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100 TOP AUCTION TOP HOUSES100 “OUR focUS IS ON EVER-HIGHER QUALITY” Interview with Robert Ketterer, auctioneer and owner of KettererKunst KettererKunst started as a gallery in Stuttgart in 1954, and later became an auction house. How did that transition come about? 68 My uncle Roman Norbert Ketterer Robert Ketterer, auctioneer, CEO founded the Stuttgarter and owner of Kunstkabinett in 1946. He was KettererKunst. supported in the company by my father and his brother Wolfgang. September that same year saw My father, Wolfgang, opened a specifically targeted these the publication of their first gallery of his own in Stuttgart artists as “degenerates.” What auction featuring drawings and which in 1965 moved to Munich was the market for German prints by Max Slevogt. Despite the where in 1968 he also staged his Expressionism like in the Post hardships of those post-war first fine art auction — of course WWII period? years, the auction was a complete focusing on German The Kunstkabinett’s second success. It was followed by more Expressionism, which became auction of Expressionist prints, successes and, within the space of KettererKunst. held in 1948, had works from Max just a few years, the Stuttgarter Beckmann, Oskar Kokoschka, Kunstkabinett became How and why did KettererKunst Erich Heckel and Karl Schmidt- established as a leading auction begin specializing in German Rottluffand. This was the first time house for Modern Art. It Expressionism? in post-war Germany the art that represented a meeting place for Our whole family has always had the Third Reich had deemed as great artists, art lovers and very close ties to these artists. I “degenerate” was on offer. It was a distinguished representatives of grew up surrounded by bold step indeed. The results cultural affairs, business and Expressionist paintings. They confirmed what the two brothers politics. were everywhere and their vivid had long suspected: Even in hard In 1954 the two brothers decided colors were just as fascinating as times like the early years following T S RY the Second World War, not only E to go separate ways the courage of the artists taking LL A R KUN professionally. My uncle Roman bold new approaches. the body but the soul too needed E R E ÓN G not only took care of the Ernst nourishment. Fulfilling this T T LE E F Ludwig Kirchner estate but also The early German profoundlyfelt human desire K F Y O Y O built the Kirchner Museum in Expressionists were not became their mission, one which es Switzerland and is now buried particularly well understood. would help numerous artists who es OUR C T next to the artist he so admired. Later, the Nazi regime had until then been outlawed to OUR C T ART+AUCTION AUGUST 2018 | BLOUINARTINFO.COM 08_AA_TopAuctionHouse- Live text.indd 68 17/07/18 1:23 PM 100 TOP AUCTION TOP HOUSES100 renewed esteem and world right solution. It’s important to be renown to an extent then entirely proactive and to be where our unexpected. clients are. This involves extensive travelling. So we have instead German Expressionist artists hired Melanie Puff, a are very much sought after cosmopolitan and very now. How is the market? knowledgeable art expert, as our A shortage of high-quality pieces new representative for the U.S.. often leads to great auction results with sharp increases and In recent years you’ve been record prices. Works on paper are exploring plans to expand into also very much in demand right the European market because now. For example, we recently of growing uncertainty in achieved an auction record for a Germany. How is the German watercolor by Erich Heckel, which market now and what’s the more than doubled its estimate of status of those plans? €90,000, selling for €243,750. Being an expert in fine art that is made in Germany, our home How has the auction house country still has our primary expanded its sales in the last focus, especially when it comes to year or so? consignments. However, We had proceeds of €23.6 million Germany is part of Europe and it is (not including online and direct important for us to maintain and Benedicto Cabrera, “Isadora in Motion,” 1998, sales) for our seven auctions in strengthen relations with our acrylic on canvas, 244 x 198 cm. 69 the first part of 2018. That will neighbors. This is why we are The Magnificent September Auction 2016, Sold for P37,376,000. allow us to even exceed last year’s putting strong emphasis on high performance by more than countries such as France, Italy, the €2.5 million. Benelux region and Switzerland. LEÓN GALLERY León Gallery first opened in 2010, specializing in Philippine In what sales categories have Do you have any other big art and estate antiques from the Pre-Spanish period to the you seen the most expansion in changes planned for the next 19th century, spanning furniture, ivory, ceramics, porcelain, the last year or so? year or so? carpets and jewelry. Its first auction in 2013 led to quarterly Generally we have noted great Our focus is on ever-higher auctions since, with ascending and record prices for Filipino interest in art from the 19th quality even if this means that Old Masters — such as Juan Luna y Novicio, Félix century to the 21st century. we’ll be offering fewer lots. It is Resurrección Hidalgo y Padilla, and Fernando Amorsolo y However, what I find particularly very important to me to convey Cueto — as well as Modern and Contemporary artists, remarkable is the fact that artists our very successful strategy of including Fernando Zóbel de Ayala y Montojo, Federico with strong ties to Germany sell moderate and realistic Aguilar Alcuaz, Diosdado Lorenzo and Romeo Tabuena. For extremely well in German estimates. We will continue to the 2018 edition of Art Fair Philippines, the gallery auctions. Good examples are Tony increase our focus on the many organized “Elsewhere: 100 Years of Filipino Artists Cragg, Katharina Grosse, Ernst innovations we have introduced Abroad,”featuring Miguel Zaragoza, Fabian de la Rosa, Wilhelm Nay, Gerhard Richter on our online platform (www. Nena Saguil, MacarioVitalis, Cesar F. Legaspi, and and, of course, GüntherUecker. ketterer-internet-auctions. Napoleon Abueva. At León Gallery’s Asian Cultural Council com). Also we’re very excited Auction in March 2018, a new world record was set for the Is there any progress with your about our 1-Euro sales, offering Philippine abstract artist José Joya: his “Space stated plans to open up a sales all lots with a starting price of 1 Transfiguration” (1959) sold for P 112 million (or $2.16 RY E Euro, regardless of the artist’s LL room in Los Angeles? Is that million, inclusive of buyer’s premium). León Gallery, in fact, A still in the works? top reputation and the high holds the record of auctioning the six top-selling artworks ÓN G Originally we were indeed quality of their works offered. in the country, in addition to auctioning the most expensive LE F thinking of Los Angeles as a base These are becoming a worldwide piece of furniture: the Gabaldon cabinet at P 15 million. Y O es for our U.S. activities. However, we magnet, especially for first-time During its most recent auction, in June 2018, Fernando C. realized that a representation in online art buyers. Amorsolo’s “Under the Mango Tree” sold for P46.7 million, OUR C T just one city is not necessarily the — Nina Siegal almost doubling its previous value. — Sarah Moroz BLOUINARTINFO.COM | AUGUST 2018 ART+AUCTION 08_AA_TopAuctionHouse- Live text.indd 69 17/07/18 1:23 PM.