Francis Bacon’s “Pope,” from about 1958, at Sotheby’s. Credit…The Estate of Francis Bacon/DACS, London/ARS, NY; via Sotheby’s.

Here are nuggets tweezered from a story about heartburn in the high-dollar art market.

This time around, there are few museum-quality works by the most famous artists to tempt billionaires — no painting or sculpture is estimated to sell for more than $45 million…

The auction… includes a full-length Francis Bacon “Pope” painting from about 1958… It is certain to sell for at least $6 million… The painting was made in Tangier during his violent love affair with the ex-fighter pilot, Peter Lacy… This was one of six given by the artist to his friend Nicolas Brusilowski, on the understanding that the canvas would be reused… “It was a throw-out and it depresses me he did not destroy the image…,” wrote Bacon.

David Hockney’s rediscovered “Sur la Terrasse,” acrylic on canvas, 1971. Credit…via Christie’s.

For many, the one out-and-out trophy of the season is David Hockney’s rediscovered acrylic on canvas, “Sur la Terrasse”… The $25 million to $45 million estimate makes it the most highly valued lot of the week… The… composition… depicts Mr. Hockney’s then-lover, Peter Schlesinger, on the balcony of the couple’s room at the Hotel La Mamounia in Marrakesh in 1971…

(Scott Reyburn, “Will Global Jitters Dull the Glitter of New York’s Art Gigaweek?” NYTimes, 11-11-19)

(c) 2019 JMN