Christie's Sells Matisse for $48.8 Million at Fall Auction

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Christie's Sells Matisse for $48.8 Million at Fall Auction

Wednesday, November 03, 2010

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Detail from Henri Matisse's Nu de dos, 4 état (Back IV) (Christie's Images Ltd. 2010)

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- Record-Breaking Modigliani Sale Kicks Off Fall Art Auction Season

Sotheby's had a good night on Tuesday at its Impressionist and Modern art evening auction. On Wednesday night, Christie's did its part to open the fall auction season. It sold 84 works of art for $231.4 million. The bronze sculpture by Henri Matisse, Nu de Dos, 4 État led the way, selling for nearly $48.8 million, a record for the artist at auction. Christie's also did well on the sale of a Juan Gris oil painting, "Violon et guitare," which went for a record $28.6 million.

Christie's has another day sale on Thursday and its Contemporary and Post-War art sales on November 10th and 11th. To see what Christie's thought it would get for some of its top works on the auction block at Wednesday's Impressionist and Modern sales, check out the slideshow below.

Henri Matisse's 1978 <em> Nu de Dos, 4 État</em>, bronze with dark brown patina, sold for nearly $49 million on Wednesday. Christie's thought it would get between $25 and $35 million.

Christie's Images Ltd. 2010

Henri Matisse's 1978 Nu de Dos, 4 État, bronze with dark brown patina, sold for nearly $49 million on Wednesday. Christie's thought it would get between $25 and $35 million.

Christie's sold the 1913 oil painting <em>Violon et guitare</em> by Juan Gris for $28.6 million. It had thought it would get between $18 and $25 million.

Christie's Images Ltd. 2010

Christie's sold the 1913 oil painting Violon et guitare by Juan Gris for $28.6 million. It had thought it would get between $18 and $25 million.

Alberto Giacometti's 1958 <em>Femme de Venise V</em>, bronze with brown and green patina, sold for $10.2 million. Christie's thought it would get between $8 and $12 million.

Christie's Images Ltd. 2010

Alberto Giacometti's 1958 Femme de Venise V, bronze with brown and green patina, sold for $10.2 million. Christie's thought it would get between $8 and $12 million.

Gustave Caillebotte's oil painting from 1882, <em>La Seine à Argenteuil</em>, brought in $5.1 million, at the low end of its expected sale price between $5 and $7 million.

Christie's Images Ltd. 2010

Gustave Caillebotte's oil painting from 1882, La Seine à Argenteuil, brought in $5.1 million, at the low end of its expected sale price between $5 and $7 million.

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Comments [1]

shadeed ahmad from New York, New York

Henri Matisse, the wonder of color, is in his quintessential greatness a sultan of sculpture with the record sale at Christie's of his work, "Nu de Dos, 4 Etat."

His odes to simplicity in art that eternally evoke the ultimate in sophistication are constantly prompting art fans into states of equipoise that tantalize without a tad of jadedness.

Matisse continues to electrify the art world from the world of Spirit with astounding authenticity of truth and beauty.

Bravo, Henri Matisse!

Nov. 04 2010 03:39 PM

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