From Yves Klein’s Golden Icon to Josef Frank’s “Flora” Chest of Drawers – 20th-Century Masters Meet at The Modern Art & Design Sale

This autumn’s major international auction, The Modern Art & Design Sale, brings together the most significant works in modern art and design – from Yves Klein, Andy Warhol and Fernand Léger to Josef Frank, Axel Einar Hjorth, Wiwen Nilsson and Märta Måås-Fjetterström. Here, artistic masterpieces and timeless design meet in an auction that spans the entire modern century.

The undisputed highlight of the auction is Yves Klein’s ”Âge d’or [Golden Age], (MG 36)” from 1959 – a magnificent work from his legendary Monogold series, estimated at SEK 13–15 million, the highest estimate for any object on the Swedish auction market so far this year. Andy Warhol is also represented, notably with the newly discovered version of ”Frölunda Hockey Player” (1986) – an unexpected encounter between Pop Art and Swedish sports culture – and ”Monkey (Toy Painting)” (1983), a nostalgic and playful reflection on the world of childhood.

Fernand Léger’s ”Composition (Le médaillon)” (1929–1931) marks the artist’s shift towards a more organic, surrealist form, while Maria Helena Vieira da Silva’s ”Souterrain/Colonne” (1950) weaves together architecture and abstraction in a poetic visual universe. Einar Jolin’s atmospheric and evocative panorama ”Promenerande på Strandvägen” (1939) and Peter Weiss’s ”Världslandskap” (1942) anchor the auction within the humanism and history of European modernism.

The design section of The Modern Art & Design Sale presents an exceptional selection from some of the 20th century’s most influential designers. Josef Frank’s ”Flora” chest of drawers for Svenskt Tenn and Erik Chambert’s floral cabinet represent Swedish modernism at its finest. The sale also features Axel Einar Hjorth’s ”Utö” table (1932), Wiwen Nilsson’s elegantly minimal silver vase (1934), Folke Bensow’s “Bord N:r 10” with a Kolmården marble top, Jonas Bohlin’s cabinet ”Slottsbacken” (1987), and a monumental ceramic cherry by Hans Hedberg from the artist’s own collection.

The auction also includes an extensive ceramics section featuring works by leading Swedish and international designers such as Wilhelm Kåge, Birger Kaipiainen, Rut Bryk and Jennifer Lee, alongside a comprehensive selection dedicated to Firma Svenskt Tenn, reflecting the enduring fascination with the timeless design universe of Estrid Ericson and Josef Frank – from the pewter objects of the 1920s to modern classics.

The textile section offers a generous selection of Swedish carpets and tapestries by Märta Måås-Fjetterström, Barbro Nilsson and Marianne Richter, alongside international works – among which Fernand Léger’s ”Sao Paulo” stands out as the highlight of the section.