| THE LAST ROYAL DRESSING SERVICE SOLD FOR €3,660,000 5 LOTS PREEMPTED BY THE MUSEE DU LOUVRE -NEW WORLD AUCTION RECORD FOR A PORTRAIT OF MOZART AND FOR THE ARTIST GIAMBETTINO CIGNAROLI SOLD FOR €4,031,500 -NEW WORLD AUCTION RECORD FOR AN YVES SAINT LAURENT CREATION SOLD FOR €382,000 |
| Today’s sales which included The Exceptional Sale and Un hôtel particulier à Genève decorated by François-Joseph Graf realised an amazing combined total of €16,820,663 selling 86% by lots and 96%by value. The top lot of both sales was the moving portrait of the young Mozart at age 13 which was part of an international tour in the USA, in Asia and Europe including Austria before being sold in Paris for an impressive €4,031,500 after a long bidding battle between 3 telephones. This price established a new world auction record for a portrait of Mozart and for the artist Giambettino Cignaroli. Astrid Centner, Director of the Old Master Painting department: “This beautiful portrait who travelled for weeks before being sold today at the stunning price of 4 million euros, shows the strength of our department to create an exceptional moment. We are very pleased to have promoted this work all around the world and this result shows the ongoing appetite from international collectors for masterpieces and iconic works of art”Another highlight presented in the Exceptional Sale was a very rare Yves Saint Laurent jacket which was created by the fashion designer in 1988 when he created the Spring/Summer collection paying tribute to artists such as Picasso, Matisse, Braque and Vincent van Gogh. This jacket which was estimated at €80,000-120,000, was acquired by the National Gallery of Victoria in Melbourne for €382,000, establishing a new world record for a piece by Yves Saint Laurent sold at auction. Camille de Foresta, the auctioneer at Christie’s France: “We are thrilled with today’s result celebrating the genius fashion designer Yves Saint Laurent which fabulous sunflower jacket established a new world auction record at €382,000. This jacket was acquired by the prestigious National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne. ”The last royal dressing service coming from the grand-daughter of Louis XIV, Charlotte-Aglaé d’Orléans, Duchess of Modène realised a combined total of €3,660,000. The highlights were the splendid silver-gilt casket and the ewer and basin. Five of the seven lots were preempted by the Musée du Louvre. Simon de Monicaut, Director Decorative Arts: “Beyond the impressive results achieved today, these sales celebrate the French arts and savoir-faire from a casket by André-Charles Boulle sold €574,000, to a Yves Saint Laurent jacket establishing a new world auction record, to an amazing bronze by Auguste Rodin sold for €3,577,500. All these works had been mise en scène during the viewing by the celebrated jewellery designer Elie Top who brought a renewed vision to our Exceptional Sale “. Christie’s will present The Collector: Le Goût Français auction tomorrow, Thursday 28 November with two sessions, at 11 am and 2 pm. A wrap-up release of the classic week will be sent tomorrow. |
