On October 18, 2024 in Paris, Artcurial is set to present the Selected 20/21 sale, showcasing a curated selection of exceptional modern and contemporary art. A proverbial jewel box of important works, the auction marks and coincides with the return of Art Basel Paris, presenting an unparalleled opportunity for collectors both local and visiting from abroad. From turn-of-the-century sculptures to mid-century abstractions by artists such as Edgar Degas, Joan Mitchell, and Alexander Calder, this sale is not to be missed by serious collectors.

André Derain, Le Port de Collioure (1905). Est. €1,400,000–€2,500,000. Courtesy of Artcurial.

Among the standout lots presented is a seminal oil painting by André Derain. Presented for the first time ever at auction, the work, Le Port de Collioure (1905), exemplifies the French artist’s inimitable approach to color and composition, depicting the marina in the south of France with a dazzling Fauvist color palette and toeing the line between abstraction and representational. Belonging to the same owner for more than 50 years, in the spring of 2024 it was exhibited both at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, and Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, as part of the show “Vertigo of Color: Matisse, Derain, and the Origins of Fauvism” solidifying the works place and importance within the art historical canon.

Simon Hantaï, Etude (1969). Est. €100,000–€200,000. Courtesy of Artcurial.

Another highlight from the Select 20/21 sale is a major work by French sculptor Germaine Richier Don Quichotte (1950–51). Created at the heigh of Richier’s career, the monumental sculpture demonstrates her ongoing interest in “hybridization”; though figurative, the elements of Don Quichotte resemble organic materials like sticks or branches, conveying a sense of romantic fantasy. The present iteration of the cast bronze has documented provenance stretching back to the foundry in which it was made and original commission by Henri Creuzevault.

Jean Fautrier, Lignes colorées (1961). Est. €130,000–€180,000. Courtesy of Artcurial.

Other highlights in the sale include a mixed-media composition by French painter and illustrator Jean Fautrier, Lignes colorés (1961), and an oil on canvas abstraction by Hungarian painter Simon Hantaï. Comprised of a total of 33 lots, the Select 20/21 sale features unparalleled masterpieces as well as lesser-known gems, reflecting the century’s artistic evolution and achievement.

Selected 20/21 will take place with Artcurial, Paris, October 18, 2024, at 5 p.m.