Christie's Withdraws Murillo from Sale
April 20 2021
Picture: Left - The Museum of Fine Arts of Seville / Right - Christie's
Posted by Adam Busiakiewicz:
Interesting news today on social media that Christie's has withdrawn a Murillo from their upcoming Old Master Paintings sale in New York. The painting was catalogued as a newly discovered 'ricordo' of St Francis Embracing Christ on the Cross (right), of which the primary version survives in The Museum of Fine Arts of Seville (left). The Christie's version had been estimated at $1.2m - $1.8m. Notably, the lot and accompanying press release has been removed from the auction house's website.
Christie's are yet to make any public statement as to why the painting was withdrawn, so any suggestion of exactly why remains mere speculation.
On what might be a completely unrelated note, the Spanish art historian Pablo Hereza, writer of an alternative catalogue raisonné on the artist, has been making several posts on Twitter this month explaining why he thinks that the work is a later copy. Alongside his various pieces of evidence is the fact that the work was sold as 'Andalusian School 18th Century' in 2009 estimated at €6,000 - €7,000, a description which he claims is more representative of the painting's quality as a copy.
Update - Christie's have kindly replied to a message I sent yesterday confirming that the work has been withdrawn from the sale. They have also indicated that they will not be making a statement.
