Sotheby's and Christie's London Auctions: Impressionist, Surrealist, and Post-War Highlights

London's auction season kicks off with Christie's and Sotheby's holding back-to-back sales from February 28 to March 8, 2017. Christie's opens on February 28 with Impressionist & Modern Art, featuring 51 lots including works from Barbara Lambrecht's private collection and Le Corbusier pieces from Heidi Weber's museum collection. Notable female artists include Berthe Morisot, Eva Gonzales, and Suzanne Valadon. A separate Surrealist section offers 35 lots with works by Magritte, Max Ernst (seven from the artist's family), and pieces from The Art Institute of Chicago. Sotheby's follows on March 1 with a Gustav Klimt masterpiece, 'Bauerngarten' (1907), expected to fetch a record price, alongside four major Picassos including 'Plant de Tomates' (1944), estimated at £10-15 million. Other highlights include a Gauguin Tahitian work, Modigliani's portrait of Baranowski, and pieces by Pissarro and Sisley. Sotheby's also features a Surrealist section with Dalí's 'Moment de transition' (1930), plus works by Magritte, Picabia, and Arp. Both houses will hold Post-War and Contemporary Art sales on March 7 (Christie's) and March 8 (Sotheby's).