LONDON.- From 20 January 2010, Christie’s will host a public exhibition showing masterpieces by Pablo Picasso, Pierre-Auguste Renoir and Natalia Gonchorova that have been unseen in public for nearly 40 years, as well as an outstanding masterpiece by Yves Klein and important works by Henri Matisse, Peter Doig, Rene Magritte, Frank Auerbach, Kees van Dongen and Martin Kippenberger.

These are the leading highlights from the forthcoming series of auctions of Impressionist and Modern Art and Post-War and Contemporary Art which will take place at Christie’s in London from 2 February, and which is expected to realise in the region of £120 million.

Jussi Pylkkanen, President of Christie’s Europe and Middle East: “Christie’s modern exhibition space in London allows us to present to the public works of art that have often been hidden in private collections for decades, and which may be sold to private collectors and be unseen for years to come. From 20 January we look forward to hosting a special exhibition that will show exceptional works of art from the 19th and 20th centuries, including important works by Picasso, Renoir, Matisse and Goncharova that haven’t been seen in public for over 40 years, alongside one of the most important works by Yves Klein ever offered at auction, and masterpieces by Peter Doig, Natalia Gonchorova, Frank Auerbach and Kees van Dongen.”

Works of art on view:

· Tête de femme (Jacqueline), 1963, by Pablo Picasso (1881-1973) is a portrait of the artist’s second wife. It has been unseen in public since 1967 and is expected to realise £3 million to £4 million.

· Mademoiselle Grimprel au ruban rouge, 1880, is an important work by Pierre-Auguste Renoir (1841-1919) which dates to the highpoint of the artist’s portrait painting. It will be shown in public for the first time since the 1960s and is expected to realise £1.8 million to £2.5 million.

· Relief éponge or (RE47II) is an outstanding masterpiece and one of only two gold sponge reliefs ever created by Yves Klein (1928-1962). It is expected to realise £5 million to £7 million.

· Espagnole, circa 1916, by Natalia Goncharova (1881-1962) is one of the finest examples of the artist’s work to be offered at auction. It will be exhibited to the public for the first time since 1971, and is expected to realise £4 million to £6 million. Gonchorova holds the world record price for any painting by a female artist sold at auction.

· Head of J.Y.M., 1973, by Frank Auerbach (b.1931) is one of the artist’s most important portraits and portrays his most famous Muse, Juliet Yardley Mills (estimate: £900,000 to £1,200,000). The artist’s Head of Helen Gillespie VI, 1966, will also be on view (estimate: £600,000 to £800,000). Auerbach is one of the most important living British artists alongside his great compatriot and one of his biggest fans, Lucian Freud.

· Gitane, circa 1910-1911, by Kees van Dongen (1877-1968) is a striking portrait by the Dutch artist which was executed at one of the most important periods of his career. It carries an estimate of £5.5 million to £7.5 million.

· Nu aux jambes croisées, 1936, by Henri Matisse (1869-1954) will be exhibited to the public for the first time since 1951 (estimate: £2.5 million to £4 million).

· Anthropométrie (ANT 5) by Yves Klein (1928-1962) is the largest of only six works from this celebrated series to incorporate a mixture of fire and blue pigment (estimate: £1.5 million to £2 million)

· Concrete Cabin West Side by Peter Doig (b.1959) is arguably the greatest example from the series that was the inspiration for the artist’s Turner Prize installation at the Tate in 1994 (estimate: £2 million to £3 million).

· La robe du soir, 1955, by René Magritte (1898-1967) was painted for the celebrated Belgian writer Jan-Albert Goris (1899-1984) (whose pseudonym was Marnix Gijsen) and will be offered with an estimate of £400,000 to £600,000.

· Untitled (from the series Lieber Maler Male mir / Dear Painter Paint Me), 1983, is an important self-portrait by Martin Kippenberger (1953-1997) (estimate: £800,000 to £1,200,000).