Auction January 10th

After 6 decades dedicated to art, Manolo Valdés has established himself as one of our most internationally recognized artists. Reaping success around the world, Valdes continues to prove that his passion and talent are incombustible.

From his beginnings in the 1960s to the present, Valdes’ work has evolved with absolute coherence, exploring and conquering new artistic territories from a deep knowledge of the history of art and the deepest admiration for its great masters. However, far from contemplating them from afar, Valdés rescues and takes from them those aspects of his art that he considers most appropriate to carry out an apotheosic exercise of reinterpretation and recontextualization of the very history of art with which, decade after decade, he has forged his unmistakable creative universe.

Far from falling into the monotony that could derive from the reiteration of the same formula, Valdés reveals his immense ability to structure his work under the same common denominator, evolving and reinventing it in each of its facets. In fact, after finishing his time as a member of the chronic team, the 80’s were for Valdés an indispensable period of maturity and creative growth that led him to discover and reach that personal and genuine style to which he has remained faithful ever since.

In this case, and as has been recurrent throughout his career, Valdés turns to one of the great icons of art history such as Diego Velázquez and his portrait of Philip IV to end up turning it into a new icon in a contemporary key. In a process of extreme plastic depuration, the ruff and the profile of the monarch are reduced to geometric planes and synthetic lines, as is the court costume. This tendency is also evident in the evident chromatic reduction, darkening the palette to the maximum until the figure is endowed with a spectral intensity. In doing so, Valdés seeks to dissect an archetype loaded with symbolism that, like Philip IV, is the repository of a long history of representation of power.

Therefore, the plastic and aesthetic exercise of Valdes, with its game of stylistic permutations and references to history, gives way to a new image that in its complete originality and contemporaneity, manages to establish a dialogue between the art of the past and the present that makes us question the reality of the time and of the same artistic practice.

Far from limiting himself to evoking those works that are already icons of our history, Valdés takes a much more definitive and forceful step: he dissects and reconstructs themdissects and reconstructs. A perspective that, with the passage of time, will also become an enigma that future glances will decipher and update.

Hammer prices

Auction December 27th

Tanzanite is a gemstone with unique hues and beauty; rare, mysterious, and therefore highly valued, especially in the highest quality.

Discovered in the Mererani Hills in the Manyara Region of northern Tanzania in 1967, near the city of Arusha and Kilimanjaro.

Tanzanite is the blue/purple variety of the mineral zoisite. All the tanzanites undergo a heating treatment in a furnace, at a temperature between 550 °C and 700 °C, to give them shades between violet blue and bluish violet.

Although its gemological characteristics are inferior to those of diamond, it is much scarcer. It has been gaining popularity among jewelers and collectors for its exclusivity, since the only existing deposit is located in Tanzania and occupies only about 20 square kilometers.

Since its discovery, its price has increased exponentially. The supply of this stone fluctuates, because its only source is being frantically exploited to meet an ever-increasing demand.

The famous New York jewelers, Tiffany & Co, attributed its name to him after registering him as their main distributor. He launched a major marketing campaign declaring tanzanite as “the most beautiful blue stone discovered in over 2,000 years”, proudly stating that tanzanite could only be found in two places in the world “in Tanzania and at Tiffany’s.”

Heralded as “the gemstone of the 20th century”, the conditions that gave rise to its origin are so specific that gemologists have completely ruled out the possibility of finding another tanzanite deposit anywhere on the planet.

Linda Kennedy, a gemologist with Richland Resources, agrees with this forecast. “The chances of the natural factors that originally occurred to conceive tanzanite occurring again are less than one in a million; it’s like winning a geological lottery,” Kennedy says, explaining why it is unlikely that an alternative source will ever be discovered.

Due to this unique process, the tanzanite mines are expected to be depleted in about ten to twenty years. Consequently, it is becoming an increasingly scarce stone, especially in the most desirable grade, which accounts for less than 1% of total production.

Setdart will have at its disposal, in the next auction on December 27, a varied collection of pieces with tanzanites of excellent quality, most of them certified by The Tanzanite Laboratory.

We encourage you to invest in “the precious stone of the 20th century”.

Auction December 18th

The avant-garde and contemporary art have championed the concept of creative freedom in art, but impressionism was the aesthetic current that originated a break with the precepts of the academy and laid the foundations of an artistic revolution based on color and light. Captive of their own era, the Impressionist painters accepted the vertiginousness of their time, elevating painting and detaching it from a completely anachronistic and institutional vision.

