World record at auction expected for a Turkish work of art at Antik A.S. in Istanbul

ISTANBUL.- Antik A.S. is celebrating its 30th anniversary with an exceptional auction. The leading auction house of Turkey will offer exceptional paintings by the most important classic Turkish masters. The auction will take place on November 27, 2011 at the Swissotel the Bosphorus and will present selected 200 lots among the finest which ever to have appeared on the market for the first time. Special collection will be exhibited in Antik A.S. exhibition rooms until 27th of November.

One of the highlights being offered in the sale is titled “SERENITY”, a large spectacular canvas by Osman Hamdi Bey (1842-1910), one of the most important and most popular Turkish artists whose painting; “The Turtle Trainer” had fetched 3.9 million USD in 2004, which was the world record price for any Turkish work of art sold at auction. In 2008 “A Lady of Constantinople” at Sotheby’s auction sold for 6.9 Million USD and set the today’s world auction record for any Turkish work of art.

110 x 70 cm oil on canvas, signed and dated 1904, the magnificent Osman Hamdi Bey painting has a starting price of 9,000,000 – 10,000,000 USD.

The painting is from the collection of politician, journalist, statesman and former minister of foreign affairs Ismail Cem. Strong provenance and the perfect condition make the painting one of the five most important works of Osman Hamdi Bey. This remarkable canvas will be on sale for the first time in 100 years and it has been seen lastly in 1957 at an exhibition of Osman Hamdi Bey at Istanbul Painting and Sculpture Museum. Such an important Osman Hamdi Bey painting could be found in museums like Paris Musée d’Orsay, İstanbul State Museum, Pera Museum, Sakip Sabanci Museum, Yapi Kredi Art Museum, Pennsylvania University Museum and powerful Turkish families.

The reviews of experts are as follows: “It is an exceptional work of art, and it has very important place in Artist’s life, we know that the two ladies are his wife and daughter in their Eskihisar mansion. This puts the painting artistically and emotionally to an astonishing level.” “Owning a painting from Osman Hamdi Bey’s “Lady” series is more than owning a work of art, it is like buying the history of Turkish art history.” Osman Hamdi Bey is also the founder of the first fine arts museum in Turkey and has only around 100 known works. “A painting of Osman Hamdi Bey on such dimensions could be kept by powerful families who gave importance art more than money.”

One of the other highlight of the sale is Şeker Ahmet Paşa’s monumental canvas, who is the keystone artist in Turkish art history, organized the first painting exhibition in Turkey. The largest work by the artist ever to appear at auction “Forest in Autumn” dated 1906, is seen as one of the most important work of Ahmet Ali. The opening big is 1.5 million dollars. Another important landscape painter Hoca Ali Riza’s “Lake House” will be auctioned with a starting price of 500,000 dollars. Suleyman Seyyid’s still life painting and Istanbul paintings of Fausto Zonaro, Fabius Brest, and Felix Ziem will be in the sale on 27th of November.

Turgay Artam, auctioneer of the sale, said “the sale is giving buyers an opportunity to own museum quality masterpieces. The top lot Osman Hamdi Bey’s “Serenity” is an extraordinary painting which has never been in the market before. Not only being a monumental canvas from the artist’s most popular “ladies” series, it has a significant place between the master characteristics of the artists and his personal life. Such a painting is rarely seen outside of a museum.” Artam also invites all those who appreciate quality art to view the display before the sale.

Important part of the auction will cover exceptional works of Turkish calligraphy. Calligraphists like Hafız Osman, Mahmud Celaleddin, Kazasker Mustafa İzzet, Mehmed Aziz Rufai, Hasan Rıza, Kamil Akdik, Hafız Vahdeti, Yahya Hilmi, Sami Efendi, and Hamid Aytaç’s works will be on the sale 27th of November sale.

Antik A.S. Chairman of the board, Turgay Artam is organizing the auction which will be held at the Swissotel The Bosphorus on November 27, 2011. Artam Antik A.S., the leading auction house in Turkey, is also known as holding all the major auction records for Turkish art market. A special catalogue has been prepared for the collection and the Osman Hamdi Bey’s “Serenity” which will be on displayed at the Antik A.S. main building, Istanbul.

The works can be viewed from Nov. 22 – Nov 27, 2011 at Antik A.Ş. A catalogue may be requested or you can visit the website www.antikas.com to view an online catalogue.

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