Impressionism, as an important art movement after the 19th century, is represented by figures such as Cabot, Cézanne, Van Gogh, Monet, Sisley, Renoir, and Vial. Whenever there is an exhibition with Impressionism as the theme, it will attract a group of art enthusiasts, showing that the admiration for Impressionism in the market has not diminished. Recently, Christie’s will hold the “The Cox Collection: The Story of Impressionism” auction in November in New York, bringing to the market one of the most exciting collections of Impressionist art ever, let’s take a sneak peek at what the highlights of the auction are!
The main items in this auction are mainly provided by American collector Edwin Lochridge Cox. Cox’s collection is a legendary private collection focused on important Impressionist works, comparable in richness and value to the collections of major art institutions. The works showcase the development of Impressionism and Post-Impressionism, as well as the important stylistic and thematic features of this pioneering art movement.
Early Impressionist masterpieces include Claude Monet’s “Impression, Sunrise” and Alfred Sisley’s “The Seine at Argenteuil,” showcasing how Impressionist painters reimagined landscape painting. Their innovative techniques focused on the changing light and shadows of outdoor scenery, using vivid colors to capture the beauty of nature. Within the hazy illusions, the unique beauty of Impressionist light is revealed.
In Impressionist portraits, the works of Pierre-Auguste Renoir, Berthe Morisot, and American Impressionist painter Childe Hassam also reflect the characteristics of bold lines while showing the personality of the subjects. Before the Impressionist movement, artists were known for their detailed, realistic styles, but these paintings overturned traditional portrait painting by skillfully capturing the charm, beauty, and youthful energy of the subjects, opening up a whole new look for portraiture.
Van Gogh later created a unique portrait style, using obvious thick brushstrokes and bright colors to depict bright and lively facial features. The “Young Man with a Cornflower” blends with the golden background, creating a colorful image. This was one of the artist’s important portrait paintings, created a month before his death, and has been featured in significant retrospectives of the artist.
Many of these impressive Impressionist masterpieces are being publicly exhibited and auctioned for the first time in decades, showcasing the development of this art movement. Although the auction will not be held in Hong Kong, Christie’s will be holding preview exhibitions in Taipei, Tokyo, Hong Kong, and London. If you wish to personally appreciate the masterpieces of these artists, feel free to visit the auction preview from October 7th to 12th!
Image source and learn more: Christie’s
