LONDON.- The current highlight of the sale is Jeune fille aux cheveux noirs by the Italian artist Amedeo Modigliani. This follows on from Bonhams’ successful sale of another Modigliani portrait – Portrait de Femme, which fetched £1,812,000 on 21st June 2011. Modigliani is renowned for his enigmatic portraits of women with their elongated features and deep gazes. They have been described as ‘the works by which the artist has earned his place in the history of art’ and this fine example, estimated at £700,000-1,000,000, is no exception. It comes to the market from the Laurence S. Rockefeller Fund and is expected to attract bidders from around the globe.

Another exciting lot on offer is a work in charcoal and crayons on paper by Picasso, Personnages, which is a particularly interesting early example of his work and is estimated at £25,000-35,000.

Also included in the sale are two Cavello e cavaliere works by Marino Marini (1901-1980). Both are executed in pen, black ink and gouache on paper, and depict the horse and rider, an iconic theme which dominated the artist’s work.

With their bright colours and sunny scenes, Carlos Nadal’s (1917-1998) works often prove popular at auction. He has been described as ‘the last wild expressionist of Spain’ and the influence of the Fauvist painters is evident in his paintings. Le Salon rouge (1972) offered in this sale is a fine example of his vivid and vibrant style and has attracted a pre-sale estimate of £15,000-20,000.

Deborah Allan, of Bonhams Impressionist and Modern Art Department comments, “We were thrilled with the success of our previous sale which sold 98% by lot and 99% by value and look forward to offering another excellent selection of works by some of the most pre-eminent artists of the 20th Century.”