The last proposal by northern spain's bidding room par excellence has been long awaited and this November the Bilabao auction presents the first sales of the season with a catalogue of more than 1000 lots. Rich and poor, young and old, batchelors and married, demanding or lax... all will be able to get a piece in tomorrow's sales.

Painting is clearly the main offer with examples for all tastes and incomes. From a cute portrait of a girl with a starting price of 60 euros to the more serious and accomplished portrait of a lady by José Gutierrez de la Vega starting at 2.500 euros. Vasque art could not be left out and works by artists such as Manuel Losada, Anselmo Guinea y Ugalde, present with a luminous and beautiful representation of the apple harvest which starts off at 85,000 euros, Juan de Berroeta Anguisolea, Ricardo Baroja Nessi with the Tavern hut which starts off in 12,000 euros and Vaentin Zubiaurre Aguirrezabal with his composition of The Mayor which starts off in 15.000 euros, will march under the hammer before giving way to old master and Colonial paintings.

Of the last two categories highlights include an original work of Francisco de Goya y Lucientes. The sketch for the altar painting of Saint Justa and Saint Rufina has a starting price of only 275.000 euros and is witness of an interesting difference of opinions between one of the most admired painters in Western art and one of the most outstanding art historians in Spain, Ceán Bermudez. It seems the Aragonese painter was slow in accepting the guidelines of the spanish scholar and lot 215 represents better tha anything what his original position was. In the manner of the black paintings from the Quinta del Sordo, Goya decided on a more oscure and less classical vision of the Sevillian Saints. The result of the conflict is history and known by many but in no way is the first vision and version of the painter intended to be a cast away.

The beautiful and monumental painting by Giovanni Lanfranco, Embrace by Saint Joaquim and Saint Anne starts at 40.000 euros, meanwhile the sketch for the work by Francisco Bayeu y Subías in the Museum of Fines Arts of San Fernando, The tyrany of Gerion starts in 15.000 euros. 

But the vasque auction house includes mirrors, carpets, lamps, clocks and furniture. The last of which is filled ith opportunities that range from a nineteenth century arm chair starting at 100 euros, a sofa with a starting price of 60 euros or a pair of Art Deco armchairs with a starting price of 100 euros... The good, the bad, and the middle range items needn't be seperated more than in their price. Alfonso Carbajo Agrasar 

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