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Helen Khal (1923-2009) Untitled (Yellow), c. 1970's
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Details
Signed ‘H. Khal’ (lower left); signed again ‘H. KHAL’ on the reverse.
Sizes:
Artwork: 80 × 60 cm | 31.5 × 23.6 in
A field of saturated yellow holds, within a soft green-grey border, two pale rectangles stacked one above the other: the upper one cream with a lighter inner panel, the lower one a cool lavender grey set in a frame of warm ivory, the two divided by a thin band of green and gold. At the foot a small grey tab breaks the yellow margin. The edges of every shape are brushed, not ruled, so that the colours breathe into one another and the picture seems lit from within.
This is Helen Khal’s signature manner, the meditative colour-field abstraction she arrived at in Beirut in the late 1960s and 1970s while teaching at the American University: rectangles that carry no symbol but colour itself, in her words ‘containers of colour’, and above all her yellow, the colour of the Lebanese light. Khal (1923–2009), co-founder of Gallery One in 1963 and the subject of a Sursock Museum retrospective in 2019–20, is today among the most sought-after Lebanese modernists; our two previous canvases by her, in December 2024 and July 2025, both sold far above estimate.
Provenance
Private Collection, Spain.
Condition Report
Oil on canvas, unlined, on its original stretcher. The paint layer is stable and clean, with no losses observed; the tacking margins sound; unframed. Please contact us to request a detailed Condition Report.
Shipping
Packed as size M (up to 80 × 60 cm) · 80 × 60 cm
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- Made-to-measure wooden crate (works over 20,000 €)
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We coordinate packing and shipping on your behalf, with insurance available if you’d like it — or you’re welcome to arrange your own. Please see our Shipping Information page for full details before completing your purchase.
Authenticity & Buyer Information
This lot is catalogued under the artist’s name without qualification. Provenance, dating and condition are described to the best of our knowledge; the sale is governed by our Conditions of Sale.
Buyers should review the catalogue carefully and raise any questions before bidding; additional information is not ordinarily provided after the auction.
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Market context
Signed colour-field oils by Helen Khal of this size and period have sold at auction in 2025 for the equivalent of about 20,000 to 40,000 € including premium; the two Khal canvases we have offered ourselves, in December 2024 and July 2025, made 37,500 € and 30,000 € hammer.
| Date | Sale | Work | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| 12 November 2025 | Rago, Lambertville NJ | Untitled, c. 1975, oil on canvas laid to board, 66 x 48 cm | 44,450 USD (estimate 25,000–35,000) |
| 21 May 2025 | Bonhams, London | Blue Horizon, 1979, oil on canvas, 59 x 44.5 cm | 23,040 GBP with premium |
| 26 July 2025 | Aurora & Athena, Barcelona | Green over Yellow, oil on canvas, 100 x 71 cm | 30,000 EUR hammer (estimate 8,000–10,000) |
| 7 December 2024 | Aurora & Athena | Untitled, oil on canvas, 100 x 100 cm | 37,500 EUR hammer (estimate 6,000–8,000) |
Prices as published by the selling houses, including their buyer’s premium, in the currency of the sale. Estimate for this lot: €15,000–25,000.
What it costs
Bidding on this site, the buyer’s premium is 25%, Spanish IVA included. There is no VAT on the hammer price and no card fee.
| Starting price | Low estimate | High estimate | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hammer price | €10,000 | €15,000 | €25,000 |
| Buyer’s premium 25% (IVA included) | €2,500 | €3,750 | €6,250 |
| Total on auroraathena.com | €12,500 | €18,750 | €31,250 |
| Total through a bidding platform (30%) | €13,000 | €19,500 | €32,500 |
Through LiveAuctioneers, Invaluable, Drouot or Bidspirit the premium is 30%: the same hammer of €25,000 costs €32,500 there against €31,250 here. Shipping and insurance are quoted separately; the estimator below gives the figure for your country. Buyers outside the EU pay no Spanish tax on the lot; the destination’s import rules apply (United States: original paintings and drawings enter duty-free; United Kingdom: 5% import VAT on art). Card payments are accepted up to €10,000; larger amounts by bank transfer.
Questions about this lot
How does the estimate compare with the artist’s recent auction results?
Signed colour-field oils by Helen Khal of this size and period have sold at auction in 2025 for the equivalent of about 20,000 to 40,000 € including premium; the two Khal canvases we have offered ourselves, in December 2024 and July 2025, made 37,500 € and 30,000 € hammer.
The results we compared are listed under “Market context” on this page, each with its source, so you can check them.
What will this lot cost in total?
Bidding on this site, the buyer’s premium is 25%, Spanish IVA included, and there is no VAT on the hammer price and no card fee: at the starting price of €10,000 the total is €12,500; at the low estimate of €15,000 the total is €18,750; at the high estimate of €25,000 the total is €31,250.
Through LiveAuctioneers, Invaluable, Drouot or Bidspirit the premium is 30%, so the same hammer of €25,000 costs €32,500 there. Shipping and insurance are quoted separately; the estimator on this page gives the figure for your country. Buyers outside the EU pay no Spanish tax on the lot; the destination’s import rules apply (United States: original paintings and drawings enter duty-free; United Kingdom: 5% import VAT on art). Card payments are accepted up to €10,000; larger amounts by bank transfer.
How is this lot catalogued?
Under the artist’s name without qualification. Provenance, dating, condition and value are described to the best of our knowledge; the sale is governed by the Conditions of Sale.
Can I see the condition report, more photographs or the work itself?
A condition report with ultraviolet photographs is prepared on request, normally within two working days; the condition summary on this page is examined in-house and is not a conservator’s report. Further photographs of any detail, the reverse or the frame are sent on request. The work can be examined in our Barcelona showroom by appointment before the sale, and you are welcome to send your own conservator or specialist.
How does bidding work, and can a maximum bid make me overpay?
You can leave a maximum bid before the sale (the sale is on Saturday, November 28th - 17:00 (CET)) or bid live in our online room. A maximum bid is executed by the auctioneer only as much as is needed to stay ahead of other bidders, in the sale’s increments, never above your maximum.
Where a reserve exists it never exceeds the low estimate; a lot without a reserve sells to the highest bid at or above the starting price of €10,000.
Is there a limit on how much I can bid?
Every account is approved for bidding as soon as the e-mail address is confirmed, with a limit of €5,000 per bid until the identity is verified. The limit applies everywhere: in the live room, on the lot page and to maximum bids. To bid without a limit, verify your identity in your account on this site: it takes about three minutes on a phone, is done once, and the limit is lifted automatically as soon as the check is complete. Please do it at least an hour before the sale.
Helen Khal
Helen Khal, an influential Lebanese-American artist, used her work to capture the vibrant landscapes and emotional nuances of Lebanon. Born in Pennsylvania and raised in both the U.S. and Lebanon, Khal’s unique cultural perspective allowed her to blend Western artistic techniques with the colors and light of the Middle East. Her paintings are known for their rich hues, soft shapes, and introspective quality, reflecting the warmth and resilience of her homeland. Khal’s works often feel like meditations on place and identity, resonating with a quiet yet profound beauty.
Through her exploration of color and form, Khal conveyed a deep sense of belonging and connection to Lebanon. Her paintings focus less on exact representation and more on the emotional essence of landscapes and memories, creating an almost dreamlike atmosphere. As both an artist and writer, Khal played a significant role in the Lebanese art scene, championing contemporary art and inspiring a generation of artists. Her legacy continues to shine, capturing the spirit of Lebanon and celebrating the cultural richness of her roots in a way that transcends borders and speaks universally to identity and home.
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