The Impressionist and Modern Art Evening Sale and the auction of The Art of the Surreal  which took place on the evening of 6 February 2013 at Christie's in London, realized £136,462,100/ $213,426,725/ €157,340,801 selling 89% by lot and 94% by value.

The auctions had a combined pre-sale estimate of £89.8 million to £132.8 million. The top price was paid for Jeanne Hébuterne (au chapeau), 1919, by Amedeo Modigliani (1884-1920) which sold for £26,921,250/ $42,104,835/ €31,040,201 (estimate: £16-22 million, pictured above). In total, 32 works of art sold for over £1 million / 42 for over $1 million, and five artist records were set: led by Berthe Morisot's portrait which set a new record price for a female artist at auction; a record for a sculpture by Renè Magritte; and records for a work by Alberto Magnelli, Kay Sage and Óscar Domínguez.

 "We were very pleased with the strength and depth of bidding tonight which drove this evening's auction to achieve both the highest total for a February evening sale at Christie's London, and our highest sell through rate for an evening sale in this category in London. The global teamwork of our Impressionist and Modern team, coupled with the international nature of buyers participating in tonight's sale, ensured that the auction drew interest and bidding from around the world. We were very pleased to achieve five new record prices at auction including for Berthe Morisot, whose portrait set an auction record for a work of art by a female artist sold at auction", said Jay Vincze, International director and head of the Impressionist and Modern Art Evening sale.

 Olivier Camu, Deputy Chairman, Impressionist and Modern Art, Christie's added: "Having held the inaugural standalone Dada and Surrealism sale in 1989 and established the first annual Art of the Surreal Sale in 2001, we are very proud that this pioneering movement of 20^th century art now commands truly international attention, with our February sales eagerly awaited by collectors around the globe and across other collecting fields from Old Masters through to Contemporary art. This sale was the largest and strongest offering of Surrealist art ever offered at auction and the volume of bids reflected the enthusiasm for this sale format which is encouraging for the market and greatly rewarding for Christie's. All 9 of the works by Magritte sold, with a new record set for a sculpture by the artist, beating the previous record set at Christie's in 2009; the price for this work and Miró's sculpture, which almost equalled the current record, highlights the strength of demand for sculptures in the field of Impressionist and Modern Art."

  Impressionist/Modern Day Sale

                                             King Street ,  7 February 2013 , Sale  # 1105

                                                         [All sold prices include buyer's premium]

109 lots sold Total:£13,254,200/$20,742,823 /€15,321,855                                            

132 lots offered 88% sold by value

Best results 

Marc Chagall (1887-1985),  Fleurs près de la fenêtre  (Estimate: 300,000 - 500,000 GBP) : 623,650 GBP ($976,012,  € 720,939 )

George Grosz (1893-1959), Zwei Frauen  (Estimate: 45,000 - 55,000 GBP) : 601,250  GBP ($940,956   €695,045 )

Fritz Glarner (1899-1972), Relational Painting Tondo No. 35 (Estimate: 300,000 - 500,000 GBP: 601,250 GBP ($940,956, €695,045)          

Pablo Picasso (1881-1973), Femme se coiffant (Estimate: 250,000 - 350,000 GBP) : 517,250 GBP  ($809,496, €597,941)

Emil Nolde (1867-1956), Heuwiese (Estimate: 280,000 - 350,000 GBP : 505,250        GBP ($790,716, €584,069)

Marc Chagall (1887-1985), Les amoureux au bouquet(Estimate 350,000 - 550,000 GBP) : 457,250 GBP   (  $715,596, €528,581)

Alexej von Jawlensky (1864-1941), Bretonische Bäuerin (Estimate: 250,000 - 350,000 GBP : 421,250 GBP   ($659,256, €486,965 )                                            

Felix Elie Tobeen (1880-1920), Pelotaris (Estimate: 35,000 - 45,000 GBP : 373,250 GBP       ($584,136,  €431,477 )

Pierre-Auguste Renoir (1841-1919), Aloès, la cueillette à Cagnes   (Estimate: 250,000 - 350,000 GBP: 337,250 GBP    ($527,796, €389,861)

Marc Chagall (1887-1985), Le Pont Neuf (Estimate: 300,000 - 500,000 GBP: 325,250 GBP

($509,016  €375,989 )

Jason Carey, Associate Director, Head of Impressionist and Modern Day Sale said that notable diversity of the current market's taste was  evident   in   this   sale,   with   strong  demand   for   traditional   Impressionism   and  German   Expressionism   through   to   20th century   Modernism   and   beyond.   The  auction also highlighted that international collectors at this level are now celebrating works by artists who were previously  less well known or more regionally appreciated , reflecting the continuing growth and energy of the market. 

