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.