Going live this Thursday, June 24, 2023, Waddington’s presents their “Editions” sale, featuring a diverse array of prints—both historical and contemporary. Lots range from a 17th-century suite of seven botanical prints by Johann Wilhelm Weinmann to recent and highly recognizable works such as Yue Minjun’s (2009), from the “Snatched Ecstasy” portfolio, comprising 20 lithographs, six of which are included in the present auction. Minjun’s signature grinning self-portrait has become widely known and associated with contemporary Chinese art, with the motif alluding to themes of commercialization and consumerism. With work by artists from Kaws to Yayoi Kusama, Jean-Paul Riopelle to Sam Francis, the sale offers a dynamic selection of styles and represents immense art historical scope.
Below, we’ve rounded up just a small sample of the sale’s top lots to explore.
Alex Katz
(2014)
Estimate: $45,000–$65,000 CAD
Alex Katz, (2014). Courtesy of Waddington’s.
American painter Alex Katz has an immediately recognizable style known for its use of flat planes of color and simplified forms. (2014) is emblematic of this hallmark style, and further of one of Katz’s favored subjects—the artist has been utilizing the floral motif in his work since the 1950s, rooted in his early practice painting en plein air. Printmaking too has been an extension of Katz’s practice for decades, pursuing compositions that can stand up to reproduction in a way that painting alone might not.
Andy Warhol
(1985)
Estimate: $100,000–$150,000 CAD
Andy Warhol, , from the “Ads” series (1985). Courtesy of Waddington’s.
Andy Warhol created his “Ad” series portfolio in 1985—just two years before his death. Commissioned by Ronald Feldman of Feldman Fine Arts, Warhol based the ten screenprints within the series on publicity images from the 1950s through 1970s, ranging from brands like Chanel and Volkswagen to celebrities such as Judy Garland and, in the present lot, James Dean. The image of Dean is from the Japanese version of campaign imagery for the film (1955), interpreted through Warhol’s inimitable artistic flair.
Pablo Picasso
(1933)
Estimate: $9,000–$12,000 CAD
Pablo Picasso, , plate 45 from “La Suite Vollard,” (1933). Courtesy of Waddington’s.
Produced between 1930 and 1937, Pablo Picasso’s “La Suite Vollard” was commissioned by dealer Ambroise Vollard and is comprised of 100 etchings. The compositions of the works in the series are heavily inspired by the Neoclassical style and include such motifs as columns and nudes—both of which are reflected in (1933). The breadth and scope of the “La Suite Vollard,” and the attention paid by Picasso to each composition, highlight the skill and prodigiousness of the artist.
Christopher Pratt
(1992)
Estimate: $4,000–$6,000 CAD
Christopher Pratt, (1992). Courtesy of Waddington’s.
Canadian artist Christopher Pratt draws inspiration from the regions of Newfoundland and Labrador in his work, and frequently depicts boats in various states outside of water—for example, grounded, hanging, or overwintering. Shown as such, Pratt is able to achieve a delicate tension in his compositions between the pristine execution of the work and the pervasive sense of tense waiting before the boat is returned to the water. In (1992), this tension is furthered by the title, as the work captures and suspends the boat’s launch.
David Hockney
(2021)
Estimate: $60,000–$80,000 CAD
David Hockney, (2021). Courtesy of Waddington’s.
In 2019, David Hockney purchased a property in the Pays d’Auge in Normandy, France, near the village of Beuvron-en-Auge—widely known as one of the most bucolic villages in the country. Like many generations of artists before him, Hockney was inspired by the surrounding landscape. Within his project “A Year in Normandy,” Hockney endeavored to portray the season of spring in the region, and he created 100 Impressionistic works produced on his iPad—a tool that he had already a decade of experience using.
Kenojuak Ashevak
(1979)
Estimate: $2,000–$4,000 CAD
Kenojuak Ashevak, Summer Owl (1979). Courtesy of Waddington’s.
Kenojuak Ashevak is a renowned contemporary Inuit artist whose most recognized work is arguably (1960), which achieved the status of most expensive Inuit print ever sold at auction. Owls are a common motif in the artist’s oeuvre and are the subject of more than 100 of her works. The variety of composition between Kenojuak’s owl depictions is immense, and in the 1960s she began incorporating elements of foliage to further expand the use of the avian subject. Using bold color schemes and clean linework, Kenojuak’s distinctive style has become a cornerstone of Intuit art historical canon.
Browse these lots and more in Waddington’s ‘Editions‘ sale, which will be held online June 24–29, 2023.
