• 

• 

• 

• 

20th Century Art: A Different Perspective

Online Auction: 3–9 November 2021 • 2:00 PM GMT • London

S otheby's 20th Century Art: A Different Perspective showcases modern and contemporary works from Central and Eastern Europe. This season, we are delighted to be offering one of the most important collections of Polish abstract art to ever come on the international market from the collection of Anne and William Frej. The sale also includes a collection of Czech modern art and strong offerings of Hungarian paintings and sculptures

Sotheby’s is honoured to have been entrusted with the sale of The Anne and Bill Frej Collection of Modern Polish Art, one of the greatest collections of twentieth century Polish art to have been offered on the international market. This single owner collection, carefully assembled over many years, with a keen eye for beauty and quality, offers a remarkable survey of Polish abstract painting. The core of the collection revolves around key works from the best period of leading figures such as Wojciech Fangor, Henryk Stażewski, Edward Krasiński and Ryszard Winiarski.

The collection was assembled by Bill and Anne Frej in the late 1990s when they lived and worked in Warsaw, a time which saw huge economic change in Poland. Many of the works were acquired from the artists directly or from well respected galleries such as Galeria Starmach and Galeria Foksal.

The Czech section of the sale is led by Josef Šíma's L'impasse, an important example from the late 1960s, an era when the artist produced some of his most fully formed and intellectually rigorous works. Other highlights include Czech works from a Distinguished American collection with artists from Group 42 such as František Gross, Jan Smetana and Kamil Lhoták as well as a beautiful harbour view by Jan Zrzavý from 1934.

A work on paper by Emil Filla from 1921 is being offered from a private collection, revealing Filla's association with synthetic cubism, the work - titled Buste d’homme - also showcases his talent as a draughtsman. Other highlights include works by Jan Kaláb, Alphonse Mucha and Václav Spála.

The Hungarian section of the sale is led by two works by Vilmos Aba-Novák, including Circus Nepper, which has remained in same private Italian collection since it was purchased in the early 1930s. Other artists include modern works by Sándor Bortnyik, Boldi and János Vaszary and contemporary works by Dániel Kiss, Márton Romvári and Márta Kucsora.