The Greek Economic Problems Play A Role
With just shy of 60% sold by lot, Sothebys must have been happy to see their spring sale of Greek art totalling 4.30 million inclusive of commissions. About 83 lots were sold with some casualties among them Volanakis, Pantazis and Vasiliou.
As is the case in all Greek sales the major names sold well but it was an Aivazovsky work of a ship bearing the Greek Flag that sold for 690,000 pounds.
Ghika was the top selling artists with 217,000. Volanakis sold well, Jacobides and Engnopoulos sold well. Spyropoulos sold several lots as well as Fassianos.
The disappointment of the sale was Pantazis with sevearl second rated and not fresh on the market paintings failing to sell.
Among the contemporary artist Rinas failed to sell.
Finally we see some encouraging signs in the sale and Bonhams will give us a better picture of where we are heading in the Greek Art market with their sale of Greek art tomorrow.
Peter Constant
