Create your first list.
Select an existing list or create a new list to share and manage lots you follow.
A Legendary Provenance
An exquisite work with rich history, Fernand Léger's Untitled Composition belongs to the coveted Weatherbird portfolio of watercolors the artist created on the eponymous yacht owned by Sarah and Gerald Murphy – the legendary American expatriates who inspired F. Scott Fitzgerald’s Tender Is the Night.
Gerald Murphy, Genevieve Carpenter, Cole Porter and Sara Murphy in Venice, 1923
The eccentric American couple, who had expatriated to Paris during the prohibition years, hosted numerous intellectuals and artists, including the likes of Fitzgerald, Cole Porter, Pablo Picasso, and Ernest Hemingway, aboard their famous two-masted schooner Weatherbird.
Sara and Gerald Murphy's yacht, Weatherbird.
In the summer of 1934, Léger joined Sara and Gerald Murphy in Antibes in the South of France on the Weatherbird. As Gerald Murphy recalled the trip:
"During the first day out the sea was smooth and Fernand, who had never been aboard a sailing vessel, was fascinated with the rigging and all the contrivances on board. He had brought a notebook and a few watercolors with him and he spent the entire day making sketches. He had never worked under such conditions and it stimulated him enormously. The second day out the weather turned bad as we encountered Mistral. Very much to his surprise he did not feel the rough sea as he expected and persisted in his work. He made quite a joke of his being able to remain at his post while some of the rest of us were unable to do so. It was for this reason that he wrote on the cover of the notebook, 'A Sara et Gerald de leur mousse fidèle [To Sara and Gerald, from their loyal cabin boy'."
Untitled Composition beautifully captures this nautical experience and was included in The Museum of Modern Art's exhibition The Paintings of Gerald Murphy in 1974.
The present work in The Paintings of Gerald Murphy at The Museum of Modern Art, New York, April 9, 1974–May 19, 1974. Photographic Archive. The Museum of Modern Art Archives, New York. IN1059.5. Photograph by Katherine Keller.
Provenance
Sara and Gerald Murphy, France (gifted directly by the artist)
Mrs. William Donnelly (acquired from the above by descent)
Maxwell Davidson Gallery, New York (acquired from the above in 1982)
Acquired from the above by the present owner in the early 1980sExhibited
New York, The Museum of Modern Art, The Paintings of Gerald Murphy, April 9 – May 19, 1974
New York, Maxwell Davidson Gallery, Fernand Léger, January - February 1984Literature
"Photocopies of Léger's sketchbook from his sailing trip with the Murphys in 1934", Yale Collection of American Literature, Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library, Sara and Gerald Murphy Papers, box 110, folder 1152 (illustrated)
Property from a Distinguished Private Collection, Florida
133
Untitled Composition
signed with the artist's initials and dated "FL 34" lower right
watercolor and graphite on paper
12 5/8 x 9 1/2 in. (32.1 x 24.1 cm)
Executed in 1934.
Estimate
$18,000 - 22,000
Sold for $28,750
John McCord
Head of Day Sale, Morning Session
New York
+1 212 940 1261
20th c. & Contemporary Art Day Sale, Morning Session
New York Auction 2 July 2020
101
Anne Truitt
Parva XIII
Estimate $20,000 - 30,000
Sold for $93,750
Create your first list.
Select an existing list or create a new list to share and manage lots you follow.
102
Ed Moses
Untitled
Estimate $15,000 - 20,000
Sold for $16,250
Create your first list.
Select an existing list or create a new list to share and manage lots you follow.
103
James Turrell
Hologram (IV 01)
Estimate $30,000 - 50,000
Sold for $50,000
Create your first list.
Select an existing list or create a new list to share and manage lots you follow.
104
Lee Bontecou
Untitled
Estimate $60,000 - 80,000
Sold for $105,000
Create your first list.
Select an existing list or create a new list to share and manage lots you follow.
105
Ad Reinhardt
Untitled
Estimate $100,000 - 150,000
Create your first list.
Select an existing list or create a new list to share and manage lots you follow.
106
Mark Tobey
Untitled
Estimate $15,000 - 20,000
Create your first list.
Select an existing list or create a new list to share and manage lots you follow.
107
Hans Hofmann
Yellow Glow
Estimate $25,000 - 35,000
Create your first list.
Select an existing list or create a new list to share and manage lots you follow.
108
Joan Mitchell
Untitled
Estimate $80,000 - 120,000
Sold for $102,500
Create your first list.