During the 19th century, France experienced a strong industrialization and urban development that brought great changes to society. This fact caused the artists to look beyond their workshops, drawing inspiration from both the urban landscape and a more idyllic concept represented by life in the countryside. In addition, industrialization favored the development of new materials and techniques that allowed artists to go outdoors and capture scenes with greater speed and spontaneity. Technical advances increased the interest in the study of light, rediscovering the landscape through a sensory vision that favored the creation of multiple versions of the same scene through which they could capture the atmospheric phenomena that occurred throughout the day.

On December 18th, Setdart unveils for the first time on the market a canvas whose enigmatic and uncertain authorship brings together all those plastic values that made the impressionist movement an authentic artistic rebellion.

The history behind it, as well as the results of the analyses carried out, allow us to place the work in the chronological framework corresponding to the Impressionist movement. In this sense, research into the traceability of the piece takes us to 1921, the year in which our work was transferred from France to Spain by inheritance of Don Fernando de Orleans, great-grandson of the last king of France.

On the other hand, the pigment analysis reveals a priming layer that corresponds to the one used by Pissarro, Monet or Manet, as well as the pigments chosen by the author, among which zinc white or chrome yellow stand out. The application of color is structured as is usual in pointillist heritage painting, in the form of superimpositions of pictorial layers or brushstrokes applied very quickly, without allowing the previous layers to dry. Finally, the abrasion in the lower left corner suggests that the piece may have been originally signed.

However, what is really exciting about this case is its compositional and thematic closeness to the famous painting “La Bergère rentrant des moutons”, created by Pissarro in 1886. Famous for being the protagonist of one of the most relevant litigations of the 20th century. The history of “La Bergère rentrant des moutons” dates back to the 1940s when Gaston Lévy, a French collector, sold the painting to Théophile Bader, founder of the Groupe Galeries. It later became part of Yvonne Meyer’s collection. However, despite securing his collection when Nazi forces attacked Jewish families in France and confiscated their works of art, the German financial investigation agency in Paris eventually seized the Meyer collection.

In 1956, the David Findlay Galleries in New York acquired La Bergère through an Amsterdam art dealer. A year later it was sold to collector Clara Weitzenhoffer, whose bequest was donated to the Fred Jones Jr. Museum of Art. from Oaklahoma University, initiating litigation over the ownership of the work that continues to this day.

To this day, and despite the notorious legend surrounding “La Bergère rentrant des moutons”, no similar version created by Pissarro is known. However, the work we present here, with its obvious links to the methods, materials and style of Camille Pissarro, as well as its thematic connection with the work we refer to, do not allow us to reject irrefutably the possibility that we are dealing with a piece by the hand of the impressionist master. In fact, the combination of technical, historical and stylistic elements reinforces the hypothesis that this work represents not only a valuable testimony of its time and of the Impressionist movement, but could also be an authentic contribution to Pissarro’s artistic legacy.

Auction December 20

In our next auction on December 20, we will delve into the world of Art Toys. To help you understand the rage of these dolls, we explain in this short video what Art Toys are, why they are works of art, who they are and what they are about. are its collectors, how much an Art Toy costs and the icons we present in our next auction.

Good luck with your bids!

Two decades ago, immersed in a scenario saturated by street art, hip hop, branding, graphic design, anime and manga, designers, creatives and artists decided to adopt the toy and give it a radical twist. This seemingly innocent object became a cult icon imbued with irony, humor and social criticism.

In 1990, Michael Lau, considered the pioneer of this movement, created his first collection entitled “Gardeners”. This limited edition Art Toys series, inspired by the G.I. Joe character and marked by an urban aesthetic, was presented at the Hong Kong Art Center.

In short, prominent companies such as Japan’s Medicom Toy or the U.S.-based Kidrobot are introducing their own characters to the market in limited edition series, each with distinctive styles. These companies, along with others that followed, collaborated closely with renowned designers and artists such as KAWS, TAKASHI MURAKAMI, RON ENGLISH, GARY BASEMAN, YOSHITOMO NARA and FRANK KOZIK. The contribution of these artists consisted in personalizing toys, thus achieving the creation of recognizable brands and transforming pop and mass culture into small works of art.

Chromatic bursts and eclectic shapes, with a diversity of sizes and materials, invade the shelves of the “kidults”. This newly coined term is intended to define these “adult children”, a novel audience composed of Art Toys enthusiasts and collectors. These objects generate such an overwhelming demand that the market is often overwhelmed.

