A double-sided sketch by the Belgian surrealist artist René Magritte will be auctioned in Ripon next week.
The sketch will be displayed at Elstob Auctioneers’ fine art sale on Wednesday, May 8.
The two pencil drawings of nude figures in a double-sided gilt decorative frame carries a price estimate of £10,000 to £15,000.
Magritte, who lived from 1898 to 1967, was known for images of clouds, bowler hats, pipes and green apples.
His work influenced pop art, minimalist art and conceptual art. In the 1999 film The Thomas Crown Affair starring Pierce Brosnan, the Magritte painting The Son of Man featured prominently as part of the plot line.
The logo of Apple Corps, The Beatles’ company, is inspired by Magritte’s Le Jeu de Mourre; Paul Simon composed a song Rene and Georgette Magritte with Their Dog after the War and Tom Stoppard wrote a 1970 surrealist play called After Magritte.
The nude pencil studies that feature in Elstob’s sale came from the remaining contents of the studio of Magritte, sold at Sothebys on 2 July 1987. On this occasion, it is being offered for sale by a private collector.
Nude studies sketches by René Magritte
Rohan McCulloch, paintings and sculpture specialist at Elstob Auctioneers, said:
“Even if at first people think they don’t know the name of Magritte, they will most probably be familiar with many of his pictures that have frequently been featured in advertisements, posters, book covers and film.
“Without doubt, he has left a huge cultural legacy and we are very excited to be able to offer this captivating work for sale. Its established provenance will hopefully ensure a considerable interest from collectors around the globe.”
The sale also includes a striking portrait of Miss Hilda Wilkinson by Leeds artist Jacob Kramer (1892-1962), which is anticipated to fetch £6,000 to 8,000 and an oil on canvas by Philip Naviasky (1894-1983) that carries a price estimate of £1,000 – £1,500.
Miss Hilda Wilkinson by Jacob Kramer (left) and Miss May by Philip Naviasky
All lots can be viewed online and bidding on the day of the sale can be made in person, over the telephone or online.
Items can be viewed at the Ripon saleroom on Sunday May 5 and Monday May 6 and the day before the sale on Tuesday May 7.
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Knaresborough artist presents lockdown portraits to key workers
Knaresborough artist Shirley Vine presented her lockdown portraits to key workers on Saturday.
Ms Vine started the project to pay tribute to people on the frontline during the darkest periods of the pandemic.
Her 15 subjects included a fireman, a care worker, nurses, teachers, a police officer, refuse collector, dentist, signalman, and foodbank volunteers.
The acrylic paintings have been on display in the Chain Lane vaccination centre in Knaresborough but have now been presented free of charge to the subjects at a reception Ms Vine organised on Saturday at COGS (Centre On Gracious Street).
Ms Vine said:
“Lockdown was fine at first, as it was the time when I usually finish my watercolour classes for the year and spend time sorting the house and garden.
“That was OK for a few weeks, but I soon realised that something more was going to be needed for the future unknown time of covid.
“Tom Croft, a professional portraitist appeared on BBC TV to galvanise any artists to paint their NHS heroes. I took to this and painted 15 local frontline key workers”.
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Receiving the portraits brought back often difficult memories to the key workers who Ms Vine painted.
Deborah and Ian, from anti-food waste community group Resurrected Bites said,
“It has been a privilege and so good to be able to help when so many were desperate”.
Deborah and Ian with their portrait.
Gee, a care worker, said,
“As the residents couldn’t have visitors, we became their family, which was so important”.
Gee and her portrait.
Lesley, a dentist, said,
“Stunning Portraits. A poignant reminder of what we were doing and now feels like a lifetime ago”.
Lesley with her portrait.
Sam from Noah’s Ark Pre-school said:
“It was hard work but rewarding, cocooned within Noah’s Ark. Shirley has captured how children’s learning continued throughout and how parents valued the setting and all of the staff.”
Sam and her portrait.