The first portfolio was reserved for Masters of the Bauhaus and included two works by each of the institution’s most prominent teachers. The present portfolio includes works by Lyonel Feininger, the Master of Form of the printing workshop, who was responsible for the monumental project including overseeing the printing of the entire edition, Johannes Itten, Paul Klee, and more. The range of style and technique represented in the portfolio illustrates that the Bauhaus was not defined by a single aesthetic and reflects the collaborative nature of the community of artists unified by their belief in the mission of the Bauhaus. The Bauhaus Mappe I thus exemplifies the early innovations of the Bauhaus, which grew to become the most influential school of art and design in the 20th century.

HENRI DE TOULOUSE-LAUTREC’S MOULIN ROUGE

The auction also features 22 works by Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, led by two of his most iconic works: the two-sheet poster of Moulin Rouge – La Goulue, an exceptionally strong example of both his first poster and his first lithograph (pictured left, estimate $250/300,000), and La Clownesse assise from Elles, previously in the collection of Francey and Dr. Martin L. Gecht – one of the first and most important collections of late 19th and early 20th century works on paper in the United States (estimate $200/300,000). The selection of prints on offer by Toulouse-Lautrec is further highlighted by 16 additional works with the same illustrious provenance, led by nine prints from the Elles portfolio, and a strong example of Le Photographe Sescau (estimate $40/60,000).

A SURVEY OF M.C. ESCHER PRINTS

The sale is highlighted by one of the largest private collections of prints by M.C. Escher to appear at auction in recent years. The group of 31 works, which span the artist’s career and represent a fascinating panorama of his graphic work, is led by Metamorphosis – a rare impression of the woodcut printed in red and black (estimate $200/300,000). In 1939-40, the artist began to move away from his traditional landscapes and experiment with a new set of color combinations as displayed in the present large-scale work. The collection is highlighted further by his haunting mezzotint Eye (pictured above, estimate $30/50,000); Hell (after Hieronymous Bosch) (estimate $60/80,000); and Mobius Strip I (estimate $50/80,000).