André LANSKOY (1902-1976)

Over the last ten years, the price index for the second School of Paris has risen 130%; but it has not yet overtaken the level it reached at the height of the art market bubble in 1990/1991.The term second School of Paris refers to abstract artists working in France between 1940 and 1965. Like the Nice School, the Paris School is not a school as such, but rather a label that allows the art world to lump together a mixed bag of French and foreign artists living in France including the Russian Serge POLIAKOFF, Hans HARTUNG from Germany, Gustave SINGIER from Belgium, JJean-Michel ATLAN from Algeria, and Maria Elena VIEIRA DA SILVA from Portugal, among others. According to a number of art critics, these artists had interests in common with other “informals” like Pierre SOULAGES, Jean FAUTRIER, Maurice ESTEVE, Gustave SINGIER, Roger Bissière and Jean Bertholle.

The Carré auction gets down to business: 85% of lots sold exceed their high estimates

Paris hosted an auction festival on 9-10 December. New auction house Dassault held its inaugural sale — breaking up the legacy of Olga Carré, widow of gallery owner Louis Carré — and confounded even the most optimistic forecasts. Piasa and Artcurial-Briest should be well satisfied.