Masterworks: Christmas Auction on the 6th and 7th of December

MUNICH, GERMANY--(Marketwired - Nov 15, 2013) - Max Pechstein is represented with a dozen works in Ketterer Kunst's Christmas Auction on the 6^th and 7^th December. Among them stand such fine masterworks as "Schrei am Meer", with an estimate of EUR 800.000-1.200.000. The oil painting is just one of many highlights in a comprehensive auction:

1) Modern Art & Sidelines of the German Avant-garde
2) Post War
3) Contemporary Art

on 1) Modern Art

Max Pechstein's "Schrei am Meer" is an ode to the summer and the joy of freedom. The work, which originated in 1919 in Nidden, provides a glimpse into Pechstein's boundless celebration of creation, which in August that year he expressed in a letter to author and publisher Professor Dr. Georg Biermann: I "submerse myself fully in my work, like a bog, which under the rain swells and like a marvel transforms the woods. I live in this inebriation, (...) and would like the brush to break up in the bliss of the making." Powerful, beautiful and self-assured, Pechstein presents his wife Lotte as the central figure, whilst his son, Frank, follows with a pert expression.

Considerably more reserved but no less attractive is the oil painting "Lotte mit Kopftuch," with an estimate of EUR 600.000-800.000. In a prim white blouse and colorful headdress, Pechstein's wife holds the viewer in her spell with her sensual red lips and intense gaze. Pechstein's "Selbstbildnis," from about 10 years later, could perhaps be purchased for a little less. The self portrait has been estimated at EUR 200.000-250.000.

From Oskar Schlemmer comes one of his most internationally sought-after compositions from the Bauhaus period. The estimate for "Figur auf grauem Grund," which appears to be moving, is between EUR 240.000-280.000.

Gabriele Münter is represented with several works, first and foremost "Blauer Kegelberg" (estimate EUR 140.000-180.000). Her self-contained style, with its reduction to the essentials, creates an astonishing atmosphere, an effect also to be found in "Wege ins Moos" (estimate: EUR 120.000-150.000). "Lerchensporn und Primeln (Blumenbild 1935/22a)" from 1935, could perhaps be bought for EUR 60.000-80.000.

No other artist but Wassily Kandinsky can express the connection between art and music so well. With its harmonious hue and vigorous forms, his untitled composition (estimate: EUR 180.000-240.000) from 1915 encourages one to feel the inner rhythm.

A further highlight is the "First Portfolio" with graphic works by masters of the Bauhaus in Weimar (estimate: EUR 100.000-150.000). Made in 1921, the work, which is hard to find in its completeness and quality, contains captivating prints by, e.g. Lyonel Feininger, Paul Klee and Gerhard Marcks.

Emil Nolde is represented with over half a dozen works, including three appealing watercolors from around 1931/35: "Das Paar, Phantasien" (estimate: EUR 80.000-120.000), "Mädchenkopf" (EUR 70.000-90.000) and "Gartenblumen" (EUR 60.000-80.000).

Next to Francis Picabia's painting "Mains et fantômes" (estimate: EUR 70.000-90.000) and Karl Hofer's oil "Schwarzmond" (estimate: EUR 100.000-150.000) and "Mann mit grüner Fahne" (estimate: EUR 60.000-80.000), the range of offerings is completed by works from such renowned artists as Marc Chagall, Edward Cucuel, Otto Dix, Conrad Felixmüller, Otto Freundlich, Leonor Fini, George Grosz, Ernst Ludwig Kirchner, Pablo Picasso, Hans Purrmann, Georg Tappert and Kurt Weinhold.

With regards to sculpture, there are the bronze works "Athlet" by Max Klinger (estimate: EUR 90.000-120.000), "Junges Weib" by Georg Kolbe (estimate: EUR 60.000-80.000) and a seated woman entitled "Still allein" by Gerhard Marcks (estimate: EUR 40.000-60.000).

A notable event will be celebrated within the context of the auction of Modern Art: the special auction Sidelines of the German Avant-garde has its 10^th anniversary on 6 December. With this special auction Ketterer Kunst honors the achievements of artists who fell into oblivion because their works were depleted during the Second World War. This auction accords them the recognition they deserve (for more details see press release dated 24 September, 2013).

On 2) Post War Art

This section is led by Georg Baselitz's oil painting "Der Abgarkopf" from 1984. Legend has it that Abgar V of Edessa was cured by a cloth upon which a miraculous image of the face of Jesus was imprinted, but not man-made. In the examination of occidental pictorial tradition, the artist underwent an important development towards the image as type. In doing so he uses the entire surface, and accordingly the "Abgarkopf" is defined merely by eyes, nose and mouth, which set marker points in a relief of green, blue and ochre colors. The estimate is at EUR 250.000-350.000.

At the top of the list of desired objects stands Karl Otto Götz's "Brien-Elven." The work, estimated at EUR 70.000-90.000, counts among the most particularly sought after large informal paintings from the late 1950s.

Works by ZERO artists constitute near-classics of post-1945 art. Led by Günther Uecker's "Feld" (estimate: EUR 50.000-70.000) from 1994 stand works by Otto Piene (e.g. "Flower flies", estimate: EUR 35.000-45.000) and Heinz Mack (e.g. "Lichtrelief", estimate: EUR 25.000-35.000).

Further impressive lots come -- next to Maurice Estève's "La chapelaude" (Estimate: EUR 80.000-100.000) and an oil painting by Jean Paul Riopelle (Estimate: EUR 90.000-120.000) -- from artists such as Fernando Botero, Konrad Klapheck, Georges Mathieu, Giacomo Manzù, Marino Marini, Serge Poliakoff, Gerhard Richter, Emil Schumacher and Andy Warhol, including his color-print "Marilyn" (estimate: EUR 70.000-95.000).

On 3) Contemporary Art

At the forefront of this section, which for the first time has its own catalog, stand Tony Cragg's awe-inspiring brass-head "Sharing" (estimate: EUR 70.000-90.000) and Anselm Reyle's large-format work from 2005 (estimate: EUR 60.000-80.000). The color-intensive stripes reach a dimension of 378 x 303 cm (148.8 x 119.2 in).

Additionally there are such impressive artists as Daniel Richter ("Irren, menschlich?," estimate: EUR 50.000-70.000), Jason Martin ("Chord," estimate: EUR 40.000-60.000), Abraham David Christian, Damien Hirst, Imi Knoebel, Cornelius Völker and Gert and Uwe Tobias.

Preview

16/17 November		Galerie Barbara von Stechow		Feldbergstr. 28		60323		Frankfurt*
19-21 November		Ketterer Kunst		Malkastenstr. 11		40211		Duesseldorf*
23-29 November		Ketterer Kunst		Fasanenstr. 70		10719		Berlin*
01-05 December		Ketterer Kunst		Joseph-Wild-Str. 18		81829		Munich-Riem**
* selected works								** all works

Auction in Munich

6 December		12:30 p.m.		Modern Art - part II
		03:00 p.m.		Sidelines of the German Avant-garde
		04:30 p.m.		Modern Art - part I
7 December		12:00 noon		Post War Art - part II
		04:00 p.m.		Contemporary Art
		05:00 p.m.		Post War Art - part I

Since it was founded in 1954, Ketterer Kunst has been firmly established in the front ranks of auction houses dealing in fine art and rare books, with its headquarters in Munich and a branch in Hamburg. Gallery rooms in Berlin as well as representatives in Heidelberg, Düsseldorf and Modena (Italy) contribute substantially to the company's success. In addition, exhibitions, special theme and charity auctions as well as online auctions are regular events at Ketterer Kunst.