Swann's May 13, 2013 auction of Modernist Posters presented an impressive array of Art Deco masterpieces, groundbreaking typography, and classic advertisements. The annual sale boasted record prices for several offerings and artists alike.
With several pieces in the auction, including his iconic posters Normandie and Triplex, Art Deco maestro Adolphe Mouron Cassandre could not be ignored. His poster for Turmac Cigarettes set a new auction record, at $66,000.
Dada pioneers Kurt Schwitters and Theo Van Doesberg's Kleine Dada Soirée turned typography into a political act in 1923. Selling for $24,000 the piece achieved its highest auction price since 1991.
Inspired by American pop psychedelia, Japanese artist Tadanori Yokoo had two posters at auction. His deeply personal piece, Having Reached a Climax at the Age of 29, I was Dead, sold for $52,800 - a new record for this living artist.
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| A.M Cassandre, Turmac/La Cigarette Turque, Paris, 1925. |
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| Kurt Schwitters and Theo van Doesburg, Kleine Dada Soirée, 1923. |
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| Tadanori Yokoo, Having Reached a Climax at the Age of 29, I was Dead, 1965. |