François-Xavier Lalanne, Harry Bertoia, and Andy Warhol Head Up Powerful Array of Critically Celebrated Modern and Contemporary Works of Freeman's November Auction

PHILADELPHIA, PA - Freeman’s Modern and Contemporary Art auction, beginning at 11am on Wednesday, November 17, offers something for every collector, from Pop Art aficionados to connoisseurs of Modernism. With works by some of the leading figures of 20^th-century art, including Pablo Picasso, Henri Matisse, Alice Neel, Andy Warhol, Les Lalanne, Chuck Close, Arshile Gorky, and Harry Bertoia, among others, Modern and Contemporary Art provides opportunities to collect drawings, sculptures, paintings—and even stone-and-bronze sheep.

Lot 55, François-Xavier Lalanne (French, 1927-2008) Two Moutons de Pierre | Freeman's Modern and Contemporary Art auciton on November 17, 2021

LES LALANNE COME TO FREEMAN’S

Five Moutons de Pierre, designed in 1979 and executed in 1988 by French artist and designer François-Xavier Lalanne, will be offered at the November 17 auction at an estimate of $100,000-150,000 each (Lots 55-58). Equal parts conceptual and functional, these playful, charming sheep are characteristic of Lalanne’s celebrated output, both individually and as Les Lalanne with his romantic and artistic partner Claude. Market demand and popularity for works by Les Lalanne has been on a consistent crescendo over the past forty years, and Freeman’s is honored to present this set of sheep that has been in the same prominent Washington, D.C. family ever since they were acquired directly from the artist.

Lot 50, Andy Warhol (American, 1928-1987) Orangutan from Endangered Species Portfolio | Freeman's Modern and Contemporary Art auciton on November 17, 2021

TWENTIETH-CENTURY POWERHOUSES

Freeman’s continues to attract consignments of works by leading 20^th-century artists, including Andy Warhol’s Orangutan from Endangered Species Portfolio (Lot 50; estimate: $40,000-60,000), Pablo Picasso’s La Fille de L’Artiste (Lot 5; estimate: $25,000-40,000), Alice Neel’s Phil Bard (Lot 20; estimate: $25,000-40,000), Henri Matisse’s Henri Matisse Gravant (Lot 1; estimate $25,000-40,000), Jules Pascin’s Les Nus Allongés (Lot 9; estimate $50,000-80,000), Armand Guillaumin’s La Roche de L’Echo (Lot 10; estimate $40,000-60,000), Chaïm Soutine’s Le Viaduc Rouge Près de Vence (Lot 11; estimate $100,000-150,000), Ahmed Ben Driss El Yacoubi’s Untitled (Lot 31; estimate $40,000-60,000), David Smith’s Untitled (Chelsea Hotel Series) (Lot 25; estimate $25,000-40,000), Chuck Close’s Untitled (Lot 36; estimate $20,000-30,000), Theodore Stamos’s Infinity Field Lefkada Series (Lot 48; estimate $40,000-60,000), Manoucher Yektai’s Untitled (Lot 54; estimate $40,000-60,000), Giuseppe Dangelico Pino’s Flights of Femininity (Lot 63; estimate $30,000-50,000), Gene Davis’s Royal Flush (Lot 66; estimate $25,000-40,000) to Michael Goldberg’s Spannocchia IV (Lot 69; estimate $25,000-40,000).

Lot 37, Harry Bertoia (American, 1915-1978) Untitled (Study for Fiery Circle) | Freeman's Modern and Contemporary Art auciton on November 17, 2021

ADDITIONAL HIGHLIGHTS: HARRY BERTOIA

Modern and Contemporary Art features seven sculptures by celebrated artist and designer Harry Bertoia (Lots 37-39), two of which are property from the Estate of Gabriele Lee, who left behind a legacy of arts philanthropy in Philadelphia. Untitled (Study for Fiery Circle) (Lot 37; estimate: $50,000-70,000) and Untitled (Tonal Sound Sculpture) (Lot 38; estimate: $40,000-60,000) are both property from the Lee Estate, and the elegant, understated Untitled (Tonal Sound Sculpture) (Lot 39; estimate: $30,000-50,000) comes to Freeman’s from a Pennsylvania private collection. Three additional sound sculptures and one abstract sculpture by Bertoia are also featured in this auction.

ABOUT FREEMAN’S

Since 1805, Freeman’s has been part of the fabric of Philadelphia, helping generations of clients in the buying and selling of fine and decorative arts, jewelry, design, and more. We hold many auctions throughout the year, including sales of single-owner collections. Freeman’s, Philadelphia’s auction house. Sharing the world of art, design, and jewelry with you, wherever you are.