
Bonhams Post-War and Contemporary Art sale in London on Wednesday 7 March is dominated by School of London works from artists Leon Kossoff and Frank Auerbach. The lead work is Kossoff’s Nude on a Red Bed No 3 estimated at £300,000-500,000. Here’s how Bonhams puts it in their release:
This Kossoff dates from 1968 and was originally in the artist’s personal collection. He then gave it to his sister Ashley Kossoff, from whom it passed to the Astrup Fearnley Museum of Modern Art, Oslo. Since 2003 it has been in private hands. Other works included in the sale are:
- Reclining Head of E.O.W. II by Frank Auerbach, painted in 1969 and estimated at £280,000-350,000. This work was once in the collection of Lucian Freud who bought it in 1971. He was a great supporter of Auerbach and owned more than 40 of his friend’s paintings.
- Birth, Marriage, Death also by Auerbach, executed in 1951. It was bought direct from the artist in the same year, and has been in a private family collection ever since. It is estimated at £150,000-200,000.
- John Asleep by Kossoff from 1987, estimated at £120,000-180,000.
- Reclining Model, Back View a charcoal, crayon and pencil work on paper by Auerbach executed in 1960-61. It is estimated at £120,000-180,000.