Category: Auctions
Sleeper Alert!
March 29 2021
Picture: schulerauktionen.ch
Posted by Adam Busiakiewicz:
Here's a sleeper from last week that looked rather interesting. The above painting of Adam and Eve, catalogued as 'In the style of Bartholomaeus Spranger' made 110,000 CHF over its 1,500 - 2,500 CHF estimate in Switzerland. The auction house have supplied very high resolution images which are worth zooming into.
Sotheby's Modern and Renaissance Results
March 26 2021
Picture: Sotheby's
Posted by Adam Busiakiewicz:
Last night's Modern and Renaissance sale at Sotheby's London brought in a total of £96,860,164 with 87.24% of lots sold, minus three lots that seem to have been withdrawn before the sale.
The two old masters in the sale just about managed to hit their low estimates. Piero del Pollaiuolo's Portrait of a Youth made £3,900,000 (hammer price), £4,564,000 (with fees), which was right at the bottom end of its £4,000,000 low estimate. The newly upgraded Giulio Romano portrait also just managed to hit its low estimate at £378,000 (with fees).
The most impressive results came from twentieth century works. Arshile Gorky's Garden in Sochi made £8,585,700 over its £2.2m - £2.8m estimate, Edvard Munch's Summer Day or Embrace on the Beach (The Linde Frieze) made £16,284,000 over its £9m - £12m estimate, Frank Dobson's Female Torso made £2,041,750 over its £250k - £350k estimate, and František Kupka's Le Jaillissement II (Tryskání II) made £7,551,600 over its £1.5m - £2.5m estimate.
On the same day at Sotheby's Paris, Van Gogh's Montmarte scene brought in €13,091,250, smashing through its €5m - €8m estimate.
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Overall, it seems as if the new cross-category sales are going rather well. Although, from an Old Masters point of view, it was noticeable that the sale featured far fewer pictures compared to last July's Rembrandt to Richter auction. As the name suggested, it was very much a Modern and Contemporary Sale with two nice Renaissance portraits thrown in. With no works represented from the seventeenth, eighteenth or nineteenth century, it's hard to claim that this was a truly cross category offering. However, as we all know, the comparable scarcity of high value old master paintings does also play its part in dictating what sort of sales auction houses can put together.
We shall look forward to seeing what the July sales bring!
Fragonard Philosopher Reappears
March 25 2021
Picture: Gazette Drouot
Posted by Adam Busiakiewicz:
A long lost painting of a philosopher by Fragonard has been rediscovered in Champagne, France, by the auctioneers Petit et le cabinet Turquin. The painting was known only by written references before now. As is evident from the fabulous brushwork, the painting channels the energy of seventeenth century painters including the likes of Frans Hals and Rembrandt. However, it is perhaps the lighter palette that gives it away as a painting of the late eighteenth century. A corresponding work from the same series, dating to 1764, is found in the Kunsthalle Hamburg.
The painting will be offered for sale later this year with an estimate of €1.5m - €2m.
Here is the write-up from La Tribune de 'Art.
Sleeper Alert!
March 24 2021
Picture: Sotheby's
Posted by Adam Busiakiewicz:
Sotheby's sale of the family collection of the late Countess of Mountbatten of Burma has already had its first sleeper!
The above portrait of Matthew Parker (1504-1575), Archbishop of Canterbury, catalogued as by a Follower of Holbein, has just made £189,000 over its £2,000 - £3,000 estimate.
Update - And another! This portrait of Thomas, Lord Seymour, just made £94,500 over its £4,000 - £6,000 estimate.
Cranach the Younger Soars
March 24 2021
Picture: Beurret Bailly Widmer Auktionen
Posted by Adam Busiakiewicz:
News on Twitter (via. @auctionradar) that the above portrait of a Lady by Lucas Cranach the Younger soared past its 80,000 - 120,000 CHF estimate to make 740,000 CHF (roughly £577,000) at Beurret Bailly Widmer Auktionen in Switzerland today.
Louvre Abu Dhabi Buys 27 Artworks
March 24 2021
Picture: artnet.com
Posted by Adam Busiakiewicz;
Artnet.com have published an article on the latest news that the Louvre Abu Dhabi has purchased 27 major artworks over the past year. This includes the aforementioned painting by Georges de La Tour which made €4.3m with fees last December. Other significant works purchased include pieces by Marc Chagall and Auguste Rodin.
Workshop of Giambologna Ostrich at Cheffins
March 23 2021
Picture: Cheffins
Posted by Adam Busiakiewicz:
Here's a story I haven't spotted in the English speaking art press yet.
The auction house Cheffins will be offering a rare Ostrich by the Workshop of sculptor Giambologna in their upcoming April sale. It's believed the piece may have been created in collaboration with Pietro Tacca of Carrara.
