Munich, 22 May 2007, (kk) - Bechteyeff and Goncharova are the distinguished Russian artists whose works can be acquired by lovers of Russian art at the Ketterer Kunst auction of Modern Art & Post War in Munich on 12 June 2007.

Heading the roll of stellar works is Vladimir Georgievic Bechteev’s "Vier badende Mädchen" ["Four Girls Bathing"]. The Moscow artist was oriented in his formal and mannered approach towards both Symbolism and Jugendstil/Art Nouveau. Deploying his language of intense colour, he introduced new elements to the classical theme of paying tribute to the youthful body. In December 2006, a Bechteyeff quadrupled what had been the world record price for a work by this artist at a Ketterer Kunst auction. It will be exciting to watch what happens when the present oil painting (c. 1910/12), which carries an estimate of € 240,000-280,000, is called on 12 June.

Whereas a watercolour ("Bacchantenzug" ["Bacchantic Procession"]; estimate: € 8,000-10,000) is the only other Bechteyeff to be sold at this forthcoming auction, Natalia Sergeievna Goncharova is represented by seven works at once. At an estimate of € 100,000-120,000, the 1912 Goncharova oil painting "La machine à coudre" ["Sewing Machine"] leads the field. Another Goncharova oil painting that is sure to raise a buzz of excitement is the 1930 "Abstrakte Komposition" (estimate: € 40,000-50,000), not to mention four Goncharova watercolours and a gouache, carrying estimates ranging between € 7,000-15,000.

Appropriately embedded in this lavish Modern Art offering are, apart from Emil Nolde’s "Nadja" (1919; estimate: € 1 200,000-1 800,000), a Wilhelm Morgner oil painting "Astrale Komposition XVI" (estimate: € 140,000-180,000), Otto Mueller’s "Tänzerin" ["Dancer"] (estimate: € 140,000-180,000), Gabriele Münter’s "Herbstlandschaft mit braunem Baum" ["Autumn Landscape with Brown Tree"] (estimate: € 120,000-150,000), Leo Putz’s "Portrait Veronika im Schleissheimer Garten" ["Portrait of Veronika in the Gardens at Schleissheim"] (estimate: € 100,000-150,000) and a Herbert Bayer oil painting "Ätherisch" ["Ethereal"] (estimate: € 75,000-85,000) as well as works by Alexander Archipenko, Salvador Dalí, Paul Klee, Hermann Max Pechstein, Hans Purrmann and Arnold Topp.

In addition, the Post War division will feature Pierre Soulages’ "Ohne Titel" ["Untitled"] (estimate € 100,000-150,000) and Jörg Immendorff’s "Wiedervereinigungsadler. In Richtung bringend" ["Reunification Eagle. Aiming"] (estimate: € 70,000-90,000) and important works by Alighiero Boetti, Salvador Dalí, Anselm Kiefer, Markus Lüpertz, Heinz Mack and Gerhard Richter.

The offer will be rounded off by the special auction Expressive Realism, at which 70 lots will be called, including work by Albert Birkle, Otto Dix, Franz Frank, Otto Herbig, Paul Kleinschmidt, Friedrich Kunitzer and Werner Scholz.

The catalogues are available for just € 45 for all three. They can be ordered by telephone: please call +49(0)89-55244-0 or look online at catalogue-order.

Pre-sale viewings in Germany are scheduled as follows:
24-26 May 11 am-6 pm (selected works)
Ketterer Kunst, 1 Meßberg, Hamburg

2 June, 11 am-6 pm (selected works)
03-06 June, 11 am-7 pm
Ketterer Kunst, 70 Fasanenstrasse, Berlin

07-08 June, 11 am-6 pm (all works)
09-10 June, 11 am-5 pm
11 June, 11 am-3 pm
Ketterer Kunst, 61 Prinzregentenstr., Munich

Emil Nolde’s "Nadja" (see press release of 10 May 2007) will also be shown in Switzerland and the US.

Auction venue: Gartensaal, Prinzregententheater, Prinzregentenplatz 12, Munich.

Since it was founded in 1954, Ketterer Kunst has been firmly established in the front ranks of auction houses dealing in art and rare books. While the Munich headquarters in the Prinz-Alphons Palais is responsible for the two traditional annual auctions of Modern Art & Post War, the Meßberghof in Hamburg is the venue for two traditional auctions a year, each based on the following fields: Old Masters and 19th-Century Art /Marine Art and Rare Books - Autographs - Manuscripts - Decorative Prints as well as Modern Art & Post War, with a focus on works on paper. In addition, exhibitions, special and benefit auctions for charity as well as live auctions online are regular events at Ketterer Kunst.

Munich, May 22, 2007