IM P R E S S I O N I S T / M O D E R N

                                South Kensington, Friday 8 February 2013 , Sale  # 8257

                                                        [All sold prices include buyer's premium]

219 lots sold  Total: £2,448,450 / $3,846,515 / €2,867,135    85% sold by lot 259 lots offered   89% sold by value

Best results:

Marie Laurencin (1883-1956), Femme debout et son chien   (Estimate : 20,000 - 30,000 GBP : 85,250 GBP ( $133,928,  €99,828)

Bernard Buffet (1928-1999), La cigogne (Estimate: 30,000 - 50,000 GBP : 73,250 GBP  ($115,076  ,€85,776 )

Bernard Buffet (1928-1999),Jeune femme au grand chapeau (Estimate: 25,000 - 35,000 GBP : 61,250 GBP (  $96,224,€71,724)                            

Bernard Buffet (1928-1999), Environ de Vernon, le vieux moulin (Estimate: 15,000 - 20,000 GBP) : 54,050 GBP  ($84,913    €63,293 )

Bernard Buffet (1928-1999), Venise, la Salute (Estimate:  15,000 - 20,000 GBP) : 49,250 GBP ( $77,372, €57,672 )

Bernard Buffet (1928-1999), Comptueur à gaz (Estimate: 20,000 - 30,000 GBP ): 46,850 GBP  ( $73,601, €54,861 ))

 Marie Laurencin (1883-1956), Tête pensive (Estimate 25,000 - 35,000 GBP) : 43,250 GBP (  $67,946 , €50,646 )

 Lucien Adrion (1889-1953), La croisette, Cannes (Estimate: 30,000 - 50,000 GBP) : 37,250 GBP           

Maurice de Vlaminck (1876-1958), Paysage avec un personnage  (Estimate: 15,000 - 20,000 GBP) : 32,450 GBP        ( $50,979   €37,999 )

Pablo Picasso (1881-1973), Chouette, ceramic vase    (Estimate: 3,000-5,000 GBP: 32,450 GBP  ($50,979  €37,999 ) 

Michelle McMullan, Head of Sale:  “Concluding an incredibly successful week for the category, the South Kensington sale of Impressionist and Modern Art demonstrated the continued growth and strength of demand at this price level. Attracting bidders from 20 countries, 73% of lots were bought or underbid online via Christie's LIVE –  a record for an auction at Christie's South Kensington. The sale featured a particularly good selection of post-Impressionist works from Private collections which welcomed new international clients and important collectors. The ceramic s ection, as well as a number of works by Bernard Buffet, drew competitive bidding which resulted in strong prices that far-exceeded their pre-sale estimates.”

BEST RESULTS: 

Amedeo Modigliani (1884-1920),Jeanne Hébuterne : Femme au  chapeau) (estimate : 16,000,000 – 22,000 GPB) : 26,921,250 GPB (42,104,835 USD, 31,040,201 euros)

Pierre-AugusteRenoir (1841-1919), L'ombrelle  (estimate 4,000,000-7,000,000 GPB)-: 9,673,250 GPB( $15,128,963, 11,153,257 euros) 

Pablo Picasso (1881-1973), Nu accroupi (Estimate: 3,000,000-5,000,000 GPB: 7,321,250 GPB (11,450,435 USD, 8,441,401 euros)

Berthe Morisot (1841-1895), Après le déjeuner (Estimate 1,500,000-2,500,000 GPB) : 6,985,250  GPB (10,924,931 USD,8,053,993 euros WORLD RECORD PRICE FOR A FEMALE ARTIST AT AUCTION

Wassily Kandinsky (1866-1944), Murnau - Ansicht mit  Burg Kirche und Eisebaum (Estimate 5,000,000- 7,000,000 GPB): 6,761,250 GPB (10,574,595 USD, 7,795,721 euros-

Joan Miró (1893 -1983), Femme (Femme debout) (Estimate: 3,000,000-5,000,000 GPB) : 6,313, 250 GPB (9,873,923 USD, 7, 279, 177 euros

René Magritte (1893-1983), Le plagiat (Plagiary) sculpture (Estimate : 2,000,000- 3,000,000 GPB) : 5,193, 250 GPB (8,122,243 USD, 5,987,817 euros)

Pablo Picasso (1881-1973), Le peintre (Estimate 2,500,000-4,500,000 GPB) :3,513,250 GPB (5,494,723 USD, 4,050,777 euros)

Maurice de Vlaminck (1876-1958), Arbres à la maison bleue (Estimate 2,000,000 – 3,000,000 GPB) : 3,401,250 GPB (5,319,555 USD, 3,921,641 euros)