Bloomberg’s Scott Reyburn has a head start on the story of the Egon Schiele cityscape coming to market at Sotheby’s in June. The result of a bargain to end a long restitution case, the sale represents a rare and final opportunity to buy the artist’s work:
Schiele’s “Haeuser mit bunter Waesche, ‘Vorstadt’ II,” showing houses with washing lines, has a low estimate of 22 million pounds and is guaranteed a minimum price by a third- party “irrevocable bid,” Sotheby’s said. The valuation exceeds the $22.4 million paid in 2006 for a cityscape at Christie’s International. Sales of museum-quality oils by the short-lived artist (1890-1918) are becoming increasingly rare.
“This is a great opportunity,” said Eberhard Kohlbacher, partner in the Vienna dealership Wienerroither & Kohlbacher. “You have a few restitution cases, then it will be finished.”
Schiele Cityscape May Fetch Record $50 Million as Looted Art Case Settled (Bloomberg)
