Category: Discoveries
Courtauld scan reveals figure under Picasso
February 13 2025

Picture: courtauld.ac.uk
Posted by Adam Busiakiewicz:
The Courtauld Institute in London has shared news that x-ray and infra-red scans undertaken within its conservation studios have revealed a figure (or 'mystery woman') underneath Pablo Picasso's 1901 Portrait of Mateu Fernández de Soto.
According to the institute's website:
Conducted in collaboration with the Oskar Reinhart Collection, ‘Am Römerholz’, Switzerland, the unknown artwork was discovered when The Courtauld took x-ray and infrared images of Portrait of Mateu Fernández de Soto – a portrait depicting Picasso’s sculptor friend painted in 1901 and one of the earliest examples of the artist’s Blue Period – ahead of its display as part of the upcoming The Griffin Catalyst Exhibition: Goya to Impressionism. Masterpieces from the Oskar Reinhart Collection, opening 14 February.
The Courtauld’s analysis of the painting reveals it played an important role at a crucial stage in the young Picasso’s stylistic development, at a time when he was moving away from colourful, Impressionistic paintings towards a distinctly more melancholy artistic style which became the defining phase of his career known as his Blue Period.
Horace Walpole's Fontana Miniature on display at Strawberry Hill
January 30 2025

Picture: Period Portraits / The British Museum
Posted by Adam Busiakiewicz:
Strawberry Hill House, the marvellous former home of the collector Horace Walpole, will be displaying a recently rediscovered miniature by Lavinia Fontana which had once formed part of its celebrated collection. The miniature was acquired in a provincial US auction by the dealer Nick Cox and subsequent research revealed its attribution and illustrious provenance. The work will be on display there until 23rd April 2025 and there will be a special lecture by V&A curator Adriana Concin-Tavella (who made the connection to Walpole) on 12th February delving further into this rediscovery.
Blog On...
January 30 2025

Picture: Witt Library
Posted by Adam Busiakiewicz:
Apologies for the delay in restarting AHN these past few days. I have been rather tied up with various lecturing and research projects. There's been lots of news developing recently, so it is about time I got going!
As a fun aside, here's a rather nice (as far as I can tell) unrecorded painting by Joan Carlile (c. 1606–1679) that I recently spotted thanks to the digitization of the Witt Library at the Courtauld Institute. The picture, which was given to Adriaen Hanneman many decades ago, was last recorded with the Ehrich Galleries in New York. I wonder where it is now?
Rediscovered Constable Sketch at Tennants
January 30 2025

Picture: Tennants
Posted by Adam Busiakiewicz:
The auction house Tennants in North Yorkshire will be offering a recently rediscovered sketch by John Constable in a few days' time. The scene, which depicts Dedham Vale looking towards Langham and was painted circa 1809-14, relates to a more developed painting in Neue Pinakothek in Munich. It will be offered for sale on 15th March 2025 carrying an estimate of £150,000 - 200,000.
1,000 posts later... and Maria Verelst
January 10 2025

Picture: Carmarthenshire Museum via ArtUk
Posted by Adam Busiakiewicz:
As I've just passed my 1,000 post since my return to AHN, I wanted to thank you all for sticking with the blog. It has been tremendously good fun to share enthusiasm for all of the interesting things going on in our small corner of the art world. I'm especially grateful to those of you who get in touch. Ultimately, we must all thank Bendor for supporting its continuation.
To mark this occasion, I thought I'd share a small accidental discovery of mine recently on ArtUK (whilst I was searching for something else, as is always the way). Although catalogued as Portrait of an Unknown Lady in Green by an 'Unknown Artist', it is clear to me that this must be a work by Maria Verelst (1680–1744). In particular, the face pattern and overall handling is so reminiscent of her painting of Anne Blackett formerly with Philip Mould & Co. The artwork is currently in the Carmarthenshire Museum in Wales and is the sort of picture that would really dazzle after a clean and new application of varnish! Maybe one day.
Wishing all readers a very good weekend ahead.
'Thrift Store' Find Connected to Prominent Black Artist Redisplayed
January 8 2025

Picture: artnews.com
Posted by Adam Busiakiewicz:
An interesting story from artnews.com that a watercolour purchased from a 'thrift store' in the US has ended up on display in the Historical Society of Pennsylvania. The artwork was purchased by Andy Robbins, an HR professional, by chance. Robbins then spent time cracking the work's inscription which reads 'W.H. Dorsey 1864'. It transpired that this signature referred to William H. Dorsey, a prominent black artist in 19th-century Philadelphia who is known primarily for his extensive scrapbooking of black community history. Read the article above to find out more.
Lecture on Ralph Sheldon's Henry VIII Portrait
January 3 2025

