Caribbean art heats up sale

A welcome blast of Caribbean heat and sunshine held obvious appeal for bidders in North Yorkshire at Tennants Auctioneers’ Modern and Contemporary Art sale, which saw works by Caribbean contemporary artist Llewellyn Xavier hitting above estimates.

A vibrant work entitled Head Study of a Monkey by the pre-eminent St Lucian artist sold for £2,400 against an estimate of £400 to £600.

Xavier’s work is characterised by brilliant colours that capture the light and life of the Caribbean, giving voice to local cultures and championing environmental causes. A further work, entitled Environmental Study sold for £2,200.

Elsewhere in the sale, the inclusion of part of the estate of Ilkley artist Marie Walker Last (1917-2017), encompassing her own work and works from her collection, also generated interest.

The top lot of the collection was a late work by Walker Last, entitled Winter Quarry, painted in 1992 near the end of her career. The painting sold for £2,000, against its estimate of £250 to £450 – thought to be a new world record for the artist at auction.

The sale’s top lot was a painting by John Kirby entitled A Good Child, which sold for £6,800, around ten times its low estimate.

The sale resulted in a total Hammer Price of £83,460.