London, Christie’s auction house, 8/7/2021. The Exceptional Sale. The world is in turmoil for the work by Leonardo da Vinci available to bid. Entrepreneurs, Journalists, Financial Companies, Museums, VIPs from various backgrounds … Actors, Singers, Billionaires Collectors … Obviously wealthy people … everybody ready to compete in the afternoon auction.
The last drawing by Leonardo to come to auction was in 2001, also at Christie’s, when Horse and Rider sold for £ 8.14 million, the world-record price for a silverpoint work by the artist.
Leonardo da Vinci (Vinci 1452 – 1519 Amboise)
Head of a bear
with inscription in pen and brown ink ‘Leonard de Vinci’ (lower left)
Silverpoint on pink-beige prepared paper, top corners cut
2 ¾ x 2 ¾ in. – cm 7 X 7
Estimate:
GBP 8.000.000 – 12.000.000
Sold for: 7.500.000 GBP – Price Realized: 8.857.500 GBP
Silverpoint: a drawing technique popular esp in the 15th and 16th centuries, using an instrument with a silver wire tip on specially prepared paper.
by Alain Chivilò
