The first English translation of the Iliad, London, 1611, $20,700.

Internet ‘School of Paris’ Auction Benefits Learning Institutions

On March 8 sothebys.com offered a group of School of Paris paintings from the estate of Dr. Max Stern, Montreal. In this online auction, 55 paintings sold for a total of $164,220, exceeding the low estimate of $125,800. In all, 80 percent of the works sold. Proceeds will benefit three learning institutions held dear to Dr. Stern. These include Concordia University and McGill University, both in Montreal, as well as the Hebrew University in Jerusalem.

In 1947, Dr. Stern and his wife, Iris Westerberg, purchased the Galerie Dominion in Montreal. Along side Canadian artists and modern art, Dr. Stern displayed an unwavering interest in Parisian artists. He continued to collect and exhibit artists of the School of Paris such as Francois Gall, Dietz Edzard, Jules Herve and Suzanne Eisendieck throughout his career.

“The main artists represented, particularly Gall, Herve and Edzard, have had a strong following in recent years in live sales,” commented Jennifer Roth, senior vice president and director of Sotheby’s Online Fine Arts. “We were particularly pleased that attention came from bidders across the United States, the Netherlands, Switzerland and the UK.”

The highlight was a Parisian cityscape entitled Quai des Grans Augustins by Jules R. Herve that sold for $8,050 over a low estimate of $4,000.

Additional highlights includes Dietz Edzard’s Reveuse, which sold for $6,900 (est. $3/5,000); Francois Gall’s Sur la Plage, which brought $6,038 (est. $3/5,000); and Suzanne Eisendieck’s L’Oiseau de Feu, which sold for $5,290 (est. $3/5,000).

Other offerings from the estate of Dr Max Stern, including works by Henry Moore and an interesting selection by Italian painters and sculptors, will appear in future online sales by Sotheby’s.