Simon de Pury, the art dealer and auctioneer, and his wife Michaela de Pury won in a closely watched legal battle in which they sought a $10 million commission. In 2015, the artwork by Paul Gauguin "When will you marry?" was sold for $210 million and became the most expensive artwork ever sold in private for that moment. Simon de Pury filed a lawsuit, alleging that the seller owed him a commission of $ 10 million for assisting in deal, the amount of which was 210 million, not a reported $300 million. These legal proceedings were issued for the first time in over 45 years in the art market.
On January 16, 2018 Simon de Pury reported himself the positive decision of the High Court of London on his personal page in Instagram.
Photo: Simon de Pury in Instagram
The Telegraph reported that the sale took place after a series of meetings between Simon de Pury and Guy Bennett, a former Christie’s executive who now works for the emir of Qatar as director of collections and acquisitions for the state’s museums.
Bennett and de Pury reportedly first met in 2012 to discuss a potential deal for Nafea faa ipoipo (When Will You Marry) (1892), a Gauguin painting of two Tahitian girls. The family of Rudolf Staechelin, a childhood friend of de Pury and a former Sotheby’s executive, owned the work at the time.
De Pury reportedly approached Staechelin to gauge his interest in selling the work, and Staechelin said he would not accept less than $250 million for it, according to the Telegraph. At that point negotiations stalled but resumed again in 2014, and the sale eventually went through.
The de Purys claimed they were owed the $10 million commission as part of a "gentleman's agreement" for helping negotiate the sale.
Staechelin’s attorney John Wardell told the Telegraph this past summer that de Pury "lured him to the table by saying the Qataris were willing to pay $230 million," despite his alleged knowledge that the Qataris had set a limit of $210 million.
Bennett and de Pury reportedly first met in 2012 to discuss a potential deal for Nafea faa ipoipo (When Will You Marry) (1892), a Gauguin painting of two Tahitian girls. The family of Rudolf Staechelin, a childhood friend of de Pury and a former Sotheby’s executive, owned the work at the time.
De Pury reportedly approached Staechelin to gauge his interest in selling the work, and Staechelin said he would not accept less than $250 million for it, according to the Telegraph. At that point negotiations stalled but resumed again in 2014, and the sale eventually went through.
The de Purys claimed they were owed the $10 million commission as part of a "gentleman's agreement" for helping negotiate the sale.
Staechelin’s attorney John Wardell told the Telegraph this past summer that de Pury "lured him to the table by saying the Qataris were willing to pay $230 million," despite his alleged knowledge that the Qataris had set a limit of $210 million.
When are you getting married?
1892, 105×75.5 cm
In February 2015, the painting of Paul Gauguin "When will you marry?" (Nafea faa ipoipo?) was sold for $ 210 million, not ahead of, in the end, Cézanne's "Players in Cards", which in its time set a record of 250 million. However, because of the information about the 300 million dollars, allegedly paid for Gauguin’s work, the world community for more than two years thought otherwise. Anyway, it has since been eclipsed by Leonardo da Vinci‘s Salvator Mundi at Christie’s auction 2017 for $450.3 million).
Grand Palais in Paris represents now the exposition "Gauguin The Alchemist", which will be on show until January 22.
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Based on materials from news.artnet.com, official site Grand Palais in Paris.
