Important works by Monet and Rothko at Sotheby’s

Claude Monet: “Meules” (1890). Estimated in excess of $55 million

Important works by Monet and Rothko at Sotheby’s This May in New York Sotheby’s will offer Claude Monet’s ‘Meules’ from an important private collection, and Mark Rothko’s ‘Untitled’, 1960 on behalf of the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (SFMOMA).

April 2, 2019, source: Sotheby’s

Claude Monet: “Meules”
Of the 25 canvases that the artist created in the early 1890s, Meules from 1890 is one of only four works from this series to come to auction this century and one of only eight remaining in private hands. The other 17 examples reside in the distinguished collections of The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, the Musée d’Orsay, Paris and, perhaps most notably, six in the collection of the Art Institute of Chicago. Meules is further distinguished by its illustrious provenance, having been acquired by wealthy Chicago socialites and fervent collectors of Impressionist works, Mr. and Mrs. Potter Palmer, directly from the artist’s dealer in the 1890s.

Mark Rothko: “Untitled”
An important work completed at the apex of Rothko’s artistic powers, “Untitled”, 1960 is one of just 19 paintings completed by the artist in 1960. This year marks a critical juncture in the iconic Abstract Expressionist’s career, following his defining commission of the Seagram Murals (1958-59) and his representation of the United States in the XXIX Venice Biennale (1958) – organized by the Museum of Modern Art, New York, which would subsequently hold Rothko’s first and only major lifetime retrospective in 1961. “Untitled”, 1960 is distinguished further by its connection to Peggy Guggenheim, preeminent philanthropist and patron of the 20th century.

The ownership history of “Untitled”, 1960 unites the artist and institution with one of the preeminent philanthropists and patrons of the 20th century. A champion of Abstract Expressionism broadly and of Rothko specifically, Peggy Guggenheim’s pioneering vision and commitment to the artists she promoted paved the way for one of the most significant artistic movements in history. Determined to provide a voice and platform to this new generation of artists, Guggenheim gave Rothko one of his first important solo shows in 1945, at her famed Art of This Century gallery. The following year, she loaned the artist’s “Slow Swirl at the Edge of the Sea” to SFMOMA’s exhibition of Rothko’s work titled “An Environment for Faith”, and subsequently donated the work to the institution. “Slow Swirl at the Edge of the Sea” remained in the museum’s collection until 1962, when SFMOMA made the direct request to Rothko to exchange the work for a more contemporary example of his oeuvre. The artist obliged, and the museum selected “Untitled”, 1960, which has remained in their collection to present. “Slow Swirl at the Edge of the Sea” now resides in the collection of The Museum of Modern Art, New York.

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