F A L L 2 0 2 3 new s l etter
FA L L 2 0 2 3 A N D T H E Y E A R I N R E V I E W Happy New Year from the Heffel team! We hope you had a fantastic holiday season and enjoyed quality time with family and friends. On the heels of a very exciting 2023, filled with exceptional art, global collector enthusiasm and a thriving auction market, it is our pleasure to share some of the many highlights and dive into our plans for the new year. The year ended with a bang, as we wrapped Heffel’s fall season with our semi-annual live auction in Toronto. The sale was once again presented in our state-of-the-art Yorkville auction room to passionate in-room bidders and a remote global audience through our Digital Saleroom. A number of spectacular works by Jean Paul Riopelle stole the show as the world celebrated the 100th anniversary of his birth, alongside an exceptionally rare canvas by Emily Carr depicting Alert Bay and a prime-period 1955 Paul-Émile Borduas painting, totalling an incredible $24 million, which we are proud to say was an industry high. The resounding success and record results set the stage for an equally exciting 2024.
The Year of Riopelle In 2023, the world united in a year of celebrations of Jean Paul Riopelle, marking the centenary of his birth with global events and major auction achievements. It was an esteemed privilege for us to present seven exceptional Riopelle paintings at our fall auction, where they took centre stage amidst the extraordinary collection of works. The enthusiasm and results were truly spectacular, underscoring Riopelle’s lasting global Royal Canadian Mint, 2023 Pure Gold EHR Coin, Petit hibou, by Jean Paul Riopelle © Estate of Jean Paul Riopelle CARCC 2023
influence and the excitement surrounding this important milestone. Leading the group was Sans titre (Composition #2), a palette-knifeand-drip canvas painted in 1951, which saw bids from across the world and a remarkable result of $5,701,250. In the same spirited sale, the rare portrait Self found a new home when it sold for $3,901,250. Heffel also held a commemorative online auction in the fall, Riopelle & His Contemporaries, which drew interest and participation from around the globe. Throughout the year, the global art community and others organized a number of impactful events, projects and museum exhibitions, paying homage to Riopelle’s enduring legacy on his 100th birthday. Among these tributes is the major retrospective Riopelle: Crossroads in Time, currently on view at the National Gallery of Canada, a show we are very proud to sponsor. Simultaneously, the Musée national d’art moderne at the Centre Pompidou in Paris is hosting a significant exhibition of Riopelle’s work, also on now until April 2024. Joining in the celebrations, the Royal Canadian Mint unveiled two special commemorative gold coins featuring iconic Riopelle imagery in the fall, underlining the artist’s profound impact on Canadian art and culture. The coins are available for purchase
J e a n Pau l R i o p e ll e , Sans titre (Composition #2) oil on canvas, 1951 50 × 64 1/2 inches Estimate: $3,000,000 – $5,000,000 Sold November 23, 2023 for $5,701,250
at Heffel and are a wonderful way to add Riopelle’s art to your collection. Heffel proudly supports Riopelle’s legacy on an ongoing basis through exhibitions, events, publications and other initiatives, and we are honoured that our name is synonymous with the Riopelle secondary market. Over many decades, Heffel has sold more than 400 works by Riopelle through our live auctions, online auctions and private sales.
Expanding Our Horizons We’re pleased to share that Heffel is continuing to expand our auction categories, diversifying and enriching our offerings. In 2023, our Asian Art auctions were resounding successes, drawing enthusiastic global participation. Expert Anthony Wu has been instrumental in growing this department, thanks to his wealth of knowledge in Asian art of many forms. Our next Asian Art auction is scheduled for April 2024 and we are currently accepting consignments.