Art market: growing interest in works on paper

Each artist produced works on paper, from gouaches to watercolors or pastels. Unquestionably interesting to collect and invest without reaching impossible figures. Pierre-Auguste Renoir, Pablo Picasso, Georges Braque, Joan Miró and maybe a nice view of Lake Garda by Salvator Dalì.

Last year the works on paper have aroused much interest, often reaching values much higher than expected, the auction houses such as art galleries record real records. Christie's last year saw outstanding results: in February, the Day Sale got the absolute maximum of such an auction in London with a Claude Monet (pastel on paper) estimated at 200/300 thousand pounds and sold at 1.568.750.

Claude Monet (1840-1926)
Sunset
signed “Claude Monet” (bottom right)
pastel on paper
(21,8 x 35,8cm.)
Executed around 1868

while in June the autoportrait of Edgar Degas è was sold for £3,128.750 nine times the £350.000 estimate.

Now the Christie's itself in the London auction on February 28th dedicated to impressionism and modern art, offers selected works that surely they will confirm the now undisputed trend of collecting works on paper.

Here are some examples up for auction:

Joan Miró (1893-1983), Le poète inspiré, executed 20 October 1937. Signed “Miró” (lower right); signed, dated and inscribed “MIRÓ” Le poète inspiré “20/10/37.” (on the back). Gouache on paper (76 x 56 cm).

Pablo Picasso (1881-1973), Tête – Mousquetaire, executed 17 July 1967. Signed, dated and numbered '17 .7.67. III. Picasso' (bottom left). Gouache and wash on paper

Property from a major private collector. Joan Miró (1893-1983), Les Paysans, executed between 10 March 1973 and 29 July 1977. Signed “Miró” (lower right); dated, numbered and inscribed '29 / VII / 77. Personnage et oiseaux dans un paysage 10 / III / 73. II. '(On the back). Watercolour, brush and India ink and pastel on paper (44,5 x 57 cm).

Marc Chagall (1887-1985), Le bouquet sur fond bleu, executed 1980. Signed 'Marc Chagall' (lower left). Gouache and pastel on paper (61 x 49,8 cm)

On the cover: work from an important private collection of Salvador Dalí (1904-1989), Lago di Garda, executed in 1949. Signed and dated “Dalí 1949” (bottom center) and titled “Lago de Garda” (bottom left ). Gouache, watercolor and pen and ink on cardboard (58,5 x 73,5 cm).