News

The three-day sale of the magnificent Collection of Yves Saint Laurent and Pierre Bergé held between February 23 and 25, 2009 at the Grand Palais in Paris, offered by Christie's in association with Pierre Bergé & Associates auctioneers, realized in total €373,935,500 / £332,802,595 / $483,835,144. A remarkable 95.5% of lots sold by lot, and 93% sold by value. This historic sale set a world record for the most valuable private collection sold at auction, was the highest grossing sale in Europe on record, and set multiple world records for Impressionist and Modern Art, 20^th Century Decorative Arts, Silver, Sculpture and Works of Art. One of the most exceptional and significant collections of art in private hands, it generated unprecedented interest from bidders throughout the world and pre-sale estimates for both the sale as a whole and the individual works, were significantly exceeded.

Highlights of these exceptional and rare works of art, each with impeccable provenance, captured the attention of international collectors as they were exhibited by Christie's, in association with Pierre Bergé and Associates, in New York, London, Brussels and Paris in the last four months.  The spectacular public exhibition at the Grand Palais in Paris, a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to see this unique curated collection of art and to experience the evocative atmosphere of Yves Saint Laurent's apartment at rue de Babylone, was viewed by over 30,000 visitors over 3 days (21-23 February), and over 1500 people gathered for each of the sales, held in a specially built saleroom, the largest in Christie's history.

The top lot of the sale was Les coucous, tapis bleu et rose, 1911 by Henri Matisse, which sold for €35.9 million / £31.9 million / $46.4 million. 16 works of art sold for over €5 million and 61 works of art sold for over €1 million. Numerous world auction records were set in each sale, and in almost every part of Yves Saint Laurent and Pierre Bergé's Collection, a tribute to their discerning eye for provenance and museum quality.

The proceeds of the sale will go to the Pierre Bergé – Yves Saint Laurent Foundation, created to prolong the history of the House of Yves Saint Laurent, and to a new foundation that will be set up for scientific research and the fight against AIDS.

Pierre Bergé said: “The sale of the collection that I had built in partnership with Yves Saint Laurent draws to a close and has been a triumph.  My expectations have been fully realized. The results of the sale exceed our highest expectations and confirm the potential of the Paris marketplace to rise to such an occasion.  The results also demonstrate that even in a difficult economic climate, works of art of great quality preserve their power and their value.”

François de Ricqlès, Vice President, Christie's France added: “Art has risen above the current world crisis. A tribute to the extraordinary eye of Yves Saint Laurent and Pierre Bergé and an outstanding success for Christie's.  Like a ship mocking a storm, the Yves Saint Laurent and Pierre Bergé sale has moved calmly and steadily through three triumphant days of bidding in the Grand Palais in Paris.  In every domain – pictures, works of art, silver or Art Deco – beauty, quality and provenance ensured success.  Buyers came from all corners of the globe after the popular tribute of thousands and thousands of visitors during the weekend prior the sale.  The unqualified success of the sale consecrates the taste and the passion for art of two great collectors, Yves Saint Laurent and Pierre Bergé.”

Ed Dolman, Chief Executive Officer, Christie's commented: “This has been an historic sale of an outstanding collection. The results have proved beyond doubt that there is real liquidity in the art market and that rare and exceptional works, with impeccable provenance continue to generate huge interest and demand from collectors throughout the world. They also demonstrate that the market is not reliant on a single group of buyers or particular region or country in the world. 

Impressionist and Modern Art

On 23 February, at the inaugural session of the sale, the most significant collection of Impressionist and Modern Art in private hands sold for a total of €206 million / £183 million / $266 million, a world record for a private collection at auction and the highest total achieved for any Impressionist and Modern Art sale in Europe. The top lot of the evening was Les coucous, tapis bleu et rose, 1911 by Henri Matisse, which sold for €35.9 million / £31.9 million / $46.4 million, the highest price ever achieved for a work by the artist at auction, and 8 works of art sold for over €5 million. 25 works of art sold for over €1 million (24 lots for over £1 million / 25 lots over $1 million). 7 world records were set for artists at auction, including Matisse, Brancusi, Mondrian, de Chirico, Duchamp, Klee and Ensor.

