The most expensive art of 2023
Klimt's "Lady with a Fan" & Dmitri Cherniak's "The Goose" Setting New Auction Record
Gustav Klimt's Lady with a Fan painting is absolutely stunning! The vibrant colors, the delicate flowers, and the intricate designs on her clothing create such a captivating scene. It's amazing how he manages to convey a sense of eroticism through the sensuous lines, transporting us to a dream world that feels both opulent and indulgent.
Klimt was truly a visionary, leading the Vienna Secession movement alongside a group of talented artists and craftsmen like Burne-Jones, Moreau, Mucha, and Schiele. They wanted to break free from the conservative and moralizing art of the past, and their new style, often referred to as Art Nouveau, was a breath of fresh air.
While Klimt was known for his commissioned portraits, this painting is something entirely different. It's a representation of a model, allowing Klimt to fully explore his creativity and push his own boundaries. The square format adds a unique touch, and the way the model stands before us both naked and clothed is incredibly intriguing.
The use of various shades of arsenic green, blues, purples, and a soft yellow background adds depth and texture to the piece. It's almost as if the model and her clothing seamlessly blend into the background, creating a harmonious composition. It is a true masterpiece that not only showcases his incredible talent but also captures a sense of sensuality and freedom. It's a work of art that continues to captivate viewers with its beauty and allure.
“auction appearing on the market for the first time in thirty years, the atmosphere reflected the rarity of the occasion.” - Sotheby’s
Dmitri Cherniak is a Canadian artist, who defines his medium as automation- the use of computer algorithms, software, and technology to generate or produce artistic creations without direct human intervention or manual input. The process involves the development of systems or processes that can autonomously generate artwork, often based on predetermined rules, algorithms, or data inputs.
He embarked on his crypto journey in 2014 when he implemented Coinbase's tripping widget to facilitate crowdfunding for Bitcoin journalism.
His notable Ringers series, comprising 1,000 NFTs that showcase distinct geometric artworks created solely through a combination of string and peg layouts, without any human intervention. There are an almost infinite number of ways to wrap a string around a set of pegs. On the surface, it may seem like a simple concept but…
Highest prices ever achieved at auction in Europe:
£65m / $104.3m – Alberto Giacometti, Walking Man I (Sotheby’s London, February 2010) – record for any work of art sold at auction in Europe
£40.9m / $80.4m – Claude Monet, Le basin aux nymphéas – (Christie’s London, June 2008) – record for any painting sold at auction in Europe
£59.4m / $79.8m – René Magritte, L’empire des lumières (Sotheby’s London, March 2022)
£49.5m / $76.7m – Rubens, The Massacre of the Innocents (Sotheby’s London, July 2002)
