Around the globe

Los Angeles: Jazz it up

In 1941, when Henri Matisse was bedridden with cancer, he started creating a body of work that appeared to capture movement on a page. His ground-breaking artist's book, Jazz, – containing 20 pochoirs of his signature bold, expressive, and vibrant cut-outs, alongside poetic text – marked a crucial transition into a new medium for the artist and left a trail of colour across the blank space. Originally entitled Cirque, the improvised themes and compositional variations prompted the publisher Tériade to suggest Jazz as an alternative title. Published in 1947 and limited to 250 copies, Jazz was an unprecedented success. Now Jazz comes to Bonhams Los Angeles this April.

Sale: Prints & Multiples, 8 April, Los Angeles

Enquiries: Morisa Rosenberg
+1 323 436 5435
morisa.rosenberg@bonhams.com

Boston: Searching for Wyeth

It was in the mid-1920s that the young Andrew Wyeth (1917-2009) started spending the summers in Maine with his family. Son of the artist N. C. Wyeth (1882-1945), the younger Wyeth was trained as an artist by his father, who instilled in him the need to find meaning amid the mundane. For Andrew Wyeth, this became something of a mantra, and his paintings of boats in particular are highly evocative. Coming Storm, which is set to be offered at Bonhams Skinner in March is no exception. It is a work that feels personal, and yet the image feels like it could be the start of story with universal appeal.

Sale: American Art, 1-12 March, Bonhams Skinner

Enquiries: Robin Starr
+1 508 970 3259
robin.starr@bonhamsskinner.com

Sydney: Fabric of Things

This April, Bonhams Sydney will offer The Cheong collection, the most comprehensive survey of later Chinese imperial textiles ever to come to the market in Australia. It includes more than 40 formal and informal gowns, some are attributed to the Empress Dowager Cixi’s wardrobe, and countless dress accessories including fan cases, purses, collars, hats, shoes, rank badges. Former owners, Eugene and Norma Cheong, were avid collectors and Norma was the driving force behind the textiles of the collection. She purchased from the best of the dealers in London, Hong Kong, and Sydney, and her textiles reference books are all signed by the authors. Now collectors have will have their chance to share the Cheong family's enduring passion for Chinese textiles, and maybe even acquire a new addition to what would become a very impressive wardrobe.

Sale: The Cheong Family Collection: The Imperial Wardrobe and Official Ware, 2 April, Sydney

Enquiries: Merryn Schriever
+61 2 8220 0805
merryn.schriever@bonhams.com

Knightsbridge: Victorian Titans

In 1874, the photographer Julia Margaret Cameron (1815-1879) was asked by her neighbour and close friend, renowned poet Alfred Tennyson (1809-1892), if she would create some illustrations for a new 'popular' edition of his poems on Arthurian legends, The Idylls of the King. She made some 245 exposures and eventually produced her own work of her full-size prints alongside excerpts from Tennyson’s poems. A second volume followed, and the work was highly praised for elevating the medium of photography. The copy in Bonhams upcoming Fine Books sale was given to Henry Irving (1838-1905), one the most celebrated actors of his day, whose performance as Hamlet had inspired Tennyson to turn his hand to writing plays.

Sale: Fine Books and Manuscripts, 10-20 March, London Knightsbridge

Enquiries: Matthew Haley
+44 (0) 20 7393 3817
matthew.haley@bonhams.com

New York: Collecting Bug

The Collection of Peter A. and Susan J. Hut, which is coming to Bonhams New York this April, is one of the most extensive and important collections of French art pottery to ever come to market. From August Delaherche, Emile Decoeur and René Buthaud, this unparalleled collection was meticulously built with an eye for beauty over a 50-year period across two continents. In addition to the three titans of French ceramic design, the auction also features notable works by Ernest Chaplet, Jean-Joseph Carriès and Emile Lenoble. The sale also showcases a curated selection of American art pottery by renowned workshops including Grueby, Newcomb, Rookwood and Van Briggle, as well as a rare and important patinated bronze ‘Serpents’ vase by master of Art Deco, Jean Dunand, and a selection of exceptional hand-blown glass flacons by Maurice Marinot. Quite the collection.

Sale: An Eye for Beauty: The Collection of Susan and Peter Hut, 10 April, New York

Enquiries: Michael C. Hughes
+1917 206 1628
michael.hughes@bonhams.com

Hong Kong: Moonlight Master

In 1942-1943, artist Nguyen Khang created two masterpieces, Fishing Under the Moonlight and The Scholar Returns Home in Glory, which are now part of the Vietnam Fine Arts Museum's collection. Building on the success of Fishing Under the Moonlight, Khang created several variations, each with a similar composition featuring additional characters and details to enrich the scene. Now a variation of Fishing Under the Moonlight, created by the artist in the 1980s, will be offered at Bonhams Hong Kong. The unique blend of Western art academic principles and Vietnamese folk elements sets this work apart. Interestingly, one folk art form that influenced this painting was water puppetry, a Vietnamese tradition that dates back as far as the 11th century, in which puppets are used for elaborate performances that take place in a waist-deep pool.

Sale: Modernity Curated, 31 March, Hong Kong

Enquiries: Joan Yip
+33 1 89 53 43 57
joan.yip@bonhams.com

Paris: Eloïse Rusier

Bonhams has appointed Eloïse Rusier as Head of Wine for Continental Europe, based in Paris. Having spent the last 10 years working in the wine industry, Eloïse Rusier will now bring her experience to Bonhams, in a move that will complement the existing expertise of Paris-based team Amayès Aouli, Laurent Latil and Baudouin de Réviers. Eloïse comes to Bonhams from iDealwine, where she worked as a wine buyer, managing a portfolio of 400 estates. Eloïse began her career by joining the LVMH group, Krug Champagnes first and then Estates & Wines (LVMH) in New York. She was then buying wines for the Duval & Blanchet cellar in Paris. She graduated from WSET in wines. She speaks French, English, and Spanish. She has two Master’s degrees from Kedge Business School, France, including one in Wine & Spirits Management.

Stockholm: Lighting the Way

To celebrate ateljé Lyktan's 90th anniversary and its founder Hans Bergström, Bukowskis and ateljé Lyktan will present a unique collaboration. An anniversary collection, which includes a unique relaunch of several of Bergström's most iconic lamps, will premiere at an online viewing and auction. In a careful selection from the archives, ateljé Lyktan has chosen to resurrect some of Bergström's most beloved design classics. Each luminaire has been recreated with the utmost craftsmanship in ateljé Lyktan's studio in Åhus. These luminaires, made in exclusive and numbered editions, combine the best of Bergström's design with ateljé Lyktan's artisanal production. All luminaires reflect Hans Bergström's philosophy of the freedom of light, and every detail has been carefully executed to preserve his legacy.

Sale: ateljé Lyktan 90 years – Edition Bukowskis, 7–16 March, Berzelii Park 1, Stockholm

Enquiries: Jonatan Jahn
+46 (0)703 92 88 60
jonatan.jahn@bukowskis.com