MAGAZINE MAGAZINE SPRING 2017 ISSUE 50 Op Art DE VROOMEN: Paintings that resonate Matisse HARMONY IN His cutting edge Salvador Dalí COLOUR AND A family afair FORM The Harlech Collection Jackie Kennedy’s long CELEBRATING FIVE lost love letters DECADES OF and JEWELLERY DESIGN Jackie Collins Hollywood life GOLDSMITHS’ HALL 12 APRIL – 26 JULY 2017 SPRING 2017 MONDAY – WEDNESDAY, 10AM – 4PM ISSUE 50 FREE DEVROOMEN AD BONHAMS.indd 1 12/01/2017 14:15 Princess 40M Princess – M/Y ANKA EXPERIENCE THE EXCEPTIONAL® PRINCESSYACHTS.COM 1770.00.102 PRINCESS BC Drinks Bonhams Magazine - Spring Issue DPS FC 490x320.indd All Pages 03-02-17 10:35 AM Princess 40M Princess – M/Y ANKA EXPERIENCE THE EXCEPTIONAL® PRINCESSYACHTS.COM 1770.00.102 PRINCESS BC Drinks Bonhams Magazine - Spring Issue DPS FC 490x320.indd All Pages 03-02-17 10:35 AM LOCKWOOD KIPLING ARTS AND CRAFTS IN THE PUNJAB AND LONDON Supported by the Friends of the V&A UNTIL 2 APRIL 2017 Admission Free vam.ac.uk | #LockwoodKipling Victoria and Albert Museum Organised by the V&A and Bard Graduate Center Gallery, New York Principal Entrance to the Mosque of Wazir Khan, by Mohammed Din, ca. 1880 © Victoria and Albert Museum, London Contents Issue 50 28 32 5 Editor’s letter and contributors FEATURES COLUMNS 18 Hind sight 42 A bigger splash 7 News and Dalí may have been the showman Among the macho painters of the forthcoming highlights of the art world, but behind the 1950s, Helen Frankenthaler painted in scenes his relationship with his a more liquid style. Francesca Gavin 15 Inside Bonhams sister was turbulent – and troubling, describes the artist’s love of colour William O’Reilly tells Lucinda Bredin Alastair Smart reveals why Impressionist and modern art 46 Hip fasks are thriving 22 Men of Harlech Awaiting discovery on a Massachusetts Philippa Stockley admires Lord sideboard were a pair of exquisite 56 Travel: A rum time Harlech’s extraordinary collection Chinese porcelain vessels. Christopher P. Baker drinks in the of artefacts, while Felix Pryor breaks Martin Barnes Lorber explores atmosphere in the new Havana into a despatch box to discover intimate the making of the moonfasks letters from Jacqueline Kennedy 59 Around the globe 50 Dying to meter Matthew Wilcox previews 28 Good vibrations Elizabeth Barrett Browning overcame Bonhams’ sales around the world Op Art was the art sensation that her gender, her illness and her father rocked the fashion world. Now to become one of the greatest 64 International sales diary the movement has come right back Victorian poets. A.N. Wilson examines into focus, says Gareth Harris her manuscripts on ofer at Bonhams 72 My favourite room Conrad Shawcross 32 Hollywood lives 54 Cask in hand Jackie Collins’ novels describe It’s whisky business when FRONT COVER her glamorous Beverly Hills life. Matthew Wilcox talks to Ichiro Akuto, Wojciech Fangor (1922-2015) Jane Shilling celebrates a Japanese founder of the record- NJ15 (diptych), 1964 connoisseur of the fner things breaking Chichibu distillery in life – and art; Jilly Cooper Post-War & Contemporary Art London pays tribute to her friend Wednesday 8 March See page 28 36 Cutting edge Alastair Sooke describes the later MOTORING EDITION years’ mastery of Matisse – weak from See inside for details illness yet still conjuring magic from coloured paper with a big pair of shears Bonhams 3 Fine Jewelry New York Monday 24 April 3pm A Fine Ruby and Diamond Dress Clip, Cartier $300,000 - 400,000 (£250,000 - 350,000) Enquiries: Kate Wollman +1 212 461 6519 [email protected] bonhams.com/jewelry 4 Bonhams Editor’s letter Last month I was in Antibes standing on her overbearing father and subsequently proved herself a far more the terrace of the Picasso Museum. It was a radical political thinker than her husband, Robert. Her original glorious day. To my left in the far distance manuscripts are on offer in New York’s Fine Books Sale in March. were the Alps, lightly dusted with snow What she scratched out is as interesting as the words that stand. against a china blue sky; in front of me were The Jackie Collins Sale in Los Angeles gives a perspective on the sea and a line of elongated figures – another author. Collins wrote in a different time for a more diverse sculptures by the French artist, Germaine audience. One of her skills was to use her life in Hollywood as Richier. A year ago, Bonhams’ Post-War inspiration, and many of the works of art and pieces of jewellery in the Philip Hollis & Contemporary Art sale in London had sale appear in Collins’ novels, as Jane Shilling points out on page 32. a section that drew attention to a particular truth in the art market: Collins was a style icon for the 80s, but the indisputable works by artists who are