Europe

Berlin is obviously a good place to sell paintings by the German artist Georg Scholz (1890-1945), one of the leading representatives of Neue Sachlichkeit (new objectivity).

Known for his countless self-portraits, second only in number to Rembrandt, and a distinctive style often with somewhat sinister undertones, Max Beckmann also created some surprising works.

Top lot of Dorotheum’s (25/20.84% buyer’s premium) Viennese sale of 19th century paintings on May 2 lived up to its expectations.

The signature Fortin à Paris on the dial of this 21in (53cm) high marble and gilt bronze clock shows that it was made by a member of one of the most prominent Parisian clockmaker dynasties of the 18th century.

Art from the collection of Christine Poirot-Delpech was the object of a sell-out single-owner sale at Art Valorem (28.8% buyer’s premium inc tax) at Drouot on April 6.

This late untitled drawing by Arshile Gorky (1904-48) in pencil and crayon on paper was the highlight of a sale of Modern and Contemporary paintings held by Digard (25/20/14% buyer’s premium) on March 28 at Drouot in Paris.

A classic pale pastel toned still-life by Giorgio Morandi (1890-1964) is one of the headline lots in a two-day sale of Modern and Contemporary Art at Farsettiarte in Prato in Italy on May 26-27.

Artcurial has two days of sales devoted to Impressionist and Modern and Postwar and Contemporary art in Paris on June 7-8.

The composition and use of colour make 'Monica nude with Lichtenstein', which is being sold by Ketterer Kunst in Munich on June 9, instantly recognisable as a work by American pop-artist Tom Wesselmann (1931-2004).

This Normandy beach scene by Kees Van Dongen (1877-1968) from c.1948-49 will be offered for sale by Gros & Delettrez at Drouot in Paris on June 20.

The artist couple Christo (1935-2020) and Jeanne-Claude (1935-2009) were obviously in equal measure creative, determined and patient.

It is a rare event when a painting by Howard Hodgkin (1932-2017) turns up at a German auction, but on June 5, Van Ham can offer his 1996 painting Miami in its Modern and Contemporary sale.

Involving a string of spectacular works, the saga of the collapsed French firm is worth a novel itself

An early 16th century illustrated edition Aesop was the highlight of an auction of books held by Giquello & Associes (25/20.5/17% buyer’s premium) in Paris on April 14.

Disputed sculpture was given the thumbs-up by the French emperor and then greatly admired

A rare souvenir, an example of correspondence between two key figures in the French Revolution, was one of the highlights of a sale held by Osenat (25% buyer’s premium) in Versailles on March 12.

This drawing by the Surrealist artist Francis Picabia (1879-1953) had several interesting associations in its provenance.

Colonial French-influenced Vietnamese painting continues to be a strong market performer with examples regularly turning up in French auctions and making significant sums.

A library of works relating to hunting, horseriding and dogs assembled over a 40-year period by a hunting historian, the Comte d’Orglandes, went under the hammer on April 12 at Deloys (22% buyer’s premium inc tax) in Angers, part of the Ivoire group.

A section of period costume and textiles that featured in a general sale at Thierry de Maigret (24% buyer’s premium) on March 24 produced some notable results for several well-preserved examples of 18th century costume.