The work had previously been in the collection of Horace Walpole at Strawberry Hill before it was eventually sold to John Dunn-Gardner of Suffolk where it descended to the present owners. The work was spotted by the auction house specialists after the same owner had consigned some paintings for a previous sale.
The Ostrich will be offered with an estimate of £80,000 - £120,000 on 21st April 2021.
Bernini Drawing Makes €1.93m
March 22 2021
Picture: @ActeonSenlis
Posted by Adam Busiakiewicz:
The aforementioned rediscovered drawing by Bernini went on to make a whopping €1,937,500 (including fees) at auction last Saturday, soaring past its 30k - 50k estimate. The auction house has said that it went to a 'private collector'. A surer sign than ever perhaps that it was judged by multiple bidders to be 'right'.
Old Master Drawings at Christie's Paris
March 19 2021
Picture: Christie's
Posted by Adam Busiakiewicz:
Christie's Paris have two rather interesting sales of Old Master Drawings coming up next week. The first consists of an exceptional collection of drawings from a private collection, featuring works by the likes of Camillo Procaccini, Hendrick Goltzius, Bernardo Strozzi and Guercino. The second is a more straightforward sale from various sources, making a good case for why works on paper are an accessible way to get into collecting.
Both sales will be held on 24th March 2021.
Bonhams Old Masters Sale
March 19 2021
Picture: Bonhams
Posted by Adam Busiakiewicz:
Bonhams London have uploaded their upcoming Old Master Paintings sale onto their website. There are many interesting paintings which I encourage you all to look through when you have the chance. One of the most intriguing is a curious fresco modello attributed to James Thornhill, which must surely be connected to some surviving or since destroyed work.
The sale will be held on 15th April 2021.
Dunrobin Attic Sale
March 17 2021
Picture: Bonhams
Posted by Adam Busiakiewicz:
Bonhams have finally uploaded the online catalogue for their upcoming Dunrobin Castle Attic Sale which will be held on 20th April 2021. It's filled with all the interesting and eclectic things one would expect from such a sale.
On the paintings front, the rather light cataloguing and low estimates seem to have been especially devised to be as tempting as possible. For example, lot 32 contains the above three paintings estimated at a mere £1,000 - £2,000. There are many other portraits, watercolours and drawings estimated at much less.
Modern Renaissance at Sotheby's
March 15 2021
Picture: Sotheby's
Posted by Adam Busiakiewicz:
Sotheby's London have published the lots of their upcoming cross-category sale entitled Modern Renaissance. The sale will be held on 25th March 2021.
The sale is packed with many twentieth century works, with practically all the big names represented. Of particular interest are two works by Edvard Munch. Firstly, Summer Day or Embrace on the Beach (The Linde Frieze), painted in 1904 which carries a £9m - £12m estimate. Secondly, a 1926 self-portrait of the artist, estimated at £4.5m - £6.5m. Picasso is also well represented in the sale, with a 1941 Seated Portrait of a Lady being the most expensive example estimated at £6.5m - £8.5m.
Only two paintings are represented on the old masters front, a reduction compared to last summer's Rembrandt to Richter sale. Alongside Piero del Pollaiuolo's Portrait of a Youth, estimated at £4m - £6m, is a recently upgraded portrait by Giulio Romano (pictured). This head and shoulders portrait of a Lady had sold at the Dorotheum, Vienna, in 2000 where it was attributed to Bronzino. It has since been endorsed as a original work by Romano by two Italian scholars. The work will carry an estimate of £300k - £500k.
Auction House to Donate Slice of Commission to Cultural Institutions
March 12 2021
Picture: Olympia Auctions
Posted by Adam Busiakiewicz:
Olympia Auctions in West London, formerly known as 25 Blythe Road, have recently announced an interesting fundraising initiative. For their three upcoming Pictures, Arms & Armour and Decorative Arts sales they'll be donating half of their specially reduced 10% commission to three cultural institutions. In line with the interests of the auction house, the three charities that will be benefitting are The Wallace Collection, Westminster Abbey and The Grange Festival.
Amongst the works of art already consigned for the Pictures auction on 28th April 2021 is this rather lovely Portrait of a Boy and Whippet by Godfrey Kneller and Studio (no estimate published yet).
Update - The Kneller will carry a very tempting estimate of £4,000 - £6,000.
The Emperor's New Clothes
March 12 2021
Picture: Christie's
Posted by Adam Busiakiewicz:
History was made yesterday at Christie's. A total of $69m (inc. fees) was paid by a anonymous bidder for the artwork above. Indeed, this work of art is not physical at all, but a digital NFT (non-fungible token) dreamt up by the digital artist Beeple. It consists of a collage of thousands of images created daily by the artist over a period of thirteen years.
