NEW YORK, 27 April 2018 – Sotheby’s spring auction of Prints & Multiples concluded this morning in New York with a total of $8 million, meeting its high estimate. The sale was led by striking works by Jasper Johns and Henri Matisse that each sold for over $1 million, cementing their status as the top lots of the week across all auction houses. The sale was 86.1% sold by lot, with over half of the lots offered realizing prices above their high estimates and an average per-lot value of $56,000.

Mary Bartow, Head of Sotheby’s Prints & Multiples Department in New York, stated: “We were delighted to see continued and robust interest in this field, with strong participation from American, European and Asian private collectors. Among our diverse offerings, this season’s auction of Prints & Multiples highlighted the market’s appetite for works by contemporary artists, with 17 examples by Andy Warhol and five by Roy Lichtenstein – many of which found tremendous success. Driven by Jasper John’s Flags I and Henri Matisse’s Oceanie, la mér, the sale achieved the highest total of all edition sales this week.”

AUCTION HIGHLIGHTS
Jasper Johns Flags I (ULAE 128) Screenprint in colors, 1973, signed in pencil, dated and numbered from the edition of 65 on J.B. Green paper, framed Sheet: 699 by 889 mm, 27 ½ by 35 in. Estimate $1/1.5 million Sold for $1,575,000

An ambitious project created with 31 screens, Jasper Johns’s Flags I is a spectacular print of one of the artist’s signature subjects; with layers of green, orange, black, red, white and blue paints, Johns creates an intricate texture, emphasized by the use of gloss on one side of the work. This work from 1973 attracted three bidders in the room and on the telephone.

Henri Matisse Océanie, la mer Screenprint on linen, 1946-68, signed in ink and numbered 20/30 Image approx.: 1631 by 3727 mm, 64 ¼ by 146 ¾ in. Estimate $500/700,000 Sold for $1,215,000

A magnificent wall hanging that captures the artist’s foray into his signature cut-outs, this large-scale work, created in collaboration with textile maker Zika Ascher, is an homage to the artist’s momentous and inspiring trip to Tahiti. Océanie, la mer was formerly hung at the Museum of Modern Art, New York.

Andy Warhol Flowers (F. & S. II.64-73) The complete set of ten screenprints in colors, 1970, each signed in ball-point pen on the verso and stamp-numbered 183/250, on wove paper, framed (10 prints) Sheets: 914 by 194 mm, 36 by 36 in. Estimate $700,000/1 million Sold for $831,000

A complete set of his iconic Flowers led the strong selection of works by Andy Warhol. Other highlights by the artist included Superman (F. & S. II.260), which sold to an online bidder for $212,500, and Grace Kelly (Feldman & Schellmann II.305), which achieved $125,000 (estimate $80/120,000).