Picture: Warwickshire County Council
Posted by Adam Busiakiewicz:
Just in case any readers might be dropping by the Midlands later in March, I'm giving a lecture for the Warwickshire County Council on Ralph Sheldon's recently rediscovered portrait of Henry VIII. It will hopefully feature some new research about the painting, including details of how it was made, its provenance and what might happen to it next. I'll be joined by my friend and colleague Aaron Manning (from HRP) who will discussing some of his own research into one of England's most recognisable monarchs. The lecture will be on 1st March 2025 at Warwick Old Shire Hall (where the painting was hanging) and will cost £11.29 to attend.
I might also mention this other rather fascinating work, which has had a mini-upgrade from 'attributed to' to by the artist 'in full'. Can any reader identify the painter?
Update - Well done to all of you who got in touch to point out this is a painting by Sir Peter Lely. Intriguingly, the picture was previously given to Mary Beale (which I think in this market would make it a touch more valuable I suspect), and the Woburn Abbey provenance is still being investigated as it does not appear in the 1951 Duke of Bedford sale.
Matthias Stomer Rediscovered in Genoa
January 3 2025

Picture: finestresullarte.info
Posted by Adam Busiakiewicz:
I failed to spot this news from Italy at the end of last year that an Adoration of the Shepherds by Mattias Stomer had been rediscovered in the collection of the Diocese of Genoa. The discovery was made by Giacomo Montanari who spotted the picture whilst on a visit to the Diocesan archives. The canvas, which is in a less than perfect state, has been redisplayed in the Diocese Museum in the city.
Museum of Fine Arts Montreal acquires Lavinia and Prospero Fontana
December 21 2024

Picture: Instagram via @robsmeetsgallery
Posted by Adam Busiakiewicz:
The dealers Rob Smeets Gallery have announced on their Instagram account that the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts has acquired the following Presentation of the Virgin by Lavinia and Prospero Fontana.
A quick Google shows that the work was offered as 'Italian Sacred Painter 18th Century' at a minor auction house in Germany (albeit with a rather over painted sky) back in 2020 where it made 1,100 EUR over its 500 EUR starting price.
Research Project Reveals Giorgione in Alte Pinakothek
December 21 2024

Picture: Alte Pinakothek
Posted by Adam Busiakiewicz:
The Alte Pinakothek in Munich has revealed the results of a research project into the following Double Portrait, which recent technical and art historical analysis has shown to be a rare work by the Venetian painter Giorgione. The picture had been hanging in a gallery in the city's Residenz, where many overflow artworks from the museum are kept, until a recent exhibition on Venetian art prompted further investigation. Click on the link above to view some very interesting x-rays and infrared images, which show that the composition was reworked several times during its creation.
Rediscovered Ter Brugghen Soars
December 6 2024

Picture: Ivoire
Posted by Adam Busiakiewicz:
A rediscovered painting of Esau selling his birthright by Hendrick Ter Brugghen made 1,150,000 EUR over its 200k - 300k EUR estimate at the auction house Ivoire in France yesterday. The work, dated to roughly 1627, was last at auction back in 1918 (according to the catalogue note provided by the auction house).
Re-discovered portrait of Oliver Cromwell unveiled by Dickinson
November 12 2024

Picture: Dickinson
Posted by Adam Busiakiewicz:
The London dealers Simon Dickinson have unveiled a re-discovered portrait of Oliver Cromwell by Robert Walker. Interestingly, recent conservation has revealed the painting was never finished by the artist which raises some very intriguing questions as to its history.
According to their press release:
The restoration process brought a surprise to light: the painting was left unfinished by Walker, raising significant questions. Why would Cromwell’s preferred artist abandon such an important commission? Painted during a period when Cromwell was facing military challenges in Scotland and Ireland and unrest at home, the sudden abandonment of the project by Walker indicates that it fell victim to the changing fates of the period.
“Seeing this masterpiece come to life through restoration was a revelation,” says Simon Dickinson, Chairman of Dickinson Gallery. “This isn’t just a painting; it’s a statement of Cromwell’s character and ambitions. We are thrilled to invite the public to experience the power and enigma of this unfinished portrait and the historical era it represents.”
The portrait will be on display in Jermyn Street from 25th November until 10th December. Cromwell and his band did love Christmas, after all.
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As a side note, I've always wondered what happened to this version of Walker's Cromwell which was formerly in the collection of Warwick Castle (one of my unhealthy obsessions, I must confess). The painting is visible on the left-hand side of this old black & white photograph (see below). Do let me know if any reader of AHN spots it out in the wild one day!
Early Rediscovered Poussin coming up at Ader
October 1 2024

Picture: Artnet
Posted by Adam Busiakiewicz:
Artnet have shared news of an early rediscovered Poussin which is coming up for sale at the French auction house Ader later in November. Vénus Épiée par Deux Satyres, which was researched with the assistance of Eric Turquin and featured in an exhibition last year in Lyons, will carry an estimate of 'up to €1m'.
Rare Lely Sketch Unveiled at Dickinson
September 5 2024

Picture: @milo.dickinson via Instagram
Posted by Adam Busiakiewicz:
The London dealers Simon Dickinson have unveiled on Instagram their discovery of a rare sketch by Sir Peter Lely.* In this video, presented by Milo Dickinson, the significance of the sketch, sitter and 'another face' lurking in the background is explained!
* - The painting has already been sold, as you might imagine!
Constable Sketch at Woolley & Wallis
September 3 2024

