Category: Auctions
Christie's Results
January 31 2024
Picture: Christie's
Posted by Adam Busiakiewicz:
Christie's New York's Old Masters sale this afternoon realised $12,350,620 with 41 out of 78 lots sold (sell-through rate of 58.4% / or 52.6% inc. withdrawn lots).*
The sale got off to a good start, however, stalled a little in the middle with a collection of Italian pictures all with fairly recent provenance. The painting which soared past its estimate was Artemisia Gentileschi's Saint John the Baptist in the Wilderness (pictured) which realised $982,800 (inc. fees) past its estimate of $400k - $600k. The other picture to soar past its estimate was Sir Thomas Lawrence's Portrait of William Baker, which realised $604,800 (inc. fees) over its estimate of $200k - $300k.
The total wasn't helped by the withdrawal of several top lots, including a Pieter Brueghel II, Anne Vallayer-Coster, a pair of Michele Marieschis and a set of early Italian pictures showing the Passion of Christ.
All eyes on the Sotheby's New York sale tomorrow afternoon.
________________
* - 7 lots were withdrawn from sale.
Turner Watercolour Rediscovered
January 30 2024
Picture: BBC
Posted by Adam Busiakiewicz:
News from the West Midlands that a forgotten watercolour of Hampton Court, Herefordshire, by JMW Turner has been rediscovered in a private collection. The picture was discovered in a file with other prints and later works by an expert from an auction house during a valuation. The work will come up for sale at Minster Auctions in March carrying an estimate of £30,000 - £50,000.
Rubens vs. Van Dyck at Sotheby's New York
January 29 2024
Video: Sotheby's
Posted by Adam Busiakiewicz:
Sotheby's New York have created the following video battling out Rubens and Van Dyck's Self Portraits. The battle is presented by International Head of Old Masters Division, Christopher Apostle, and Head of NY Old Masters Department, David Pollack.
Well, I know which out of the two paintings I would pick....
€30 - €50m Rediscovered Klimt at Kinsky
January 26 2024
Picture: Kinsky
Posted by Adam Busiakiewicz:
Exciting news from Vienna that a rediscovered portrait by Gustav Klimt will be offered for sale in April. The Portrait of Fräulein Lieser was photographed as part of a Viennese exhibition in 1925, and its history afterwards remains largely unknown. It is thought the painting had been in the possession of sitter's parents, Adolf and Henriette Lieser, the latter of whom died in a concentration camp in 1942. The painting was acquired six decades ago by an Austrian citizen, and will be sold by its current owners alongside the legal successors of Adolf and Henriette. It will be offered in at Vienna's Kinsky auction house with an estimate of €30m - €50m.
Sleeper Alert!
January 25 2024
Picture: drouot.com
Posted by Adam Busiakiewicz:
News via @auctionradar that the following 'Italian School, beginning of the 18th century' realised €130,000 over its €2,000 - €3,000 estimate the at Hôtel de Ventes Horta in Brussels the other day. Regular auction watchers will know that copies of Caravaggios tend to do rather well, due to a variety of reasons which are rather hard to pin down at times (read Caravaggio's Cardsharps on Trial if you're interested in this subject). Readers may want to compare this painting to a version in the Royal Collection and to this version which sold at Christie's in 2016.
Château de Chambord acquires Monkey Landscape
January 19 2024
Picture: Christie's
Posted by Adam Busiakiewicz:
I'm a little late to the news that the Château de Chambord have announced the acquisition of this rather fun landscape, which depicts the château with monkeys and birds in the foreground. The work was sold at Christie's Paris in November where it realised €16,380.
Unfair Art Sales?
January 18 2024
Posted by Adam Busiakiewicz:
The website Observer.com has published a rather interesting piece on the question of 'unfair' art sales. The text by Daniel Grant investigates what constitutes an illegal or fraudulent sale, particularly in light of recent stories in the courts and press.
Christie's New York Old Master Drawings
January 18 2024
Picture: Christie's
Posted by Adam Busiakiewicz:
I forgot to mention that the upcoming Christie's New York Old Master Drawings sale has been published. One of the December highlights in London was Anthony Van Dyck's Portrait of Willem Hondius, a superbly executed and preserved drawing which has only recently remerged onto the market after being in a private collection for about 50 years or so. It will be offered with an estimate of $800,000 - $1,200,000, which is actually more than several of his fully autograph paintings have sold for.
