Bonhams final Important Australian Art auction for 2023 features a curated collection of works covering the Victorian Era through to the Contemporary. Headlined by a magnificent Fred Williams, Golden Landscape, 1975 (Lot 27 ), est: $300,000-400,000) repatriated from a US collection and offered for the first time to the Australian market. Exhibited at LA Louvre Gallery in 2005 from the Estate of the artist, this work portrays the artist’s beloved You Yangs.
Also included in the auction is a rare cast of Bertram Mackennal’s Circe, c.1902-04 (Lot 40 ), est: $160000-220,000 originally bought at auction in London circa 1969 being offered from a private Australian collection. Cast in bronze following the turn of the century, some 10 years after the life sized work was awarded a Mention Honourable at the Paris Salon, the beautiful and powerful Greek sorceress is captured mid incantation. Her commanding pose and snake adorned hair are exquisitely executed. The base is intricately decorated with nude figures in ambiguous poses which, at the time of exhibition at the Royal Academy in 1894, caused some controversy. The committee had asked for the base to be covered with a cloth which only served to draw more attention to it.
Dora Wilson’s The Rialto Bridge, Venice (Lot 37 ), est: $15,000-25,000 is an exquisite example by an artist starting to receive the recognition on the secondary market she so rightly deserves. Commissioned to travel to Europe in 1928 and paint prominent landmarks, the present work, which measures 66.5 x 73.5cm, is a large-scale work for the artist. Housed in its original John Thallon frame and with exceptional provenance, having been passed down through the artist’s family, makes this work a drawcard.
Following the successful sale of Sherman 100 in 2022, Bonhams is delighted to be offering a further 13 contemporary works from the Brian & Gene Sherman collection. Alongside works by Shaun Gladwell Approach to Mundi Mundi Silverton Road/Mundi Mundi 2, 2007, (Lot 1 ) William Kentridge Zeno II, 2003 (Lot 12 ) and Phillip Wolfhagen Winter Nocturne III, 2006, (Lot 6 ) is Tim Storrier’s monumental triptych, The Late Night Run (Shooting Star Over Enngonia), 1995 (Lot 9 ), est: $200,000-300,000). One of the largest works ever to come to auction by the artist, the scale of this work serves to enhance the vastness of the celestial sky as well as the expanse of the glowing fire in the Australian outback. Sherman Galleries represented Storrier between 1994 and 2006, holding 6 solo exhibitions during this period.
