Category: Auctions
Hispanic Society Museum Online Auction at Christie's
September 23 2025
Picture: Christie's
Posted by Adam Busiakiewicz:
The Hispanic Society Museum in New York will be offering paintings for sale by the Workshop of El Greco (pictured), Hendrick de Somer, Agustín Esteve y Marqués and various works after or in the circle of Rubens, Zurbarán and Velázquez in a special online auction at Christie's New York next month. The sale, which ends on 17th October, is to benefit the museum's 'Collection Care and the Acquisition Fund'.
According to the auction house's website:
Property from the Hispanic Society Museum, to benefit Collection Care and the Acquisition Fund, traces the reach of Spanish influence across European painting from the late sixteenth to the early nineteenth century. Sacred imagery anchors the group: a canvas of Saint Dominic in Prayer from the workshop of El Greco; a Saint Francis in Ecstasy after Francisco de Zurbarán; and Hendrick de Somer’s Saint Jerome Hearing the Trumpet of the Last Judgement, steeped in the Neapolitan naturalism of Jusepe de Ribera.
Japanese Museum to sell $77.5m of Monets, Renoirs and Chagalls
September 21 2025
Picture: Christie's
Posted by Adam Busiakiewicz:
News has arrived that the Kawamura Memorial DIC Museum of Art will be selling off a reported $77.5m of artworks by Claude Monet, Pierre-Auguste Renoir, Marc Chagall, Henri Matisse, and Henry Moore at Christie's New York in November. The Sakura based museum, which is owned by the Japanese owned by Chemical company DIC Corporation, is currently planning to 'downsize and relocate' by reportedly selling off 25% of its collection.
The article above contains quotes from the Japanese art collector and entrepreneur Yusaku Maezawa (not officially connected to the company) who said:
“Regarding the closure of the Kawamura Memorial DIC Museum of Art, if the collection is to be sold, I hope that they will first approach Japanese buyers so that the many masterpieces do not leave Japan. I will be waiting,” stated the Japanese billionaire and art collector, who appeared on the ARTnews Top 200 Collectors list in 2023.
[...]“Japanese people need to protect Japan’s traditional things, whether it’s the land, nature, art, or traditional culture, as much as possible. If we sell them off piece by piece for short-term profit, Japan will no longer be Japan. I need to earn enough to be able to buy and pass on the things that should be passed down to future generations.”
Lievens soars at Koller
September 19 2025
Picture: Koller
Posted by Adam Busiakiewicz:
A reader has kindly been in touch about the following Jan Lievens which soared to 260,000 CHF (hammer price) over its 10k - 15k CHF estimate earlier today at Koller. A saleroom notice suggests that additional provenance and literature was dug out in time for the sale.
Carriera Pastel makes £508,000 including fees
September 18 2025
Picture: Cheffins
Posted by Adam Busiakiewicz:
The aforementioned Rosalba Carriera pastel of Coulson Fellowes (1696-1769) realised a total of £400,000 hammer (£508,000 inc. fees) over its £15,000 - 25,000 estimate at Cheffins in Cambridgeshire yesterday. The press release from the auction house claim this is a new auction record for the artist (confirmed by a search on Artnet too), which is rather impressive indeed!
Bonhams Sale
September 18 2025
Picture: Bonhams
Posted by Adam Busiakiewicz:
Bonhams London have uploaded their upcoming mid-season Old Master Paintings sale onto their website. Bidding for this online auction will end on 25th September 2025.
As usual for these sales, I won't point out anything which may or may not be interesting.
Reynolds, Rubens, Sweerts, Dolci and more in the Manny Davidson Collection
September 18 2025
Picture: Sotheby's
Posted by Adam Busiakiewicz:
Sotheby's Paris have published the cataloguing of some of the highlights of their upcoming The Manny Davidson Collection: A Life in Treasures and Benevolence - Evening Sale. The auction will take place on 5th November 2025. Amongst the Old Master highlights are paintings by Sir Joshua Reynolds (pictured), Carlo Dolci, Michael Sweerts, Thomas de Keyser, Studio of Rembrandt and Peter Paul Rubens. Click on the link above to browse.
$150m Klimt among $400m Leonard Lauder Treasures at Sotheby's
September 16 2025
Picture: Sotheby's
Posted by Adam Busiakiewicz:
Sotheby's New York have announced the upcoming sale of $400m of art from the collection of the late Leonard A. Lauder. The top lot of the November sale, the first to be held in the brutalist Breuer building, is expected to be Gustav Klimt‘s Portrait of Elisabeth Lederer which is said to carry an estimate of more than $150m.
According to the article linked above:
It is not the only expensive Klimt from Lauder’s holdings headed to Sotheby’s, either. Two landscapes from Klimt—one depicting a meadow and dated 1906, the other showing a forest and dated 1917—will come to auction, too, with estimates of $80 million–$100 million and $70 million–$90 million, respectively.