Zoom in closer and you'll see the ephemera that has been spliced together to create this confusion. Why exactly has this type of digital creation being heralded as the new craze in art? It seems that the fad for NFTs is bound up in the zeitgeist of our age. They are seemingly promoted and collected by the fashionable entrepreneurs of big tech companies. People can spend their money as they wish, but will these works be of lasting interest? Or will they be discarded as quickly as an old electric car, and survive as long as it takes for the artwork's memory card to corrupt.
Tune in to Bendor and Waldemar's podcast on Sunday to hear their live reaction to the sale.
Sotheby's Mid-Season Sale
March 11 2021
Picture: Sotheby's
Posted by Adam Busiakiewicz:
Sotheby's New York have published their upcoming Master Paintings & Drawings sale onto their website. This online sale will take place between 16th - 23rd March 2021. As is expected from a mid-season sale, the estimates are very reasonable and tempting. Equally, there are many lots sold without reserve, so there are sure to be some bargains to be found!
Frescos from the Palazzo Torlonia Up for Sale
March 10 2021
Picture: finarte.it
Posted by Adam Busiakiewicz:
On 11th March 2021 frescos from the Palazzo Torlonia in Rome will be put up for sale by the auction house Finarte.
Included in the sale are (forgive the poor translation):
five by the Bergamo painter Francesco Coghetti , one by the Venetian Pietro Paoletti , one by Nicola Consoniuno from Lazio and Filippo Bigioli from the Marche region, a fresco attributed to Alessandro Bombelli and three from the Italian School of the first half of the 19th century. In addition, the two plaster panels by the Prussian sculptor Julius Troschel based on compositions by Bertel Thorvaldsen, coming from the demolished Palazzo Torlonia in Piazza Venezia in Rome.
The sale of the 12 frescos, and one other relief, have caused a stir in Italy. The works had been due to be sold individually on 23rd February before the Italian authorities stepped in. They have since been declared of 'exceptional interest' and the auction house has been forced to sell the collection as one single lot.
All the works will be sold together on 11th March 2021, without buyers commission, carrying an estimate of €60,000 - €100,000.
Are there any Rembrandts for Sale?
March 9 2021
Picture: Rembrandthuis
Posted by Adam Busiakiewicz:
The Rembrandthuis in Amsterdam are hosting a webinar on 11th March 2021 entitled Are there any Rembrandts for Sale? The two speakers are Baukje Coenen, Senior director Old Masters, Sotheby’s Amsterdam, and the art dealer and art historian Jan Six.
The free to attend webinar will explore:
the latest trends in the international art market and the scarcity of available Old Masters artworks. What are the implications for the international art trade and museums? Will new restoration techniques and modern technology make it possible to attribute more works to Old Masters?
Marquis de Lagoy's Rubens Drawing up for Sale
March 8 2021
Picture: Drouotdigital
Posted by Adam Busiakiewicz:
An intriguing drawing by Peter Paul Rubens is coming up from sale in Paris later this month. The work is being sold from the collection of the Marquis de Lagoy. It depicts a frontispiece designed by Rubens for the mathematician Franciscus Aguilonius's book l'Opticorum Libri Sex (c.1613). It depicts an allegorical scene of scholar, burdened by a heavy armillary sphere, being assisted by a group of putti.
The drawing will be sold on 26th March 2021 carrying an estimate of €200,000 - €300,000.
Painting Auctioneer Described as "Ugly and Damaged" makes €14k
March 8 2021
Picture: Stanislas Machoïr
Posted by Adam Busiakiewicz:
I was amused by this article which has been published on the news website connexionfrance.com. It describes the unexpected fate of the painting above which appeared at auction in France last week catalogued as 'Mexican School 19th Century'. Despite being described by the auctioneer Stanislas Machoïr as "ugly and torn", the painting soared past its €30 - €50 estimate to make €14,600 (inc. fees).
The auctioneer gave the following statement:
The buyer is a British person who fought with an American as though it was a very famous painting. But it’s probably just a painting done by an amateur, such as we find all over France, sometimes in churches.
It seems that [such works] are rare in South America, where it will be sent. But honestly, after expert assessment, it is worth nowhere near this sum. It is however possible, according to this buyer, that he may still be able to make a profit.
This is surprising but, according to him, there is a strong demand [for such works] in these countries. That's new to me. I've sold hundreds of paintings, but this one, let's face it, is ugly - and on top of that it's damaged, and very torn up. It’s a very strange case.
Newly Discovered Augustus John Drawing Offered in Yorkshire
March 3 2021
Picture: Tennants
Posted by Adam Busiakiewicz:
The auction house Tennants in Yorkshire will be offering a newly discovered drawing by Augustus John in their upcoming March sale. The unrecorded drawing of John's mistress and muse Dorelia was uncovered in a private collection. It will be sold on 20th March 2021 with an estimate of £7,000 - £10,000.
Update - The drawing made £16,000 (hammer price).
