By Carter B. Horsley

This day auction of Impressionist and Modern Art at Sotheby's November 5, 2004 is something of a let-down after the previous night's evening auction that was filled with numerous blockbusters, but it does offer several fine sculptures and some smaller choice paintings.

The loveliest offering is Lot 114, "Tete de Femme," a fine small drawing by Edgar Degas (1834-1917). A pencil on paper that measures 9 1/8 by 7 inches, it is stamped with the Atelier stamp and was once with Wildenstein & Co. It has an estimate of $60,000 to $80,000. It sold for $84,000 including the buyer's premium as do all results mentioned in this article.

Another small but charming work is Lot 217, "Mateo F. De Soto," a pastel and charcoal on paper by Pablo Picasso (1881-1973). It measures 16 1/8 by 9 7/8 inches and was executed circa 1899-1900. The catogue entry notes that "The present work is a haunting depiction of Mateu Fernandez de Soto, with the sculptor cloaked in black, juxtaposed against a hazy background," adding that "Rather than a simple caricature, de Soto is shrouded in an air of mystery, perhaps providing a glimpse into what drew Picasso to this character." It has an estimate of $280,000 to $350,000. It sold for $372,000.

Another good study is Lot 158, "Femme Enlevant Sa Chemise," by Henri De Toulouse-Lautrec (1864-1901). An oil on board depicting a nude woman removing her shirt, it measures 26 3/8 by 17 inches and was executed in 1896. It has an estimate of $500,000 to $700,000. It failed to sell.

Another nude is Lot 164, "La Sieste," by Henri Lebasque (1865-1937). An oil on canvas that measures 35 by 45 5/8 inches, it has an estimate of $300,000 to $400,000. It sold for $114,000. "Monumental in scale and subject matter," the catalogue noted, "the present work highlights Lebasque's fascination with both the portrayal of the female nude and her rich adjoining ornamentation, showing delight in depicting luxuriant fabrics and color."

Lot 185, "Le Petite Dejeuner Aux Pavillons," is a fine oil on board by Edouard Vuillard (1868-1940). It measures 22 3/4 by 30 1/2 inches and was executed in 1910. The catalogue notes that it was painted at a villa in Cricqueboeuf, Normandy where the artist stayed along with his family and the family of Joe Hessel, a prominent art dealer. The catalogue entry describes the work as "a prime example of Vuillard's mature style," adding that "Even though it is painted in a more conservative manner, the artist succeeded in retaining many of the characteristics of his work from his celebrated Nabis period. Earlier in his career the decorative flatness of his compositions had given a formal unit to the wide variety of highly patterned surfaces that competed for attention." It has an estimate of $400,000 to $600,000. It sold for $489,600.

Lot 313 is a good work by Wassily Kandinsky (1866-1944) entitled "Ohne Titel." A gouache heightened with white on black paper laid down on card, it measures 12 5/8 by 19 1/2 inches and has an estimate of $200,000 to $300,000. It sold for $209,600.

The auction has several fine sculptures by Jean Arp (1886-1966) from the Estate of Sarabel Florsheim. Lot 208, "La Dame de Delos," is a particularly voluptuous white marble sculpture that is 14 1/2 inches high. It was executed in 1959 and has an estimate of $200,000 to $300,000. It sold for $220,800.

Lot 207, another fine Arp from the Florsheim collection, is entitled "Coquille Crystal." The polished bronze is 12 5/8 inches high and was conceived in 1938 and cast in an edition of thre of which this is the second probably in 1956 or earlier. It has an estimate of $60,000 to $80,000. It sold for $51,000.

Another consignment from the Florsheim estate is Lot 198, "La Parisienne," a superb bronze sculpture by Max Ernst (1891-1976) that is 31 inches high. Conceived in 1950, it was cast in 1959-60 in an edition of 9 plus one cast numbered 0/9 and four lettered H.C. It has an estimate of $150,000 to $200,000. It sold for $355,200.

Lot 278 is a striking 40-inch-high bronze by Henry Moore entitled "Two Three-Quarter Figures on Base." It was cast in an edition of 9 in 1984 and this is number 2/9. It has an estimate of $200,000 to $300,000. It sold for $512,000.