Christie’s has secured a selection of works by Spanish modern and contemporary masters from the Suñol Soler Collection to be offered in the London session of its marquee global ONE sale on July 10th. A portion of the proceeds will go to two private foundations established by the late collector Josep Suñol Soler— together the organizations are dedicated to the promotion of modern and contemporary art, and philanthropy.
Among the lots leading the sale is postwar sculptor Alexander Calder’s mobile Une lune bleue (1971), which has been in the Suñol Soler collection for over four decades. The sculpture is estimated at a value of £2.5 million to £3.5 million (US$3.1 million and US$4.4 million). The work, according to Christie’s, was influenced by the American lunar landing a few years prior.
Other highlights of the auction include Pintura No. 5 (1959), a large-scale burlap work by Spanish painter Manolo Millares’ carrying an estimate of £900,000 to £1.2 million and has been featuring in showcases at the Musée des Arts Décoratifs in 1950 and the Palais du Louvre in 1960. In 1955, Millares moved to Madrid where he cofounded Group El Paso with contemporaries Antonio Saura and Pablo Serrano, each crucial figures in the development of Spanish postwar abstract painting that sought to compete with the European avant-garde.
A expressive black and white abstract painting on a grey ground from 1961 by Spanish modernist Antonio Saura is slated with an estimate of £200,000 to 300,000; and Julio González’s sculpture Grand personnage debout from 1935 is valued at an estimate of £600,000 to 900,000.
Alongside postwar Spanish masters is German-French sculptor Jean Arp’s 1960 biomorphic white sculpture Bourgeon sur coup, with a high pre-sale estimate of £1.2 million; and Spanish painter Antoni Tàpies’ monochromartic textural canvas made from marble dust and oil paint Ocre amb cinc entallats (1964), with a presale estimate of between £400,000 and £600,000.
