London’s Sloane Street Auctions is recognized worldwide for the incredible breadth of art and antiques that cross its auction block—from classical antiquities to contemporary icons. With a network of buyers and collectors from over 40 countries worldwide, Sloane Street Auctions has unique access to both private collections and industry experts, with the result that every sale has rare or even never-before-seen gems up for bidding.

On March 1 at 12 p.m. GMT, Sloane Street Auctions will mount their Spring Fine Art and Antiques Sale. The sale will feature 239 lots with diverse works by artists from Aristide Maillol to Andy Warhol. The live sale will be held at the Wren Rooms at the Royal Hospital, Chelsea; however, viewing and registration will be at the auction house’s main location at Lower Sloane Street up until the time of the event. Below, discover six exceptional lots from the sale.

Andy Warhol
Gee Merrie Shoes (ca. 1956)
Estimate: £5,000–£8,000

Andy Warhol, Gee Merrie Shoes (ca. 1956). Courtesy of Sloane Street Auctions.

An icon of Pop art and one of the most famous contemporary artists of all time, Andy Warhol (1928–1987) is best known for his portraits of Marilyn Monroe and Elizabeth Taylor, as well as series based on commercial goods like Campbell’s Soup Cans and Brillo boxes. Early in his career, Warhol worked as an illustrator for a shoe manufacturer, and the shoe motif was one he returned to time and again. And, as evidenced by the current lot, his depictions of shoes, usually in profile, were frequently accompanied by a witty inscription.

Artist Unknown
A pair of portraits of Margaret Roper and William Roper (ca. 16th century)
Estimate: £30,000–£50,000

Artist unknown, A pair of portraits of Margaret Roper and William Roper (ca. 16th century). Courtesy of Sloane Street Auctions.

This extraordinarily rare pair of 16th-century portraits are of the eldest daughter and son-in-law of Sir Thomas More, a politician who served in the court of King Henry VIII. According to Sloane Street Auctions, “It is extraordinary to find Tudor portraits from the family of Sir Thomas More—it gave us goosebumps that the portraits have remained in the same family since the 16th century! Margaret Roper was the foremost female 16th-century scholar, and is the epitome of Tudor enlightenment and humanity. She was a trailblazer who was highly regarded by no less than Erasmus.”

Attributed to Iurii Pavlovich Annenkov
Portrait of Aleksandr Nikolaievich Benua (ca. 1921)
Estimate: £50,000–£80,000

Attributed to Iurii Pavlovich Annenkov, Portrait of Aleksandr Nikolaievich Benua (Benois) (ca. 1921). Courtesy of Sloane Street Auctions.

As one of over 30 Russian avant-garde paintings within the auction, this portrait is a stunning example of 20th-century Soviet painting. Reflecting on the work, Sloane Street Auctions said, “In the context of the current Russian situation, we find the Russian avant-garde works in this sale to offer a rewarding historical example of artistic responses to tumultuous political and cultural situations. The works by Malyavin, Gonchorova, Annenkov, and Bakst represent to us the beauty and culture which can flower in the midst of strife and uncertainty.”

Artist Unknown
A Slave Praying for Emancipation (ca. mid-19th century)
Estimate: £2,000–£3,000

Artist unknown, A slave praying for emancipation (ca. mid-19th century). Courtesy of Sloane Street Auctions.

Unfortunately, much of the information pertaining to this work—such as who painted it or where it was made—has been lost to time. Regardless, this incredibly poignant composition portraying an enslaved person beseeching a religious figure for freedom is illustrative of the historical, cultural, and social milieu of the time.

Aristide Maillol
Standing Woman Arranging Her Hair, Rosita (ca. 1898)
Estimate: £80,000–£120,000

Aristide Maillol, Standing Woman Arranging Her Hair, Rosita (ca. 1898). Courtesy of Sloane Street Auctions.

French sculptor, painter, and tapestry designer Aristide Maillol (1861–1944) is best-known for his large-scale female nude sculptures—three of which are displayed alongside the main staircase of the New York Metropolitan Opera House. The present work is an example of one of his earliest figurative sculptures, with the model being a Spanish servant believed to have been named Rosita. The piece was cast from a sculpture that was sold in 1902 to art dealer Ambroise Vollard, who was the one to first suggested to Maillol that he should create bronze casts of his work.

Aristide Maillol
Young Seated Woman, “Renoir’s Bather” (ca. 1906)
Estimate: £5,000–£8,000

Aristide Maillol, Young Seated Woman, “Renoir’s Bather” (ca. 1906). Courtesy of Sloane Street Auctions.

Another example of Maillol’s work, the model for this figure is commonly referred to as “Renoir’s Bather,” as the artist Pierre-Auguste Renoir had an iteration of this work in his own collection, and it appears in several of his paintings. Initially, the original model for this plaster sculpture was thought to be part of the group that was sold to Vollard, however, no evidence could be found to support this. To date, this is only one of three known of this specific sculpture.

Explore more lots from Sloane Street Auctions’ Spring Fine Art and Antiques Sale here.