Classic modern art, international contemporary art, prototypes of latest design, as well as historical silver, art nouveau objects, and valuable jewellery and watches all feature on the programme of the fourth major Dorotheum auction week, an unmissable event for art lovers from Austria and the rest of the world (22 - 26 November 2010). 

Auction Week 22 - 26 November 2010:
Silver, 22 November 2010, 2:00 P.M. and 6:00 P.M.
Design, 23 November 2010, 5:00 P.M.
Modern Art, 24 November 2010, 5:00 P.M.
Jewellery, 24 November 2010, 2:00 P.M.
Art Nouveau and 20th Century Applied Art 25 November 2010, 2:00 P.M.
Contemporary Art, 25 November 2010, 6:00 P.M.
Wrist- and Pocket Watches, 26 November 2010, 6:00 P.M.

Public Viewing:
starting on 13 November 2010

Venue:
Palais Dorotheum, Vienna 1, Dorotheergasse 17

Press Office:
Doris Krumpl, Tel. +-43-1-515 60-406, doris.krumpl@dorotheum.at

Still Life with a View

Two separate auctions, on 24th and 25th November 2010, once again present some of the highlights of modern and contemporary art. 

Italian art dominates the selection of modern art offered on 24th November 2010, no other work more so than a museum-quality still life by the Post-Futurist Gino Severini: his View of the Domes of St Peter's in Rome conveys an idea his attraction to Cubism (€ 100.000 - 150.000). Whenever a late work by Giorgio de Chirico is presented at a Dorotheum auction, it is almost assured of a top result. „Isola di San Giorgio“, a view of Venice dating to 1965 is expected to fetch between 180.000 and 250.000 Euro. 

Kolo Moser is represented by a Self Portrait of 1915 as well as by a Landscape dating to 1913 (€ 40.000 - 60.000 and € 45.000 - 70.000) whereas Carl Moll allows us a glimpse of the Park of Schönbrunn Palacein a 1920 painting remarkable for its daring composition („Schlosspark von Schönbrunn“, € 60.000 - 80.000). Magical watercolours and a gloomy atmosphere create an almost somnambulistic effect in Emil Nolde's Marsh Landscape with farmhouse (120.000 - 150.000). In the sculpture category, a one meter tall „Cardinale in piedi“ by Giacomo Manzu (€ 80.000 - 120.000) and a Female Torso by Fritz Wotruba (1946, € 70.000 - 110.000) both stand out, if not in the literal sense. 

The auction of contemporary art on 25th November 2010 covers the entire breadth of ultra-recent art history and accommodates a gesticular Expressionist painting by Emilio Vedova (€ 150.000 - 200.000), a bright orange sculptural image by Agostino Bonalumi 
(€ 100.000 - 150.000), or a photo-collage by Anselm Kiefer, naturally with some lead, („die Ungeborenen“, € 100.000 - 150.000), just as easily as the „Hanging Form“, 1956, by Francis Bacon's acquaintance Graham Sutherland (€ 90.000 - 150.000) or a Christo photo-collage for the „The Gates“, New York, 2004 (€ 65.000 - 85.000). One year before his death in 1987, Andy Warhol did a portrait of another Pop icon, Giuliana Benetton, the resulting 'united colors' now estimated at between 250.000 and 300.000 Euro.  

In his painting/object „Kreuz (mit Christuskorpus)“ and the oil painting „Schwarzes Kreuz“ (Crucifix - with Corpus Christi, € 100.000 - 160.000 and Black Crucifix, € 30.000 - 40.000), Arnulf Rainer finds his own personal way to address (Austrian) Catholicism. A fine example of the radical early work of Hermann Nitsch, his Rosenbild was dedicated by the 25-year old artist to his "dear friend and teacher Peter Kubelka" (350.000 - 450.000). 

Experts: Elke Königseder, Patricia Pálffy, Monika Meindl, Eva Königseder, Tel. +43-1-515 60-358, 20c.paintings@dorotheum.at

Modern Totems 

Sculpture, art object, design: the boundaries between these definitions remain permeable, as the Dorotheum design auction on 23rd November 2010 once again illustrates. One extremely rare - and 2 m tall - column object made of multicoloured ceramic parts by Ettore Sottsass (€ 70.000 - 80.000) definitely qualifies as a modern totem. The auction also features a number of important early works by this famous Italian designer who together with Michele de Lucchi founded the legendary as well as revolutionary design collective Memphis, based in Milan. For an example of early Memphis output one might look at a cheeky design combining elements of a boxing ring and a lounge: Masanori Umeda's „Tawayara“ seat ensemble of 1981, complete with tatami mats and lacquer tray (€ 18.000 - 24.000). A vintage photograph shows the members of Memphis gesturing wildly inside the ring. 