Picture: Woolley & Wallis
Posted by Adam Busiakiewicz:
The auctioneers Woolley & Wallis will be offering an unpublished sketch by John Constable tomorrow. The painting, known as Gravel Pits of Hampstead, was completed between 1820 - 1822 and has the blessing of the Constable scholar Anne Lyles. It will be offered with a very tempting estimate of £50,000 - £80,000.
Ralph Sheldon's Portrait of Henry VIII Reidentified
July 8 2024

Picture: Warwick Shire Hall via ArtUK
Posted by Adam Busiakiewicz:
I published a short blog over the weekend regarding an accidental discovery I made of a missing Portrait of Henry VIII. Having spotted it in the background of a photograph posted on 'X' / Twitter, I managed to work out that this distinctive arched topped portrait (now hanging in Warwick Shire Hall, owned by Warwickshire County Council) was originally part of the famous set assembled by Ralph Sheldon (c.1537–1613) in the 1590s for Weston House in Warwickshire. Fortunately, the portrait is housed in the same carved medallion frame as other surviving examples from the set, and the very same composition of Henry holding a sword is found in a later engraving of the Long Gallery at Weston.
Update - Click here for relevant articles from the BBC, CNN, The Times and The Smithsonian Magazine.
Click here to watch a YouTube video of BBC Midlands Today's coverage of the story.
From Christie's London to Getty Museum
July 2 2024
Video: Christie's
Posted by Adam Busiakiewicz:
The J. Paul Getty Museum in Los Angeles have just announced their acquisition of the rediscovered Madonna of the Cherries by Quentin Metsys which sold at Christie's London this evening for £10,660,000 (inc. fees).
According to the museum's press release:
“The tender beauty and accessibility of Metsys’ representation of the familial bond between the Virgin Mary and Christ Child represents a major innovation in early Netherlandish painting that greatly heightens the emotional impact of the image,” says Timothy Potts, Maria Hummer-Tuttle and Robert Tuttle Director of the Getty Museum. “Painted at the height of his career, and preserved today in excellent condition, Madonna of the Cherries is among Metsys’ most appealing and influential compositions. Acknowledged as a masterpiece in its day, the painting became especially famous in the 17th century, after which its whereabouts were lost. I have no doubt that its spiritual and artistic resonance will make it one of the most beloved works in our collection.”
First known portrait commissioned by an American born into slavery on display in Baltimore
June 25 2024

Picture: The Washington Post
Posted by Adam Busiakiewicz:
The Washington Post have reported on news that the first known portrait commissioned by an American born into slavery will be going on display at the Baltimore Museum of Art this week. The painting, attributed to the artist James Alexander Simpson, is believed to depict Mary Ann Tritt Cassell, a woman of mixed race whose mother was enslaved on Stratford Hall plantation in Westmoreland County, Va. The article explains the research which has gone into uncovering the life of the sitter and her family.
Bellissimo! in Freiburg
June 6 2024

Picture: freiburg.de
Posted by Adam Busiakiewicz:
I failed to spot that a new exhibition opened in the Augustinermuseum in Freiburg last month entitled Bellissimo! Italian paintings from the Lindenau Museum Altenburg (via @bastianeclercy).
According to the city's website:
Magnificent golds and bright colors, elegant lines and refined artistic techniques - this is how precious Italian paintings by Fra Angelico, Guido da Siena or Sandro Botticelli inspire. They were created in famous art centers such as Florence or Siena. The exhibition shows the pictorial world of churches and private devotion, but also offers insights into the art of stately courts. The Lindenau Museum in Altenburg owns one of the most important collections of Italian paintings from the 13th to the early 16th century abroad. On the occasion of its renovation, the treasures are guests in Freiburg.
The show will continue until 3rd November 2024.
Beale & Son Acquired by Tate Britain
June 6 2024
Video: Philip Mould & Co
Posted by Adam Busiakiewicz:
I made a trip to Tate's recently opened Now You See Us exhibition yesterday afternoon, and what a visual feast it was. One of the first great surprises was the fact that Tate have just acquired Mary Beale's Portrait of Anne Sotheby, a picture which was only recently uncovered by Philip Mould & Co. in their exhibition as a collaboration between Mary and her son Charles (watch Lawrence Hendra above explaining its significance). A very fine acquisition indeed, which complimented the nice array of her works on display there.
The show is full of some very interesting pictures, many of which I've only ever seen poor black and white photographs of. One of the most striking features of the show is how many of the paintings on display remain nestled away in private collections, supplemented by loans predominantly it seems from The Royal Collection and other aristocratic sources mixed in with works from the trade. One wonders whether the ever-increasingly high prices for such rare and important works might tempt more pieces out into the open in due course.
Among the highlights was seeing this very refined Self Portrait by Katherine Read, who is well represented in the show with both oils and pastels. I would recommend having a read through Neil Jeffares' entry on the artist for his Pastellists website, which remarkably remains one of the most thorough and scholarly accounts of her life to date!
The show will run until 13th October 2024.