Modern Art

Great works by young abstract artists like Phil Sims, Hubert Scheibl and Jason Martin stem from a South German private collection. Martin's work 'Arcadia', 2002 (€15,000 – 20,000) was purchased at Ropac Gallery, Salzburg. The artist, born on the Channel Islands in 1970, is famous for his monochromatic paintings of layers of oil-based paint or acrylic gel on firm support like aluminium, stainless steel or Plexiglas. Vivid, gestural structure is achieved with a comb-like piece of metal that is dragged over the surface. Hubert Scheibl's 'Zarzura R-X-R' (1996/97) and 'Kovalam' (2000) will be called up at estimates up to €16,000 – 17,000. Artist portraits of Picasso, Mondrian and de Kooning, taken by Arnold Newman and Yousuf Karsh, will be of great interest in the Photography section.

Young abstract painting and contemporary photography was most popular during the auction. Next to German bidders on the floor, international aficionados who participated over the phones prevailed and secured themselves their coveted works. The mysterious, large-formatted 'Portrait #17' by Axel Hütte, former pupil of the Bechers, based in Düsseldorf, convinced art lovers in the beginning of the auction and was bought by a Munich-based collector on the floor for EUR 19,425 (lot 778, estimate EUR 16,000 – EUR 18,000). The other large-formatted abstract composition, by Max Cole, 'Black Willow' from the year 1999, received the highest result: An Italian collector bought it for EUR 19,425 (lot 808, estimate EUR 15,000 – EUR 18,000). Jason Martin's textured monochrome-orange painting 'Arcadia', from the year 2002, aroused desires. A Portuguese and a Greek collector fought fervently over it, the Greek getting the upper hand at EUR 18,130 (lot 830, estimate EUR 15,000 – EUR 20,000). Smaller abstract works, an orange oil painting on canvas by American artist Phil Sims and the two canvas sculptures of German Herbert Hamak were sought after as well and will travel to Italy. Phil Sims' 'Untitled Red (Gubio Study)' (lot 852, estimate EUR 5,000 – EUR 6,000) received EUR 6,216, Hamak's works went for EUR 7,122. A Rhenish bidder on the floor secured himself Timm Rautert's very personal portrait photograph of Andy Warhol (lot 784, estimate EUR 3,300 – EUR 4,000), coming from the Heidi Reckermann Gallery and a ten-partite suite of colour lithographs by American artist Agnes Martin. She, like Max Cole, belongs among the minimalist composing artists of her generation and country (lot 829, estimate EUR 4,000 – EUR 5,000).