Bonhams's recent June 22 sale of modern illustration art included four works by
Ronald Searle that reveal something of the incredible range of his work. Here we have the wickedly creepy, the absurdly political, the serenely cultured, and the preposterously grotesque all emanating from the tireless pen of one very fine draftsman. The estimates seemed on the high side to me and, indeed, only one, "The Milkmaid," a drawing which goes against every expectation of its title, sold. It's no secret that Searle is a long-time favorite of mine, and I'm sure I'll have a lot more to say about this artist in the near future, but for now I have a few comments on the four very different illustrations in this sale:
 |
Lot No: 220
Ronald Searle (British, born 1920)
"The Pair," rejected Christmas advertisement for panty hose, n.d. Signed. Watercolor and ink. 35 x 48.5cm (13 3/4 x 19 1/8in). Estimate: US$6,000 - 7,000. Unsold
|
So we learn here that the pantyhose company rejected this proposed Christmas ad? What a shock indeed! I suspect Searle was having a lot of fun here and may even have expected this pitch to be rejected in what I assume was the more conservative U.S. market. My guess about this humorous, macabre painting is that the improbably suspended female hosiery did not instill the ad's client, unlike the expectant admirer, with sufficient Christmas cheer.
 |
Lot No: 221
Ronald Searle (British, born 1920)
"Berlin Wall," illustration for "The Rise of New Nationalism in Germany," Look, December 14, 1965. Signed lower right. Ink. 42.7 x 35.2cm (16 13/16 x 13 7/8in). Matted and framed. Estimate: US $3,500 - 4,500. Unsold.
Searle, Ronald. From Frozen North to Filthy Lucre. New York: Viking Press, 1964, Page 59
|
Note that Searle has labelled Berlin twice, to make certain we can "read" the gag and perhaps also to show the two faces of Berlin, that of Communist propaganda and that of harsh reality. This was published roughly just after the closing of the New York World's Fair in October of 1965, so the idea of the American international fairground was still quite relevant. The Berlin Wall had been erected in 1961.
 |
Lot No: 222
Ronald Searle (British, born 1920) "Metropolitan
Opera," illustration artwork promoting the New York City opera house,
possibly produced for advertising purposes. Signed lower right. Dated 1987. Ink with abandoned sketch in pencil on verso. 34 x 28.2cm (13 3/8 x 11 1/8in). Estimate: US $3,000 - 4,000. Unsold
|
I don't think this sleeping Valkyrie was created for "advertising purposes" per se, although it would have been a fantastic ad, but more likely for some licensed promotional item in the gift shop. It would have made quite a blanket! The Metropolitan Opera had a series of T-shirts, bath towels, shower curtains, a mouse pad (actually a Die Fledermaus pad), and postcards designed by Searle. These commercial items constitute some of the rare instances of Searle having to use the copyright symbol, something I have always found detestable in an original work of illustration art.
 |
Lot No: 223(n/a)
Ronald Searle (British, born 1920) "The Milkmaid," 1987. Initialed "RS" lower right, titled "The Milkmaid" upper left. Pen and ink. 28.6 x 24.6cm (11 1/4 x 9 11/16in). Estimate: US $1,500 - 2,000. Sold for US $1,464 inclusive of Buyer's Premium.
|
I may never be able to leer at a milkmaid again!
July 14, 2014 Update: We now can see and compare two versions of "The Pair," one accepted by the client and one rejected, and they have been sold together at Swann Galleries. My earlier supposition that a woman was inhabiting the pantyhose in the second illustration now can be seen to be completely incorrect. The auction listing provides a bit of an explanation as to the rejection of the darker piece: "The black pantyhose were deemed too misshapen and vulgar; and only the red version was published." Very well. Which version do you prefer?
 |
Ronald Searle, "The Pair"
|
 |
| Ronald Searle, "The Pair" |
February 8, 2016 Update: Searle's drawing for the Metropolitan Opera resurfaced at Swann Galleries last month with a more reasonable estimate. It's possible that Swann's title "Sleeping Valkyrie" is derived from the text of this blog post. For the record, the sleeping Valkyrie's name is Brünnhilde.
 |
Swann Galleries
Illustration Art, January 28, 2016
|
 |
| Hammer Price $1,300 |
 |
Swann Galleries catalogue
Illustration Art, January 28, 2016
Image added February 21, 2016
|
 |
Swann Galleries catalogue
Illustration Art, January 28, 2016
Image added February 21, 2016
|
Note: Don't miss the extraordinary
Ronald Searle Tribute blog written by Matt Jones which has many, many more examples of this artist's work.
05
Oh, how scrumptious, and delightful.......Thank you.
ReplyDeleteHow can anyone resist buying them?
You're welcome, Lo! Apparently art collectors have great willpower!
ReplyDeleteI assume that the estimates on the unsold three were just too high? That first one is certainly wonderfully unsettling!
ReplyDeleteYes, Prof., I think it is indeed wonderfully unsettling and hardly your typical bland advertising fare from, I'm guessing, the 1960's. I agree the estimates were generally high for this sale, and that extends to many fine pieces by other artists as well. Reserves may have been set too high and buyer interest may have been cool. Even back in June the stock market had been bumpy and many people may not have had the mindset to pay top dollar for what are essentially luxury items. Finally, interest in Searle isn't as keen in the U.S. as in Europe and particularly the U.K.
ReplyDeleteWell docned, the recent Christies Searle sale in the UK seems to have proved your point by shattering it's estimates. Perhaps the auction houses are going to learn from this and pitch everything low? The trouble is, it's a bit of a misleading tease for any fan keen to capture an original. I'm lucky enough to have one myself and I wonder just how many splendid unseen Searle's there are locked away in peoples collections?
ReplyDeleteI think it's way more than a tease when auction houses deliberately set low estimates; it's a calculated master-stroke! The psychology behind this is fascinating. You, even if you know the art can sell for a mint, see the low estimate and say to yourself, I can certainly bid on that at that price. You begin to get comfortable with the idea and then visualize yourself as a the successful high bidder. Unfortunately, so do the other potential bidders. Then, in the auction house, you find yourself bidding higher than you dreamed to snag the art you already see as your own. Low auction estimates work particularly well where there is already a lot of interest in the item being sold. Everyone deludes themselves that they are going to get a bargain.
ReplyDeleteI would guess that there are several thousand splendid unseen Searles in private collections. Searle's output has been extremely prolific for the past 65 years and, in general, he has sold as much as of it as he could.
I'd be happy to post good, clear scans or photos of original Searle art if anyone would like to share their treasures with the world. I'm sure Matt Jones feels the same way. His Ronald Searle Tribute blog has a post featuring artwork in private collections.
I'll have to get my act together and get a photograph online. MIne is a little drawing sent to a fan in lieu of an unavailable requested signed photograph. It's very early ('47 I think?) and best of all shows a St Trinians gal drawing a portrait of the man himself, who is looking on disapprovingly from the frame. Great fun!
ReplyDeleteIt sounds wonderful, Professor!
ReplyDelete