Other major highlights of the sale included:

·          Madame L.R. (Portrait de Mme L.R.), a magnificent example of Constantin Brancusi's earliest and enigmatic sculptures in wood sold for €29.1 million / £25.9 million / $37.7 million (estimate: €15,000,000 – 20,000,000), a world record for the artist at auction.

·          Three abstract paintings by Piet Mondrian, which each belong to key stages in the artist's work, and express degrees of tension between line, form and colour were all sold above their high estimates.  Composition avec bleu, rouge, jaune et noir, 1922 sold for €21.5 million / £19.1 million / $27.9 million (estimate: €7,000,000-10,000,000), a world record for the artist at auction; Composition avec grille 2, 1918 sold for €14.4 million / £12.8 million / $18.6 million (estimate: €7,000,000-10,000,000), and Composition I, 1920, sold for €7.0 million / £6.2 million / $9.0 million (estimate: €5,000,000-7,000,000). 

·          Fernand Léger's great mechanical paintings of 1918 and 1919, painted during one of his most brilliant periods drew significant attention:  Composition, dans l'usine,  1918 sold for € 5.5 million / £4.9 million / $7.1 million (estimate: €6,000,000 – 8,000,000). La tasse de thé, 1921, sold for € 11.4 million / £10.2 million / $14.8 million (estimate: €10,000,000 – 15,000,000). 

·          The ready-made masterpiece “La Belle Haleine – Eau de Voilette” by Marcel Duchamp, with the assistance by Man Ray in 1921, witnessed fierce bidding in the room and realized € 8.9 million / £7.9 million / $11.5 million, nearly 9 times its estimate of €1,000,000 – 1,500,000,  a world auction record for the artist. 

·          James Ensor's monumental Le désespoir de Pierrot, the most important work of art by the artist to be presented at auction in the last 25 years, sold for € 4.9 million / £4.4 million / $6.4 million (estimate: €2,000,000 – 3,000,000), a world record for the artist at auction.

·          Three works of art were acquired by two of the most important French museums in Paris: Les Lilas by Edouard Vuillard and Au Conservatoire by James Ensor was bought by the Museé d'Orsay, and Il Ritornante by Giorgio de Chirico was bought by the Centre Georges Pompidou.

Old Master and 19^th Century Paintings and Drawings

The sale of Old Master and 19^th Century Paintings and Drawings on 24 February totalled €22.2 million / £19.7 million / $28.7 million. 75% of lots sold by lot, and 90% sold by value. Drawings from the 19^th century, predominantly portraits by Jacques-Louis David, Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres and Sir Edward Coley Burne-Jones generated significant interest and Portrait d'Alfred et Elisabeth Dedreux by Theodore Gericault, the figurehead of French Romantic painting, was the top lot of the sale and realised €9.0 million / £8.0 million / $11.6 million (estimate: €4,000,000 – 6,000,000), a world record for the artist at auction. 5 works of art sold for over €1 million (4 lots for over £1 million / 6 lots over $1 million).  6 new world auction records for artists were set. 

Major highlights of the sale included:

·          Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres' elegant Portrait de la comtesse de la Rue, 1890, sold for €2.0 million / £1.8 million / $2.6 million (estimate: €2,000,000,000 – 3,000,000,000), a world record for the artist at auction

·          Jacques-Louis David's Portrait d'homme de profil, which has long been thought to be a self-portrait sold for €577,000 / £513,530 / $746,580 (estimate: €400,000 – 600,000), a world record for a work on paper by the artist at auction.

·          Théodore Gericault's Portrait d'Alfred et Elisabeth Dedreux sold for €9.0 million / £8.0 million / $11.6 million (estimate: €4,000,000 – 6,000,000), a world record for the artist, and a world record for any ‘non-impressionist' painting from the 19^th Century. International collectors and connoisseurs where quick to recognise the significance of this painting, its relevance within Géricault's oeuvre, its status as an icon of early romantic portraiture, and its particularly unforgettable atmosphere.

·          Arnold Böcklin's Odysseus and Polypheme, 1986, sold for €577,000 / £513,530 / $746,580 (estimate: €400,000 – 600,000), a world record for a work on paper by the artist at auction.

