Roseberys are delighted to present the latest Modern British, 20^th & 21^st Century Art auction on the 6^th June, featuring a number of notable collections and master works encompassing the entire breadth of Modern art history, from an early masterpiece by French artist Georges Rouault created in 1905, all the way to the contemporary visions of British artists Marc Camille Chaimowicz and Rachel Howard.

_{Lot 2: Georges Rouault, French 1871-1958 -Paysage anime, 1905}

An early highlight of the sale is Rouault’s ‘Paysage Anime, 1905’ (lot 2), one of just sixteen landscapes the artist painted between 1902 and 1909, demonstrating the influence of Van Gogh, particularly his 'Wheatfield with Crows', 1890 (Van Gogh Museum). 1905 was an important year for Rouault, exhibiting alongside Henri Matisse and Charles Camoin at the Salon d'Automne in Paris, where this group of artists was first called the Fauves. Rouault's works from 1905-06 are often seen as a climax of his early work in their expressive quality, paving the way to his iconographic later style.

 _{Lot 121: Yohanan Simon, Israeli 1905-1976 - Two figures against a blue sky, 1958}

Other early Modernist highlights are the collection of Rena Behrman (1909-2017) (lots 117-122), which includes important works by émigré and Israeli artists including Arthur Segal (lot 117), Yohanan Simon (lot 121) and Nachum Gutman (lot 120). Both Simon and Gutman were instrumental in developing a Modernist painterly language in Israel in the 20^th century and these are key examples of their work. Behrman helped to aid the escape of more than 1000 Jewish refugees from Europe to Britain during the WWII. Items from her collection were donated to the British Museum.

_{Lot 231: Twins Seven Seven, Nigerian 1944-2011 - An Iron of God in His Shrine}

Other international collections include works by Nigerian artists associated with the Oshogbo School of Art, Twins Seven Seven (lot 231) and Muraina Oyelami (lot 232). Both works were originally from the collection of Gerald Moore (1924-2022), a writer and editor of modern African poetry, who worked with writer Ulli Beier. We also have a strong selection of contemporary Chinese works by artists Yiming Chen (lot 449-450), Ma Liuming (lot 452) and Zhang Dali (lots 453-454).

_{Lot 211: Nicholas Krushenick, American 1929-1999 - Flying Zonk, 1967}

From the Post-War period, we have three brilliant pieces of British and American Pop and Post-Minimal painting by Nicholas Krushenick (lot 211), James Hilleary (lot 212) and Peter Phillips (lot 213). Both Krushenick and Phillips explore the language of American advertising, using bold colour and heavily simplified line and form, to create subversive statements on the modern world. Most excitingly, the Krushenick was originally included in the exhibition 'Ars 69’ a The Art Museum of Ateneum, Helsinki, in 1969 which also featured works by Andy Warhol, Roy Lichtenstein and Josef Albers.

The contemporary section of the sale is exceptionally strong, featuring pieces by key British artists including John Stezaker (lot 410-411), Ken Kiff RA, Thérèse Oulton (lot 391), Ansel Krut (lot 437), Rachel Howard and Marc Camille Chaimowicz.

_{Lot 387: Ken Kiff RA, British 1935-2001 – The Blue Tree, 1989-91}

Ken Kiff’s ‘The Blue Tree, 1989-91’ (lot 387) with its playful sense of mysticism is a brilliant example of the artist’s mature style and featured in the artist’s 1991 exhibition at Marlborough Fine Art, London. Kiff taught artists including Tracey Emin, and was recently the subject of a major show at Carl Freedman Gallery, Margate in 2022 and at the Sainsbury Centre for Visual Arts, Norwich in 2019.

_{Lot 420: Rachel Howard, British b.1969 - Suicide Painting 2, 2007}

Also on offer will be two monumental pieces by Rachel Howard ‘Suicide Painting 2, 2007’ and ‘Wood (No Green), 2010’ (lots 420-421). Howard is considered to be one of the most influential British artists of the 21^st Century, producing emotionally charged abstract compositions, in the tradition of Rothko and the Abstract Expressionists. Howard’s work is currently showing as part of the exhibition ‘BIG WOMEN’ at Firstsite, Colchester, curated by fellow Goldsmiths alumni Sarah Lucas.

_{Lot 392: Marc Camille Chaimowicz, British b.1947 - A Sort of Truce, 1986}

We are delighted to be selling Marc Camille Chaimowicz’s ‘A Sort of Truce, 1986’ (lot 392), one of a series of early works, where the artist assimilated his painterly vocabulary onto a sleek mid-century style screen, breaking down the traditional boundaries between sculpture and painting, design and Fine Art. This was made during an important period for the artist, with a number of international solo exhibitions including at the Musée des Beaux Arts, Dijon.

_{Lot 150: Theodore Major, British 1908-1999 - Early Morning at Wigan}

As ever we have wonderful examples of classic Modern British artists including Albert Julius Olsson RA (lot 39), Carel Weight RA (lot 141), John Bratby RA (lot 142-146), Donald McIntyre (lot 248), a rare work by Theodore Major (lot 150) and a wonderful painting by Dame Ethel Walker (lot 10). The latter is a classic example of Walker's style and was originally owned by fellow artist Grace English, a friend of Walkers who studied at the Slade from 1912-14.