French Film Explores the Drama Behind a Nazi-Looted Schiele Painting
The 2024 French film "Auction" delves into the tension between art and commerce through the true story of the discovery and sale of Egon Schiele's 1914 depiction of wilted sunflowers.
The film opens with an elderly blind woman negotiating the sale of a work of art, saying
"An auctioneer is like a plastic surgeon. You have to trust them,"as she entrusts her piece to André Masson, a character named after the French Surrealist painter.
André Masson explains to his new assistant that
"The fantastic part of the job is turning up a real rarity. But 99% of the time is soliciting. Like a whore."This contrast between the love of art and the business of art is at the heart of the film, also known as "Le tableau volé" (The stolen painting), which features Egon Schiele's "Wilted Sunflowers (Autumn Sun II)" (1914), a work once confiscated by the Nazis.
Author's summary: Film explores art and commerce tension.
- Film title: Auction (Le tableau volé)
- Release year: 2024
- Featured artwork: Egon Schiele's Wilted Sunflowers (Autumn Sun II) (1914)
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