Modern New Zealand masterpieces to be auctioned by Deutscher and Hackett along with an extremely rare Australian colonial painting which is being offered for the first time in 150 years

147 lots: Colonial, Traditional, Modern and Contemporary works of art
Estimate range: $4,000,000 – 6,000,000

Deutscher and Hackett is excited to announce an extraordinary offering for its winter Important Australian + International fine art auction, to be held in Melbourne on 26 August 2009 at its South Yarra gallery.  With an exceptional selection of works ranging from rarely seen colonial masterpieces to a group of four  extremely significant paintings by Colin McCahon, Deutscher and Hackett continues to set the pace with its broad offering of well priced and fresh to the market works of art.

Highlights include an outstanding collection of paintings by New Zealand’s greatest 20th Century artist, Colin McCahon including Let be, let be 1959, ($800,000 – 1,200,000), one of the most important New Zealand works of art ever to be offered for auction.  When last sold at auction in 1996 the painting set the record for the highest price ever achieved by a New Zealand artist at auction, and still holds that record 14 years later. Please find attached document for further information regarding these paintings.

Also on offer for the first time in 150 years is a remarkable painting by colonial artist Thomas Clark. Commissioned in 1860 by Samuel Winter of Murndal, Victoria, the landscape Murndal in the Early Days 1860 ($200,000 – 300,000) is still in its original gilt frame made by Isaac Whitehead. With aborigines in the foreground  and Grampians in the distance, the painting is one of the few extremely rare Western District works by this artist still in private hands.

John Olsen’s Duck a l’Orange, is a painting which has long been recognised as a key work in the artist’s oeuvre.  Originally acquired by the Christensen Fund Collection, Perth, where it was part of a long-term loan to Art Gallery of Western Australia, the work was a feature in the 1992 John Olsen Retrospective exhibitionat the National Gallery of Victoria, and has not been on the market since 1995 when it was acquired by a corporate collection.

Continuing with Deutscher and Hackett’s commitment to present the best contemporary art at auction, the auction includes an elegant sculpture by Bronwyn Oliver, Lunar 2001 ($35,000 – 50,000), Peter Booth’s epic Painting (Snow Landscape with Stone Walls) 2002 ($120,000 – 160,000), as well as Fred William’s Mason Falls 1979 ($220,000 – 280,000). 

Other key items featured in the auction include George Lambert’s Self Portrait with Ambrose Patterson, Amy Lambert and Hugh Ramsey c1901-03 ($300,000 – 400,000), a rare Ian Fairweather from 1956  Circus ($65,000 – 85,000) and international works by Henry Moore Marquette for Warrior Without Sheild 1952 – 53 ($30,000 – 50,000) and Flemish Neo-Impressionist Theo van Rysselbergh Nude with Crossed Legs in a Panama Hat ($50,000 – 70,000).

For further information and images, please contact:
Merryn Schriever
Art Specialist
on ms@deutscherandhackett.com or  0411 088 621