Category: Auctions
Richard Feigen's Collection at Dreweatts
June 30 2025
Picture: Dreweatts
Posted by Adam Busiakiewicz:
Regular readers will remember this Sotheby's New York sale of artworks from the collection of the dealer Richard Feigen (1930-2021) back in 2021. The Berkshire auction house Dreweatts will now be offering another batch from his collection, with works under £1,000 being offered without reserve. The auction will take place on 2nd July 2025.
Goya Adoration (with export permit) makes €3.6m in Madrid
June 27 2025
Picture: heraldo.es
Posted by Adam Busiakiewicz:
The Spanish press have reported on news that the following Goya Adoration of the Cross realised €3.6m at Magna Art auctions in Madrid last week. Notably, the painting has an export license to leave Spain (one of the toughest European countries in regards to the protection of cultural heritage, as it happens).
Attributed to Bouts Soars
June 24 2025
Picture: Ader
Posted by Adam Busiakiewicz:
The following picture catalogued as Attributed to Albrecht Bouts soared past its €60k - €80k estimate to achieve €403,000 (inc. commission) at Ader in Paris last week.
El Greco Update
June 23 2025
Picture: The Art Newspaper
Posted by Adam Busiakiewicz:
The Art Newspaper have published an update on the El Greco of Saint Sebastian, which was withdrawn earlier this year from the Christie's New York sale.
According to the article:
Romania has now secured a "long-term hold", ensuring Saint Sebastian (around 1610-14) will remain at Christie's New York "until Romania’s recovery efforts are heard and resolved by the proper legal authorities", according to a letter shared with The Art Newspaper by Nixon Peabody, the law firm representing the state of Romania in New York in this case.
It also transpires that the consignor of the work was Dmitry Rybolovlev, former owner of Leonardo's Salvator Mundi.
Dulwich Picture Gallery acquires Rottenhammer Judgement of Paris
June 23 2025
Picture: Dulwich Picture Gallery
Posted by Adam Busiakiewicz:
A reader has kindly been in touch with news that the Dulwich Picture Gallery have acquired Hans Rottenhammer's Judgement of Paris. Auction watchers will remember this painting appeared at Sotheby's London in December 2023 and failed to find a bidder with its estimate of £20,000 - £30,000. The note from the museum explains that it was 'A gift from the family of Charles Pettit, 2025.'
Archer acquired by Nelson Atkins Museum of Art
June 20 2025
Picture: Nelson Atkins Museum of Art
Posted by Adam Busiakiewicz:
The website of the Nelson Atkins Museum of Art, located in Kansas City, shows that they have just acquired the following Portrait of a Boy Holding a Bow. Regular readers will remember this painting from a post on AHN back in December 2023, when the work had appeared at auction in France. More recently the painting was with Philip Mould & Co. and has been catalogued by the museum (and the dealer) as 'English School 1780s.'
Hypertrichosis Portrait coming up at Bertolami
June 19 2025
Picture: Bertolami
Posted by Adam Busiakiewicz:
One of the highlights and oddities of the upcoming sale at Bertolami Fine Art in Rome is the following portrait of Portrait of Barbara Urslerin van Beck (1629- c.1688), who is likely to have suffered from hypertrichosis (excessive hair growth). As her wikipedia entry shows, a related engraving dated 1653 seems to suggest this particular image of Barbara was created whilst she was in London.
It will be offered for sale on 24th June 2025.
William Carey Portrait acquired by Hever Castle
June 19 2025
Picture: Christie's
Posted by Adam Busiakiewicz:
The Times published a photograph today (here's the story from the BBC) explaining that Hever Castle has acquired a portrait of William Carey (1497-1528), who famously married Mary Boleyn (Anne Boleyn's sister). The painting was sold at Christie's Paris last year, and the auction house's catalogue note is worth reading in terms of the dating and the prototype on which this work was based.
Bristol Council announce Bid to Buy Turner from Sotheby's Sale
June 18 2025
Picture: BBC
Posted by Adam Busiakiewicz:
The BBC have published news that Bristol Council have announced their plans to fundraise £300,000 in two weeks to bid for JMW Turner's The Rising Squall, Hot Wells, from St Vincent's Rock, Bristol from the upcoming Sotheby's London Evening Sale.
According to the article:
The upcoming auction, he [Philip Walker - the Head of the Culture for the City] said, was a "once in a generation opportunity to purchase a significant work of art by such a significant great master artist", adding that while the plan was for the council to actually make the transaction - should it bid successfully - the cost would be covered through fundraising.
Councillor John Goulandris described the bid as a "once in a lifetime opportunity", but pointed out there was only a "narrow window" to raise funds at a time when the council's finances were "extraordinarily tight".
In response to Mr Goulandris' requests for assurance that costs would not fall to the local authority, Mr Walker said the "intention" was to raise enough money to pay for the painting.
Sotheby's Drawings Sale
June 16 2025
Picture: Sotheby's
Posted by Adam Busiakiewicz:
Sotheby's London have uploaded their upcoming Master Works on Paper from Five Centuries online. The auction will take place on 2nd July 2025.
Just to point out (and keep balance) that Christie's London now offer their Old Master & British drawings within their Day Sale.