Beyond the Klimts, the Lauder sale will also include six bronzes by Henri Matisse collectively worth $30 million, a $20 million Edvard Munch painting, and an Agnes Martin painting valued at more than $10 million.
NHS University Hospitals Bristol Foundation Trust Selling Off Historic Art (ctd)
September 13 2025
Picture: The Saleroom
Posted by Adam Busiakiewicz:
The aforementioned 14 portraits of historic figures connected to Bristol's medical heritage, sold by the NHS University Hospitals Bristol Foundation Trust, realised a total of £8,330 (hammer price) at Clevedon Salerooms yesterday.
Unfortunately, I was away from my laptop yesterday and didn't have time to post this statement from Bristol & Weston Hospitals Charity, the official NHS charity for the Trust:
A spokesperson from Bristol & Weston Hospitals Charity said: “The charity held a collection of heritage assets, such as paintings and furniture, which had been generously donated over the years. While the Trust is very grateful for these donations, they were unable to find a permanent home for them at their hospitals.
“In partnership with UHBW, we made the decision to auction these assets with the proceeds being used to fund projects within the Trust, with a particular focus on supporting arts and culture in the hospitals.”
Rubens at Osenat
September 13 2025
Video: Osenat
Posted by Adam Busiakiewicz:
News that French auction house Osenat will be offering a rediscovered Crucifixion by Rubens has been widely reported in the press this week (1) (2) (3). The work, whose composition had been known from an engraving, was apparently discovered in a Parisian mansion during a valuation.
Here are the thoughts of Nils Büttner, chair of the Centrum Rubenianum in Antwerp, who has backed the attribution to Rubens:
In a paper shared with Artnet News, Büttner said it was “striking” that a painting of this calibre could have remained unnoticed for such a long time. He noted that the artwork at one time belonged to the 19th-century academic painter William Bouguereau, but if he knew its significance, he did not reveal it.
The scholar admired how “Christ is shown isolated, standing out brightly against an ominous, dark sky,” noting also how “in a painfully realistic manner, Christ’s upper body arches forward, its weight shown by the strain on the arms” stretched overhead. “Behind the green and overgrown rocky backdrop of Golgotha is a view of Jerusalem illuminated, but apparently under a rainstorm,” Büttner added. This kind of accuracy was very typical of Rubens.
The work will be offered for sale on 30th November 2025 and the auction estimate is yet to be revealed.
Rediscovered François Boucher Still Life up for sale in December
September 9 2025
Picture: Pescheteau-Badin
Posted by Adam Busiakiewicz:
The auction house Pescheteau-Badin in Paris have announced that they will be offering a rediscovered signed still life by François Boucher in December. The research of the work has been overseen by Cabinet Turquin and will be on display with Adam Williams Fine Art in New York from 30th September, in case any readers are in that part of the world this autumn. No estimate seems to have been published yet.
Rosalba Carriera Pastel at Cheffins
September 9 2025
Picture: Cheffins
Posted by Adam Busiakiewicz:
A Rosalba Carriera pastel portrait of Coulson Fellowes (1696-1769) will be headlining the upcoming Cheffins Fine Sale on 17th September 2025. Executed in May 1724, when the sitter visited Carriera's studio in Venice, this is the first time the picture has ever been offered on the market and will carry an estimate of £15,000 - 25,000.
Browse and Bid from the Back?
September 8 2025
Picture: Hampel via The Saleroom
Posted by Adam Busiakiewicz:
A reader has been in touch with a new technique that Hampel are trying out with their upcoming September Old Master Paintings auction. Instead of showing potential bidders the front of the pictures, they have opted for leading with images of their backs instead. Will this new fashion catch on? The auction will take place on 25th September 2025.
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On a more serious note, and as someone who has dealt with such conundrums, I'm certain that there is a sales manager / administrator who pulling their hair out on the phone to an IT department somewhere near Munich right now.
Rediscovered Laurent de La Hyre Coming Up in November
September 8 2025
Picture: La Gazette Drouot
Posted by Adam Busiakeiwicz:
La Gazette Drouot have drawn attention to a rediscovered early work by Laurent de La Hyre which is coming up for sale in November. The picture, which was last recorded in a mid-seventeenth century inventory, will be offered by Hôtel des Ventes Orléans- Madeleine carrying an estimate of €500,000 - 800,000.
NHS University Hospitals Bristol Foundation Trust Selling Off Historic Art
September 5 2025
Picture: Clevedon Salerooms
Posted by Adam Busiakiewicz:
Earlier in the summer AHN shared news that the NHS Hull & East Yorkshire Trust were selling off a selection of historic portraits from their collection.
A reader of this blog has been in touch with news that the University Hospitals Bristol NHS Foundation Trust seem to have decided to follow suit and are selling off no fewer than 14 historic portraits of figures connected with Bristol's medical heritage. The selection of paintings, which are still on the ArtUK website (although sans images), will be offered for sale by Clevedon Salesrooms on 11th September 2025.