Amongst the other interesting lots is this Portrait of the painter Higiemond by Joachim Sandrart (pictured), a quasi-mythical figure taken from the artist's history of painting representing an artist known as 'the Indian Higiemondo'. The catalogue note is a very interesting one, click on the link above to read in full.
Mysterious Salvator Mundi Foundation Established...
January 17 2024
Picture: salvatormundifoundation.org
Posted by Adam Busiakiewicz:
The art critic and author Ben Lewis has shared news on 'X' (formerly Twitter) that a mysterious Salvator Mundi Foundation has been established.
The foundation's website explains that:
The purpose of the foundation is to investigate the evidence that Leonardo da Vinci painted portions/versions of the Salvator Mundi portrait and to present the art history, scientific research and comparative studies of each portrait, historically referred to as the ‘Male Mona Lisa’.
There is no list of who the members or advisory board consist of, although it claims to be registered with its seat in Amsterdam. The foundation's website promises that it will be putting on exhibitions examining the themes above. Most curious.
Update - A reader has kindly been in touch with the following:
What makes it even weirder is the fact that the castle depicted is castle Bolenstein in Maarssen (not Amsterdam) and that the place is on the market by an estate agent in a private sale.
Sleeper Alert!
January 15 2024
Picture: Clarke Auction Gallery
Posted by Adam Busiakiewicz:
News via @AuctionRadar that the following painting offered as 'Circle of Giovanni Batista Tiepolo' realised $75,000 over its $600 - $900 estimate at Clarke Auction Gallery in New York yesterday.
Elton John Sales at Christie's
January 12 2024
Video: Christie's
Posted by Adam Busiakiewicz:
Following on from the ever-increasing interest in celebrity ephemera, see the recent Freddie Mercury sales for evidence of that, Christie's New York have announced a significant 8 auction series dedicated to the collection of Sir Elton John. Sir Elton has had periodic moments of selling parts of his collection, including his art nouveau and art deco collections in the 1980s, but, this seems to be far more extensive and eclectic than any previous sales. It seems only a matter of time before the media circus kicks in, and art lovers will be aghast at the amount that 'stage-worn' shoes, boots, outfits and 'sneakers' will be selling for.
Sotheby's New York Part II
January 9 2024
Picture: Sotheby's
Posted by Adam Busiakiewicz:
The upcoming Sotheby's New York Master Paintings Part II sale has been posted online. This live auction will take place on 1st February 2024.
As usual, I won't spoil the fun by pointing out any lots in particular. Happy browsing!
Three Fuselis Coming Up at Artcurial
January 5 2024
Picture: @matthieu.fournier.omp
Posted by Adam Busiakiewicz:
Exciting news via. Instagram that Artcurial will be offering three paintings by Henry Fuseli in Basel during March 2024. The works on offer, which had been in the collection of Benjamin Sharpe of Hanwell Park, Middlesex, include this rather beautiful canvas depicting Rezia throwing herself with Huon into the sea. No precise details or estimates have been provided just yet, stay tuned!
Sotheby's New York Delays Velázquez Auction
January 5 2024
Picture: The Art Newspaper
Posted by Adam Busiakiewicz:
There was much speculation in the press over the holiday regarding the disappearance (for a second time) of the aforementioned $35m Portrait Isabel de Borbón, Queen of Spain by Diego Velázquez from the Sotheby's website. Eager auction watchers had spotted that it had not been included in upcoming Sotheby's New York January sale season, despite press releases promising that it would be.
The Art Newspaper today has finally run a story explaining that the painting was "withdrawn from Sotheby’s over 'ongoing discussions' among the sellers".
According to the article above:
In a statement, the auction house said the consignors “have reluctantly decided on a temporary pause in the sale process, due to ongoing discussions on their side”. Despite this, and “given the excitement with which the Velázquez has been received thus far”, Sotheby’s said both the auction house and the sellers “look forward to offering this exceptional painting for sale in the near future”.
