A major work by Danish artist Vilhelm Hammershoi is to cross the block in New York on November 14.
Interior with Woman at Piano, Strandgade 30 (1901) is among the reclusive artist's most acclaimed works.
Woman at Piano is among Hammershoi's best known works
It was painted in his rooms in Copenhagen and is executed in his characteristic muted palette. As with all of his paintings, it’s a master class in atmospheric lighting.
The woman is his wife, Ida, whom Hammershoi only ever painted from behind.
Sotheby’s, the auction house handling the sale, expects it to sell for $2.5m-3.5m.
The figure would exceed Hammershoi’s £2m ($2.4m) 2015 record, although we think it’s likely the work will go for even more.
That’s because over the past couple of years we’ve seen a growing interest in Hammershoi’s work from buyers outside Europe.
In June, his White Doors, Strandgade 30 (1899) more than doubled its estimate to sell for £1.4m ($1.8m).
Nina Wedell-Wedellsborg, head of Sotheby’s Denmark, said: “It is very exciting to be offering a second masterpiece by Hammershoi in the space of a year, hot on the heels of our success in London in June with White Doors, purchased by Copenhagen’s Ordrupgaard Museum.
“Now is truly the moment for Hammershoi, whose international standing is greater than ever.”
We have this incredible autograph letter from the great impressionist Renoir for sale.
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