A 'luminous' watercolour by JMW Turner of the Swiss landscape is anticipated to sell for up to £600,000 at an upcoming Christie's auction. The painting, titled The Lauerzersee With The Ruins Of Schwanau And The Mythen, is part of the Lines Of Vision: Celebrating 20 Years of Stephen Ongpin Fine Art sale during Classic Week next month.
Since Turner's death in 1851, watercolours from his final tours of Switzerland have become some of his most celebrated works on paper. This piece, described by Christie's as 'evocative' and 'exceptionally well preserved', depicts the landscape below the eastern slopes of the Rigi, a peak popular with 19th-century tourists.
The artwork has a well-documented provenance tracing back directly to Turner himself. While many of his larger commissioned views are now in museums, some watercolour sketches made during his travels remain in private hands, including this one. In 2006, Christie's sold Turner's The Blue Rigi for £5.8 million, a world record for a work on paper by the artist.
The auction will comprise approximately 100 drawings and works on paper spanning 500 years, from old masters to contemporary artists, with estimates from £700 to £600,000. Other highlights include works by Tiepolo, Guercino, Boucher, Picasso, Klee, Matisse, and Frankenthaler.
Stephen Ongpin, founder of Stephen Ongpin Fine Art, said he was 'delighted' to share his passion for drawings and introduce the gallery to a wider audience. Christie's head of sales Keith Gill described the sale as a celebration of Ongpin's contribution to the field. The pre-sale exhibition will be on view from June 26 to July 2.
