On November 30 and December 1 2021, the long-awaited appointment with the Modern and Contemporary Art department of Il Ponte Auction House
returns with a rich catalogue of proposals by national and international artists and competitive starting estimates. The auction’s focus is on the bequest belonging to notable private collectors and it includes several masterpieces that now reappear on the market after many years of jealousy preservation. The section dedicated to the early 20th century Italian paintings presents a rare Divisionist pastel by Severini, “Autoritratto” dated 1907-1908 (lot 24, € 150,000 - 200,000), already exhibited in 1967 at the Musée National d'Art Moderne in Paris and later at the Galleria Nazionale d'Arte Moderna in Rome, and a unique oil painting by De Chirico dated 1926, "Il giorno e la notte" (lot 19, € 60,000 - 80,000) belonging to the collection of Riccardo and Magda Jucker.
Lot 24_Gino Severini
"Autoritratto", 1907-1908
pastel on cardboard, cm 27,8x32,4
Estimate € 150,000 - 200,000
Lot 19_Giorgio de Chirico,
"Il giorno e la notte" November 1925 - January 1926
oil on canvas, cm 41.5x27.5
Estimate € 60,000 - 80,000
"Nudo in riva al mare / La rosa del mare" (lot 21, € 60,000 - 80,000) by Cagnaccio di San Pietro painted in 1935 is considered one of his greatest masterpieces. Moreover, Mario Sironi's tempera dated 1932-1933, "Studio per opera monumentale" (lot 1, € 6,000 - 8,000), a "Marina" by Carlo Carrà dated 1939 (lot 15, € 10,000 - 12,000), and a still life painted in 1943 by De Pisis (lot 16, € 15,000 - 20,000) characterized by an extraordinary quality. Among the other names in the catalogue, we find Boccioni, Soffici, Licini, Paresce.
Particularly rich is the section dedicated to the Italian informal movement. Among these, some other highlights: two tempera paintings by Tancredi and an oil painting by Morlotti, "Vesconia" (lot 63, € 10,000 - 15,000), painted in 1959 and characterized by a prestigious curriculum that includes museum exhibitions in France, Germany, Switzerland and America. "Sogni d'estate" (lot 61, € 35.000 - 50.000), a canvas realized in 1958 by Santomaso, already belonged to important American private collectors before coming to Italy. By Burri, the catalogue presents a material combustion painted in 1957, which stands out for its impressive high quality (lot 42, € 100,000 - 150,000). Other names include Birolli, Afro, Perilli.
Lot 21_Cagnaccio di San Pietro,
"Nudo in riva al mare / La rosa del mare", 1935
oil on board, cm 104.5x82
Estimate € 60,000 - 80,000
Lot 42_ Alberto Burri
"Combustione", 1957
acrylic, paper, vinavil, combustion on cardboard laid down on faesite, cm 48x38
Estimate € 100,000 - 150,000
Among the international informal artists, particularly remarkable are Imai, Mathieu, Chin, Hartung and a 1957 masterpiece by Fautrier (lot 51, € 80,000 - 120,000). Concerning the field of the “concrete” painting, the catalogue presents Max Bill and Calderara. Regarding those artists who have investigated light and space we mention: Dorazio with a large grid dated 1964 (lot 71, € 70,000 - 90,000), Simeti, Bonalumi, Scheggi. By Guttuso, a large dimensions masterpiece, "Interno nello studio " dated 1947 (lot 41, € 70,000 - 90,000). Boetti is present with "Niente da vedere niente da nascondere", a very rare embroidery from 1977 (lot 122, € 50,000 - 70,000). The collection also includes a magnificent selection of works by international artists such as Klee, Bram van Velde, Ben Nicholson, Léger and Tobey with his museum work painted in 1957 coming from the Marlborough collection - Gerson Gallery, New York and Marlborough Fine Art in London (lot 45, € 60,000 - 80,000). Italian Pop Art finds its own space of expression with several works made by some of the most prominent exponents of the movement, including: Schifano, Pascali, Rotella and then Festa is present with an historical work dated 1960 (lot 117, € 10,000 - 15,000).
Lot 51_Jean Fautrier
"Traits colorés", 1957
oil on paper laid down on canvas, cm 37.5x61
Estimate € 80,000 - 120,000
Lot 71_Piero Dorazio
"O.R. (Orizzontale)", 1964
oil on canvas, cm 50.5x114
Estimate € 70,000 - 90,000
Lot 41_Renato Guttuso
"Interno nello studio (Natura morta nello studio)", 1947
oil on canvas, cm 97x146
Estimate € 70,000 - 90,000
As usual, a remark is reserved to sculpture, among the masterpieces in the catalogue: Chadwick, Atchugarry, Cappello, Consagra, Arnaldo Pomodoro, Man Ray, Melotti, Ontani, a sled by Scarpitta (lot 109, € 20,000 - 30,000) and by the spatialism master Lucio Fontana a bronze "Nature" (lot 43, € 35,000 - 50,000) and two polychrome ceramics, "Pagliacci"(lot 50 and 120, € 40,000 - 50,000 each). Top lot of the auction is an extremely rare "Achrome" by Manzoni (lot 44, € 350,000 - 500,000).
Lot 50_Lucio Fontana
"Pagliacci", 1954
glazed polychrome ceramic, diam. cm 44
Estimate € 40,000 - 50,000
COVER IMAGE: Lot_44 Piero Manzoni
"Achrome", 1962 ca.
bread and kaolin, cm 17.5x26.5 44
Estimate € 350,000 - 500,000