John Constable's earliest dated picture offered without reserve
June 16 2025
Picture: Christie's
Posted by Adam Busiakiewicz:
Christie's London will be offered John Constable's earliest dated painting in their upcoming Old Masters, 19th Century Paintings and Drawings from a Private Collection: Selling without Reserve sale on 2nd July 2025. As you'll see from the Literature list, Moonlight landscape, with Hadleigh Church in the distance is a rather important and iconic picture in Constable's oeuvre due to its early dating and reliance on Rubens' Landscape by Moonlight (now in the Courtauld Institute, but formerly owned by Sir Joshua Reynolds).
The picture will carry an estimate of £30,000 - £50,000, but, as it is being sold 'without reserve' - you might be able to pick it up for a song!
Sculpture & Dec Arts Sales
June 13 2025
Picture: Sotheby's
Posted by Adam Busiakiewicz:
Both Christie's (1) (2) and Sotheby's (1) (2) have uploaded their upcoming London Decorative Arts, Sculpture and Antiquities sales online.
Amongst the interesting lots is this rather fun teracotta model by Anne Seymour Damer (1748-1828) (pictured), which relates to a marble by her in the MET, New York. It carries an estimate of £200,000 - £300,000.
Sotheby's London Day Sale
June 12 2025
Picture: Sotheby's
Posted by Adam Busiakiewicz:
Sotheby's London have published their upcoming Old Master Paintings, Old Master Works on Paper, and 19th Century Paintings Day Auction online. The sale will take place on 3rd July 2025.
As usual with these sales, I won't spoil the fun of pointing out what may or may not be interesting.
Dorotheum June Sale
June 11 2025
Picture: Dorotheum
Posted by Adam Busiakiewicz:
The Dorotheum's mid-season Old Master Paintings sale has been published online. The auction will take place on 25th June 2025.
Sotheby's London Evening Sale
June 11 2025
Picture: Sotheby's
Posted by Adam Busiakiewicz:
Sotheby's London have published their upcoming Old Master & 19th Century Paintings Evening Auction online. The sale will take place on 2nd July 2025.
Amongst the highlights are Lorenzo di Credi's Saint Quirinus estimated at £2m - £3m (pictured), the aforementioned Clara Peeters presumed Self Portrait at £1.2m - £1.8m, a David and Goliath by Artemisia Gentileschi at £1m - £2m, a Pieter Brueghel the Younger Wedding Dance at £800k - £1.2m and a rediscovered early Turner which has been in the press a lot recently (1) (2) estimated at £200k - £300k.
Bonhams Sale
June 6 2025
Picture: Bonhams
Posted by Adam Busiakiewicz:
Bonhams have uploaded their upcoming Old Master Paintings sale online. The auction will take place on 2nd July 2025.
Christie's Day Sale
June 6 2025
Picture: Christie's
Posted by Adam Busiakiewicz:
Christie's London have uploaded their upcoming Old Masters to Modern Day Sale: Paintings, Drawings, Sculpture online. The auction will take place on 2nd July 2025.
As usual with these sales, I won't spoil the fun of pointing out what may or may not be interesting.
Christie's London Old Masters Evening Sale
June 5 2025
Picture: Christie's
Posted by Adam Busiakiewicz:
Christie's London have just uploaded their upcoming Old Masters Evening sale online. The auction will take place on 1st July 2025.
The top lots include the aforementioned £20m+ Canaletto, a rather noble portrait by Titian estimated at £3m - £5m (pictured), a pair of Jan van Huysum still lifes at £1.2m - £1.8m, a Pieter Brueghel the Younger Birdtrap at £1m - £1.5m, a Gerit Dou interior at £1m - £1.5m, a George Stubbs prancing horse at £800k - £1.2m, the aforementioned Jacob Jordaens Self Portrait at £300k - £500k, and a rather bemusing bearded lady by Willem Key at £300k - £500k.
Clara Peeters Self Portrait coming up at Sotheby's London
June 2 2025
Picture: Sotheby's
Posted by Adam Busiakiewicz:
More news regarding the upcoming London Old Master Paintings highlights this evening, as Sotheby's have announced they will be offering what might be the only known Self Portrait by Clara Peeters. The picture was last sold in 1994, when it was presumably with London dealers Rafael Valls (according to the RKD), and will now be offered in July carrying an estimate of £1.2m - £1.8m.
Dobson Self Portrait acquired by Tate and NPG
June 1 2025
Picture: Bonhams
Posted by Adam Busiakiewicz:
News from Waldemar Januszczak in The Sunday Times that William Dobson's earliest Self Portrait has been jointly acquired by Tate and the National Portrait Gallery (NPG) in London for £2,367,405. The picture had realised £1,106,500 over its £200k - £300k estimate at Bonhams in 2016 where it was acquired for a private collection.
____________________
Fans of the period will know that another Self Portrait by the artist is owned by the Earl of Jersey and is currently on permanent loan to Osterley Park, run by The National Trust. On balance, I'm sure many would agree that the Jersey picture is more interesting and desirable for historical and aesthetic reasons (not to mention its obvious connection to the ex-Jersey collection Van Dyck Self portrait acquired by the NPG in 2014). Might this new acquisition suggest that neither institution might be willing step in to help acquire the Jersey picture, if it indeed ever came up on the market in the future?
