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Top Price for Morandi - Brisk demand at the Dorotheum Modern Art Auction
Giorgio de Chirico, Venezia-Canal Grande,
€ 168.300
Albin Egger-Lienz, Ruhender Hirte,
€ 185.550
Giorgio Morandi, Paesaggio,
€ 409.800
Alfons Walde, Bergbauern,
€ 191.300
Giorgio Morandi turned out to be the star of the evening. At the Dorotheum Vienna's auction of modern art on 12th May 2009, bidding for his slightly abstract „Paesaggio“ (Landscape) did not stop until it had reached an excellent 409.800 Euro.
The auction catalogue describes the work as a "prime example of [Morandi's] characteristic quiet theme, the interplay between planar and spatial elements, and of his restricted palette, which nevertheless manages to convey a range of subtle nuances" (Cat. No.32). Two of this artist's rare drawings were likewise sold for 34.460 and 12.500 Euro, respectively (Cat. No. 30, 31).
During his late period, Giorgio de Chirico came to express his Baroque side in a number of cityscapes and paintings of mythological figures. Two fine examples of both aspects of this work period, a View of the Venice Grand Canal and the Three Graces („Ninfe presso una sorgente o Le Tre Grazie“), reached 122.300 and 97.900 Euro (Cat. No. 33, 36).
Tripling its original estimate, Albin Egger-Lienz’ Resting Shepherd from the early nineteen-twenties was sold for 185.500 Euro („Ruhender Hirte“ Cat. No. 15). Another early and exceptional work by this artist, known variously as By the River Drau, Man standing by a River, and The Log Driver, sold for several times the expected price at 73.500 Euro ("An der Drau", Cat. No. 17). This also applied to Alfons Walde's Mountain Farmers which went for the unanticipatedly high sum of 191.300 Euro („Bergbauern“, Cat. No. 19).
The entire event proved a great success, as was evident in the high attendance and rate of lots sold and in the heated bidding contests accompanying the sales.
Presse:
Doris Krumpl, Tel. + 43-1-515 60-406
doris.krumpl@dorotheum.at
 | Giorgio de Chirico, Venezia-Canal Grande |
| Albin Egger-Lienz, Ruhender Hirte |
| Giorgio Morandi, Paesaggio |
| Alfons Walde, Bergbauern |
 | Toplots Modern Art 12. May 2009 |