Sotheby's New York Part I - Now Online
December 22 2023
Picture: Sotheby's
Posted by Adam Busiakiewicz:
Sotheby's New York's upcoming Master Paintings & Sculpture Part I sale has been published online. This 53 lot sale is complimented by several other single owner sales, including A Scholar Collects: Joseph Baillio, The Estate of Jimmy Younger, The Ian & Carolina Irving Collection and the The Jordan Saunders Collection.
Highlights of the Part I sale include a Self Portrait by Rubens, a still life by Luis Meléndez, a shipping scene by Saloman Van Ruysdael, a Self Portrait by Sir Anthony Van Dyck and a beautifully preserved cassone panel by Giovanni di Ser Giovanni Guidi, called Scheggia.
Following on from yesterday's news that the Metropolitan Museum of Art are deaccessioning works of art at Christie's, Sotheby's New York also have a group of paintings which are being offered to benefit the museum's acquisition fund. This includes portraits by Sir Joshua Reynolds, George Romney, Sir Henry Raeburn, Thomas Gainsborough and a mythological painting by Johann Liss.
Fragonard realises €3.25m
December 22 2023
Picture: @Drouot
Posted by Adam Busiakiewicz:
The aforementioned rediscovered Fragonard of a Young Girl in a Hat realised a respectable €3.25m with the auctioneers Boisgirard - Antonini yesterday. Although perhaps not the most visually appealing subject out there by the artist, the exquisite condition and 'fresh to the market' qualities obviously won out! It also shows that an enticing estimate, in this case €400,000 - 600,000, did its job well.
How the Velázquez left Spain
December 21 2023
Posted by Adam Busiakiewicz:
The Spanish Newspaper El País have published an article delving into the provenance of Sotheby's New York's upcoming Diego Velázquez's Portrait Isabel de Borbón, Queen of Spain. It details the possible routes the portrait left Spain in the early-nineteenth century during the Peninsula Wars and the Spanish War of Independence. It was in the collections of King Louis Philippe I in Paris by 1838, and later entered a British aristocratic collection until it was sold in 1950. According to lawyers consulted by the newspaper, any potential restitution claims by the Spanish state is "very complicated".
Christie's New York Sale Online
December 20 2023
Picture: Christie's
Posted by Adam Busiakiewicz:
Exciting news that Christie's New York have published their upcoming January Old Master Paintings Sale online. Containing no fewer than 78 lots,* this live sale will take place on 31st January 2024.
Highlights of the auction include a powerful pair of Venetian views by Michele Marieschi, estimated at $2 - $3m. Other highlights include works by Lo Scheggia, Giulio Cesare Procaccini, Ambrosius Bosschaert, Anne Vallayer-Coster (pictured), Joachim Beuckelaer, Peter Paul Rubens and Fragonard (the last two of which have been upgraded after appearing in minor sales).
It is also worth mentioning that the auction house have already published their Part II sale online also. As usual, I won't spoil the fun by pointing out any potential interesting works in this particular auction.
* - This is compared to the 40 lots offered in the London December sales.
Lorenzettis Soar!
December 15 2023
Picture: tajan.com
Posted by Adam Busiakiewicz:
As expected, the previously mentioned pair of Pietro Lorenzettis soared well past their estimates at Tajan this week. Saint Silvestre realised €3,034,800 over its €1.5m - €2m estimate and Sainte Hélène realised €1,657,600.00 over its €400k - €600k estimate.
Curiously, the following portrait catalogued as 'Circle of Arthur Devis' also achieved an impressive price of €81,344 over its €3,000 - €5,000 estimate. Perhaps someone has managed to crack the attribution?
Rijksmuseum Display Christie's Rembrandt Portraits
December 13 2023
Picture: Rijksmuseum
Posted by Adam Busiakiewicz:
News from the Netherlands that the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam have displayed two rediscovered Rembrandt portraits that appeared in this year's Christie's London Old Master Paintings sale. The works, which had descended into a Scottish noble collection, eventually made £11,235,000 over their £5m - £8m estimate and were acquired by the Holterman family who has generously loaned them to the museum. As you can see, the owners have already done a rather good job of reframing the pair in ebony style frames, which does enhance their appearance greatly I think!
