Asger Jorn

Galerie Burén, Stockholm

Bergen, Kunstforening; Trondhjem, Kunstforening; Oslo,  Kunstnernes Hus, Asger Jorn, 1965, no. 42 
Oslo, Henie Onstad Kunstsenter, Sal Haaken, 2003, p. 115, illustrated in colour

Guy Atkins, Asger Jorn, The Crucial Years 1954 - 1964, London 1977, no. 1571, illustrated

Colour: The colours in the catalogue illustration are fairly accurate, although the overall tonality is warmer and richer in the original. Condition: This work is in very good condition. There are a few areas of paint shrinkage to the composition, notably to the blue area of paint in the bottom right hand quadrant. There is a further very faint area of paint shrinkage running parallel to the central bottom edge. There is a pin-head sized spot of paint loss towards the centre right edge and a few further minute losses towards the centre of the right edge. No restoration is apparent under ultra-violet light.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

One of Norway's most influential collectors and art dealers, Haaken Christensen operated an art gallery in Oslo for more than 40 years. His private collection was shaped by the same attributes that fuelled his career: his business acumen, knowledge of art history and his own keen artistic judgment. After university he spent time in Paris, and his admiration for French art and culture had a lasting influence on his interests and tastes and he was ultimately awarded the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres by the French government. In April 1961 the Gallery Haaken opened with an exhibition of linocuts by Pablo Picasso. In the first year the gallery showed a mix of Norwegian and established European artists. Though his gallery moved locations in Oslo several times during nearly half a century, Christensen continued to show leading Norwegian artists alongside well-known French Modernists with the dual aim of bringing the best international Contemporary art to Norway and promoting Norwegian art abroad.

 

The collection of works included in this sale bring together some of the undisputed titans of Post War abstraction. Consisting of a cohesive group of fine works by Serge Poliakoff, Karel Appel, Pierre Alechinsky, Germaine Richier and Asger Jorn among others, this exceptional collection bears witness to some of the key artistic developments occurring in Paris and elsewhere in Europe during the crucial Post-War years of cultural and aesthetic change.

 

Christensen's gift of the entire proceeds of the sale of this collection to the humanitarian group Médecins Sans Frontières was a surprise to everyone who knew him.  He had paid an annual subscription to the organisation for a number of years and was impressed by their low administrative costs which allowed for the maximum amount of gift aid to be used where it mattered most.  The gift is reportedly the largest the organisation has ever received.