PIASA 4 December 2015 - Yesterday afternoon saw PIASA offer for auction over 200 photographs with the theme Artists & Performers, reflecting over a century of photographs of studios, models and artists.
Excellent Results for Edmond Bénard’s Ateliers d’Artistes
Over the course of two decades, from 1880-1900, Bénard photographed the studios of contemporary painters and sculptors, recording private moments and chronicling the creative approach of the period. This important documentary source enjoyed tremendous saleroom success, with its rare prints of excellent private provenance selling well in excess of estimate.
Highlights included John Singer Sargent in his Studio (lot 160) at €6440 (est. €1800-2500) and Ernest-Antoine Hébert in his Studio (lot 144) at €4120 (est. €400-600).
The auction’s top-selling lot, meanwhile, was an historic 1960s print of Yves Klein’s iconic Saut dans le Vide of a quality rarely seen on the market (lot 181). It leaped to €39,930 (est. €2000-3000).
Among the contemporary photographs was one of the first large-format prints by Valérie Belin – her monochrome, quasi-abstract 1993 Untitled (n°93082607), which sold for €7730 (lot 196).
* All prices include buyer’s premium.
