Bonhams will be celebrating their 15th Greek Sale at New Bond Street on 10th November. The sale will include a selection of works ranging from 19th Century classic art to high-profile modern and contemporary pieces. This 162-lot sale not only features Greek artists but a selection of foreign contemporaries who have adopted a Greek theme, with a wide spectrum of both paintings and sculptures estimated at between £2,000 and £300,000.
One of the highlights of the sale is Constantinos Maleas’ (1879-1928) View of the Acropolis. This magnificent work was exhibited at Paris in 1919, during a collective exhibition of modern Greek artists of the “Omada Texnis” and is expected to reach an impressive £200,000-300,000.
Also from the pictures section, an important oil painting of museum quality by Georgios Jakobides (1852-1932) entitled The First Music Lesson is going under the hammer with a pre-sale estimate of £180,000-220,000. This 1898 work featured as part of the last retrospective exhibition of the artist at the National Gallery and holds exceptional artistic value since it belongs at the artist’s mature period and depicts, with great talent, the warmth of its family scene. Equally captivating is L’Enfant au cerceau by Periclès Pantazis (1849/50-1884) that depicts childhood with tenderness and imagination. This daring piece of youthful freshness is expected to sell for £50,000-60,000.
An other exceptionally important work is the massive Karyes, Skete of the Three Hierarchs and the Holy Trinity Monasteries by Spyros Papaloukas (1892-1957) which is estimated at £150,000-200,000. This important canvas captures, with poetic dexterity, the magic of Mount Athos, an isolated place of prayer, meditation and serenity.
A work of monumental dimensions is one of a kind by Spyros Vassiliou (1902/3-1984) to be offered at auction, City of birds is one of the few frescos created by this eminent artist, and is estimated at £80,000-120,000.
Nude A’ by Yiannis Moralis (born 1916) depicts a feminine nude as a glowing time-softened marble statue, imparting a sense of Doric dignity and Ionian elegance. This celestial work (estimated at £120,000-180,000) is reflective of the artist’s favorite subject, the feminine nude and was presented to the public in 1988 at the retrospective exhibition of the artist at the National Gallery.
An expressionistic formulation of a labyrinthine architectural complex by Nikos Hadjikyriakos-Ghika (1906-1994) entitled Calligraphy of a town is also included in the sale, estimated at £80,000-120,000. This work reflects the fascinating period during which the artist focused on the depiction of imaginary cities with a metaphysic and abstract approach.
And one of the talking points of the sale is Alexis Akrithakis’ (1939-1994) Bar, an exceptional historical wooden installation from one of the most gifted Greek artists of the post-war period. This witty and eccentric piece is estimated at £20,000-30,000.
Michaela Vergottis, Bonhams London Specialist in Greek Art comments: “The Greek art market is still holding as strong as ever and we look forward to a successful sale.”
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www.bonhams.com/greek
Image: Constantinos Maleas’ (1879-1928) View of the Acropolis. Est £200,000-300,000.
