Upcoming Auctions

Upcoming Auction – Major Classics auction at Bukowskis June 8-10

Prime Swedish auction house Bukowskis is holding a highly comprehensive Classics sale on June 8-10. We gathered the highlights for you.

The auction is very versatile. The categories are: On June 8: Oriental, Glass, Ceramics, Carpets and textiles; On June 9: Furniture, Miscellaneous & Decorative Arts, Art, International Art, Sculpture, Swedish old masters, International old masters; and on June 10, Silver and items of vertu, Watches, Jewellery.

A GILT BRONZE FIGURE OF GUANYIN, MING DYNASTY (1368-1644) Price est.: 500 000 - 600 000 SEK/54 644 - 65 573 EUR
A gilt bronze figure of Guanyin, Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) H: 33 cm Price est.: 500 000 – 600 000 SEK/54 644 – 65 573 EUR Bukowskis

This Guanyin figure is one of the first lots to go under the hammer. Guanyin, an East Asian spiritual figure of mercy, is here seated in dhyanasana with right hand holding the end of a willow stem and the left hand holding a cup, dressed in loose, flowing robes with chased floral borders, the contemplative face framed by the knotted plaits and elongated earlobes suspending ornate earrings, the elaborate openwork tiara centered by a figure of Amitabha Buddha.

10039258_bukobject
An attic black figure amphora, 500 BC. Price est.: 25 000 – 30 000 SEK/2 732 – 3 278 EUR Bukowskis

The category to go on auction after Oriental art is ceramics. The lots include porcelain from Swedish and international provenance and the highlight of the category is this amphora dating back to 500 BC. It is decorated with scenes where a draped female with a warrior carrying someone over his shoulders. The other side depicts three warriors. The name Attic comes from Attica, an ancient Greek city famous for its black-figure pottery artists. The 6th century BC, which this amphora dates from, was the golden age of this style.

10042512_bukobject
Parts of a Wagon, Swedish Rococo 1760s, Altered later to a sideboard. Length 122, width 50, height 104 cm. Price est.: 30 000 – 40 000 SEK/3 278 – 4 371 EUR

 

This sideboard is adorned with flowers putti (angel babies) with councillor hats (crimson velvet hat) in their hands,  indicating that it belonged to the Swedish Privy Council during the Rococo times, probably in the 1760s. The style of the painting seems to be influenced by the French Rococo master Francois Boucher.

10047877_bukobject
Sundial and compass. made by Langlois. Silver. 18th cc. 6,5 X 5,8 cm. 8 000 – 10 000 SEK / 874- 1 092 EUR Bukowskis

 

An interesting item coming up for auction under the category of Miscellaneous & Decorative Arts is this silver sundial and compass made by Langlois in Paris. Dating from the 18th century, this exquisite item features a bird-shaped folding gnomon, compass, bottom with table of latitudes for 24 cities.

The main art highlights of the auction are a painting by Carl Larsson and a sculpture by Carl Milles. 

CARL LARSSON, "VILA" ("REST"). Signed C.L. Watercolour 22 x 46.5 cm. Price est.: 1200000-1500000 SEK / 131147-163934 EUR
CARL LARSSON, “VILA” (“REST”). Signed C.L. Watercolour 22 x 46.5 cm. Price est.: 1200000-1500000 SEK / 131147-163934 EUR Bukowskis

When speaking of Carl Larsson and his studio, most people think of Little Hyttnäs and all interiors immortalized there. However, Larsson had a studio at Glasbruksgatan 15 in Stockholm before the family moved to Dalarna. This painting is from there, and in his day book, the artist recorded in February 1904: ” ‘rest’ watercolor, nude model, sitting in the corner of the sofa.”

In several of Larsson’s pictures the viewer often sees traces of the projects he works on and gets invited to take part of his creative living and environment which rather transforms his paintings into a form of a diary. In this painting, we see two sketches of the plafond (ceiling) paintings he drew for the Opera foyer, next to the model which shows that he is taking a break away from the monumental works for a while, hence the name “Rest”.

CARL MILLES, "ORPHEUS". Signed Carl Milles. Foundry mark H Brergman fud, Stockholm and numbered 2/6. Dark patina, height 233 cm (including stone base 16 cm). Conceived 1925-26. Posthumously cast. 1 500 000 - 1 800 000 SEK/163 934 - 196 721 EUR
CARL MILLES, “ORPHEUS”. Signed Carl Milles. Foundry mark H Brergman fud, Stockholm and numbered 2/6. Dark patina, height 233 cm (including stone base 16 cm). Conceived 1925-26. Posthumously cast. Price est.: 1 500 000 – 1 800 000 SEK/163 934 – 196 721 EUR. Bukowskis

Swedish sculptor Carl Milles created this monumental Orpheus Fountain during early 1930s at his time at the Cranbrook Academy of Art. The 25th of July 1936 the official inauguration of the sculpture took place outside Stockholm’s Concert Hall, which has a Classical style. This work makes a strong point of balanced strength both in body, spirit and aesthetics.

In Greek mythology, Orpheus is the a legendary hero, endowed with godly music skills and he is the son of Apollo. The main attribute for identifying Orpheus in art is usually the lyre.

In the Orpheus Fountain, the central figure “Orpheus” is surrounded by eight muses, whose attention is focused on Orpheus and his lyre.

Carl Milles thought music was very important: he loved the Ninth Symphony of Beethoven. In the finished sculpture Orpheus Fountain, Beethoven is one of the figures that surround him. Some thought of his interpretation of the Orpheus group as equivalent to Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony.

This copy was in the winning garden at Chelsea Flower Show 2013.

See all the lots and bid live here.

Photos courtesy of the Bukowskis website.

Tags