rose. It is a
beautiful painting of contrasting forms and characters. As a complement to La rencontre, it too features a pair of same-sex characters in an
inescapably suggestive situation that may or may not reference repressed
sexuality, same-sex sexuality, or no sexuality at all or even the difference in time between youth and maturity… many numerous topics of
conversation. I could see the two, the
second of the second pair I would recommend, becoming trademark pieces in the
collection that many students and tourists must avail themselves of – including
the regions large, openly-out gay, lesbian and transgender community in
additional to more traditional audiences with more traditional interpretations. Again, going with a sense of Zeitgheist, such a pairing would be
powerful and shortly quite well known indeed.
We have now spent $4.7 millions of our imaginary dollars, approximately
half of our budget. But I believe that
we are doing quite well with our selections.
This is where things begin to become a bit
tricky. We only have $5.3 millions left
– ignoring for our purposes any
additional taxes, fees, commissions, etc. that would normally also have be
taken into consideration.
Miró’s Femme
is about $4.5 millions. That would just
cinch our budget. Should we do it or
not?
 |
| Miró, Tête, courtesy Christie's |
Combining my experience in politics and in public relations, I would
state with conviction, “Absolutely not!” Noting your surprised reaction, I would point
out that this particular auction is quite rich in pieces from Miró. I have not researched an explanation, but I
do have an idea. The total gift is
roughly $10 millions. The Femme is $4.5 millions, or roughly half
the value of the gift. I see at least
four strong earlier works by Miró in the auction – visual works from his earlier
career. What if the gift came as a
challenge for the target collection to raise the money for Femme while your employer offers to purchase and donate the four
pieces in question in order to create a context for Femme and to create a strong representation of Miró in the
collection sure to draw connoisseurs, tourists and students alike – while
demanding that the collection itself (including Femme) be named in honor of my patron?
 |
| Miró, Femme, étoile ; Signes et figurations; L’echelle d’évasion, courtesy Christie's |
Christie’s seems to price Miró’s early work higher than his later work,
but I think that our first priority would be Tête (1970), roughly contemporary with Femme. Tête reveals and contains the classic symbolism and both art theory
and philosophy developed by or identified with Miró. This painting would serve as an important key
to Femme as well as draw the
sculpture into the interior permanent collection. For these purposes, it would be an easy and
essential complement to the sculpture.
The remaining three Mirós on the list reach
back to his early career (ca 1930s – 40s) and indicate the pedigreed heritage
of the forms found in Femme and Tête.
For this reason, I would recommend Femme,
étoile (1942) at $500,000, L’echelle
d’évasion (1939) at $800,000 and Signes
et figurations (na) at $1M, for a total of $2.3 millions of dollars. We have now spent $7.8 millions.
Assuming that we achieve our ends at the
lowest price possible and continue to disregard any additional costs and fees,
the sharper amongst you are wondering … but do we not still have roughly $2.2
millions left? Yes. But to be honest, I would still pass on the
remaining Mirós, Delvaux and others and hold the remainder in reserve with the
exception of one small, guilty pleasure – I have spotted a rather delicious Francis
Picabia, who is already represented in the Art Institute of Chicago
collection. Volupté is both classic Picabia and something a bit more. Now, I have to admit that I once wasted a
hundred dollars on a couple of cloth panels painted by an art student in Paris in
the style of Picabia, one of my favorite painters of the female form. Volupté
contains all of the lines, contours and expressiveness of the Picabia I know
and love while adding a small, surprising, surrealist twist to the combination
of three otherwise separate and incompatible images. It is an amusing and pleasing study of form,
line and expression and at $130K, I say we quickly and quietly snap it up and
call ourselves good.
As for the rest of the funds – even after at least one formal high tea
with champagne at Hotel Savoy, we
still have $2 millions left in our imaginary funds.
 |
| Edvard Munch, Robat pa sjøen, courtesy Christie's |
I am opting to leave a day earlier to snap up a find from the Modern Art
Auction. I would have my eye on a nice
piece by Edvard
Munch called Robat pa sjøen (1909) painted at his beachfront home at Asgardstrand,
Norway. I find that Robat actually fits into the Surrealist just a bit in that while
the scene is at first vary peaceful, there is a haunting feeling of Stephen
King about the lone figure stooped in the boat enjoying a peaceful open ocean,
yet the rocks join with a shadow that reaches out almost to the boat like something
other that is pursuing the figure.
Christie’s sees this as rather peaceful, I find the rocks disturbing,
like little monsters coming to life with rounded shapes, glinty eyes and sharp
teeth. Where Christie’s sees peace, I
see Jaws. Munch’s Nordic background ties him to the
Midwest culturally, and again we have the strong bond and connection to nature
and water. This would be my final
purchase, and truthfully, if we are able to walk away with an extra $1 million
in our pocket (having spent only $9M), we will have found ourselves fortunate
indeed and ready to start saving for our next auction.
Thanks. I hope that you had fun
with this little fantasy, but it is kind of neat to see what is coming on the
market right now and note some of the current art prices. Ciao, PACE.
[Yes, if I could only choose half that
budget, I would choose 10, 12, 13 and the Munch.]
*In researching Miró’s Femme, I was
reminded (ok, I did not actually know) that there are already two casts (of
four) of the sculpture in the American Midwest – being at the Detroit Institute
of Arts, Detroit, Michigan, and the Walker Art Center, Minneapolis,
Minnesota. I take this as a confirmation
of my intuitive tastes and understanding of the Midwest art scene, and as an
indicator that I need to amend my weekend plans to hustle over to the
Minneapolis Sculpture Garden and see in person that which I am recommending. Happily, Minneapolis is much closer, and much
cheaper to get to than is Christie’s London.
Hope ya’ll had fun with this little fantasy. I know I did.
~PACE
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