Dispute over Lucas Velázquez at Ansorena
Two canvases by the Madrid painter dominatd the July sale, where Miró and David Koninck also captured the spotlight
With more than half the lots failing to sell, Eugenio Lucas Velázquez turned out to be the unexpected star of the last painting sale of the season in the madrid bidding room. Pueta del Sol de Toledo, an oil on canvas with some restorations, rose from a starting price of 14.500 to 16.000 euros. A slightly greater increase was achieved by La Procesión, by the same artist, which fetched 15.000 euros from an initial 12.500 euros. However the most expensive lot in the sale was Cats attacking a dog. Just before the hammer came down a collector surprised everyone by bidding for this lot, which he secured for its starting price of 24.000 euros. One of the greatest rises in prices was achieved by View of Venice, attributed to Giacomo Guardi, a minor small format oil with good lighting. It rose from a starting price of 10.000 euros to a hammer price of 14.000 euros.
Within the Modern art category, one must highlight three works that sold for their starting prices: Sea view with a mill by José Moreno Carbonero, sold to a buyer in the auction room for 18.000 euros. Composition by the master of Cubism Albert Gleizes achieved a hammer price of 15.000 euros. And last, but by no means least, Woman with a mirror by Juan Barjola managed to sell for 16.000 euros. It was a smashing evening for Miró lovers, since three interesting works by his hand were put up for auction: two litographs titled Les essencies de la terra (with pencil and gouache touches) which started in 8.000 euros each, fetched 9.000 and 10.000 respectivelly. The third lot by the Catalonian genius was an untitled pastel on paper sketch, it rose from a starting price of 7.000 euros to a hammer price of 8.000 euros.
Among the works to remain unsold was Holy Trinity, an anonymous sixteenth century oil on panel adscribed to the Brussels school which started in 50.000 euros. Dawn by Anglada Camarasa which started at slightly less than 47.000 euros is anopther important oil, which failed to sell. A painter that is not in demand these days is Benjamín Palencia. His landscape was bought in without anyone bidding for the canvas starting in 32.000 euros, proof beyond a doubt that his prices are still somewhat high. Neither Female portrait by Aleksej Ivanovic Korzuchin (20.000 euros starting price), nor Female nude by Joaquín Sunyer (18.000 euros) found a buyer. Pablo Ortiz de Zárate.
