Paul Cézanne, Nature morte au melon vert, 1902-06, est. $14/18 million. Image courtesy of Sotheby's

NEW YORK.- On May 8, 2007 Sotheby’s New York will have the privilege of offering for sale the most important watercolor by Paul Cézanne remaining in private hands, Nature morte au melon vert. Executed in 1902-06, this exquisite masterwork is being sold by the world’s premier connoisseur of Chinese Art, Giuseppe Eskenazi, who has kept it in his private collection for nearly two decades. This is the third time that Sotheby’s has had the honour of offering this work for sale – first, in the legendary sale of The Robert von Hirsch Collection in 1978, one of the greatest collections to be sold by Sotheby’s since World War II, and second, in the sale of The British Rail Pension Fund in 1989, the finest collection to be sold in Europe in the 1980s at the pinnacle of the art market. Mr. Eskenazi purchased the work at the 1989 sale for a record price for a watercolour by the artist (£2,530,000; $4,301,990); a record that still stands today. It is estimated to sell for $14/18 million. Also being offered by Mr. Eskenazi are three other watercolours by Cézanne depicting classic scenes of the artist’s beloved Provence. All four works will be on view at Sotheby’s London from April 17 to 20, 2007 and in New York from May 3 to 7, 2007, prior to their sale on the evening of May 8, 2007. La suite sur http://www.artdaily.com/section/news/index.asp?int_sec=2&int_new=19558