A contemporary eye – five striking modern pictures at upcoming auction

01 November 2024 Each week plenty of Modern and Contemporary artworks appear at auctions all over world.

This painting titled The Dialectic Machine is by the Herefordshire-born surrealist artist Conroy Maddox (1912-2005). A large-scale composition measuring 4ft x 3ft 1in (1.21m x 94cm), the signed oil on canvas dates from 1977. At Bellmans, it is estimated at £5000-7000. View the catalogue entry for this Conroy Maddox painting.

Among those coming up in the UK this month is Bellmans’ sale of Modern British & 20th Century Art on November 21.

The auction offers a mixture of periods, genres and mediums including paintings, works on paper, prints and sculpture, and features lots estimated to make sums across a wide range of price points.

Here’s five lots that caught our eye to give you a flavour of what’s on offer.

1. Kurt Jackson’s olive grove

This watercolour and mixed media by Kurt Jackson (b.1961) is titled Morning, Olive Grove, Full of Bird Song, Andalucia. Signed and dated Feb 01, it measures 22.5 x 2ft (57 x 62cm) and is estimated at £1000-1500 at Bellmans. View the catalogue entry for this Kurt Jackson work on paper.

2. Buffalo Hour

This signed work by Emily Lamb (b.1985) is titled ‘Buffalo Hour’. The 23.5 x 3ft 3in (60cm x 1m) mixed media on canvas is pitched at £700-1000. View the catalogue entry for this Emily Lamb painting.

3. Julian Trevelyan etching

Among the prints on offer at the Bellmans sale is this etching with aquatint by Julian Trevelyan (1910-88). Titled Camel Corps, it was part of an edition of 250 signed, numbered and titled impressions from 1972 that were published by Christie's Contemporary Art in London. This copy is estimated at £200-400. View the catalogue entry for this Julian Trevelyan etching.

4. John Bellany work on paper

A pencil and watercolour by Scottish artist John Bellany (1942-2013) is among the works on paper being offered at the Bellmans sale. Down at the Quay, a signed work measuring 14.25 x 10.5in (36 x 27cm) is estimated at £1000-1500. This copy is estimated at £200-400. View the catalogue entry for this John Bellany work on paper.