Divine Comedy

Sotheby’s Divine Comedy
2010

Sotheby’s New York presented its first private selling exhibition with a comic twist inspired by Dante’s vision of Inferno, Purgatory, and Paradise. The exhibition “investigates the comedic side of art from ancient times to today through the lens of Dante’s epic poem,” according to the official description. The exhibition, which ran from 30 September to 19 October 2010, was accompanied by a limited edition, fully illustrated catalog including 80 works dating from the first century to the present including Pieter Brueghel, Auguste Rodin, Salvador Dali, Francis Bacon, Andy Warhol, Jeff Koons, and Maurizio Cattelan — works that span in price from $30,000 to over $10 million.

Not everything in “Divine Comedy” was for sale, Ms. Dennison said because she wanted to include material that would flesh out the show’s theme. On view was one of Richard Prince’s nurse paintings from 2005, a Flag Art Foundation loan that was not for sale, and a 1950s painting by Francis Bacon that came from anonymous collectors.

The opening reception brought out the likes of Julianne Moore, Padma Lakshmi, Alan Cumming, Emily Mortimer, and Jeisa Chiminazzo. Author James Frey was also on hand to sign a fully-illustrated limited-edition exhibition catalog featuring “Il Divino Bambino,” his reinterpretation of the original “Divine Comedy.”

Inferno: Among the cruel and most throng, people were running naked and affrighted.
Purgatory: Far greater is the fear, wherein suspended my soul is the torment underneath.
Paradise: O joy O gladness inexpressible! O perfect life of love and peacefulness!

Client: Sotheby’s Private Selling Exhibition; Art Director & Designer: Tirso Montan; Creative Directors: Sandra Burch, Tirso Montan; Marketing Directors: Roseline Michael Neveling, Amy Todd Middleton; Event Director: Michael Moore; Photography: Richard Lee, Peter Gregoire; Production Manager: Sotheby’s - Spire Stephen Stanger; Vendor: Phoenix Lithograph Keith Harrington; Curator: Lisa Dennison Chairman for Sotheby’s North and South America; Award: Graphis Design Annual (2012) Gold Award