In recent years Modern British art has become a highly sought-after and fast-evolving collecting field with a growing base of buyers hoping to snap up works by the likes of Henry Moore, Bridget Riley, and others. The U.K. auction house Sworders Fine Art Auctioneers has made a name for itself bringing in enthusiastic new collectors and setting new record prices for artists such as Cedric Morris and Eric Ravilious. 

From its upcoming Modern British and 20th century art auction we’ve picked five lots you won’t want to miss. 

Alexander Archipenko
Uralt (circa 1947)
Estimate: £15,000—20,000

Alexander Archipenko, Uralt (circa 1947). Estimate: £15,000-20,000.

Alexander Archipenko was one of the first artists to experiment with Cubism in three dimensions, and his “sculpto-paintings” had a unique impact on the development of modern art. Dating to around 1947, this work, titled Uralt, a German word meaning “ancient” or “timeless” is a perfect example of Archipenko’s works on paper—an exploration of space and the relationship between objects through intertwined, simplified sculptural female forms.

Bridget Riley
Fragment 5 (signed and dated 1965)
Estimate: £15,000–20,000.

Bridget Riley, Fragment 5 (signed and dated 1965). Estimate: £15,000–20,000.

Bridget Riley came to prominence in the early 1960s with her Op Art experiments that created optical illusions of warping, vibrating, or flashing visual patterns. During this period she worked mainly in black and white, creating strongly graphic images as exemplified by Fragment 5.

Antony Gormley
Figure studies (1987)
Estimate: £2,000–3,000

Sir Antony Gormley RA, Figure studies (1987). Estimate: £2,000–3,000.

British artist Antony Gormley has taken the human body as the primary inspiration for his works throughout his 40-year career. This early work shows his early experiments with body, shadow, and fragmentation. 

Mary Fedden
Two Pears (1910)
Estimate: £8,000-12,000

Mary Fedden, Two Pears (1910). Estimate: £8,000-12,000.

The artist Mary Fedden became involved in printmaking through the influence of her husband, Julian Trevelyan. Fedden experimented with zinc plate lithography, adapting the medium to the whimsical styles of her paintings.

Edward Bawden
Rear of Beslyns Farm with a Friesian Calf (1938)
Estimate £5,000–8,000

Edward Bawden, Rear of Beslyns Farm with a Friesian Calf (1955). Estimate £5,000–8,000.

English painter and illustrator Edward Bawden was most famous for his book covers and posters. This countryside image captures his characteristic energetic lines full of folkloric imagery.

Sworders Fine Art Auctioneers’ Modern British & 20th Century Art auction takes place on April 20, 2021.