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“The Secret of Temptation” and Ivan Kliun’s portrait. Sotheby’s images.

A Rare Painting by Malevich at Sotheby’s

June 10, 2018

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Paintings by Kazimir Malevich are known all over the world and many collectors dream about adding those to their collections. On June 5, one of his rare paintings called "The Secret of Temptation" was put up at a Sotheby's auction in London. The uniqueness of the artwork lies in the fact that the painting has a portrait of Ivan Kliun on its verso. Also, the painting is an example of the figurative work on paper.

Experts of the auction house estimated the value of the artwork at $352,725 - $493,815. Over the past ten years, a little more than 10 works by this artist were offered for sale, so “The Secret of Temptation” was the highlight of the auction. Before the event, experts have expressed cautious optimism about the outcome of the auction. Nevertheless, the outcome was unexpected since the painting remained unsold despite the evident interest in Russian art and an intense cultural dialogue between Russia and the UK. 

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Sotheby's