Pretty as a Picture: Dane Fine Art’s July Sale of Modern & Contemporary Art

Dane Fine Art of Ardmore, PA is celebrating its 44th anniversary by offering 1,092 lots of century-spanning works as part of its July Sale of Modern & Contemporary Art. This highly anticipated event will be held on July 27, 2023 with online bidding available on Bidsquare. Dane Fine Art guarantees all items sold as genuine and authentic in perpetuity and provides a certificate of authenticity for every item purchased through this event. Here are a few sale highlights that called to the Auction Daily team, and a little background on each.

Original works by internationally recognized 20th-century artists take several of the top lot slots in this visually stunning sale. Lot #18, Georges Henri Manzana Pissarro’s (French, 1871-1961) Tête de Femme, is estimated at USD 32,500 to $45,000. This original charcoal and white chalk on brown paper from around 1952 is framed. It features the side glancing bust of a tired looking woman with her gray hair pulled back. The piece is signed by the artist in charcoal. Pissarro came from a family of artists; his father was Impressionist artist Camille Pissarro (Danish and French, 1830 – 1903), and his son would also go on to become an artist. In addition to fine art, Pissarro also designed fabrics, decorative and functional household items, and furniture.

Lot #22, Louis Icart’s (French, 1888 – 1950) Motorcar, is estimated at $32,500 to $45,000. This original drypoint etching with hand coloring on paper is from 1923. It shows a confident woman behind the steering wheel of a convertible car with the top down. She is wearing a long red scarf, which is blowing in the wind, along with her hair. Her passenger is a glum looking dog, perhaps a Chow Chow. The piece is hand-signed by the artist. Icart is best known for his images of beautiful society women living their best lives in 1920s Paris. He was a key figure in the Art Deco period, with his style matching in part the aesthetic and culture of the years between the two world wars.

This sale also features a number of world-class posters and prints. Lot #16, Keith Haring’s (American, 1958 – 1990) International Youth Year, is estimated at $23,500 to $32,500. This lithograph in colors on Arches paper was produced in 1985 and published by The World Federation of United Nations Associations New York in an edition size of 1,000. It is signed and numbered by the artist. This magenta, blue, yellow, red, and black print depicts a human figure, partial orb, and a patterned floor. Black wavy lines suggest movement in this illustration. The United Nations declared 1985 as the International Youth Year; the organization’s goals included getting the world “to focus attention on issues of concern to and relating to youth.” Haring, at the peak of his popularity with all ages during this time, was the perfect illustrator to create the images for this bold effort.

Photographs of famous celebrities are also well represented in this sale. Lot #440, Francesco Scavullo’s (American, 1921 – 2004) Cher, is estimated at $700 to $1,000. This silver gelatin print was produced in 2004, but the image was taken of the singer and actress in 1974. It is stamped on verso and signed in pencil by the photographer’s partner, the editor, stylist, and collaborator Sean M. Byrne. The image pictures Cher in an elaborate headpiece with beads and bells, looking downward to her well-manicured hands. She is draped in a shawl and has somewhat of a religious or Madonna presentation to her. Scavullo was a fashion photographer famous for his portraits of the top celebrities of his era. He also produced images for publicity posters, album covers, and other entertainment channels, including magazines. Over the course of his life, Scavullo’s work appeared on the covers of Seventeen, Good Housekeeping, Cosmopolitan, Harper’s Bazaar, Interview, Newsweek, Rolling Stone, and many others.

This well-curated sale rounds out with traditional paintings, religious artwork, sculpture, and other works that bridge traditional creative categories. Lot #122, Erté’s (b. Romain de Tirtoff, Russian and French, 1892 – 1990) Faubourg St. Honore, is estimated at $5,500 to $7,500. This original cast bronze sculpture was produced in 1990 by Chalk & Vermilion in an edition size of 375. The piece has the artist’s signature inscribed on its base. It depicts a tall, beautiful woman modeling a regal black belted coat detailed with an elegant cape, scarf, and cuffs. The title of the piece, Faubourg St. Honore, is a nod to the street in Paris with that same name. The rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré is considered to be one of the most upscale and prestigious streets in the world. Nearly every major global fashion house has an office there; the street is also the address of embassies, fine hotels, and internationally recognized art galleries.For more information about Dane Fine Art’s July Sale of Modern & Contemporary Art, visit Bidsquare. Find additional coverage of this event on Auction Daily.