women are often undervalued compared to figurehead for the 60s was Jacqueline Kennedy. We all know the their male counterparts. Richier, who featured in that auction, is a case glossy image of Jackie O, as she became, but a series of letters found in point. A contemporary of Giacometti, her work is valued currently in a locked box in north Wales written by her to David Ormsby Gore, at one-tenth of his and yet, at the Picasso Museum, takes pride of place. Lord Harlech, show the vulnerability beneath her carapace. These This season, Bonhams continues to mine the theme. The two artists letters, which are among the lots offered in London’s Harlech Sale leading the Post-War & Contemporary Art sales in London and New this March, reveal for the first time her reasons for marrying Aristotle York are Bridget Riley and Helen Frankenthaler, both of whom have Onassis – and turning down Lord Harlech’s marriage proposal. In had buoyant positions in the art world – and art market – since they the words of Felix Pryor, who catalogued the letters, it is a heart- burst on the scene. On page 28, Gareth Harris writes about how Riley’s rending insight into her anguish. work mesmerised New York in the 60s, while Francesca Gavin discusses Frankenthaler’s innovative contribution to Colour Field painting. This issue has a strong presence of powerful women. A.N. Wilson writes about Elizabeth Barrett Browning, who freed herself from Contributors Alastair Sooke Jilly Cooper Jane Shilling A.N. Wilson Conrad Shawcross Art critic and broadcaster Alastair Novelist, journalist and superstar, The author, critic and columnist Andrew Wilson’s many books The youngest living member Sooke has interviewed some of Jilly Cooper is the best-selling Jane Shilling shares with the include God’s Funeral: The of the Royal Academy, Conrad the biggest names in the art world, author of 42 novels including best-selling novelist Jackie Collins Decline of Faith in Western Shawcross’s mechanical among them Damien Hirst, Anish Riders, Polo and Wicked! an afection for fne ees an Civilization and biographies of sculptures based on philosophical apoor an ef oons n page Jilly, who has sold more than feisty heroines. To celebrate the Jesus, Hitler and Queen Victoria. an scientifc ieas hae most 36, he recalls his conversation 11 million books in the UK alone, sale of Jackie’s collection of art On page 50 the biographer, recently been displayed at the with Picasso’s lover Françoise most recently published Mount! and jewellery at Bonhams Los novelist, essayist, columnist RA Summer Exhibition. In March, Gilot about Matisse. Sooke’s – a characteristically saucy romp Angeles, Shilling explores the and broadcaster writes about a work of his will be on sale at acclaimed BBC documentaries through the or of fatracing glamorous life that the novelist a revealing collection of Bonhams in aid of Cure, the include Modern Masters and The On page 32 Jilly pays tribute to always claimed was far stranger manuscripts by Victorian poet Parkinson’s charity. On page 72 Treasures of Ancient Rome. her friend, Jackie Collins. than her fction Elizabeth Barrett Browning. he reveals his favourite room. Follow us on Twitter: @bonhams1793; email: [email protected] Editor Lucinda Bredin Deputy Editor Matthew Wilcox Editorial Lorna Cumming-Bruce Copy Editor Simon Coppock Designer Nathan Brown Photographs Bonhams Photographic Department Advertising Enquiries Paolo Russo; [email protected] Printed by Taylor Bloxham, published four times a year by Bonhams 1793 Ltd, 101 New Bond Street, London W1S 1SR Subscription (four issues) £25 for the UK, £30 for Europe or £35 for the rest of the world, inclusive of postage. Subscription Enquiries Linda Pellett, Bonhams +44 (0) 1666 502 200; ISSN 1745-2643. Issue 50 © Bonhams 1793 Ltd, 2016. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted by any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise without the prior written permission of Bonhams. All dates are correct at the time of publication. All sales are subject to Bonhams Terms & Conditions. Sale dates may be subject to alteration. Currency exchange rates correct at the time of publication. bonhams.com. Should you no longer wish to receive this magazine, please contact [email protected] Bonhams 5 Impressionist & Modern Art London Thursday 2 March 5pm René Magritte (1898-1967) La folie Almayer, 1959 (detail) signed ‘Magritte’ (lower right) gouache on paper 25.1 x 19.4cm (10 x 7½in) Estimate: £300,000 - 500,000 ($350,000 - 600,000) Enquiries: India Phillips +44 (0) 20 7468 8328 [email protected] bonhams.com/impressionist I Good Korea move In 1974, Robert Moore gave up his job selling Cadillacs to devote himself to his News passion for Korean art.