Munch’s rare and important colour aquatint will be the highlight of Christie’s upcoming Old Master, Modern and Contemporary Prints Sale. Among 176 lots with estimates ranging from £3,000 to £700,000 Young Woman on the Beach by Edvard Munch from 1896, estimated at £500,000 – 700,000 ($756,300 – 1,059,000), will certainly attract a lot of attention at King Street in London on March 20th, when the sale is scheduled. Only eleven impressions of this work are known to exist, which speaks in favor of achieving the high price.
“Munch produced only a small number of colour aquatints over a very short period of time, between 1896 and 1897 in Paris, of which he only made very few impressions. The artist inked each print individually in different colour combinations, and as a result, they are all unique and vary greatly in mood and character” explains Tim Schmelcher, Head of the Prints Department, London.
Other great works offered in the sale include Max Beckmann’s (1884-1950) Selbstbildnis mit steifem Hut (Self-Portrait with Bowler Hat) estimated at £70,000-100,000 ($105,890-151,260); Pablo Picasso’s Femme au corsage à Fleurs estimated at £50,000 – 70,000 ($75,630-105,890); Paul Gauguin’s Le Porteur de Féï estimated at £25,000 – 35,000 ($37,820-52,950); Roy Lichtenstein’s Nude Reading estimated at £40,000-60,000 ($60,500-90,750); as well as a strong group of prints by Andy Warhol.
Following the recent success of Albrecht Dürer: Masterpieces from a Private Collection sale at Christie’s, New York, January 2013 – which saw a new record for the artist established – Old Master prints in the London sale are also led by Albrecht Dürer’s Adam and Eve, estimated at £80,000-120,000 ($121,000-181,500).
Christie’s auction is expected to realise in excess of £3 million ($4,54 million); providing exceptional opportunities for established and new collectors around the world.