60th Art Auction

The im Kinsky Autumn session will be opened with Old Masters paintings, 19th century portraits and antiques. The estimated value of the approximate 500 art objects is 2.9 to 4.2 million Euro.

Antiques

The oldest of the antique objects on offer is an Egyptian relief plate from the time of Ramses II. (1290-1224 B.C.). The extremely low reserve estimated price of € 6,000 (with a top estimated price of € 20,000) has been selected in order to ensure a sale; the relief plate is part of a collection, more details of which will be given in the context of the Old Masters.

The highest valued exhibits are a pair of sacred busts from the workshop of Tilman Riemenschneider (€ 120,000 – 200,000). Riemenschneider received the rank of master craftsman in Würzburg in 1485 and was already showered with fame (and orders) during his lifetime. In 1520, he even became mayor before the peasant wars brought him prison and torture.

A very rare item is also a painted baroque tabernacle cabinet, a so-called Haager cabinet from the time of 1770/80. This almost untouched piece of furniture which has the representation of the cult object of Maria Taferl on the Danube on its tabernacle door has been estimated at € 25,000 – 50,000.

You must also be curious whether (and how much) a pair of Northern Italy baroque corner cabinets will exceed their conservative assessment of € 10,000 – 20,000, and whether a 16th century marble bust, which has been considered Roman for a long time, can exceed its target of € 15,000 – 30,000.

Once again, there are objects from mediaeval jurisdiction and from the so-called “art and wonder chamber” on offer: As well as a mask of shame, oath skull, gin trap and torture candles, there is a sawfish tooth, a groundhog skull, chain mail from around 1500, an armour-piercing sword from around 1480, a sword and a martel – and all at enticingly low prices at which you will probably not receive the items.

Old Masters

A tie has been the starting point and lynchpin of an Austrian collector’s collecting activity. He compiled paintings and objets d’art over decades in his “Art and Tie Collection” which are in some way related to his tie.
As well as the Egyptian relief already mentioned, there are mainly Old Masters paintings including works by Jan Anthonisz. van Ravensteyn, Thomas de Kayser, Joseph Hickel, Philippe de Champaigne, Johann Baptist Lampi, Jean Nocret and Joseph Parrocel d. Ä. among many others which will now be auctioned.
They are being sold because the objective of the collection has been redefined and in particular objects from the time before the coming into fashion of the tie are being pushed away. The prices have been set extremely low in order to obtain a sales rate as close as possible to 100%.

A large 60 x 44 cm “Bachanal with Silen” by Frans Francken II is included in the top lots. The picture painted on wood was produced between 1625 and 1630 and is being offered in a beautiful, carved, gilded 18th century frame for € 60,000 – 100,000.

But there are also hopes for good bidding with a “Sebastian” from the Pietro Peruginos succession (€ 35,000 – 50,000), a floral still life attributed to Franz Werner von Tamm (€ 15,000 – 30,000), a wonderful floral still life by Franz Michael Siegmund von Purgau (€ 15,000 – 30,000) and last but not least a whole series of Italian portraits from the 16th to the 18th centuries – not least because the Old Masters genre is predestined for discoveries.

However, the absolute highlight of the auction will probably be a small, but tremendously detailed “forest landscape” by Jan Brueghel d.J.: the auction house experts expect € 150,000 – 250,000 for this.

Portraits from the 19th century

Together with Biedermeier painting, the atmospheric impressionism is the most important Austrian style of the 19th century. It largely determined the artistic dispute with the landscape between 1870 and 1900 and also influenced the emerging secessionism.
The artists around Emil Jakob Schindler did not only want to keep light and storm atmospheres in the picture, they were more concerned with resonating satisfaction in the beholder.

Thus, the top lots of the auction will be the wonderful “Blooming cherry tree” by Olga Wisinger-Florian (€ 70,000 – 140,000) as well as the equally high valued “Artichoke petals in Normandy”. If that is too expensive, there is always the “Still life with birds” € 10,000 – 20,000).

Emil Jakob Schindler is represented in the auction with the large format “On the Schelde” landscape at € 50,000 – 80,000, alternatively you can decide on “Forest gorge” (€ 10,000 – 15,000) or “Mill at Sarmingstein” (€ 13,000 – 25,000).

Robert Russ delights with a “Rural Idyll” (€ 15,000 – 25,000), Theodor von Hörmann with a small but very detailed evening atmosphere from the year 1876 (€ 14,000 – 25,000). Hugo Darnaut shows “Sheep on the edge of the forest” at € 18,000 – 30,000, and Marie Egner tempts you to follow her on a “Staircase at the Garda lake” (€ 18,000 – 35,000).

The Biedermeier painting is mainly represented in the auction by Friedrich Gauermann: Four paintings from a foreign collection are equally enticing with favourable prices. “Ice Chapel” and “Stone on the Königsee" have each been assessed at € 20,000 – 30,000. “At the Hintersee in the Ramsau” and “Mondsee against Dragon Wall” have each been assessed at € 15,000 – 25,000.

Franz Xaver Petter will delight the lovers of this genre with a “Still life with parrots” at € 15,000 – 30,000, Johann Matthias Ranftl with “Two Children” (€ 10,000 – 20,000) will make their hearts beat faster, and Eduard Ritter at € 10,000 – 18,000 will take them (away) into the “Good Parlour”.

That Gustav Klimt of all people is distinguished for historicism painting might be surprising, but in 1881 this style was still attributed to the famous secessionist. “Venetian Knave” starts at € 60,000 – 80,000, and one must be curious which price the “most expensive painter in the world” would like to achieve for this.
Another picture, if described as “historic” would only be very conditionally justified, is “The Cavalier” by Julius Viktor Berger. Whether this scene concerns Faust and Gretchen must remain an open question; on the other hand it is certain that it is a great painting which is why the estimated price of € 35,00 – 60,00 is not excessive.

Viewing for the 60th auction is possible from September 26th , Mon-Fri 10am - 6pm, Sat 10am - 5pm, Sun 12noon - 5pm at im Kinsky on the Freyung square.

There are beautifully designed catalogues for the auction with detailed descriptions of all the pieces. These catalogues can be viewed at www.imkinsky.com.

Please contact Ms Mag. Eva-Maria Manner for more information or to order press photos: +43 (0)153 242 00-11 or manner@imkinsky.com.