The Estate of Pro Hart Headlines deutscher and hackett ’s April Auction

deutscher and hackett is excited to announce that its first auction for the year, to be held in Melbourne on April 16 &17, will feature superb works from the Estate of Pro Hart. Executive Director, Melbourne, Chris Deutscher believes the personal collection of one of Australia’s best-known artists will attract enormous interest as many of the works have not been seen in the art market for at least 30 years.

‘Pro Hart assembled a fascinating and eclectic collection of over 120 works. Representing the finest Australian artists and spanning colonial to contemporary art, this outstanding collection was compiled with an impeccable eye, and deutscher and hackett is honoured to have been entrusted with its dispersal. The reappearance of significant paintings after long absences reinvigorates the market and is sure to generate keen collector interest’ Mr Deutscher said.

The collection, many of which were previously displayed in the Pro Hart Gallery in Broken Hill, is being sold by the Hart family to enable the gallery to be renovated and re-hung as a permanent tribute to the artist.

Highlights include significant paintings by Australian modern masters including major works by John Perceval, Albert Tucker, Danila Vassilieff, Sidney Nolan, Ian Fairweather, a collection of 25 oils and watercolours and numerous ink and pencil sketches by William Dobell and a major portrait by Tom Roberts, Practising The Minuet (Miss Hilda Spong), c1893 which features on the catalogue cover and is estimated to achieve $300,000 - $500,000.

The auction, which is expected to achieve between $7 -10M, is further complemented by a number of important works by Australia’s key artists including Fred Williams, Charles Blackman, John Brack, Lloyd Rees and New Zealand artist, Colin McCahon.

There is a particularly strong offering of sculpture with important works by Bertram Mackennal, Australia’s best known sculptor, whose works are rarely available and highly desirable, Robert Klippel, Gwyn Hanssen Pigott, Charles Webster Gilbert, Clement Meadmore and a selection of superb Danila Vassilieff figures.

deutscher and hackett continues to lead the field in offering exciting contemporary art and this collection features works by Rosalie Gascoigne, Howard Arkley, Gordon Bennett, ‘red-hot’ artist eX de Medici and 2008 Archibald Prize winner Del Kathryn Barton.

Other highlights of the auction include 29 works by Joy Hester and Danila Vassilieff from The Reed Family Collection, Victoria, important works from the collection of Andrew Upton and Cate Blanchett, Sydney, The Estate of Ian Alstergren, Tasmania and The Estate of Jean Campbell, Canberra, with many of the works on offer for the first time.

Executive Director, Sydney, Damian Hackett said ‘We are delighted to have been chosen to handle the sales of works from such important collections, and to have produced a catalogue of this depth and quality for our first auction of the year. With such a wide range, fresh to the market and priced very attractively, the auction certainly has the potential to achieve very exciting results. Our first session of ‘100 Important Works of Art’ also reinforces our philosophy of quality over quantity and our commitment to set new standards for fine art auctions.’

For further information contact Julie King - 0412 666 300 or 03 9865 6333
jking1@bigpond.net.au