Last Renoir painting at auction in New York
 

Heritage Auctions

Unknown Renoir ( Heizvestny Renoir ) , September 19, 2013 , New York


Lot 89092

Estimate: $ 80,000 - $ 120,000

PIERRE-AUGUSTE RENOIR (French, 1841-1919)

Les Bécasses ( Woodcocks ) 1919

Oil on canvas

5-3/4 x 7-7/8 inches (14.5 x 20.1 cm)

Signed lower right (usual apocryphal signature in red): Renoir


We would like to thank renowned Renoir specialist, Virginie Journiac for authenticating this work, which will be included in her forthcoming book, Auguste Renoir.

This small picture seems to be the last painting Renoir created, on December 2nd, 1919 , just several hours before his death.
In its agony, Renoir evoked this painting, as Félix Fénéon, witness to the last moments of the master's life along with his two doctors, Dr. Prat and Dr. Duthil recounts:

Dr Duthil had killed two woodcocks and had told the master his exploit.
In his frenzy, these birds returned stubbornly and, associated to ideas of painting, were his last concern.

"Give me my pallet ...
These two woodcocks ... Turn left the woodcock ... Return me back my pallet ... I cannot paint this beak ... Hurry up, my colors ... Change the place of these woodcocks. "

He died at two o'clock in the morning Wednesday, December 3rd, 1919 .


 
It is a small painting , Renoir created December 2, 1919 , just a few hours before his death, is apparently the product of the last master. According to witnesses the last moments of his life, Felix Feneona and two doctors, Dr. Pratt and Dr. datkha , Renoir painting was almost in its death throes :

"Dr. datkha killed two woodcocks and spoke of his " heroism " Maitre . Birds , more irresistible urge to write them, did not give rest Renoir :

    - Give me my palette ! .. these woodcocks ! .. Woodcock slide to the left ... give me back my palette ... I can not write this beak ... rather, my paint! .. redistribute woodcock ...

He died at two in the morning on Wednesday , December 3, ... "

(interpretation of the IV, I will welcome your amendments )


http://www.ha.com/ - Heritage Auctions

http://fineart.ha.com/c/item.zx?saleNo=5157&lotNo=89092 - " Woodcocks " in the auction catalog


- Auction catalog

- Auction catalog

Is the script?
And for such a ridiculous amount of money?
Or is luring customers to inflate the price?

Reserve - $ 93,750 (including BP).

Perhaps this will be the most important in the history of this picture.
In general , the whole story is very complicated and scandalous .
The picture portrayed in the collection including many artifacts from the private collection which to assess the auction is $ 3 million .



The auction itself Heritage Auction not clean by hand , actively offering questionable materials for implementation.

No less scandalous story associated with this collection . Naslednikiki family trust is judged auction Hantman's Auctioneers, Maryland, USA for breach of a lot of things in the sale of the collection in 2005, and demand compensation of 5 million dollars. Details on the link below .

http://www.artnews.com/2005/09/13/re...ailed-auction/

But the interesting thing is that this work is not part of this collection , bought a lot in 2005, a collector of Texas. Why ? Because this work is offered in French Artcurial Deauville 4 December 2011 for 30-50 thousand Euro and as a result was not SOLD !!!

It turns out that this picture is added to the list of collections for at least 6 years later.

I think that in France , the home of Renoir, there are many professionals who were able to correctly estimate the image . However, there is not only, there is a lot of savvy collectors of works by Renoir, who did not miss the opportunity to purchase the "last " Renoir .

I think that my post will help shed light on the question of the authenticity of this "masterpiece ."

But the signature set.
<! - ~ 1 ~ ->

Text should always be . And without it, will claim authorship ? And what more , the better. <! - ~ 1 ~ ->

Now imagine for a moment a person ( Renoir ) , which in a few hours should die of pneumonia.
The highest temperature , severe cough , often with blood, does not stop even for a half- hour. Chills , weakness, dizziness , intoxication , exhaustion, trembling hands , and so on.
And we must not imagine this moribund patient in the hands of a palette , a brush and an easel , continuously rotating heavy head on a canvas , then killed birds. It's funny, but at the same time and " birds sorry ."

Renoir about this kind of money can buy.
Lithography.
Edition of 200 <! - ~ 1 ~ ->

Alec Sander, and what is funny? Let's posmortim estimeyty and results of some of Renoir, sold at Sotheby's for the last time :

Lot 346 ( 20.06.2013 )
Estimate: 60,000 - 80,000 Pnds (~ 95,400 - $ 127,200 )
Result: 76900 Rnds (~ $ 122,271 )

- Still Life

Lot 143 ( 08.05.2013 )
Estimate: 70,000 - $ 90,000
Result: $ 161,000



Lot 469 ( 08.05.2013 )
Estimate: 100,000 - $ 150,000
Result: $ 161,000



Lot 467 ( 08.05.2013 )
Estimate: 80,000 - $ 120,000
Result: $ 106,250


Lot 10 ( 13.03.2013 )
Estimate: 40,000 - $ 60,000
Result: $ 93,750


Lot 224 ( 06.02.2013 )
Estimate: 20 000 - 30 000 Rnds
Result: 27 500 Rnds



Lot 411 ( 07.11.2012 )
Estimate: 60,000 - $ 80,000
Result: $ 50,000



There are Christie's , the auction of others , where the situation of small format works ( sketches ) in general similar. So the estimate 80,000 - $ 120,000 for these " snipe " overpriced, in my opinion, can not be called . Score as evaluation .

Jane Doe, nothing surprising in it do not see from the above examples . Was not sold ? It must be remembered that in 2011 , if memory serves , was for the art market is not the most successful . It is likely that the hunters on the job if there was no - for the same money you could try to buy something more " distinct " from Renoir.

I do not know also if there was then already running this version is the "last picture" , but even if there was , it must be remembered that a) this is just a version b) in spite of the fact that in itself is interesting , the picture is still not book, which is important , for example , the first or any else " publications". Not the best work of the artist, probably not so easy to resell , relying solely on the interesting fact of her stories .

You are right. One is Virginie Journiac, that Heritage Auction and thanks for your help in confirming the authenticity of the work . And this lady , no more, no less , as the director of the Museum of Renoir in Cagnes -sur -Mer (villa " Colette " and where the work was , according to the provenance , until 1969 ) - one of the most authoritative experts on Renoir in France. Her opinion probably means something ?

I do not know where this story came to light (and is nowhere stated definitively that this is certainly the very picture ) rasskazanaya Felix Feneonom and two doctors. All I know is that the name is too Feneona known to attribute to him any stories .
 
The artist's son , Jean Renoir in his memories of the last days of his father never speaks of the " Woodcock" :

From this story we see that Renoir did not lose until the last fortitude and worked as long as he could hold a brush . Does he have time to write after " anemones " " snipe "? The big question. One thing is clear : Renoir was obsessed with painting and was able on the deed for her.
This study , in my opinion , no doubt the product of Renoir , his arm .

Probably.

But, you see, given the story of a dying artist, in the last hours of his life signing etyudik small, looks fantastic, to say the least.

In general, of course , you 're right. I am embarrassed that this story was not at the hearing before, given the prominence Feneona and how carefully monitor the work of Renoir, his family and entourage. This picture could not be here so no one knows " get lost " in the " Collette " given her " biography ."

In short , I would like to know the source of all this business