Likewise illustrative of the shift from originally intended function to sculpture- and design object are Diego Giacometti's table and bookshelf (the shelf „Bibliotheque au Mexique“, € 110.000 - 140.000) as well as a large number of chairs, tables, shelves, screens etc. from various buildings in the Indian city of Chandigarh, designed for that place by Pierre Jeanneret (on with his cousin Le Corbusier) during the mid-1950s. Prouve and Perriand, both resonant names in international design, are also represented by some of their major works such as Prouve's more than 4 m long „Compas“ desk (€ 65.000 - 75.000). 

Luigi Colani remains in a class of his own: as usual his bright red motorcycle sculpture is composed solely of smooth, rounded forms (1973, € 45.000 - 55.000).  

Aside from a number of 1980s pieces - including the postmodern (unique) archetype of Xavier Lust's subsequently serially produced „Virgo“ bookshelf (€ 15.000 - 20.000) - the design auction again features several unusual contemporary prototypes e.g. Michael Young lamps arising from his experimentation with folded paper, or a wiry „Willow Chair“ by Pini Leibovich. Though designed as recently as last year and with a production run of only 8 copies, the  „Crushed Love“ seat-set by Gimhongsok already aspires to cult status. Taking Robert Indiana's flower-power LOVE symbol as its point of departure, via General Idea's 1980s AIDS version, we are left to take our ease as we find it among the crushed and deformed ruins of Love (€ 45.000 - 55.000). 

Expert: Gerti Draxler, Tel. +43-1-515 60-226, gerti.draxler@dorotheum.at

Multitalent  

At the art nouveau auction on 25th November we again come across the work of the prolific, multitalented Wiener Werkstätte member, Kolo Moser, in this case in the form of a dynamic ink well of hammered silver (1903, € 25.000 - 35.000). Nor is the name of Josef Hoffmann entirely unfamiliar at auctions of this kind, on this occasion being associated with a Wiener-Werkstätte samovar made of silver (€ 18.000 - 24.000). Marcel Kammerer's armchair distinguishes itself from other fine Thonet furniture for two reasons: it was designed for the Austrian exhibition in London, in 1906; and its upholstery includes fabric designs by Martha Thonet herself (€ 25.000 - 30.000). The German goldsmith Friedrich Pöhlmann contributes a curious silver centrepiece with enamelling, copper, and gemstones (€ 20.000 - 30.000). 

Expert: Julia Blaha, Tel. +43-1-515 60-383, julia.blaha@dorotheum.at

Precious Creatures 

The life-like rendition of animals has always represented a challenge to the expert silversmith. At the silver auction on 22nd November 2010, we find the doves from antiquity's famous Sosos mosaic rendered in silver and perched on the edge of a water vessel. This large bowl from London by Paul Storr, hallmarked 1838/39, is distinguished by the quality of its workmanship (€ 50.000 - 60.000). A symbolic (Russian) bear surmounts a lidded tureen from St. Petersburg, once in the collection of Prince Orlow (1866, € 10.000 - 16.000). In general, Russian silver provides one of the focal points of this auction, though it again features pieces from all the major centres of silver working. 

Expert: Georg Ludwigstorff, Tel. +43-1-515 60-363, georg.ludwigstorff@dorotheum.at

Brilliant 

Owing to its exceptional design a supple diamond bracelet set with precious stoned will be worthy of particular note at the jewellery auction on 24th November 2010. Crafted from gold and platinum, this piece of jewellery weighs a respectable 102 ct (€ 110.000 - 140.000). Future owners of a fin de siècle diamond necklace are spoilt for choice as the piece may be worn or used in eleven different ways (€ 16.000 - 20.000).
The auction of wrist- and pocket watches on 26th November 2010, finally, sports a large aviator's watch by IWC Schaffhausen as well as a rare platinum wrist watch (€ 15.000 - 24.000) to name just two of its attractions. 

Experts: Astrid Fialka-Herics, Alessandra Thornton, Günther Fröhlich, Günter Eichberger, Tel. +43-1-515 60-567, juwelenauktion@dorotheum.at