In an exciting development, Christie’s presents a prominent work as part of the Avant-Garde(s) Including Thinking Italian auction – a stunning surrealist piece by Francis Picabia titled ‘Myrte’. This auction has been meticulously scheduled to blend seamlessly with Art Basel Paris on 18 October, making it a visual feast for art enthusiasts worldwide.
‘Myrte’ is an outstanding specimen drawn from Picabia’s celebrated Transparency series, a revolutionary collection produced by the artist from 1927 to 1932. A part of the same European collection since the 1970s, this enigmatic piece was last exhibited in Paris in 1928 and was subsequently featured in the Francis Picabia, Mezzo Secolo di Avanguardia exhibition in Turin in 1974. The artwork is estimated to fetch a staggering €1 million to €1.5 million at auction.
A Renaissance of Imagination
Crafted around 1928, ‘Myrte’ readily captures the attention of viewers with its ethereal superimposition of images, a technique that the artist had previously experimented with in his films. Through this masterpiece, Picabia aspired to stimulate the mind with a surreal fusion of images, resulting in a sensual, hallucinatory dream that pulls viewers into its depth, thereby challenging all traditional interpretations of painting.
An Ode to Classical Art
Picabia’s Transparency series holds a special reverence for antiquity, often employing groups of classical sculptures as the cornerstone for the composition. ‘Myrte’ beautifully echoes Botticelli’s female figures. The faces, borrowed from his Madonnas as well as pagan figures, create a mysterious, dreamlike atmosphere. Thus, ‘Myrte’ seamlessly melds past with present, weaving together the sacred and secular, challenging the artistic norms of the period while paying homage to the masters of the Italian Renaissance.
