Max Ernst rare hand-coloured art is estimated at $18,000 in New York

This very scarce watercolour artwork by the important Dada artist Max Ernst is up for sale in New York

A rare watercolour by one of Germany's most important Dada artists, Max Ernst, will star in an upcoming 'prints and paintings' art sale in New York tomorrow (March 8).

This etching and aquatint work is entitled La Loterie du Jardin Zoologique. The colouring in watercolour and gouache is daubed on graish cream Ingres wove paper.

Dated to 1951, the piece measures 4 ¾ x 3 5/8 inches and has full margins.

La Loterie du Jardin Zoologique by Max Ernst

As well as being in good condition, the work is also signed by Ernst himself and numbered 3/6 in the piece's lower margin.

This artwork is rightly billed as "extremely scarce" by the auctioneer. It is a superb, richly-inked impression - and even more coveted for bearing the author's own hand colouring.

Max Ernst's La Loterie du Jardin Zoologique will auction tomorrow with a $12,000-18,000 presale estimate. Watch this space for more news from the art markets.

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Images: Swann