Remarkable results

21 May 2022

Remarkable results in our May 21 auction

After the sun-drenched exhibition days, temperatures rose high in our saleroom during this May auction. The calm on this beautiful spring day was disturbed by enthusiastic bidders, a loud "sold !" and the auctioneer's final hammer blows. No fewer than eight works were sold for a total amount of more than €100,000: €218,100 for Jean-Michel Folon, €166,400 for Emile Claus and €137,500 for both Henri Evenepoel and Rik Wouters.

Jean-Michel Folon - "On the road - Personnage" (1992)

Folonmanie

One of the most extraordinary names at this auction was Jean-Michel Folon, the Belgian artist who went to France. His artworks make you dream of travel and adventure. The wanderer, the suitcase, the bird, are recurring motifs in his oeuvre. They symbolize freedom and escapism, the long journey of an artist, and the life course of every one of us.

Now that his works are currently on display in a solo exhibition at the Vatican Museums in Rome, interest has only increased. We registered fantastic results during the auction for his bronze sculptures. “On the road – Personnage” (1992) fetched €218,100, €122,100 was noted for “Sans bagage” (2005) and €109,300 for “Le départ” (2005)

Around 1900

Already before the opening of the exhibition, there was a vivid interest in a remarkable painting by Henri Evenepoel. In the autumn of 1897 he leaves Paris and travels to Algeria, where he will paint “The dance, Algeria” the following year. The drawings and paintings he makes here will later be regarded as the best of his oeuvre. “The dance, Algeria” (1898) fetched no less than €137,500, the highest amount for this artist at auction in the past 10 years.

There was also a beautiful painting by Emile Claus in which the artist managed to capture the specific light of the setting sun. “Summer day at the River Lys in Astene” (1911) fetched€166,400. By Valerius de Saedeleer there was a “Panoramic view of Tiegem – Summer” (ca. 1913), which earned €62,500. One of the most impressive works at this auction was the voluminous bust of “James Ensor” (1913) by Rik Wouters. Ensor himself wrote to Emma Lambotte that he was very pleased with the result. €137,500 was quoted for this important artwork.

Henri Evenepoel - "The dance, Algeria" (1898)

Edgard Tytgat - "Some images from the life of an artist" (1946)

Some images from the life of an artist

The second highest amount ever achieved at auction for Edgard Tytgat was recorded. The extraordinary painting achieved €131,500. Tytgat takes us on a visual journey through his oeuvre. In twelve scenes he tells the story of his life, which he subtly supplements with fable, fantasy, myth and humor. The delineated scenes form a linear narrative that is shown in one image as a comic strip.

Robert Combas - "Victor le roi Quadrubras" (1990)

Robert Combas

The French artist Robert Combas raised a lot of interest and elevated biddings in the saleroom, next to red-hot telephones and vehemently online clicking. Several works by Combas were offered, and all of them exceeded their estimate by far. “La sorcière et son balaí” (1990) got €32,120; €64,500 was noted for “L'homme médiateur dans sa boule marcheuse” (1990), €49,020 for “La chaussure à Lydia” (1990) as well as for “Le carton de Saint Boeuf” (1990) and €58,080 for “Victor le roi Quadrubras” (1990).

Olivier Strebelle

Gallery De Vuyst remains the record holder for the highest amount achieved at auction for this artist. “Le bon génie” (1965) fetched €92,200, the same amount for which “Trois c'est la foule II” (1965) was auctioned before.

Young Belgian art

The catalog included a varied selection of interesting young Belgian artists. There was, for example, Rinus Van de Velde, for whom the highest amount ever was quoted at auction. “This might draw out my time here” (2009) is a large charcoal drawing that fetched €46,440. The sculpture “A model for an observatory as a studio” (2009) achieved €8,385.

Bert De Beul also got an auction record of €12,900 for the canvas from 1998. For “Treasury 3 (2008) by Jan De Vliegher, €12,255 was quoted. “Cross-Over” (2003) by Koen Van den Broek fetched €28,380. By Wim Delvoye there was “Bavlian Archipel” (1990), from his series of maps in which the artist creates an imaginary world. This work achieved € 24,510.