64th Auction: 19th June 2007, 5 pm & 20th June 2007, 6 pm

The freedom, openness and limitlessness of form sums up the atmosphere of the 64th auction at im Kinsky, which features classical modernism works, contemporary art and a host of Jugendstil objects. The total estimated price of the 660 art objects on offer amounts to between 5.6 and 9.4 million Euros.

The first day of the auction opens with classics of modernism. Alfons Walde's indoor scene depicting a Bauernwirtsstube (farm tavern) from 1938 (€ 100,000 – 150,000), among his other works, Albin Egger-Lienz, whose Schnitter (reaper) wades through deep corn (around 1920) priced at
€ 180,000 – 350,000, and Carl Moll with his refined Stillleben mit Rosen (still life with roses, € 50,000 – 100,000) represent the protagonists of the heroic years of modernism at this auction.
A trendsetting expressive work dated 1907, Landschaftsstudie (landscape study) is a fascinating object from Richard Gerstl. While the title may not convey the gravity of an emotional outburst of virtuously-placed brushstrokes, the estimated price of between € 280,000 – 400,000 certainly ought to. The early achiever Gerstl demonstrates his skill here as a brilliant pioneer of Austrian expressionism.
The essence of tenderness in drawing is presented subtly by Amedeo Modigliani's Jeune femme (young woman, € 150,000 – 300,000). The watercolour painted in 1914 conveys physical presence but intellectual absence to culminate in a masterly illustration of the spirit of the young lady.

The contemporary art on offer here is a veritable eruption of limitlessness of form. Whether you take Ringel’s Vertreibung aus dem Paradies (expulsion from paradise, € 70,000 – 120,000), Kiki Kogelnik's elevating acrylic Fly with me (€ 40,000 – 70,000), Günter Brus’ poetic Zyankal-Zyklamen (cyanide cyclamen, € 80,000 – 150,000) or Gerhard Richter's colourful watercolours (€ 30,000 – 60,000 each), there is something to satisfy the passion of every art lover.
If contemporary sculpture gets your heart racing, then feast your eyes on Josef Pillhofer's Hammurabi. The sandstone architectonic structure is suggestive of the ancient oriental ruler of the same name who became famous for a set of laws known as Hammurabi's code. Estimates for this homage sculpted in 1970 range between € 80,000 and 150,000.

The undisputed number 1 among Austrian contemporary artists is Maria Lassnig, who shines here with her body awareness paintings. The Kartoffelpresse (potato masher) from 1989 (€ 50,000 – 80,000) can also be regarded to have self-depicting elements, as perhaps too the female parody painted on canvas in 1989, Samson (€ 100,000 – 180,000), who attempts to prevent the end of the world.

The top objects in the Jugendstil auction the next day are two clocks, whose designers could not have provided a greater contrast in the interpretation of time and form. While Adolf Loos’ Kaminuhr (mantle piece clock) from around 1900 (€ 75,000 – 100,000) represents a very strict style, Josef Hoffmann's Tischuhr (table clock) from 1910 (€ 100,000 – 150,000) reveals the surprisingly playful inclinations of its creator.
The ceramics from the 1920s, however, suggest a close cooperation between two women artists from the Wiener Werkstätte. Vally Wieselthier's Kopf (head) dated 1928 (€ 12,000 – 20,000) and Gudrun Baudisch's Doppelköpfe (double heads) dated 1929 (€ 27,000 – 50,000), depicting the two artists, share related form elements in their depiction of society women of the 1920s.
Kolo Moser's Goldanhänger mit Kette (gold pendant with chain) – a fine piece of jewellery estimated at € 120,000 – 180,000 – is a wonderful example of Moser tending towards the naturalistic. These gilt creations hang from a delicate branch like seed pods. This design from Moser was only made once, clearly underlining the uniqueness of this pendant.
Other outstanding works on offer are from Michael Powolny, Johann Lötz Witwe, George Minne, Dagobert Peche, Emile Gallé, Otto Prutscher and Otto Wagner.

Viewing for the 64th auction is from 14 June 2007 daily, Mon – Fri, 10 am – 6 pm, Sat 10 am – 5 pm and Sun 11 am – 5 pm at im Kinsky in Freyung, in the centre of Vienna. For more information or to order a catalogue please contact Eva Manner (tel: +43 (0)1 532 42 00-11, or email: manner@imkinsky.com).