10- Maurice de Vlaminck De Tardais au Luxembourg

Maurice de Vlaminck – at the origin of Fauvism [Apr 08] Until 20 July 2008, the Museum of Luxemburg is hosting an exhibition dedicated to Maurice de Vlaminck works from the 1900 to 1915, a period during which the research he conducted with Derain in Chatou was essential to the renewal of painting at the start of the 20th century At auction, landscapes from this period fetch the highest prices. Indeed it was a Chatou landscape that generated de Vlaminck's current price record when it sold for GBP 6.5 million (USD 9.3 million) on 2 June 2004. The painting, dated 1906, is to date the most expensive fauve work ever to have changed hands. Previous to that sale it had been acquired at auction by Alain Delon in 1989 for USD 6.5 million. Somewhat surprisingly, over a 20 year period, between 1988 and 2006, Vlaminck's price index has stayed almost flat. Nevertheless, some rare paintings from the fauve period have been hotly disputed at recent auctions. For example, Maisons au bord de la Seine à Chatou, a painting dated 1905-1906 and estimated at GBP 1.6 – 2.2 million sold for GBP 2.4 million in June 2007. The same work had fetched GBP 1.4 million in 1989. Even fauve works on paper are gaining price momentum. Forêt, an Indian ink drawing from 1953 (50 x 65 cm) fetched EUR 7,000 last May at Christie’s Paris whereas a year earlier it had failed to find a buyer at the minimum price of EUR 6,000. Beyond the much appreciated landscape theme, Vlaminck also painted numerous bouquets of flowers. His natures mortes fetch much lower prices at auctions; sometimes only half what a landscape in a similar format and from the same period might fetch. Even his floral paintings from the fauve years can be difficult to sell, as we saw in June 2003 when Bouquet de fleurs (dated 1907-1908) was bought in by Sotheby’s London on a low estimate of GBP 18,000. Vlaminck's prices, however, leave little chance of acquiring one of his works for under EUR 10,000. Under this threshold, enthusiasts may occasionally find some rare India inks drawings; but de Vlaminck's paper works are usually executed in gouache. And his water-colours and gouache works are often large formats that change hands for between 15,000 and 20,000 euros, as did Paysagecampagnard, a water-colour that sold for CHF 28,000 (EUR 16,000) at the Galerie du Rhone in December 2007. For much smaller budgets, there is a very extensive market in de Vlaminck prints. These prints regularly appear at auction throughout the world and the majority sell for under EUR 300. For example, in May 2007 at Winterberg Arno in Germany, La Rue de le Glacière, a print from 1937, sold for EUR 120. Personnage sur un chemin, was sold for EUR 150 at Martin-Chausselat in Versailles. In the United States, Montmartre Street Scene sold for the equivalent of EUR 161 at the auction house Charlton Hall Galleries in February 2008. But while this segment of the market is a good way to start a collection, it offers little upside potential in terms of value. Their price index has been absolutely stable for decades. For example, La Plaine de Boissy-les-Perches, an etching from 1923-1925 has gone to auction a dozen or so times in 10 years. Each time, the work sold within a price range of EUR 350 to 550. De Vlaminck's ceramic works are relatively unknown by the general public and he did not develop the same themes as those he worked on canvas or on paper. His stylised decorations of plates and tiles rarely fetch more than EUR 2,000 – 3,000, even in perfect condition. Certain large works may occasionally fetch more than EUR 10,000 such as a vase measuring 35cm in height presenting a substantial floral composition which sold for EUR 48,000 in June 2002 at Piasa.