Falaises aux Petites-Dalles, an 1883 seascape by Camille Pissarro (1830-1903), is to highlight Bonhams' Impressionist and Modern Art sale on February 5.
The evocative piece has been given a £150,000-200,000 ($240,000-320,000) estimate ahead of the London auction.
 Will the rare seascape beat its £200,000 ($320,000) top estimate? |
Director of Bonhams' impressionist and modern art department, William O'Reilly, commented: "Pissarro is considered one of the greatest of the impressionist artists but unlike Monet, relatively little is known about his seascapes.
"It is fantastic to offer a painting that gives such a rare insight into the transitory period of his career. The whereabouts of Pissarro's other seascape, Marine aux Petites-Dalles remains a complete mystery, making this painting an even more exciting discovery."
The keening coastline and crepuscular sky dominate Falaises aux Petites-Dalles, which was painted during the artist's stay in northern France during the late 19th century. It is thought to demonstrate a shift in style and subject matter, with Pissarro substituting attention to detail for the freer brushstrokes associated with true French impressionism.
Works by Pissarro have previously performed well at auction, with L'Avant-port de Dieppe, apres-midi, temps lumineux bringing $1.5m to Sotheby's in May 2012.
Here at Paul Fraser Collectibles we are able to offer a number of museum-grade art and photography collectibles, including a handwritten letter signed by the leading impressionist artist Pierre-August Renoir.
The majority of principal investment-grade artists are no longer with us. Finite supply coupled with increased demand (China's share of global art sales rose to 30% in 2011, up from 23% in 2010) means that values are likely to increase. For more information on the investment potential of the market, please see Paul Fraser Collectibles' free guide to investing in art and photography.
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