This is how Art Toys enter the secondary market reaching prices that defy imagination. The fever for these collectibles has created a phenomenon where the explosion of colors and shapes translates into a market of high demand and value, turning the “kidults” into the protagonists of an unbridled search to acquire these unique pieces.

Works that are barely two decades old manage to triple records and set a milestone in auction houses. Nowadays, some of these exclusive creations have acquired such an exorbitant value that they can only be appreciated in art galleries, museums or in the hands of established collectors.

However, beyond their striking aesthetics and the message they convey, a fundamental part of this fervor lies in the wide range of prices they offer. These range from a few euros to four or five digit figures, opening the doors to new enthusiasts and experienced collectors alike, regardless of their tastes and budgets.

Immerse yourself in the unique atmosphere of the auction “The Art Toys Revolution”, scheduled for December 20, where you can be enchanted by the iconic “Companion” or “Acomplice” from KAWS. These figures, recognizable by the unmistakable “X” in their eyes, have conquered popular culture.

The scene is also illuminated by the stellar presence of the Be@rbricks, those collectible pieces forged by MediCom Toy in Japan in 2001. Stemming from the same firm’s original Kubrick, these Be@rbricks feature bear heads. Among them, the Be@rbrick The Bride, inspired by the Bride of Kill Bill from Quentin Tarantino’s film, stands out.

Our icons include the “PupCup” and the “Little Wanderer” by Yoshitomo Nara, the “Rodent Grin” from the “Pop Art” series by Ron English, as well as the “Legendary Gold” from the “Lil Heroes” series created by Edgar Plans. In this auction, each piece is a visual narrative that promises to capture the unique essence of these talented contemporary artists.

It seems that Art Toys are not a passing effect and that they are here to stay in the art world.

Just a word of warning: be careful, they can get you hooked!

The first half of the 17th century in Spain has been immortalized under the prestigious title of the “Golden Age” due to its dazzling artistic splendor. In the literary field, figures such as Quevedo, Góngora and Lope de Vega have left an indelible mark, while in painting, Velázquez, Murillo and Zurbarán have raised art to new heights. Although these names shine in literature and painting, it is essential to recognize that other Spanish masters also excelled in various disciplines, contributing to the zenith of creativity in this era.

During the reign of Philip IV, it can be said that the peak of this splendor was reached, marking at the same time the beginning of its decline. The Empire’s continuous wars, clashes with enemies and the difficulty of controlling vast possessions led to a significant crisis around 1640. Despite the adversities, neither crises, conflicts nor epidemics were able to stop the passion of a collector king.

Velázquez, known as the key painter of the time, played fundamental roles as chamber painter, usher, valet and major aposentador of his majesty. His closeness to the king, whom he trusted as “a man of taste”, allowed the preservation of masterpieces such as those by Tintoretto, Veronese and classical sculptures that can be seen today in the Prado Museum.

In the first half of the century, the territories of Flanders were under Spanish sovereignty, which conferred on their inhabitants the same Spanish identity as those on the peninsula or overseas. It was in Antwerp where the monarch had another outstanding painter: Peter Paul Rubens. In addition to enriching the royal sites with his works, Rubens assumed additional roles, such as that of ambassador. His two visits to Madrid had a diplomatic purpose, and it was on his second trip in 1628 that he became acquainted with Velázquez. During this visit, he immortalized Queen Isabella of Bourbon in a portrait whose original model is still lost, known thanks to replicas such as the one we present here, executed by a painter from the circle close to the Sevillian master.

Other painters, such as Gerard Seghers in Flanders, contributed by sending works to the Alcazar or the Buen Retiro. Examples of the king’s passion for nature and hunting are reflected in works by specialized artists such as Frans Snyders and Paul de Vos.

The first half of the 17th century marked a golden age for Spanish art, driven by royal patronage and collaboration with internationally renowned masters. This period, despite the crises, left a lasting artistic legacy that defines the cultural richness of the Spain of Philip IV.

In the tumultuous landscape of the 16th century, one female figure stands out as a beacon of stability and grace amidst religious strife, constant warfare and shifting alliances between monarchs. This immutable woman is Queen Catherine de Medici, a dominant force who held the throne of France for nearly four decades. However, in the shadows of the powerful queen, another equally fascinating figure emerges: Madeleine l’Auberpine, known as Madame de Villeroy, the subject of the portrait attributed to the renowned François Clouet, court painter and favourite portraitist of the most exclusive aristocratic circles of his time, which Setdart is privileged to present at the Old Masters auction on 13 December.

