NEW YORK—Eclipsed by the shadow of an unfathomably ballooning modern and contemporary art market, some of the finest art of the 19th century is quietly, without fanfare, selling for well below its deserved value.
The collectors at the Nov. 1 auction of 19th Century European Art at Christie’s, New York, are in tune with what is classic, true art—art that will be truly valuable in the long run.
Some of the best examples of Barbizon, academic, Orientalist, Victorian, and wildlife paintings were offered at the auction. Leading the 94-lot sale was “Marchande de grenades,” a rare piece of William-Adolphe Bouguereau’s Orientalist work, which sold at the low end of its pre-sale estimate, for $2,658,500.
The sale total, including the buyer’s premium, was a mere $9,300,575. Not all the lots sold. Only 60 of the 94 works are on the website with announced sale results.
