Heffel auction connects global art collectors in digital saleroom

• More than 100 artworks will be offered at Heffel auction on December 2, 2020, expected to realize $10M to $15M
• Collectors around the world will compete from the safety and comfort of home, through advanced digital-focused saleroom
• Museum-quality examples by Jean Paul Riopelle, Alex Colville, E.J. Hughes and Kenneth Noland anchor the sale

TORONTO, Nov. 12, 2020 /CNW/ -Throughout this year of unprecedented change, the art market has seen growing passion and participation, alongside a global shift toward remote experiences. Industry leader Heffel Fine Art Auction House has adapted to this transformation with significant digital advancements in all areas of its business. The international firm will be presenting more than 100 outstanding works of art at auction on Wednesday, December 2, anchored by some of the most sought-after artists globally. Masterworks by Jean Paul Riopelle, Alex Colville, E.J. Hughes, Emily Carr and Kenneth Noland will be offered in a digital-focused saleroom, connecting art collectors around the world and enabling them to experience the excitement of the event from the safety and comfort of home. In total, the sale is estimated to achieve between $10 million and $15 million. (All prices are in Canadian dollars and are conservative estimates.)

Jean Paul Riopelle shines in Heffel’s fall auction with seven works on offer, led by the prime 1953 canvas Sans titre (est. $1,200,000 - 1,800,000). The auction will take place in Heffel’s Digital Saleroom on December 2, 2020. (CNW Group/Heffel Fine Art Auction House)

2020 marks 25 years since Heffel's inaugural live auction and, while the saleroom has evolved tremendously with technical advancements, the sense of excitement is just as strong. The fall sale will be presented in two highly-anticipated sessions, Post-War & Contemporary Art and Canadian, Impressionist & Modern Art, and comes on the heels of the record-shattering spring auction, which also was presented to a remote audience. Global buyers have the option to experience the works through lifelike and interactive virtual previews, as well as through the company's brand-new Digital Saleroom and auction streaming platform.

"We are excited to be entrusted with this collection of masterpieces and to present them to an eager and ready market," said David Heffel, President of Heffel Fine Art Auction House. "Strategic investments in technology have propelled Heffel forward and have expanded our auction room capacity to serve limitless collectors around the world."

Highlights from the Heffel Auction

• Jean Paul Riopelle commands the auction spotlight with seven works on offer, led by the prime 1953 canvas Sans titre (est. $1,200,000 - 1,800,000) and the large-scale La ligne d'eau from the artist's Iceberg series ($800,000 - 1,200,000). Heffel is thrilled to sponsor the upcoming travelling exhibition, Riopelle: The Call of Northern Landscapes and Indigenous Cultures, opening soon at the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts. Heffel is also a proud supporter of several other Riopelle initiatives, including the newly established Jean Paul Riopelle Foundation, volume 5 of the artist's catalogue raisonné and Jean Paul Riopelle and the Automatiste Movement, a book by the late François-Marc Gagnon.
• On the heels of the record-shattering sale of Alex Colville's Dog and Bridge, Heffel is honoured to present Woman with Revolver, a powerful 1987 masterpiece (est. $600,000 - 800,000). The painting is fresh to the auction market, and has been exhibited extensively in major shows of Colville's works.
• Frederick Varley leads the Canadian, Impressionist & Modern Art sale with his portrait of the iconic muse, artist Vera Weatherbie. The glowing canvas, Green and Gold, Portrait of Vera is among Varley's most well-known and exceptional works (est. $500,000 - 700,000).
• E.J. Hughes's major 1950 canvas, Steamer Arriving at Nanaimo features one of his most sought-after and favourite subjects - the Canadian Pacific steamboats that once connected Vancouver Island to the mainland. It is the first time this remarkable painting is being offered at auction (est. $500,000 – 700,000).
• Renowned American Colour Field painter Kenneth Noland shines in the Heffel sale with Erin, a large and powerful canvas from his highly collectible Stripe series (est. $200,000 - 300,000).
• An important highlight in the auction is James Wilson Morrice's La plage, a rare masterwork that hails from a private collection in Belgium (est. $300,000 - 500,000). The Impressionist canvas was painted circa 1898 - 1899 and was included in two European shows at the time. Since then, its whereabouts were unknown, and this is the first time it has touched Canadian soil.
• Portraits by Emily Carr are among the rarest treasures in Canadian art. Both Susan and Old Man (est. $80,000 - 120,000 each) are important pieces of art history, and will be offered alongside the spectacular South Bay, Skidegate (est. $300,000 - 400,000) and other works from Carr's ouevre. Carr's works are currently on view in Emily Carr: Fresh Seeing at the Royal BC Museum in Victoria, a show that Heffel is delighted to support.
• Two vibrant works by internationally-renowned Jack Bush round out the Post-War offering. Blue Slant (est. $500,000 - 650,000) and Stumblin' All Around (est. $125,000 - 175,000) are sure to draw attention from collectors around the world.
• Centenary celebrations in honour of the Group of Seven have echoed across Canada throughout 2020. Among the highlights on offer this fall are three paintings by founding member Lawren Harris, each focusing on separate and significant subjects, including Pyramid Mt., Jasper Park (est. $200,000 - 300,000).

Heffel Fall Auction Schedule

To give interested buyers from across Canada an opportunity to view these works, the collection will be previewed through virtual gallery tours at Heffel.com, and by appointment in three cities leading up to the auction.

• Vancouver: Friday, October 30 to Wednesday, November 4, 11 am – 6 pm, Heffel Gallery (2247 Granville Street)
• Montreal: Monday, November 16 to Saturday, November 21, 11 am – 6 pm, Galerie Heffel (1840 rue Sherbrooke Ouest)
• Toronto: Thursday, November 26 to Tuesday, December 1, 11 am – 6 pm and Wednesday, December 2, 10 am – 3 pm, Heffel Gallery (13 Hazelton Avenue)

The two-session auction will take place on Wednesday, December 2. The sale will be live-streamed online at Heffel.com and several remote bidding options will be available.

• 5:00 pm ET — Post-War & Contemporary Art
• 7:00 pm ET — Canadian, Impressionist & Modern Art

For details on the previews and auction, and to access the online catalogues, please visit www.heffel.com.

About Heffel Fine Art Auction House
Heffel has sold more Canadian art than any other auctioneer worldwide, with sales totaling more than half a billion dollars since 1978. With offices in Toronto, Vancouver, Montreal, Ottawa and Calgary, Heffel has the most experienced team of fine art specialists in Canada and provides superior client service to both sellers and buyers internationally.

SOURCE Heffel Fine Art Auction House

to schedule an interview or media viewing, or for high-resolution images, please contact: Rebecca Rykiss, Heffel Fine Art Auction House, [email protected]. 416-961-6505 ext. 323

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www.heffel.com