Even though he doesn’t command the multi-million dollar estimates of some of the other more famous artists in Sotheby’s flagship art sales, Maurice de Vlaminck’s work has grown on me in the past few years.  The bold, fauvist style catches my eye from across the room and even though the overall tone of the work tends to seem melancholy, what can I say, I like it.  I think the way he paints the sky is particularly interesting.  In the Paysage work below, you can see the jittery waves that are frequently in the background. All three pieces are available in the upcoming Impressionist and Modern Art Day Sale at Sotheby’s, being held this Tuesday, November 3rd.

“Paysage”

“Vase de Fleurs”

“L’Orangerie de Versailles”

Available as Lot 210 Important French Furniture, Sculptures, and Works of Art Auction until April 14th Sotheby’s Paris.

Well known for her work sculpting the Prince of Wales’s garden at Highgrove as well as the gardens of other aristocrats, Isabel Bannerman is something of a garden celebrity.  It seems only fitting that such an artful yet natural work would come from her.  These limited edition prints are offered on sale along with many other antiques and works from their home at Hanham Court on sale this coming week at Christie’s.  I’ve featured a few items from the sale this week, and having looked through the catalog I can say that the Bannermans have exquisite taste as well as what must be a limitless budget to have filled their home with so many treasures.  In fact, it makes me wonder what they couldn’t bear to part with and what still resides in their manor.  Hopefully one day I’ll get to find out.

For those that are interested in the manor itself, you can actually stay at Hanham Court Gardens and see the Bannermans’ cave of wonders for yourself.

Available as Lot 33 in the Hanham Court – Pastoral Idyll auction at Christie’s London – South Kensington until April 14th.

Seeing this work in person is hypnotic, but for as bold as the foreground is, what draws my eye most is the very interesting texture and look of the clouds in the upper left area.  Do you see how the area of pure white cloud seems to blur into the storm behind it?  For a piece that has a clear impressionist style about it, I find those clouds oddly realistic.  If you’ve ever seen the sky churn in the Midwestern United States before a summer thunderstorm you know just what I mean.

Vlaminck is part of the Fauvism movement, a sort of sub-variety of the larger Impressionist Revolution happening at the time that is typically identified with the bold color you see in the piece below.  If you’ve not heard of the Fauvist Vlaminck before, you’ve surely seen his more famous compatriot, Henri Matisse.

I find the style incredibly appealing.  It hasn’t a certain joy and richness about it, even in a painting of a small town about to be battered by a storm, don’t you think?

Available until March 10th as Lot 50 in the Impressionist and Modern Art Including Russian Art Auction at Sotheby’s New York Headquarters.

George Michel’s works can be found in some of the world’s most famous museums – the Louvre, the Met, the National Gallery, the Hermitage, and many other storied institutions, yet he’s relatively unknown. His landscapes of the French countryside, painted in the late 18th century and early 19th century, particularly the windmills of Montmartre are striking, but what I like best are the dark, stormy tone he captures, rather than sunny fields of peasant workers common of the time. I suppose there is something sad about a picture of a storm, but as long as you don’t hang it over your bed you’ll be fine.

These particular works are coming up for auction March 18th at Sotheby’s in Paris as part of the Collection Violette de Talleyrand, Duchesse de Sagan, Former collection Gaston Palewski, in addition to a handful of others by Michel. A great reason to hop on a plane to the City of Lights, as if one really needed an excuse.

Paysage Au Moulin – Lot 90

George Michel Village Au Pied D’Une Colline Aux Environs des Paris – Lot 92