A painting by Reuven Rubin is the highlight of Bonhams' Israeli art auction in London on February 29.
The 1958 oil on canvas, titled Les Oliviers, comes to auction with an estimate of £75,000 to £100,000.
Rubin was one of the first Israeli artists to achieve international recognition.
Although Rubin (1893-1974) was born in Romania and trained for a time in Paris, he is regarded as a distinctively Israeli artist.
 Rubin’s Les Oliviers has a £100,000 estimate |
He studied briefly at the Bezalel School of Art in Jerusalem, and exhibited in the first art exhibitions in Jerusalem in 1922.
Commenting on his new country Rubin said: "Here in Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, Haifa and Tiberias I feel myself reborn. Only here do I feel that life and nature are mine.
"The grey clouds of Europe have disappeared. My sufferings and the war too are ended. All is sunshine, clear light and happy creative work."
We believe the estimate could be on the conservative side considering previous auctions. His Jerusalem with Mount Scopus sold for $419,200 at Sotheby's in 2006, while The Road To Jerusalem, Ein Karem made $329,600 in the same year.
Rubin sculptures too are proving popular with collectors at the moment; his Lovers piece sold for £20,400 at Bonhams in May 2011.
Like Rubin, the great Monet also learnt his trade in Paris. We have a superb autographed note from Monet currently available, which makes for a wonderful entry level buy.
The auction will also feature David Roberts's The Approach to Mount Sinai. Produced in 1839, it is estimated to sell for between £25,000 and £35,000.
