Renate Graf © Philipp Hochmair

‘I am not a photographer in the classic sense, my images exist to serve a different purpose from those of any true photographer, they are neither complete nor conclusive. Nor are they perfect photographs as of a photography seeking technical perfection. They work not only as image, but as language, as signposts pointing towards meaning ... they do not define, they witness, and in the vast cultural variety of an universe they are a language by itself, my language to describe what I see. They are my own language to try to describe the world as I see it.’ 

Renate Graf is a renowned Austrian photographer who developed her own uniquely idiosyncratic visual style. From the early 1990s onwards, she has built an oeuvre around atmospheric black and white images inspired by her frequent travels to India and elsewhere. Renate Graf’s work is largely influenced by the time she spent in the studio of Anselm Kiefer. In 2013, she published the book ‘Journal 1992-2012’ uniting over two decades of creative output. Since then, she has exhibited all over the world from Monterrey to Stuttgart and Rio de Janeiro. Today, she divides her time between her homes in Paris and Lisbon.

Renate Graf’s collection of six jewels by JAR is a testimony to her ongoing search for beauty in purified, simple lines. These pieces stand out in the oeuvre of JAR for their uncharacteristically simple mounts, allowing the gemstones to evoke a world of their own. In particular, the rich tones of the orangy pink morganite and tourmaline and the everchanging changing nuances of the sapphire, exude an expressive power unhindered by their simple chain settings.

Lot 643. From the Collection of Renate Graf. 135.83 carats Morganite Necklace, JAR. Estimate 140,000 - 230,000 CHF. © Sotheby's

Set with an oval morganite weighing 135.83 carats, length approximately 720mm, adjustable to shorter length approximately 340mm,signed JAR, French maker’s and assay marks for platinum, case stamped JAR. 

Lot 644. From the Collection of Renate Graf. 29.47 carats Cushion-shaped Tourmaline Ring, JAR. Estimate 140,000 - 230,000 CHF. © Sotheby's

Set with a cushion-shaped tourmaline weighing 29.47 carats, size 48, unsigned, French maker’s and assay mark for platinum, case stamped JAR.

Lot 645. From the Collection of Renate Graf. 91.70 carats Impressive Colour Change Sapphire Bracelet, JAR. Estimate 550,000 - 730,000 CHF. © Sotheby's