Post-War and Contemporary Art
The Italian Sale
Olivier Camu
International Director and Co-Head of the Impressionist and Modern Art Department.
Olivier Camu, is one of the foremost specialists worldwide in the field Impressionist and 20th Century Art.
Olivier joined Christie’s London in 1994 in the Impressionist and Modern Art Department leaving behind a career in investment banking. After five years he was promoted to International Director in the 20th Century Art Department in London (Modern and Post-War Art). Highlights of this period include the consignment and sale of an ‘Anonymous European Collection’ for £10 million ($16 million) including the world record Tasse, verres et bouteille – Le journal, 1914 by Juan Gris which sold for approximately £3.1 million ($4.8 million) as well as the then world record small triptych by Francis Bacon Three studies for self-portrait of 1976 which sold for £1.9 million ($ 3 million).
In 2000 Olivier launched the first Italian Sale of 20th Century art. Since then he has run this yearly sale with Mariolina Bassetti and together they have built it into an important event which in 2005 at £ 13 million ($23 million) has become the world’s leading sale in its field with a 57% market share. A high point of the Italian Sale was in 2003 when Pino Pascali’s 1965 Cannone semovente achieved the world record price for any Italian classic Post-War art at £1.6 million ($2.6 million).
Since 2004 Olivier has been the Co-head of the Impressionist and Modern Art Department in London focusing particularly on the Evening Sale which in June 2006 achieved the extraordinary figure of £87 million ($160 million) the highest ever total in London.
As well as his expertise in this area as a whole, Olivier brings special knowledge to Surrealist works. Olivier pioneered the critically acclaimed sale of The Art of the Surreal at Christie’s which has now been running for six years; achieving in 2006 the highest total so far at £11 million ($19 million) and obtaining a 73% market share. With Olivier’s guidance, Christie's has established many world records for Surrealist works. Christie’s now holds the world record prices for paintings by almost all the important Surrealist artists including René Magritte, Joan Miro, Giorgio de Chirico, Yves Tanguy, Salvador Dali, Paul Delvaux, Andre Masson, Max Ernst and Oscar Dominguez.
Olivier Camu
ocamu@christies.com
Tel: +44 (0)20 7389 2450
International Director and Co-Head of the Impressionist and Modern Art Department.
Olivier Camu, is one of the foremost specialists worldwide in the field Impressionist and 20th Century Art.
Olivier joined Christie’s London in 1994 in the Impressionist and Modern Art Department leaving behind a career in investment banking. After five years he was promoted to International Director in the 20th Century Art Department in London (Modern and Post-War Art). Highlights of this period include the consignment and sale of an ‘Anonymous European Collection’ for £10 million ($16 million) including the world record Tasse, verres et bouteille – Le journal, 1914 by Juan Gris which sold for approximately £3.1 million ($4.8 million) as well as the then world record small triptych by Francis Bacon Three studies for self-portrait of 1976 which sold for £1.9 million ($ 3 million).
In 2000 Olivier launched the first Italian Sale of 20th Century art. Since then he has run this yearly sale with Mariolina Bassetti and together they have built it into an important event which in 2005 at £ 13 million ($23 million) has become the world’s leading sale in its field with a 57% market share. A high point of the Italian Sale was in 2003 when Pino Pascali’s 1965 Cannone semovente achieved the world record price for any Italian classic Post-War art at £1.6 million ($2.6 million).
Since 2004 Olivier has been the Co-head of the Impressionist and Modern Art Department in London focusing particularly on the Evening Sale which in June 2006 achieved the extraordinary figure of £87 million ($160 million) the highest ever total in London.
As well as his expertise in this area as a whole, Olivier brings special knowledge to Surrealist works. Olivier pioneered the critically acclaimed sale of The Art of the Surreal at Christie’s which has now been running for six years; achieving in 2006 the highest total so far at £11 million ($19 million) and obtaining a 73% market share. With Olivier’s guidance, Christie's has established many world records for Surrealist works. Christie’s now holds the world record prices for paintings by almost all the important Surrealist artists including René Magritte, Joan Miro, Giorgio de Chirico, Yves Tanguy, Salvador Dali, Paul Delvaux, Andre Masson, Max Ernst and Oscar Dominguez.
Olivier Camu
ocamu@christies.com
Tel: +44 (0)20 7389 2450
