Souza Painting Leads Bukowskis Important Spring Sale
Success for Souza and Swedish Masters at the Season's Closing Live Auction
After successful auctions for modern and contemporary art and design, Bukowskis closes the live season with the Important Spring Sale – the largest live auction of the spring featuring the best of the best in art, furniture, and crafts.
On the second day of the auction, the focus shifted to art and significant works by Swedish masters such as Carl Larsson, Anders Zorn, and Carl Fredrik Hill. The auction's highlight was a painting by the Indian artist Francis Newton Souza, which attracted international bidders and far exceeded expectations.
Souza – the Season's Most Valuable Work
The Indian modernist Francis Newton Souza's Portrait of a Man from 1956 was the highlight of the day, selling for a final price of 16.5 million SEK. The painting exceeded expectations and is the highest paid work sold at auction in Sweden in 2024, and the second highest paid Souza work ever sold at auction in Europe.
Throughout his career, Souza experimented with various styles and expressions, but his figurative paintings with sharp black lines from the 1950s and 60s are the most sought after, as evidenced at Bukowskis' auction. With a large number of international bidders online and over the phone, the painting sold to applause in the auction hall at the spectacular final price.
High Final Prices for Swedish Classical Masters
In the classical Swedish section, artists such as Anders Zorn and Carl Larsson were represented with several works. Two of the main highlights were Anders Zorn's painting "From Sandhamn," which sold for 5.8 million SEK, and Carl Larsson's work "Målargården" from 1915, which sold for a final price of nearly 3.6 million SEK. Additional high listings were achieved for Carl Larsson's "Martina and the Food Basket" (studie till "Frukost i det gröna"), Anders Zorn's "Delsbostintan" and "Fröken Amelie Coyet", Stefan Johansson's "Julikväll," and Carl Fredrik Hill's paintings "Coastal Landscape, Luc-sur-Mer (towards Falaise de Lion-sur-Mer)" and "Seashore Luc-sur-Mer," the latter with a final price of 1.75 million SEK.
Other significant works in the section included John Bauer's "Han vilade icke ett ögonblick förrän han i skymningen nådde fram," an illustration for the fairy tale "Vingas krans."
Sculpted Highlights
Highlights in sculpture included "Dancing Maenad" by Carl Milles, which sold for a final price of nearly 1.2 million SEK after an exciting bidding process. Another work by Milles, the sculpture "Lek med fiskar" (Play with fishes), also exceeded its estimate.
From Classical to Pop Art
Top lots within in the classical international section included "River Scene" by Konstantin Fedorovic Yuon, which sold for a final price of nearly 3.5 million SEK. In the older international art category, we also saw works by Johan Laurentz Jensen and Jacob Philipp Hackert.
Highlights in prints and photography included "Leonardo da Vinci, The Annunciation" by Andy Warhol and "Faye Dunaway, Hollywood 1977" by Terry O’Neill.
During the spring live auctions for Contemporary Art and Design, Important Timepieces, and Modern Art & Design, Bukowskis has auctioned art, design, and watches totalling 254,4 million SEK (including fees) and achieved 35 listings above one million.
Consignment is ongoing for upcoming auctions. Please contact Bukowskis specialists today to sell at the best prices on the market.
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