Sotheby’s debuts their Impressionist and Modern sale offerings in Carol Vogel’s New York Times column:

On Nov. 4 a group of Impressionist and modern artworks from Sackler’s personal collection will be among the highlights at Sotheby’s big fall sales. By far the star is “Dramatic and Mild,” a 1932 Kandinsky painting. An example of his mature style, the work was created during his final months at the Bauhaus school in Dessau, Germany.

A colorful canvas of geometric shapes, the composition includes a foreboding inverted black triangle, one of Kandinsky’s symbols of the darkening world around him. “This was one of many pictures that Solomon R. Guggenheim bought to support Kandinsky,” said Simon Shaw, head of Sotheby’s Impressionist and modern art in New York. Sackler acquired it in 1964 at a Sotheby’s auction of works from the Solomon R. Guggenheim Foundation. At more than 3 feet by 4 feet, it is bigger than most of Kandinsky’s paintings, making it something of a rarity. Sotheby’s estimates it will bring $6 million to $8 million.

The sale will come after the Guggenheim’s Kandinsky retrospective goes up in September and the painting will be on view at Sotheby’s starting Aug. 21.

Inside Art: Sackler Consignment Offered by Sotheby’s (New York Times)