Select an existing list or create a new list to share and manage lots you follow.
109
Robert Motherwell
Untitled
Estimate $20,000 - 30,000
Sold for $23,750
Create your first list.
Select an existing list or create a new list to share and manage lots you follow.
110
Helen Frankenthaler
1973 (Thanksgiving Day)
Estimate $15,000 - 20,000
Sold for $47,500
Create your first list.
Select an existing list or create a new list to share and manage lots you follow.
111
Ed Clark
Untitled
Estimate $20,000 - 30,000
Sold for $47,500
Create your first list.
Select an existing list or create a new list to share and manage lots you follow.
112
Ed Clark
Untitled
Estimate $20,000 - 30,000
Sold for $47,500
Create your first list.
Select an existing list or create a new list to share and manage lots you follow.
113
Mary Corse
Untitled (Black White Inner Band, Beveled)
Estimate $220,000 - 280,000
Sold for $250,000
Create your first list.
Select an existing list or create a new list to share and manage lots you follow.
114
Tony Smith
Spitball
Estimate $50,000 - 70,000
Create your first list.
Select an existing list or create a new list to share and manage lots you follow.
115
Robert Ryman
Bent Line Drawing 20" x 20"
Estimate $50,000 - 70,000
Sold for $56,250
Create your first list.
Select an existing list or create a new list to share and manage lots you follow.
116
Kenneth Noland
Resect
Estimate $200,000 - 300,000
Create your first list.
Select an existing list or create a new list to share and manage lots you follow.
117
Carlos Cruz-Diez
Chromointerférence Mécanique
Estimate $80,000 - 100,000
Sold for $90,000
Create your first list.
Select an existing list or create a new list to share and manage lots you follow.
118
Yayoi Kusama
Flower
Estimate $18,000 - 22,000
Sold for $20,000
Create your first list.
Select an existing list or create a new list to share and manage lots you follow.
119
Robert Morris
Untitled (Hypnerotomachia Series)
Estimate $18,000 - 22,000
Sold for $68,750
Create your first list.
Select an existing list or create a new list to share and manage lots you follow.
120
Louise Nevelson
Young Tree XXIV
Estimate $30,000 - 50,000
Sold for $110,000
Create your first list.
Select an existing list or create a new list to share and manage lots you follow.
121
George Rickey
Broken Line (Two Lines Horizontal)
Estimate $40,000 - 60,000
Sold for $40,000
Create your first list.
Select an existing list or create a new list to share and manage lots you follow.
122
John Chamberlain
Untitled
Estimate $12,000 - 18,000
Sold for $15,000
Create your first list.
Select an existing list or create a new list to share and manage lots you follow.
123
Lucas Samaras
Chair with Reclining Curvaceous V
Estimate $70,000 - 100,000
Create your first list.
Select an existing list or create a new list to share and manage lots you follow.
124
Deborah Butterfield
Chestnut
Estimate $80,000 - 120,000
Create your first list.
Select an existing list or create a new list to share and manage lots you follow.
125
Julian Schnabel
Insomnolent Brown Trimmed in Mink
Estimate $120,000 - 180,000
Sold for $250,000
Create your first list.
Select an existing list or create a new list to share and manage lots you follow.
126
Julian Schnabel
Lazarus, Second Painting for Aldo Moro
Estimate $100,000 - 150,000
Sold for $435,000
Create your first list.
Select an existing list or create a new list to share and manage lots you follow.
127
Mary Heilmann
Lil Totem
Estimate $50,000 - 70,000
Sold for $137,500
Create your first list.
Select an existing list or create a new list to share and manage lots you follow.
128
This lot is no longer available.
129
Philip Guston
Untitled (double-sided drawing)
Estimate $40,000 - 60,000
Create your first list.
Select an existing list or create a new list to share and manage lots you follow.
130
Jack Tworkov
Torso
Estimate $10,000 - 15,000
Sold for $9,375
Create your first list.
Select an existing list or create a new list to share and manage lots you follow.
131
André Breton
Four works: (i-iv) Untitled
Estimate $15,000 - 20,000
Sold for $16,250
Create your first list.
Select an existing list or create a new list to share and manage lots you follow.
132
Joseph Cornell
Sandsifter Box
Estimate $180,000 - 250,000
Create your first list.
Select an existing list or create a new list to share and manage lots you follow.
