2024-10-02 11:26:51
A work by Caspar David Friedrich was also included: Kasper König’s collection is currently up for auction in Cologne. The well-known curator had an unsentimental relationship with his art.
Colony.
The private art collection of the recently deceased exhibition organizer Kasper König has been up for auction in Cologne since Tuesday evening. “The auction room was very full, with many bidders from all over Europe, but also from America and Japan, which is certainly due to his international work,” said Anne Rinckens, spokeswoman for the Van auction house Ham, regarding the first round of auctions. König was director of the Ludwig Museum in Cologne from 2000 to 2012 and was considered one of Germany’s greatest art connoisseurs.
In König’s bedroom there was a work by Claes Oldenburg
The painting “May 7, 1967” by Japanese conceptual artist On Kawara achieved the highest price at over one million euros (estimate: 500,000 to 700,000 euros). A pencil drawing by Caspar David Friedrich for a forestry study, on which he wrote down the numbers for the subsequent color creation of the lamp, was sold for 66,000 euros. A coat hanger titled “Ghost Wardrobe for MM” by pop artist Claes Oldenburg sold for 343,000 euros. This work was in König’s bedroom. At the age of 23 he had already curated an exhibition of Oldenburg’s works in Stockholm. A painting by Sigmar Polke titled “Masterpiece Auctioned as Junk,” which König had once purchased at Art Cologne, sold for 73,000 euros. The auction continues Wednesday evening. A total of 250 works change hands.
He never sought friendship with artists
König died in Berlin on 9 August after a long illness at the age of 80. He had planned and organized the sale of his collection himself in view of his imminent death.
The award-winning art professor was also known for his independence and absolute incorruptibility. In a video on Van Ham’s website, he said that he had always maintained “a very large professional distance” and had never sought friendship with artists. “My relationship with art and also with artists has always passed through content.” First a particular work piqued his interest, then he may have contacted the artist to find out more. In the video, König also states that his relationship with the works of art in his possession is “completely devoid of feeling” and that he can therefore easily part with them. (dpa)
#Kasper #Königs #private #art #collection #auction