BREAKING BOUNDARIES

Last year, the ‘Works on Paper' auctions have proved that works on paper done by painting masters are an excellent investment. The development of this sector has led to the breaking of many boundaries last year.

We work towards expanding and broadening the collector's objects offer in 2022. Some of your objects may be part of those exceptional items.

Contemporary Art. Works on Paper.

Being able to acquire works by the best artists for a dozen or several dozen thousands PLN when their canvas paintings sell for millions PLN is a factor contributing to the auctions' success. The low starting prices and names of the most important 20th-century artists' make the auction of works on paper a real treat for the beginner and experienced collectors.

The record sales of works by Andrzej Wróblewski, Tomasz Tatarczyk, Wojciech Fangor, Henryk Stażewski, Maria Jarema or Władysław Strzemiński are proof of this. The most-expensive sold work at a ‘Works on Paper' auction was the 1982 ‘Dollar' by Andy Warhol. The pink dollar was sold for 540,000 PLN.

DESA Unicum is the first Polish auction house to organise an auction devoted to this artistic medium. One can find the works on paper, not only at our live auctions but also at numerous, sometimes monographic, online auctions. Up until this point, among others, we have put up auctions of works on paper dedicated to Jan Tarasin, Jan Lebenstein, or Edward Dwurnik.

Contemporary Art. Works on Paper.

Some of the records set in 2021 were the most expensive sold work by Witkacy - ‘Whale and Andromeda' (700,000 PLN), or the most expensive sold gouache by Zofia Stryieńska - ‘Goral Woman with a Pitcher' (220,000 PLN). Those records, and the fact that estimation prices of many objects are regularly exceeded, make it an ideal moment for sales.

We hold numerous auctions that focus on presenting pastel works, gouaches, watercolours, drawings, and sketches, as well as, techniques that are very visually attractive, give artists a lot of artistic freedom, and reveal not only the technical virtuosity but also the artists' sensitivity to colour and composition. These auctions are a unique opportunity for experienced and novice collectors for the acquisition - often at attractive prices - of pieces by leading Polish artists, whose works are the pride of Polish museums.

At the auctions, we present not only the works of the pastel masters such as Stanisław Wyspiański, Leon Wyczółkowski, Stanisław Ignacy Witkiewicz, or Teodor Axentowicz, or works of outstanding watercolours painters like Julian Fałat, Józef Mehoffer, Stanisław Masłowski. Nor do we only present the drawings and sketches of the most significant 19th and 20th-century creators such as Jan Matejko and Wojciech Gerson.

We also ensure to expand the collector's offer by aiming to present an ever wider spectrum of Polish artists' achievements - apart from the invariably valued artists such as Witkacy, Stryjeńska, or Malczewski.

Observing a year-on-year increase in the number of national collectors by approximately 20% and the ever-growing interest of the Western collectors in Polish artists, allows us to forecast the continuation of the upward trend and further development of this art market segment in Poland. The current economic situation, instability of other markets and rising inflation make art an increasingly popular alternative investment method. Works on paper are becoming an investment of capital for clients who initially would like to invest not the highest amounts but are looking for the works of the most important names in the history of the Polish painting.

We encourage you to submit items for auction:

We encourage you to learn more about the procedure of selling artworks at DESA Unicum auctions.