May 1, 2007
Uncrating and hanging of $1.1 million masterpiece by famed artist Jean-Paul Riopelle at Mayberry Fine Art.
UNCRATING and HANGING OF $1.1 MILLION MASTERPIECE BY FAMED ARTIST JEAN-PAUL RIOPELLE AT MAYBERRY FINE ART
Public Exhibit of a Work of this Value a Rarity in Winnipeg’s Commercial Galleries
WHAT:
Having just arrived from New York City, the untitled, 1954 Jean-Paul Riopelle abstract will be unveiled and hung for public viewing in the Mayberry’s Exchange District Gallery.
Regarded as the founding father of Canadian contemporary art, Riopelle (1923 -2002) is arguably Canada’s most internationally-celebrated contemporary artist. His works, particularly those from the 1950s, have set record sale prices in the Canadian art world in recent years. Another Riopelle painting, larger but of the same era and of similar quality to the one to be unveiled at Mayberry Fine Art on Friday, sold at auction for $1.4 million last fall.
After the unveiling, the untitled Riopelle will be on display for about three weeks before being delivered by special courier to its new home.
“There are few artists that connect Canadian art to the international market like Riopelle does. But with many of his works from the 1950s now held in museum and corporate collections, such as that of Power Corp., there is a very limited number available to new collectors. That’s why we have seen records being set in terms of the price Riopelle’s work commands.” – Shaun Mayberry.
After the Mayberrys flew to New York to authenticate the 38 x 57.25-inch work and assess its quality, Riopelle’s oil on canvas was consigned for sale to the Mayberry gallery by the New York collector. It has since been sold to a Mayberry client, a relatively young art collector in Western Canada.
“We are pleased to have played a role in the repatriation of this significant Riopelle painting to Canada. With the avant-garde artist’s work being in such high demand, it is becoming increasingly difficult to compete with very wealthy international buyers intent on collecting his work.” – Bill Mayberry
“The vendor, who was particularly intrigued by the strength of the Canadian market, felt confident in our ability to identify a client who would be interested in acquiring his Riopelle masterpiece. Although there is great demand for the artist’s work internationally, we congratulate our Canadian clients who are willing to step up and compete with buyers world-wide.” – Shaun Mayberry.
The painting was originally acquired from the artist by the Pierre Matisse Gallery in New York, before it was sold to the collector who owned it until now. Before being transported to Winnipeg, an art restorer in Toronto removed a layer of old varnish from the Riopelle work and cleaned it for the first time in 50 years.
Another Riopelle piece is considered the showpiece of the 200-piece Sotheby’s auction in Toronto later this month. Because it is about twice the size of the Riopelle at Mayberry, its estimated auction price is $2.0 million to $2.5 million. As always, the Mayberrys will be in Toronto for the semi-annual event and in Vancouver for the preceding auction at Heffel’s.
JEAN-PAUL RIOPELLE – BIO
The abstract impressionist painter was born in Montreal in 1923. During the 1940s, he belonged to a group of progressive Quebec artists and writers known as the Automatistes. He spent much of his working life in France where he became friends with some of the most influential artists of the 20th Century. Riopelle returned to Canada in the 1970s. He died in 2002 at the age of 78.
Riopelle’s works are found in some of the world’s most famous galleries and museums including the National Gallery in Ottawa and the Guggenheim and Museum of Modern Art in New York City.
To View works by Jean-Paul Riopelle go to www.MayberryFineArt.com