Leonora Carrington’s “greatest sculpture” will hit the auction block on November 18. Sculpted by the standout Surrealist artist in 1951, La Grande Dame (The Cat Woman) will headline Sotheby’s upcoming Modern Evening Sale in New York with a pre-auction estimate of $5 million to $7 million.
La Grande Dame by Leonora Carrington
Sotheby’s sale of the Leonora Carrington sculpture is exceptional for its rarity. Leonora Carrington made only a few sculptures during her career, and not all of the sculptures commonly attributed to the British-Mexican Surrealist have been authenticated. La Grande Dame last appeared at auction nearly 30 years ago. This time, it’s been given a pre-sale estimate between $5 million and $7 million. Julian Dawes, Sotheby’s senior vice president and head of Impressionist and modern art for the Americas, told ARTnews that La Grande Dame is Carrington’s “greatest sculpture. We really get to show this completely distinct dimension of her as a sculptor, which is a huge part of her artistic identity.”
Carrington created La Grande Dame about ten years after relocating from Europe to Mexico. The carved polychrome wood sculpture stands over six feet tall. It depicts an enigmatic catlike woman whose figure bears a characteristic swath of painted cultural references, including ancient folklore, witchcraft, Mexican mythology, and an Egyptian creation story. “The work synthesizes diverse iconographies of the divine feminine into a human dimension,” explained Anna Di Stasi, Sotheby’s head of Latin American Art. “La Grande Dame creates a profound sense of otherworldly presence acting as a Surrealist portal to transport the viewer both physically and psychically into her wondrous universe.”
Sculpture Sale Follows $28.5 Million Auction Record
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Sign up to our Free Weekly NewsletterNovember’s sale of the Leonora Carrington sculpture follows the artist’s record-breaking auction appearance earlier this year when her 1945 painting Les Distractions de Dagobert fetched a staggering $28.5 million. Dawes said, “There’s so much interest in demand for Carrington that was unmet, and I think it kind of spilled out onto that painting in that moment.” As the history of Surrealism expands to recognize the contributions of women, Carrington’s works are likely to remain hot on the market. “I’m really happy and satisfied and excited that we were able to find something of this quality and significance that can kind of match the energy, hopefully, to an extent of Dagobert, and continue that momentum,” said Dawes.
Museums Expected to Bid on Carrington Sculpture
From the art market to popular culture, Leonora Carrington’s rising stardom means that museums and other institutions will likely bid for such a rare example of her work. La Grande Dame also boasts a notable provenance. It was once owned by Edward James, a collector who patronized many of the original participants of the Surrealist movement. Carrington is particularly unique because she was “a British artist working in Mexico using Egyptian and Celtic and pre-Columbian iconography, creating something that’s wholly fantastical and original,” said Dawes. “It’s awesome and very relevant across the world.” He added that he “wouldn’t be surprised if we see a lot of institutional activity” in the bidding room come the November sale.
