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Nazi-Looted Kandinsky Painting Surfaces for Auction
1 Sep
Summary
- Kandinsky's 1907 painting, 'The Colorful Life,' to be auctioned in October.
- Artwork was restitution to heirs after being deemed Nazi-looted art.
- Christie's anticipates bids exceeding $30 million for the masterpiece.
Wassily Kandinsky's 1907 painting, "The Colorful Life," will be offered at auction by Christie's in London on October 14th, with expected bids exceeding $30 million.
The artwork, created during Kandinsky's time in Paris, blends Russian folklore and avant-garde influences. It was acquired in 1927 by Dutch Jewish industrialist Emanuel Albert Lewenstein, whose family faced Nazi persecution.
After the painting was sold in 1940 under circumstances lost to history, it was held on loan at Munich's Lenbachhaus museum for over 50 years. In 2023, a German government commission recommended its return to the Lewenstein family.
"The Colorful Life" is considered rare and historically significant, marking a pivotal period in modern art and Kandinsky's career. It is anticipated to achieve one of the highest prices for a Kandinsky work at auction, following a recent sale of another restituted piece for approximately $45 million.
