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Christie’s Latin American Art Auction Spring 2018

Christie’s Latin American Art Auction

This may be the last Latin American Art auction as the auction houses have decided to sell Latin American art mixed in along with everything else. Word is that prices for Latin American artists have already gone up as a result of the change.

It’s too bad in a way. One of the nice things about his auction was the

Christie’s Spring 2018 Latin American Art Auction

Lots 1 – 61 go on sale Wednesday, May 23, 2018 at 5 pm.
Lots 56 – 192 go on sale Thursday, May 24, 2018 at 11 am.

The exhibition is on view Monday – Wednesday, May 21 – 23, 2018 from 10 am – 5 pm (2 pm on Wednesday)

The auction brings many Boteros to sale.

 

Auction Results

Buyers from 36 countries in the Americas, Asia and Europe bought $31,258,125 worth of art. The auction continues online until May 30.

Diego Rivera 'The Rivals' (1931). Courtesy of Christie's New York.
Diego Rivera ‘The Rivals’ (1931). Courtesy of Christie’s New York.

Diego Rivera’s The Rivals (1931) sold for $9.76 million, setting a record for any Latin American artist.

Fernando Botero 'Oranges' (1931)
Fernando Botero ‘Oranges’ (1973)

Fernando Botero’s Oranges (1973) sold for $1.87 million which was more than six times the low estimate and set a record for a Botero still-life.

Rufino Tamayo 'Los Comediantes' (1986). Courtesy of Christie's New York.
Rufino Tamayo ‘Los Comediantes’ (1986). Courtesy of Christie’s New York.

Rufino Tamayo’s Los comediantes sold for $1,572,500.

Fernando Botero 'Mona Lisa' (1959). Courtesy of Christie's New York.
Fernando Botero ‘Mona Lisa’ (1959). Courtesy of Christie’s New York.

Fernando Botero’s Mona Lisa (1959) sold for $1,032,500. Another piece in this series was purchased by MoMA, the Museum of Modern Art in 1961. That acquisition launched Botero into the international sphere. Botero’s figures were very different from the prevailing Abstract Expressionism.

Juan Francisco de Rosa 'Virgen del Rosario con San Toribio de Mogrovejo, San Miguel Arcángel y Santa Rosa de Lima' (18th century). Courtesy of Christie's New York.
Juan Francisco de Rosa ‘Virgen del Rosario con San Toribio de Mogrovejo, San Miguel Arcángel y Santa Rosa de Lima’ (18th century). Courtesy of Christie’s New York.

Of the colonial works, Juan Francisco de Rosa’s Virgen del Rosario sold for $372,500 which was 30x its $8,000 – $12,000 estimate. Wow.

Auction records were set for Agustín Cárdenas (Cuban), Augusto Torres (Uruguayan – Spanish), Roberto Fabelo (Cuban), Los Carpinteros (Cuban), Olga Albizu (Puerto Rican) and Juan Francisco de Rosa.

Virgilio Garza, Head of Latin American Art said, “The strong results witnessed this season reinforce the global appetite for Latin American art from colonial works through contemporary art.”

“The strong results witnessed this season reinforce the global appetite for Latin American art from colonial works through contemporary art.”

~ Virgilio Garza, Head of Latin American Art, Christie’s

Pre-Sale Highlights

The auction includes Argentine, Bolivian, Brazilian, Caribbean, Chilean, Colombian, Costa Rican, Cuban, Ecuadorian, Mexican, Nicaraguan, Peruvian, Puerto Rican and other artists.

Lot 16 ~ Lam, Figure

Wilfredo Lam, figure, 1949. Courtesy of Christie's New York.
Wilfredo Lam, figure, 1949. Courtesy of Christie’s New York.

Lam’s work looks so African. He was Chinese – Afro – Cuban.

Wilfredo Lam
Cuban, 1902 – 1982

Estimate: $1,200,000 – $1,800,000
No sale.

Lot 23 ~ Rivera, Niña con vestido rosa

Diego Rivera ‘Niña con vestido rosa’ (1930). Courtesy of Christie’s New York.

The Rivera makes you look.

Diego Rivera
Mexican, 1886 – 1957

Estimate: $400,000 – $600,000
Price: $432,500

Lot 31 ~ Tamayo, Los comediantes

Rufino Tamayo
Mexican, 1899 – 1991

Painted 1986.
Estimate: $800,000 – $1,000,000
Price: $1,572,500

Lot 39 ~ Sánchez, Visión de orilla

Tomás Sánchez 'Visión de orilla' (2009). Courtesy of Christie's.
Tomás Sánchez ‘Visión de orilla’ (2009). Courtesy of Christie’s.

What a strange subject matter, the jungle.

Tomás Sánchez
Cuban, 1948

Estimate: $400,000 – $600,000
Price: $552,500

Lot 44 ~ Botero, Circus People

Fernando Botero 'Circus People' 2007. Courtesy of Christie's New York.
Fernando Botero ‘Circus People’ 2007. Courtesy of Christie’s New York.

So many Boteros. He is probably the most popular Latin American artist at auction.

Fernando Botero
Colombian, 1932

Estimate: $1,500,000 – $2,500,000
No sale.

Lot 125 ~ Cuzco School, Immaculate Conception

Cuzco School, Immaculate Conception, 18th Century. Courtesy of Christie's New York.
Cuzco School, Immaculate Conception, 18th Century. Courtesy of Christie’s New York.

The older works shown in the auction have always been one of its highlights.

18th century
Estimate: $18,000 – $22,000
No sale.

Visiting Christie’s New York

20 Rockefeller Plaza, New York, NY 10020
(49th St between Fifth & Sixth Ave)
Rockefeller Center, Midtown, Manhattan

(212) 636-2000

Monday-Saturday: 10 am – 5 pm
Sunday: 1 – 5 pm
Christie’s is open additional hours for auctions.

Subway

  • (B) (D) (F) (M) to 47-50 St Rockefeller Center
  • (N) (R) (W) to 49th St
  • (1) (2) to 50th St
  • (E) to 53rd St
  • (4) (6) to 51st St

For more information, visit www.christies.com