World record and international bidding competition in the autumn auction

The auction ‘Old Masters and 19th Century’ was the catalyst for a world record. With a result of 419,000 euro, ‘A Critic’ (lot 2173) by Wilhelm Leibl achieved the highest price ever reached for this painter. Art historic importance, first-class provenance and perfect condition all combine in this painting from 1868.

The young Leibl achieved his breakthrough not only in Germany with the exhibition of this work in Munich and Düsseldorf, but ‘A Critic’ was also a talking point in Paris: At the great ‘I. Internationalen Kunstausstellung im königlichen Glaspalaste’ (First International Art Exhibition in the Royal Glass Palace), it sparked the admiration of fellow exhibitor Gustave Cournet, who spread Wilhelm Leibl’s fame to France. Immediately after these first exhibitions it came into possession of a noble family, where it remained until the auction under perfect conditions at Lempertz. The highest price ever paid at auction for a work by Wilhelm Leibl thus does justice to the ‘Critic’.

The wintery ‘Ride in the Twilight’ (lot 2181) by Alfred Wierusz-Kowalski, one of the most important members of the Munich Polish Circle and Professor of the Munich Academy, attracted international attention: Several telephone bidders participated from various continents and tripled the estimate of the atmospheric painting to a result of 302,400 euro.

‘Portrait of a Coloured Courtier’ (lot 2086) by a German Master around 1760/1770 caused a surprise. Only rarely does a painting by an Old Master depict a person of colour, but the few examples are attracting increasing attention, most recently in the exhibition ‘HERE: Black in Rembrandt’s time’. With a starting estimate of 12,000 euro, the work was elevated to reach a result of 201,600 euro.

A still life by Willem Claesz. Heda (lot 2054) also saw a significant flourish. Signed and dated 1649, the work had been owned by a Westphalian aristocratic family for generations. Numerous bidders went far beyond the expected 160,000 with the panel eventually changing hands for 277,200 euro.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us at 0221/92 57 29–57.

Jan Bykowski
Press and public relations
info@lempertz.com