MIAMI, May 22, 2014 /PRNewswire/ — Two original Picasso drawings and one of Francisco Botero's most sought-after sculptures are among the 95 prized artworks entered in Beaux Auctions' May 27 absentee and online-only sale. Every piece included in the fine art and antiques auction has been personally chosen and carefully curated by Beaux Auctions, and most will be offered without reserve. Additionally, each of the sale's headliners is accompanied by a written study prepared during the authentication process.
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The sculptural creations of Francisco Botero (Colombian, b. 1932-) are visually unmistakable and can be seen in museums, plazas and parks throughout the world, from New York's Park Avenue to the Champs Elysees in Paris. One of the forms collectors covet but seldom have the opportunity to acquire is Botero's 2006 bronze Ballerina, which was cast at Fonderia Artistica Mariani in Italy in an edition of six. Beaux Auctions will present Ballerina #5 of 6 – signed, numbered and stamped within the casting – at their May 27 auction. The 17-inch patinated bronze sculpture is expected to achieve $250,000-$350,000.
"Any Botero collector is going to want this piece," said Beaux Auctions partner Ynoluz Bacalao. "It's very desirable, and I think it has a chance of even exceeding its auction estimate."
Will they end up in a museum or a private collection? That is the question being asked about two original pen and ink and inkwash drawings by Pablo Picasso (Spanish, 1881-1973). Cataloged as consecutive auction lots, both of the 1930s artworks reflect an important recurring theme in Picasso's body of work from that period – that of the bull and the Minotaur. Each is estimated at $250,000-$350,000.
"The composition in both drawings is reminiscent of some of the lithograph prints in the Vollard Suite," said Bacalao. "The bull and Minotaur appear in Picasso prints, but rarely in his original drawings. Experts who have viewed the two artworks in our sale say they are 100% authentic. Everything about them is right, down to the type of paper. We invite anyone with an interest to come to our gallery to conduct their own personal inspection."
The Picassos are titled Minoature et la Dormeuse, measuring 11.5 by 15.1 inches; and Minotaure s'approche de la Dormeuse, whose vertical orientation is 15.1 x 11.5 inches. It is presumed that the model who posed for the drawings was Picasso's muse, Marie-Therese Walter.
The auction also includes superb 18th/19th-century European paintings, Cuzco school artworks, an Ancient Roman mosaic, Cuban art, and colonial art of the Americas. All of these categories appeal to super-rich investors, from Brazil to China, Bacalao said.
"When Chinese investors see a masterpiece they want, whether it's Asian or Western art, they'll bid as high as they have to go to get it. They're very hard to beat," he said.
Beaux Auctions' May 27, 2014 Fine Art & Antiques Auction is an absentee and online event accessible through LiveAuctioneers.com. All artworks are available to preview by appointment. Start time is 6 p.m. Eastern. Tel. 1-877-572-1708
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Online: www.beauxauctions.com.