Deutscher & Hacket continue the sale of the Cbus Art Collection, with Part II

By Richard Brewster, on 11-Aug-2022

Australian post World War II and contemporary artist Robert Clinch (born 1957) knocked over his own auction record at Deutscher and Hackett’s Part II sale of superannuation giant Cbus’s art collection on August 9 in Melbourne. His painting Twenty Four Variations on a Theme by Pagan (Lot 28 ) was not only the top selling auction work for $147,273 (including buyer’s premium) – eclipsing the price paid for Memory in 2012 at Menzies Sydney art sale.

A new record auction price was set for a work by Australian post World War II and contemporary artist Robert Clinch (born 1957) at Deutscher and Hackett’s Part II sale of superannuation giant Cbus’s art collection on August 9 in Melbourne. His painting 'Twenty Four Variations on a Theme by Pagan' (above) sold for $147,273, and was the highest priced work in the sale.

The Melbourne auction realised $956,659 (including buyers premiums) following the more than $9 million achieved for the 100 “highlight’ paintings sale on July 27.

Compiled by Australian art legend the late Dr Joseph Brown (1918-2009) after he and fellow enthusiast the late Professor Bernard Smith (1916-2011) convinced Cbus that the Australian art industry was in jeopardy and a worthy long-term investment, there are two more parts to be offered – the first on August 16 and the final one on August 23.

Among the top 10 paintings in this part of the collection were many recognisable Australian artists including another of Clinch’s paintings Silent Protest (Lot 26 ) which changed hands for $85,909, Roger Kemp’s (1908-1987) Movement III (lot 5-$67,500) and Arthur Boyd’s (1920-1999) Doris with Red Hair (lot 2-$61,364).

Fred Williams (1927-1982) was another leading contender with Sherbrooke Forest (Lot 1 ) which brought $49,091 and Tim Maguire and Charles Blackman (1928-2018) figured respectively with Orange Column (18) at $39,273 The Last Train (Lot 4 ) at $36,818.

Another top 10 entry is Robert Hunter’s (1947-2014) Untitled 3 (Lot 8 ) which sold for $51,545.

A leading exponent of late modernist abstraction in Australia whose 40-year career was framed by early adherence and later expansion of the compositional conventions of American minimalist art, Hunter’s first paintings were exhibited in both Perth and Melbourne.

The following year, aged 21, he held his first solo exhibition which was an instant success and established his future career trajectory.

Alun Leach-Jones (1937-2017) also figures in the top results with Noumenon XXXVI – Imperial (Lot 17 ) that changed hands for $34,364.

A British artist known for his range of work in painting, drawing, sculpture, linocuts, screenprints and etchings, in 1960 Leach-Jones migrated to Adelaide where he studied printmaking and later became recognised as part of what was called “the New Abstraction” in Australian art.

Howard Arkley (1951-1999) rounds out the top 10 with his painting Western Suburbs (Lot 17 ) that sold for $29,455. 

Sale Referenced:

About The Author

Richard Brewster has been writing about the antiques and art auction industry for almost 25 years, first in a regular weekly column for Fairfax's The Age newspaper and also in more recent times for his own website Australian Auction Review. With over 50 years experience as a journalist and public relations consultant, in 1990 Richard established his own business Brewster & Associates in Melbourne, handling a wide range of clients in the building, financial, antiques and art auction industries.

.