Market rediscovery: Pierre Klossowski
Art Market | On October 10th, 2017, during the sale of Paul Lombard’s collection organized by Artcurial, Pierre Klossowski’s work The invisible possession (1973 - 1974) was sold for 156,000 €, seven times higher than its estimates, set between 18,000 and 25,000 €. This work, sold for the 1st time in 2008 for 17,214 €, reflects a shift in the art market’s interest towards this writer and artist, brother of Balthus, translator of Sade’s works, and highly considered by a group of connoisseurs for his literary and pictorial approach to sexuality.
Pierre Klossowski, La possession invisible, 1973-1974 adjugée le 10/10/17 par Artcurial pour 156.000 € (est. 18.000 - 25.000 €)
© Artcurial
An analysis of the evolution of Klossowski’s works presented in auctions since 1989 illustrates two very different periods.
- Until 2015, the unsold rate reached 56% and it mainly concerned the works from the 1980’s (29 unsold lots out of 58) and the 1990’s (10 unsold lots out of 11).
- From 2016 on, there was a radical shift in the market. Despite a low number of works auctioned, only two out of nine lots are unsold : « Portrait de Louis René des forêts » and « Les frères rouillés administrant une correction préalable à l’artiste » , both created around 1989.
The seven lots that were sold widely surpassed the initial high estimates, five of them belonged to the artist’s historical works : « Portrait de la femme […]
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