133
Fernand Léger
Untitled Composition
Estimate $18,000 - 22,000
Sold for $28,750
Create your first list.
Select an existing list or create a new list to share and manage lots you follow.
134
Jacques Lipchitz
Study for Pastorale
Estimate $12,000 - 18,000
Create your first list.
Select an existing list or create a new list to share and manage lots you follow.
135
Henri Laurens
Femme couchée
Estimate $20,000 - 30,000
Create your first list.
Select an existing list or create a new list to share and manage lots you follow.
136
Henri Laurens
La jeune soeur
Estimate $80,000 - 120,000
Create your first list.
Select an existing list or create a new list to share and manage lots you follow.
137
Fernando Botero
Woman with Serpent
Estimate $200,000 - 250,000
Create your first list.
Select an existing list or create a new list to share and manage lots you follow.
138
Fernando Botero
Danseuse équilibriste à cheval
Estimate $35,000 - 50,000
Sold for $37,500
Create your first list.
Select an existing list or create a new list to share and manage lots you follow.
139
Wifredo Lam
Untitled
Estimate $120,000 - 180,000
Sold for $150,000
Create your first list.
Select an existing list or create a new list to share and manage lots you follow.
140
Loló Soldevilla
Sin Título
Estimate $30,000 - 40,000
Sold for $52,500
Create your first list.
Select an existing list or create a new list to share and manage lots you follow.
141
José Gurvich
Untitled
Estimate $25,000 - 35,000
Sold for $77,500
Create your first list.
Select an existing list or create a new list to share and manage lots you follow.
142
Tomás Sánchez
Meditador
Estimate $250,000 - 350,000
Sold for $399,000
Create your first list.
Select an existing list or create a new list to share and manage lots you follow.
143
Gerhard Richter
Onkel Rudi
Estimate $18,000 - 22,000
Sold for $21,250
Create your first list.
Select an existing list or create a new list to share and manage lots you follow.
144
Anselm Kiefer
Lilith
Estimate $70,000 - 100,000
Sold for $68,750
Create your first list.
Select an existing list or create a new list to share and manage lots you follow.
145
Kenny Scharf
Coconut Star
Estimate $25,000 - 35,000
Sold for $50,000
Create your first list.
Select an existing list or create a new list to share and manage lots you follow.
146
Kenny Scharf
Spacemeats
Estimate $45,000 - 55,000
Sold for $81,250
Create your first list.
Select an existing list or create a new list to share and manage lots you follow.
147
Jim Dine
2 Moons
Estimate $80,000 - 120,000
Sold for $81,250
Create your first list.
Select an existing list or create a new list to share and manage lots you follow.
148
Alighiero Boetti
Entre loup et chien
Estimate $20,000 - 30,000
Sold for $30,000
Create your first list.
Select an existing list or create a new list to share and manage lots you follow.
149
Tom Wesselmann
Study for Face Aquatint
Estimate $25,000 - 35,000
Sold for $22,500
Create your first list.
Select an existing list or create a new list to share and manage lots you follow.
150
Richard Pettibone
Andy Warhol, Marlon, 1963
Estimate $30,000 - 50,000
Sold for $37,500
Create your first list.
Select an existing list or create a new list to share and manage lots you follow.
151
Ed Ruscha
S
Estimate $15,000 - 20,000
Sold for $27,500
Create your first list.
Select an existing list or create a new list to share and manage lots you follow.
152
Richard Artschwager
Pull
Estimate $25,000 - 35,000
Create your first list.
Select an existing list or create a new list to share and manage lots you follow.
153
Al Held
Untitled
Estimate $10,000 - 15,000
Sold for $21,250
Create your first list.
Select an existing list or create a new list to share and manage lots you follow.
154
Ralph Humphrey
Station
Estimate $20,000 - 30,000
Sold for $22,500
Create your first list.
Select an existing list or create a new list to share and manage lots you follow.
155
Larry Poons
Untitled
Estimate $20,000 - 30,000
Sold for $200,000
Create your first list.
Select an existing list or create a new list to share and manage lots you follow.
156
Paul Jenkins
Phenomena Forecast of Fire
Estimate $25,000 - 35,000
Sold for $75,000
Create your first list.
Select an existing list or create a new list to share and manage lots you follow.
157
Patrick Hughes
Stairs to the Stars
Estimate $40,000 - 60,000
Sold for $112,500
Create your first list.
Select an existing list or create a new list to share and manage lots you follow.