• A Six Metre-Wide Masterpiece by Italian Artist Alighiero Boetti – One of the Most Important Artists of the 20th Century – From His Most Famous Series, Crafted by Afghan Embroiderers – To Be Unveiled for the First Time Worldwide
  • A Private Collection of Andy Warhol’s Most Legendary Prints Including Vibrant Depictions of Queen Elizabeth II & Muhammad Ali
  • A Selection of Egyptian-Themed Jewellery by Tiffany & Co and Castellani – Celebrating 100 Years Since the Discovery of King Tutankhamen’s Tomb
  • Alongside Further Exceptional Examples of Jewels & Watches Cartier | Van Cleef & Arpels | Rolex | Vacheron Constantin | Breguet | F.P. Journe

Sotheby’s Dubai will open its doors following the summer break with an exhibition that showcases the spectrum of Sotheby’s international offerings. Visitors to the DIFC will be able to view masterpieces of Contemporary art, glittering jewels, coveted cutting-edge watches, all under one roof. The pieces will then travel to New York and Geneva to be auctioned.

The showcase is open from 26 – 29 September at Level B2, Gate Village Building 3, Dubai International Financial District. Full list of public opening hours below.

A second exhibition will follow in October, opening on 3 October, bringing together rare historic objects from the Islamic world and modern and contemporary paintings and sculptures by artists from the Middle East. Details to follow.

MASTERWORK OF CONTEMPORARY ART

For the first time, Sotheby’s Dubai will showcase a work from the major Contemporary Art auctions in New York, which take place biannually in May and November and set the benchmark for the global art market.

Alghiero Boetti, Mappa (Map), 1989-91, 265 x 585cm (est. in excess of $8 million)

Alighiero Boetti is one of the most important Italian artists of the 20th century, and his powerful series on maps – known as ‘Mappa’ – has been internationally acclaimed. This monumental work is the most important in a series that spanned two decades and was first exhibited in the major 2011 retrospective exhibition, which travelled from the Museum of Modern Art in New York, to the Reina Sofia in Madrid and finally the Tate Modern in London.

Boetti was deeply inspired by non-Western art and culture, travelling to Africa, South America, East and Central Asia as well as, most significantly, Afghanistan and Pakistan. It was during his second visit to Afghanistan, in 1971, that Boetti conceived of his first large-scale Mappa. Prior to the conflict with the Soviet Union, Boetti stayed in Kabul to work with a group of Afghan embroiders and weavers. The production then moved to Afghan refugee camps in Peshawar, Pakistan. Due to the extreme precision of the task, and the meticulous skill with which each Mappa was executed, it took years to complete a large-scale example such as the present work.

Along the upper and lower borders of the present work, in Italian and English, is woven the following text: “Made in Peshawar Pakistan by Afghan people in 1989 and 90 and 91” – forever remembering the hours, days, weeks and years it took for a group of dedicated craftsmen to create it.

The series bears witness to every change to the physical borders and flags of every nation in the world, providing an extraordinary account of geopolitics from 1971 to the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989. This example captures one of the most momentous periods in world history, and so is elevated beyond its status as a work of art to a piece of history.

ANDY WARHOL’S FAMOUS FACES

By the late 1960s, Andy Warhol was a successful artist whose work was widely collected. Printmaking was the natural next step for Warhol to pursue: encapsulating his broadly publicised belief that nothing was truly unique, anything could be famous. His chosen subjects represent instantly recognizable imagery from pop culture to political to consumer, all depicted with his characteristic bold use of colour and unforgettable style. The desire for these captivating figures has grown over the years, just as intact Warhol portfolios have become increasingly rare.

This October in New York, Sotheby’s will present a single-owner auction of important and comprehensive examples of Andy Warhol's prints, including 28 complete sets.

Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom, from Reigning Queens, 1985, complete set of four screenprints (est. $900,000-1,600,000)

This series of richly-coloured portraits of Queen Elizabeth II by Andy Warhol is in equal parts glamorous and commanding; perfectly representing the global and ‘celebrity’ age in which she reigned. The source image for the work is the official photographic portrait taken in The Queen’s Silver Jubilee year a decade prior, reinterpreted in an intensely vibrant palette. These prints form part of a series titled ‘Reigning Queens’, which brings together many of Warhol’s central themes – celebrity, portraiture, consumerism and decoration. They have been exhibited at the National Portrait Gallery in London, as well as in Windsor Castle.

Muhammad Ali, 1978, complete set of four screenprints, each 40 x 30 inches (est. $200,000-300,000)

Warhol photographed the boxer, Muhammad Ali, as part of a series on ‘Athletes’ – despite his lack of interest in sports, he later recalled, “I really got to love the athletes because they are the really big stars”. Named ‘Sportsman of the Century’, Muhammad Ali was the perfect example of a figure whose dominance in sports also translated to a major cultural impact. Here Ali is depicted in action, in a powerful celebration of athleticism and strength.

Ads, 1985, complete set of 10 screenprints (est. $700,000-1,200,000)

Warhol’s Ads portfolio depicts infamous adverts, reimagining the iconic logos of globally recognised brands and their most famous products from Chanel’s No.5 perfume and the Volkswagen Beetle to Apple computers and Paramount movies – in a commentary on the power of advertising. Warhol takes on these powerful symbols of consumerism and elevates them to the status of high art, in a series of glamorous and contemporary prints.