Villeroy, brought up in the distinguished family of the Barons Châteauneuf and married to Nicolas Neufville, Secretary of State, was at the epicentre of the court’s most momentous decisions. Although Catherine de Medici’s influence tended to overshadow those around her, Villeroy did not fade into obscurity. Rather, her active participation in court life and her privileged position made her an important figure in Renaissance France.

Madame de Villeroy’s literary salon was a meeting place for artists, poets, writers and philosophers, making it one of the most appreciated of the time. Although we do not know the depth of her influence on political decisions, her environment and the people who were part of her life defined Renaissance France. Her father and husband, both secretaries of state, are evidence of Villeroy’s direct connection to political power.

Beyond her role as a witness to events, Madeleine l’Auberpine was a cultivated and talented woman, embodying the spirit of the Renaissance. Her humanist thinking is reflected in her novels and poems, characterised by a refined and descriptive style. She was an active advocate of humanist and aesthetic values, contributing significantly to the shaping of French society at the time.

The legacy of Madeleine l’Auberpine, Madame de Villeroy, endures in the collective memory as a multifaceted woman whose impact spanned from literary salons to politics, consolidating her position as one of the most important women of her time and a true “homo universalis” of the Renaissance.”

Recognized as one of the great Cuban writers and playwrights of the 20th century, Manuel Reguera was also passionate about art. As the set of photographs that accompany the collection we present here testify, during the years he spent in his native country, Reguera forged a close friendship with the most outstanding exponents of Cuban art. It was then when the writer, supported by the bond that united him with Amelia Peláez, Rene Portocarrero and Eduardo Abela, began his facet as a collector, giving birth to what would become his personal collection.

The group of works under bidding materializes the richness and renovating spirit of those Cuban artists who, like Wifredo Lam, Amelia Pealez or Portocarrero, captained the creative impulse of the plastic arts in Cuba from the 1930s onwards. In fact, its evolution is closely linked to the triumph of the Revolution, which brought about an abysmal change in the cultural and artistic projection of the country.

Since then, Cuban painting has shown a great capacity to assume the influences of international art that, such as primitivism, expressionism, abstraction or the most magicist aspect, developed under its own vision that manifests a clear will to define the features of Cuban identity, its roots, its traditions and, of course, its culture. Indeed, there is no doubt that the richness of Cuban painting today is indebted to the vigor and renovating spirit that accompanied these artists in their capacity to assume the new times that were opening up in the country’s cultural space.

By incorporating and reinterpreting the most avant-garde trends of the moment, fully consolidated artists such as Wifredo Lam, Amelia Pelaez, Portocarrerro or Mendive managed to conquer the international art market, becoming, as their excellent results show, a sure value in the art circuit.

Wifredo Lam

In this important work of his youth, Wilfredo Lam pours the concerns that by then dominated his pictorial creation. Taking a theme rooted in the costumbrista tradition, he subjected the motif to a process of formal purification and chromatic synthesis that in the following decades would lead him to a more abstract style of painting that would derive in his particular surreal post-cubism. Likewise, the debt to Cézanne is evident in the essentialism of the rocky landscape and in the application of color in planes. Wrapped in a timeless atmosphere, this young woman wearing a scarf exudes an extemporaneous and timeless beauty.

Amelia Pelaez

The works under bidding are a clear example of the balance Amelia Peláez achieved between the modernity of the avant-garde and her Cuban roots. The teachings acquired in Paris, integrated with the light and colors of the tropics that he always carried with him, are reflected in each of his compositions. Both in his works of figurative roots and in those closer to abstraction, Pelaez’s style is perfectly defined by his geometrizing tendency, as well as by the rigor of his strokes and strong colors.

Rene Portocarrero

The work we present at auction belongs to a transitional period in which the dominance of geometry will give way to an increasingly abstract aesthetic. Known for his female portraits, Portocarrero presents us with an exceptional image whose composition and certain hieratism brings us closer to antiquity and very specifically to the Kuroi and even to Paleochristian representations.

The set as a whole, which also includes works by Carlos Enríquez, Felix Abela or Victor Manuel, is undoubtedly a faithful reflection of the complex and captivating Cuban idiosyncrasy.