Lyon & Turnbull
7 May 2024
Iconic British names and renowned European artists commanded strong prices in our Edinburgh Contemporary Art and Prints & Multiples auctions this Spring.
The instantly recognisable works of Jack Vettriano and Alan Davie proved popular in our Contemporary Art auction on 30 April, while the highly sought after works of Pablo Picasso and Anish Kapoor lead the 01 May Prints & Multiples auction.
Our Tuesday 30 April Contemporary Art auction was a tour de force of the best names in Scottish Contemporary Art. Paintings by Jack Vettriano saw strong prices, with Angel achieving £25,200* and The Unorthodox Approach (Study) selling for £22,680*.
One of the most important Scottish artists of the twentieth century, Alan Davie’s work is instantly recognisable for its spiritual spontaneity and bright eclecticism. The impressive, monumental Opus O.567A Pan’s Castle N°1 by Davie reached £23,940*.
The April sale saw an early 1987 example of Ken Currie's work, titled Man with Tattoos sell for £12,348*. Currie's early work is heavily inspired by his childhood in Glasgow’s declining industrial landscape; observational of the different character architypes that were beginning to vanish, and politically critical of the Thatcherite policies which saw the city decay. This early imagery is unflinching and, like Howson, skirts the grotesque, yet it is also multilayered.
A wonderfully expressive 2019 self-portrait, Selfie, by Joh Byrne was sold at £10,080*, while a fine example of Adrian Wiszniewski's depictions of ‘languorous youths’, 1958-1989 saw £8,820*.
Women Scottish Contemporary Artists saw good prices with Victoria Crowe's Times of Twilight and Riches reaching £8,820* and Croft Through the Grasses by Dame Elizabeth Blackadder sold for £8,190*, while a beautifully executed self-portrait by Alison Watt, Hand on Left Breast, made as a gift for the art historian John Calcutt who was Watt's partner at that time, made £6,300*.
An exciting array of works across mediums by both National and International figures from the 20th & 21st century were offered in our Prints & Multiples auction on Wednesday 01 May.
Leading the May sale, Pablo Picasso's Le Grand Hibou achieved £15,120*. This fine example showed one of Picasso's most recognisable motifs. Throughout Picasso life, from his mid-teens to his final year, his endless creative energy also found expression in printmaking; collaborating with master printmakers at significant ateliers to produce a series of works in all different print mediums exploring a wide range of subject matters and themes.
Several works by leading Contemporary artist, Anish Kapoor, proved popular in our Spring sale. Well known for his sculpture and conceptual art, Kapoor's works in print are equally compelling, with a similar sensibility to his three-dimensional forms. The Green Shadow etchings sold for £10,080*, while three prints from his 'Twelve Etchings' series each reached £1,260*.
Competitive bidding saw Bridget Riley's Two Blues (S. 52, T & G. 52) command £8,190*, while Blue Still Life by William Scott was sold at £4,536* and Gerald Laing's playful K.M. (Kate Moss) saw the hammer fall at £2,268*.
We are now looking forward to our August 2024 Contemporary Art and Prints & Multiples auctions which will take place on Tuesday 13 August. If you are interested in consigning to our forthcoming auctions, please get in touch with our specialist team for a complimentary auction valuation.
Charlotte Riordan | Head of Contemporary Art
0131 557 8844 | charlotte.riordan@lyonandturnbull.com
Carly Shearer | Head of Prints & Multiples
0131 557 8844 | carly.shearer@lyonandturnbull.com
*All sold prices include buyer's premium.
