A Sale to be Seen, Not Read About

- by Thomas C. McKinney

Assorted images from the Bloomsbury's Modern and Contemporary Prints

I'm going to keep this article brief because Dreweatts & Bloomsbury Auctions' sale of Modern and Contemporary Prints is one that words can only do so much for. Featuring prints from well-known and important artists of the 20th and 21st centuries, the 366-lot catalogue is filled with vivid images. A few of them I will include here, but the rest may be found on Bloomsbury's sale page and are worth a proper look. Do so quickly, though, as the sale takes place July 3rd in London.

With the sale being held in London, it's only right that it begin with a section of modern British Prints. Comprised of mainly individual prints, the complete portfolio of thirty etchings by Henry Moore is also offered at lot 7 for an estimated £40,000-60,000. Also worthy of note are several works by C.R.W. Nevinson, the renowned World War I artist.

Following the British prints is material from continental Europe. Big names such as Marc Chagall, Salvador Dalí, Henry Matisse, Joan Miró, Picasso, and Pierre-Auguste Renoir are all here. I'm not an art critic, therefore I submit for you their images to be judged yourself.

Contemporary prints make up the large majority of the sale, beginning at lot 121 and running to the last 366th lot. Artists from this section include:

- Banksy, the pseudonymous UK-based artist and political activist
- Joseph Beuys
- Sir Peter Blake, known for his work co-creating the sleeve design of the Beatles' album Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band.
- Marcel Broodthaers
- Marcel Duchamp
- Richard Hamilton, creator of some the earliest works of pop art
- Keith Haring
- David Hockney
- Roy Lichtenstein
- Takashi Murakami
- Gerhard Richter
- James Rosenquist
- Joe Tilson
- Andy Warhol

With so many artists and works of art featured, the catalogue for Modern and Contemporary Prints is a must see for collectors of modern prints. The sale is already available for viewing and will continue to be through the day of the sale. The entire catalogue can be viewed online at Bloomsbury's website here, and the PDF version of the catalogue can be viewed and downloaded here.