The group has been exhibited widely in international museums, including at the Whitney Museum of American Art in New York.

EGYPTOMANIA

Sotheby’s New York sale of Magnificent Jewels on 7 December will showcase a selection of Egyptian-themed jewels to celebrate 100 years since the discovery of King Tutankhamen’s tomb – one of the most exciting archaeological discoveries of the 20th century. 

Rare jewels by legendary Italian jewellery house Castellani and the renowned designs of Louis Comfort Tiffany for Tiffany & Co will be unveiled in Dubai for the first time ahead of the sale, in an exploration of the timeless fascination with ancient Egyptian culture.

Castellani: An Egyptian-Revival Gold, Faience and Micro-mosaic Necklace (est. $450,000-650,000) and an Egyptian-Revival brooch (est. $50,000-150,000)

In the 1860’s, Italian jeweller Castellani created this necklace and brooch using the art of micro-mosaic, where thinly spun filaments of glass are cut into segments and set into a matrix. Inspired by artwork found in ancient Egyptian temples, the fringe-design necklace combines geometric shapes with carved scarabs – harking back to the age of the Pharaohs, when they were a sacred symbol of life and resurrection. The centre of the brooch is carved with the figure of the god of science, writing and the afterlife.

The number of surviving Egyptian-style pieces by Castellani are few in number, and so these two spectacular examples are extremely rare.

Louis Comfort Tiffany for Tiffany & Co., Egyptian Revival Gold and Coloured Stone Necklace (est. $60,000-80,000)

Charles Lewis Tiffany established one of the world’s premier luxury brands, Tiffany & Co. His son, Louis Comfort Tiffany, earned his own reputation as the foremost American designer of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. 

Following a trip to Egypt in 1908, he began designing jewels of Egyptian inspiration. In 1913, Tiffany even hosted an Egyptian-themed costume party in the Tiffany Studio’s showroom that was reported on in The New York Times. This double-strand bead necklace uses the color palette of hardstones found in ancient Egyptian jewelry: lapis lazuli, turquoise and carnelian. The half-moon shaped pendant is set with a central lapis cabochon simulating a scarab and a gold disc, a symbol of the sun’s divine power, flanked by a cobra.

JEWELLERY & WATCHES FROM SOTHEBY’S NEW YORK & GENEVA

Rolex, ‘Paul Newman Lemon’ Daytona, Reference 6264 (est. £$700,000-1,400,000)

This yellow gold chronograph wristwatch with bracelet, circa 1969, is an incredibly uncommon timepiece, boasting a unique lemon-coloured dial. It is being offered at auction for the first time, from a prominent international diplomat in the family of the original owner.

Rolex, Reference 6262 Daytona (est. $300,000-500,000)

This vintage Rolex chronograph wristwatch, circa 1969, comes from the collection of Stan Barrett – the former boxing champion turned Hollywood stuntman and NASCAR driver. It was gifted to him by film legend and icon Paul Newman, with whom Barrett had an enduring friendship for over 40 years – bonded by a love of cars, racing, adventure, and watches.

Alongside these New York highlights, which will be auctioned on 9 December, there also be a number of watches travelling from Geneva, including a Rolex Daytona ''Soto'' Mark II, steel, manual wind, ca 1970 (est. $300,000-600,000), F.P. Journe, Pre-production Resonance (est. $500,000-1,000,000) and a Lange & Sohne Datograph, A rare and early platinum fly-back chronograph wristwatch with platinum bracelet (est. $100,000-200,000).

A selection of jewels Sotheby’s Geneva auctions, including an online sale in October and a live sale in November, will be debuted in Dubai, led by an important Colombian emerald and diamond necklace (est. $900,000-1,400,000). An incredibly unique piece, the emeralds are of exceptional quality and colour.

Coloured gemstones will be celebrated with a unique pink sapphire, sapphire and diamond brooch weighing 92.01 carats by Schlumberger (est. $300,000-500,000), boasting noble provenance. 

A number of pieces showcase the range of Cartier’s iconic designs, including a rare Cartier double tiger head bangle (est. $200,000-400,000) and an exquisite Cartier diamond necklace (est. $120,000-180,000) with 8 pear-shaped diamond pendants.

OPENING HOURS

Monday 26 September: 10am – 2pm
Tuesday 27 September: 10am – 7pm
Wednesday 28 September: 10am – 7pm
Thursday 29 September: 10am – 7pm. Please note, the jewellery and watches will no longer be on view on this date.

-Ends-

PRESS OFFICE CONTACT
Melica Khansari | Head of Communications for the Middle East
Melica.Khansari@Sothebys.com

About Sotheby’s

Established in 1744, Sotheby’s is the world’s premier destination for art and luxury. Sotheby’s promotes access, connoisseurship and preservation of fine art and rare objects through auctions and buy-now channels including private sales, e-commerce and retail. Our trusted global marketplace is supported by an industry-leading technology platform and a network of specialists spanning 40 countries and 50 categories, which include Contemporary Art, Modern and Impressionist Art, Old Masters, Chinese Works of Art, Jewelry, Watches, Wine and Spirits, and Interiors, among many others.

Sotheby’s Dubai was officially launched by the global auction house in March 2017. The gallery is located in the heart of the Dubai International Financial Centre, at Gate Village Building 3. The company hosts a programme of year-round events, including selling and non-selling exhibitions, events and talks reflecting the spectrum of Sotheby's international sales and extensive client services.

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