Silver, Miniatures and Objets de Vertu

The afternoon sale of Silver, Miniatures and Objets Vertu on 24 February totaled €19.8 million / £17.6 million / $25.7 million and set a new world auction record for a silver sale. An impressive 100% of the works sold to an audience of over 1,000 people. The star lot of the session, which saw over 111 breath-taking lots of silver, silver-gilt and gold come under the hammer, was the Osterode cup, a silver-gilt quadruple cup, 1649, which sold for €853,000 / £759,000 / $1.1 million (estimate: €100,000 – 150,000). The collection of Hanover cups alone, one of the most exciting collections of early German silver to appear on the market for years, totalled €6.1 million / £5.4 million / $7.89 million. Collectors also bid fiercely for drinking cups in the form of lions, bears, horses, deer, a unicorn, bull, swan, owl and even an elephant with soldiers in the castle turret on its back.

Major highlights of the sale included:

·          The top lot of the huge standing cups – formerly in a German royal collection was the Osterode cup which sold for €853,000 / £759,170 / $1,103,697 (estimate: €100,000 - 150,000).

·          A 16^th century silver hunting bear sold for €313,000/ £278,570 / $404,990 (estimate: €80,000 - 120,000).

·          An important Louis XIV rose-cut diamond and enamelled gold-mounted presentation miniature, portrait by Jean I Petitot (1607-1691), circa 1680 which fetched €481,000 / £428,090 / $622,366 (estimate: €200,000 - 300,000). This work was acquired by the Louvre.

·          The remarkable pair of German gold and enamel tazza, probably Augsburg, circa 1730 which sold for €481,000 / £428,090 / $622,366 (estimate: €200,000-300,000).

20th Century Decorative Arts

The 24 February evening sale of Yves Saint Laurent and Pierre Berge's meticulously selected group of Art Deco treasures, a sophisticated celebration of one of the most brilliant chapters in Parisian cultural life, realised a total of €59.1 million / £52.6 million / $76.5 million, a world record for a collection of 20^th century decorative arts. 95% of lots sold by lot, and 98% sold by value. The star lot of the evening was Eileen Gray's ‘Dragons' armchair, circa 1917-1919, which achieved €21.9 million / £19.4 million / $28.3 million, a world record for a work of 20^th century decorative art at auction, and a world record for the artist at auction.  10 works of art sold for over €1 million (10 over £1 million and 10 over $1 million). The auction saw a total of 12 artist records established.

Leading highlights of the sale included:

·          Eileen Gray's ‘Dragons' armchair, circa 1917-1919, originally in the collection of Suzanne Talbot, sold for €21.9 million / £19.4 million / $28.3 million, a world record for any work of 20^th century decorative art at auction, and a world record for the artist at auction (estimate: €2,000,000-3,000,000).  Gray's unique Enfilade, circa 1915-1917, realised €3.9 million / £3.5 million / $5.1 million (estimate: €3,000,000-5,000,000).

·          The Gustave Miklos pair of palm wood and lacquered bronze banquettes, 1928-1929, commissioned by Jacques Doucet, sold for €1.7 million / £1.5 million / $2.2 million (estimate: €2,000,000-3,000,000), a world auction record for the artist.

·          Monumental in size and striking in design, the Jean Dunand pair of lacquered and gilt metal vases, 1925, stirred competitive bidding and sold for €3 million / £2.7 million / $3.9 million (estimate: €1,000,000-1,500,000), a world record for the artist at auction. 

·          Works by Claude Lalanne sold for prices that far exceeded their estimates and a spectacular set of fifteen bronze and galvanised copper mirrors, modelled as  branches, 1974-1985,  sold for €1.8 million / £1.6 million / $2.4 million (estimate: €700,000-1,000,000), a world record for the artist at auction. Specially commissioned by Yves Saint Laurent, in 1974, they took 11 years to complete. 

·          The sculptural YSL bar, François-Xavier Lalanne's first commission from Yves Saint Laurent, and a centrepiece of the library in Yves Saint Laurent's apartment in rue de Babylone sold for €2.7 million / £2.4 million / $3.5 million (estimate: €700,000-1,000,000), a world record for the artist at auction.