To quote the auction house's catalogue note which accompanies each hospital-sourced lot:
This lot is offered by Clevedon Salerooms at no selling cost from the Bristol & Weston Hospitals Charity collection, and is being sold in line with their heritage assets policy.
The relevant NHS Trust has been contacted for comment on the sale.
Il Sodoma acquired by Museo de Bellas Artes de Valencia
July 8 2025
Picture: Museo de Bellas Artes de Valencia
Posted by Adam Busiakiewicz:
News from Spain that the Museo de Bellas Artes de Valencia have acquired Giovanni Antonio Bazzi's 'Il Sodoma' Ecce Homo. The work was purchased at auction for €70,000 and is the first painting by that artist in the museum's collection.
George Gower soars at Bonhams
July 3 2025
Picture: Bonhams
Posted by Adam Busiakiewicz:
George Gower's black and gold portrait of Sir Edward Monins of Waldershare realised an impressive £1,113,200 (inc. commission) over its £200k-300k estimate at Bonhams yesterday.
NHS Hull & East Yorkshire Trust Selling off Art
July 3 2025
Picture: Gilbert Baitson via the-saleroom.com
Posted by Adam Busiakiewicz:
An eagle eyed reader of AHN has kindly pointed out that the auctioneers Gilbert Baitson in Hull appear to be selling-off paintings that belong to Hull and East Yorkshire Hospitals NHS Trust in their upcoming sale on 9th July. Here's their collections page on ArtUK, in case you'd like to compare. It appears that all of the works are being offered without estimates (which effectively suggests they are being sold without reserve).
The selection of paintings includes this portrait of Queen Victoria by Ernest Gustave Girardot (pictured), and several paintings of prominent historical figures connected with the medical profession in that part of Britain, including John Young, MRCS, One of the First Surgeons at Hull Royal Infirmary, and John Alderson (1758–1829), MD, Honorary Physician at Hull Royal Infirmary.
I have approached both the Hull and East Yorkshire Hospitals NHS Trust and the auctioneers for comment and will publish their responses here in due course.
Update - I have received the following response from a spokesperson at that particular NHS Trust:
I can confirm the lots you mention are currently being sold on behalf of the hospital trust.
Update 2 - Here's a response I have received from the auctioneers:
We appreciate your interest in the provenance of the artworks featured in our catalogue. I can confirm that several of the paintings listed in our auction are being consigned by the Hull and East Yorkshire Hospitals NHS Trust. These works have been officially deaccessioned by the Trust. In addition, we have received further consignments of artworks and silver from private estates.
Sotheby's Results
July 2 2025
Picture: Sotheby's
Posted by Adam Busiakiewicz:
The Sotheby's London Old Master and 19th Century Paintings Evening Auction realised a total of £14,470,700 (all prices include commission) with a sell-through rate of 80.65% / 75.76% including withdrawn lots.*
Lots that soared were Turner's rediscovered earliest exhibited work which made £1.87m over its £200k-300k estimate and Aivazovsky's Ship at Anchor which made £1.06m over its estimate of £300k-500k. Other lots that did well include the 14th century Byzantine Icon which realised £825,500 over its £160k-200k estimate, Corneille de Lyon's Portrait of a Merchant which made £863,600 over its £300k-400k estimate and Diana de Rossa's Salome which realised £317,500 over its £60k-80k estimate.
* - 2 lots were withdrawn.
Christie's Results
July 1 2025
Picture: Christie's
Posted by Adam Busiakiewicz:
The Christie's London Old Masters Evening sale realised a total of £55,263,680 (all results include commission) tonight with a sell-through rate of 87.18% / 80.96 % including withdrawn lots.*
The top lot of the auction, Sir Robert Walpole's Venetian picture by Canaletto, realised £27,500,000 hammer / £31,935,000 (inc. commission). Other highlights were the Willem Key's Bearded Lady which realised £882,000 over its £300k-500k estimate, Pieter Brueghel the Younger's Visit to the Farm which made £819,000 over its £300k-500k estimate, Gerit Dou's Cottage Interior which realised £2,097,000 over its £1m - 1.5m estimate and a Constable Cloud Study which realised £453,600 over its estimate of £150k - 250k. The majority of other lots all came within their estimates, once commission is taken into account.
* - 3 lots were withdrawn.
Guillaume Guillon Lethière soars in Monaco!
July 1 2025
Picture: HVMC
Posted by Adam Busiakiewicz:
News from Monaco that the following Guillaume Guillon Lethière depicting The head of Deputy Féraud displayed on a pike before the President of the Convention Boissy d'Anglas realised €1,150,000 over its €40k - €60k estimate at HVMC last week (spotted via @mweilc). The press has reported that the picture was won by a 'foreign museum' over a Belgian private collector for the work.
