A mythological painting by the renowned French artist Henri Fantin-Latour is set to take centre stage at Roseberys' upcoming Old Master, British & European Pictures sale on the 22nd of November.

L'Aurore chassant la Nuit is a rare late work by Fantin-Latour that signifies a departure from his well-known still lifes, showcasing the artist's evolution towards more mystical subject matter in his later years.

The painting depicts Aurora, the goddess of dawn, chasing away the night in a dreamy and atmospheric setting. In Roman mythology, Aurora is often depicted as a beautiful and radiant figure, heralding the arrival of the sun and the beginning of a new day. 

See also: The Tales Behind the Greatest Works of Classicist Art

Created in 1904,  the painting is part of the artist's mythological and allegorical series, characterised by loose brushwork, which gives the composition an ethereal feeling. 

Fantin-Latour, who initially studied under his father Théodore Fantin-Latour and later attended the École des Beaux-Arts, was closely associated with key figures of the Impressionist movement. Despite having a distinct style from his peers, he exhibited alongside luminaries such as Édouard Manet, Pierre-Auguste Renoir, and Claude Monet.

See also: 8 Patrons of the Parisian Avant-garde 

The upcoming auction follows the recent sale of a smaller composition depicting L'Aurore at Christie's in 2021, highlighting the continued interest and demand for Fantin-Latour's mystical works. 

The November auction will also feature 362 lots spanning the 1500s until the early years of the 20th century. Other highlights of the auction include portraiture by Thomas Hudson, John Linnell, Augustus Egg, William Powell Frith, Philip de László, and Princess Victoria. 

A dreamy 1904 composition depicts Aurora, the goddess of dawn, chasing away the night. 

Rare Mystical Work by Henri Fantin-Latour Heads to Auction

This week: Have you heard of the myth of alligators lurking in the New York City sewers? The legend has endured for well over a century and was recently immortalised by Swedish artist Alexander Klingspor, who unveiled his monumental sculpture New York City Legend in New York’s Union Square last month. Alexander turned to sculpture during the pandemic and created a masterpiece inspired by the resilience of both the large reptiles and New Yorkers, depicting a life-size bronze alligator curled around a New York manhole cover. Join us as we talk to Alexander about the artistic process of bringing his vision to life, what he hopes visitors take away from New York City Legend and what’s next for him in 2024.

#49 Legend Revived: An Alligator in New York

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In this week's episode, we talk to Swedish contemporary artist Alexander Klingspor about his monumental sculpture of an alligator which was just unveiled in New York. 

Podcast Ep #49: Legend Revived: An Alligator in New York

Last week, Uppsala Auktionskammare held its Modern & Contemporary Art and Design auction. Bidders' favourites included Lydia Dmitrievsky, Siri Rathsman and Tora Vega Holmström, two of whom established new auction records.

The first day of the auction showcased the works of leading designers from around the world. The catalogue featured a diverse array, encompassing furniture, textiles, glass, silver, and jewellery. Among the ceramic pieces by Berndt Friberg, Hans Hedberg, Tyra Lundgren, Birger Kaipiainen, and Pablo Picasso, Axel Salto's sculpture Den Tingene Iboende Kraft / Kraftens Kerne secured the highest bid. Against an estimated value of SEK 80,000-100,000, the 1956 sculpture fetched an impressive SEK 875,000 (£66,700).

See also: 5 Things You Didn't Know About Ceramics

Axel Einar Hjorth was represented by around twenty pieces of sports cabin furniture, including tables, cabinets, and chairs from the Skoga, Utö, Lovö, and Värmdö series. Two particularly rare recliners from the Skoga series were presented, and the one crafted from acid-stained pine was successfully auctioned for SEK 650,000 (£49,500).

See also: Axel Einar Hjorth: Modernism's Common Man

International art and graphics were auctioned on the following day. The standout success of the evening was Russian artist Lydia Dmitrievsky's Self-portrait. Initially estimated at SEK 40,000-50,000, it fetched an impressive SEK 560,000. Including the commission, the final hammer price was of SEK 700 000 (£53,400) – close to her auction record set at Christie's in 2006 when After the Bath sold for the equivalent of SEK 1 million.

There was a strong demand for international art, with pieces by Jan Tarasin (Poland), Lucio Fontana (Italy), Burhan Doğançay (Turkey/USA), and Bridget Riley (UK) garnering notable attention. The works of the latter three artists were especially sought after, fetching prices in the hundreds of thousands.

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The final day of the auction yielded robust results, with new records achieved and several works surpassing their estimated values. Bror Hjorth's Peasant Wedding made its auction debut with an estimated value of SEK 3-5 million, ultimately selling for SEK 5,476,000 (£417,800), making it the highest-priced piece of the auction. Other artworks that sold particularly well included Evert Lundquist's The White Table (SEK 2,249,000 / £171,500), Erik Olson's Woman with a Pot (SEK 1,612,000 / £122,900), Leander Engström's Dansös (SEK 1,250,000 / £95,300), and Bror Hjorth's Margit and Red Flowers (SEK 1,036,000 / £79,000).

See also: A Peasant Wedding Makes its Auction Debut

Siri Rathsman's Composition - Spanish Civil War exceeded expectations, selling for SEK 310,000 (£23,600) against an estimate of SEK 40,000-50,000. The final price, including commission, amounted to SEK 403,000 (£30,700), establishing a new auction record for the artist. Additionally, Tora Vega Holmström set a remarkable new record as her oil painting Oriental fetched SEK 364,000 (£31,700), surpassing the asking price by more than six times.

A recent Modern & Contemporary Art auction in Sweden achieved several records and high hammer prices, with particular interest shown to women artists.

Women Artists Take Centre Stage in Sweden

Rare Mystical Work by Henri Fantin-Latour Heads to Auction

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