·          A pair of floor lamps, 1930 by Eckart Muthesius commissioned by the Maharaja of Indore for his Modernist palace sold for €2.5 million / £2.2 million / $3.2 million (estimate: €400,000-600,000), far exceeding the world record for the artist at auction.   

Sculpture and Works of Art

The afternoon session of the Sculpture and Works of Art sale on 25 February realized a total of €24.2 million / £21.5 million / $31.3 million. 95% of lots sold by lot, and 98% sold by value. The top lot was a 16^th century bronze double head of Janus, unusual in both its iconography and its scale, which attracted committed bidding from a wide range of private and trade buyers and sold for €2.0 million / £1.8 million / $2.6 million (estimate: €100,000 – 200,000), a record for a 16^th century French bronze. 5 works of art sold for over €1 million (4 lots for over £1 million / 6 lots over $1 million).

Donald Johnston, Director and Head of European Sculpture, said: “The depth and breadth of Yves Saint Laurent and Pierre Bergé's collection of sculpture captured the interest of a large number of new private buyers from all over the world. This culminated in one of the longest-lasting sculpture sales ever to be held. Over six hours, 278 lots works dating from the 13^th to the 19^th Century were sold, bringing the sale total to €24.2 million, triple its low estimate.”

Major highlights of the sale included:

·          A group of parcel-gilt white painted carved wood allegorical busts representing the four continents, French, from the 18^th century sold for €841,000 / £748,000 / $1 million (estimate: €200,000 – 300,000).       

·          An exquisite silver gilt and ruby mounted rock crystal vase, Milanese, from the late 16^th or early 17^th century, which was formerly in the French royal collection, sold for €529,000 / £470,810 / $684,473 (estimate: €100,000 – 150,000).

·          A bronze figure of Hermaphrodite, attributed to Gianfrancesco Susini sold for €625,000 / £556,250 / $808,688 (estimate: €400,000 – 600,000)

·          A 17^th century German turned ivory cup and cover sold for €457,000 / £406,730 / $591,312 (estimate: €100,000 – 150,000), a world record for a German turned ivory.

·          A Venetian parcel-gilt polychrome circular enamel ewer basin, circa 1500 sold for €421,000 / £374,690 / $544,732 (estimate: €180,000 – 220,000), a world record for any Venetian enamel.

Asian Art, Ceramics, Furniture, Islamic Art and Antiquities

The evening session of the Sculpture and Works of Art sale on 25 February, which included a wide range of Asian Art, Ceramics, Furniture, Islamic Art and Antiquities and conveyed Yves Saint Laurent and Pierre Bergé's taste for exceptional decorative works, realized a total of €42.8 million / £38.1 million / $55.4 million. The top lots were exceptionally rare bronze heads of a rat and a rabbit made for the Zodiac Fountain of the Emperor Qianlong's Summer Palace in China and claimed by the Chinese authorities which each sold for €15.8 million / £14.0 million / $20.3 million.  3 works of art sold for over €1 million (3 over £1 million and 5 over $1 million). Other major highlights of the sale included:

·          An important gilt and red lacquered wood figure of Buddha, China, Ming dynasty, 16^th century, sold for €313,000 / £278,570 / $404,997 (estimate: €30,000 – 40,000).

·          An impressive Roman marble minotaur, circa 1^st-2^nd century A.D., the focus of the apsidal terrace outside Yves Saint Laurent's apartment at rue Babylone, sold for €913,000 / £812,570 / $1.6 million (estimate: €300,000 – 500,000).

·          An exquisite over life-sized and imposing male marble torso, circa 1^st-2^nd century A.D., which stood in the entrance hall of rue Babylone, sold for €1.2 million / £1.1 million / $1.6 million (estimate: €300,000 – 500,000).

·          A Louis XIV exotic tapestry, Gobelins, after a painting by Albert Eckhout and Frans Post, possibly woven in 1720 by Jean Lefebvre Fils sold for €553,000 / £492,170 / $715,527 (estimate: €100,000 – 150,000).