Of the 51 lots that Christie’s will offer at its Impressionist & Modern Art auction in London on February 7th, the standout is “Le livre (the book), ” a transitional work by Juan Gris that the painter created between the end of 1913 and the beginning of 1915. Not seen for some 30 years before its inclusion in a 2005 retrospective in Madrid, the painting is expected to bring $18.6m-$27.9m.
Seven private collections are included in the offering, including Elizabeth Taylor’s. While her collection’s value isn’t expected to approach the $115.9m her jewelry achieved, it still features many of the leading lights of 19th & 20th century art. Among the highlights are Van Gogh’s “Vue de l’asile et de la Chapelle de Saint-Remy” from 1889 (est. $7.8m-$10.9m), Pissarro’s “Pommiers a Eragny, 1894” (est. $1.4m-$1.8m), and Degas’ “Autoportrait, circa 1857-1858” ($548,000-$704,000).
