This is the season of Yuletide, and amidst the hustle and bustle of Christmas shopping and adorning trees with festive flair, our tiny city of Monaco is aglow with the sparkle of intense auctions.
In this week’s offerings, Auction House Accademia Monte Carlo beckons with a week-long extravaganza, commencing with a sophisticated wine auction featuring a champagne degustation guided by a distinguished sommelier. Whether it’s a 1966 vintage champagne or magnum bottles from 1943, Burgundy delights, or renowned Bordeaux, the array promises to grace your New Year table or the discerning connoisseur’s cellar.
Following the vinous delights, Accademia unfurls a cascade of allure with auctions featuring jewellery, watches, and fashion accessories.
Culminating the series is the Fine Art Auction, spotlighting exquisite works by luminaries such as Henry Moret, the artist to high society Paul Cesar Helleu, a scenic masterpiece by Raoul Dufy, and a canvas by the late Frenchwoman artist Françoise Gilot, celebrated not only for her artistry but also as the bestselling memoirist of the controversial “Life with Picasso.”
In their Watch and Accessory Auction, horological treasures await vivid collectors – vintage Jaeger le Coultre from the 1940s, Vacheron Constantin from the 1960s, and accessories by Paloma Picasso and Frank Gehry for Tiffany & Co.
Meanwhile, another esteemed auction house, Hermitage, unveils three pre-Christmas sales for the festive season: Fine Arts, Rare Books, and Decorative Objects. Renowned for specializing in Eastern European arts, this season features illustrious names like Pavel Tchelitchew, Konstantin Rudakov, Mikhail Larionov, Robert Falk, Russian Impressionist Konstantine Korovin, and Ukrainian futurist David Burluk. The auction also presents works by art luminaries such as Alphonse Mucha, Edgar Degas, Renoir, Joan Miró, and Pablo Picasso, alongside drawings by grand couturiers Yves Saint Laurent and Karl Lagerfeld.
Many Eastern European artists converged in Paris in the early 20th century, forming the illustrious École de Paris. The auction highlights the splendid paintings of representatives like Jean Peske, Elie Anatole Pavil, and George Loukomski, who lived and worked closely with the Prince Family in Monaco and contributed drawings to the exquisite folio “Le vieux Monaco” by Lebande.
Adding to the cultural tapestry, HVMC unwraps a series of pre-Christmas auctions, featuring rare wines, fashion accessories, important jewellery, and watches. The spotlight shines on bottles of fabulous Petrus, Barolo, Château D’yquem, and more. The accessories session presents leather goods from renowned French luxury brands, including a special edition created in collaboration with American artist Jeff Koons, adorned with images of Van Gogh and Paul Gauguin.
