New York (AFP)

The big spring sales of Sotheby's will be held this year without public and entirely at a distance, announced Friday the auction house, a first in the history of these sales which brew billions of dollars each year.

New York City has not yet announced a date for lifting strict confinement in effect since late March to combat the spread of the coronavirus or a timetable for resuming economic activity.

Sotheby's has therefore taken the lead by organizing its sales of modern and contemporary art without audience, on June 29.

Concretely, the president of Sotheby's Europe, Oliver Barker, will lead the sale from London, broadcast online and live.

At the same time, home specialists will be located in several cities around the world, including New York, and will respond directly to buyers' calls.

Collectors will also be able to bid directly online.

"For almost 30 years that I have been on the (art) market, this has never happened," confirmed Amy Cappellazzo, president in charge of fine arts at Sotheby's, during a video conference at subject of this method of organization for sales of this magnitude.

"But we are fortunate to be equipped with exceptional technology that allows this, when it would have been impossible 5 years ago," she added.

Three sales will be held consecutively on June 29, in the same format.

The dispersal of the collection of Ginny Williams, an American who made her fortune in cable television, will be followed by the sale of contemporary art, the evening ending with that devoted to the Impressionists and modern art.

Among the flagship works of these sales is a triptych by the American painter Francis Bacon, inspired by the Orestie d'Eschyle, estimated at $ 60 million.

Will also be offered the painting 1947-YN ° 1 by the American painter Clyfford Still, estimated between 25 and 35 million dollars, and the painting White Brushstroke I by the American artist Roy Lichtenstein, estimated between 20 and 30 million.

Sotheby's has chosen to maintain its sales at the end of June and not to align itself with its big rival, Christie's, which will hold its own on July 10, a very rare difference.

To justify its decision, Sotheby's explained that the alignment of dates has so far aimed to allow a significant number of buyers to travel to New York to attend the sales of all the large houses in the same week.

But restrictions on international travel are still in effect in many countries, including the United States, which should significantly limit the number of people physically present in July at Christie's sales, which will open public event.

© 2020 AFP