auction houses

Taubman Collection at Sotheby’s

There are just four more days to view the incredible art collection of the late A. Alfred Taubman before the Sotheby’s auction on November 4/5. Encompassing more than 500 works, the collection spans antiquity to contemporary art which Mr. Taubman collected over six decades. There are 123 items for bid in the Modern and Contemporary auction and 77 in the Masterworks auction.

Egon Schiele works

Egon Schiele works

Taubman’s collection includes 24 pieces by Egon Schiele, which alone could form the basis of a museum exhibition. Additionally there are pieces by Balthus, Degas, Matisse, Modigliani, Picasso, Rothko, and Van Gogh among countless others.

impress

Vincent van Gogh, PAYSAGE SOUS UN CIEL MOUVEMENTÉ (oil on canvas)

The Taubman collection can be found on the 10th floor of Sotheby’s and shares the space with another impressive collection that’s up for  auction this week as well. The Impressionist & Modern Art Evening Sale contains 47 works of art, many from the collection of Louis & Evelyn Franck.

Sotheby’s, on 72nd and York Avenue, is open from 10:00am-5:00pm. Don’t miss this wonderful opportunity to see great works of art in a highly accessible setting.

Al Hirschfeld at the New York Historical Society
Al Hirschfield, Self Portrait

Al Hirschfeld, Self Portrait

A Sunday morning pleasure used to be trying to find the “Ninas” in Al Hirschfeld’s caricatures which appeared in the Sunday New York Times “Arts & Leisures” section. As most people knew, Nina was Hirschfeld’s daughter. But what I learned at the New York Historical Society’s exhibit, “The Hirschfeld Century: The Art of Al Hirschfeld,” was that Hirschfeld never intended to make it a permanent feature of his drawings. He did it for the first few months after Nina’s birth; meant for the amusement of his friends. But when he stopped, people protested; so “Nina” returned and stayed part of the Sunday drawings.

Al Hirschfeld, 2000 Academy Award Nominees for Best Actor and Best Actress, 2001.Colored gels over pen and ink.

Al Hirschfeld, 2000 Academy Award Nominees for Best Actor and Best Actress, 2001.Colored gels over pen and ink.

The exhibition has over 100 original works, with a special emphasis on the New York Times—where Hirschfeld was a contributor for over seven decades. Hirschfeld, who died in 2003 at the age of 100 years,  was known by many as “the Line King,” As you walk through the exhibit, and look closely at his work, you can really appreciate the power of his lines. The exhibit contains classic portraits of Charlie Chaplin, Carol Channing, Ella Fitzgerald, Jane Fonda and Ringo Starr, as well as cast drawings from theatrical productions of Fiddler on the Roof, West Side Story, and The Glass Menagerie.

If you go, don’t missing seeing the short video of an interview with Hirschfeld. Not only is it interesting to hear him talk about his work, but you also get to see how he creates it.

The exhibit is on view through October 12, 2015.

Auction Houses: Great Venues For Seeing Art

You don’t need to to bid on art in order to enjoy art that’s up for auction. There are many auction houses in New York that offer public viewing times for their auctions. Below is a list of auction houses that are worth a visit, as well as some upcoming auctions you might like to check out. Go to their websites to learn when you can view the art. Dates given are for the actual auctions.

Art Auctions Preview

 

Bonhams, New York (580 Madison Avenue)

November 4 — Impressionist and Modern Art

November 5 — 19th Century European Paintings

November 11 — Post-War and Contemporary Art

November 12 — African, Oceanic and Pre Colombian Art

November 18 — American Art

December 17 — The Art of Fashion Photography

Christies (20 Rockefeller Plaza)

October 27 — 19th Century European Art

November 5 — Impressionist and Modern

November 12 — Post War and Contemporary Art

November 19 — American Art

November 24 — Latin American Art

Doyle New York ( 175 East 87th Street)

November 5 — Important paintings from the collection of Norman Mack, II (Impressionist and Modern Art)

November 11 — Post-War and Contemporary Art

Sotheby’s (1334 York Avenue)

October 2 – American Paintings, Drawing and Sculptures

November 6 — 19th Century European Art

November 25 — Mexico Contemporary

December 4 — Israeli and International Art

December 15 — Impressionist and Modern Art Including Russian Art

Swann Auction Galleries (104 East 25th Street)

September 23-24 — 19th and 20th Century Prints & Drawings

October 9 — African-American Fine Art featuring the Richard A. Long Collection