Previous Posts: May 2020
Musée d’Orsay Aquires Manet Copy of Old Master
May 31 2020
Picture: Christie's
Posted by Adam Busiakiewicz
The Musée d’Orsay in Paris has acquired Edouard Manet's copy of Fra Fillipo Lippi's Self Portrait in the Uffizi, Florence. This rare surviving picture was completed when Manet was around the age of twenty one during his youth and training as a painter
The work was acquired by the museum at the recent Edmond Cormier-Thierry-Delanoue sale at Christie's for €118,750 (including fees). The brushwork is superb, and well worth zooming into if you have a spare moment.
Sleeper Alert!
May 30 2020
Picture: Lempertz
Posted by Adam Busiakiewicz:
News on Twitter via. @AuctionRadar that this drawing of a skeleton 'Attributed to Bronzino' made €420,000 over an estimate of €3,000 - €3,500 at Lempertz this afternoon.
Gurlitt Investigation Finishes
May 30 2020
Posted by Adam Busiakiewicz:
Investigations into the hoard of art owned by Cornelius Gurlitt, son of Nazi art dealer Hildebrand Gurlitt, concluded this week. Of the 1,590 works investigated by the German Lost Art Foundation only 14 were recognised as have been looted. The provenance of around 1,000 artworks remains unclear.
As Artnet has reported:
“There is a very large grey area,” the foundation’s director, Gilbert Lupfer, told Swiss Info. But he believes there is nothing more that can be done. “Whatever research was possible, we have exhausted it.”
Provenance research can be a deeply unfruitful experience, which is surprising considering the long lives some artworks have had.
Test your connoisseurship - Spot the Copy
May 30 2020
Picture: The Wallace Collection & Sotheby's
Posted by Adam Busiakiewicz:
If you've ever envied the Wallace Collection's superb array of eighteenth century British Portraits, then here's your chance at getting the next best thing.
A rather pleasing copy of Hertford House's famous Portrait of Mrs Mary Robinson by Joshua Reynolds is coming up for sale in the upcoming Sotheby's NY Online sale. The impressive quality of the picture has warranted the attribution to 'Studio of Reynolds' with a very tempting estimate of $7,000 - $9,000.
If you want to challenge yourself in identifying which is the original and which is the copy, then here is a high-resolution image of the pictures side by side (without identifying them).
Once you've decided which is which, here are links to the Wallace Collection picture and the Sotheby's copy.
Summer School in Histories and Methods of Artistic Production
May 29 2020
Picture: Utrecht University
Posted by Adam Busiakiewicz:
Utrecht University in the Netherlands is offering a very interesting summer school this year entitled From Print to Paint: Histories and Methods of Artistic Production. The course is online and lasts five weeks in total. The syllabus contains a strong practical element and they'll even be sending you materials and tools by post for assignments.
As their website explains:
This course integrates research methods typical for the humanities and historical disciplines with practical work in the studio or lab. You will be introduced to issues in artistic production through online lectures and readings. By taking the creative solution of setting up a home lab—namely a table, a simple stove or hot plate, a sink and running water—you will also be able to explore hands-on components at their own pace with the virtual help of the instructor(s).
The course costs €500 (which includes all materials) and begins in July.
Rembrandt Revealed in Allentown
May 29 2020
Video: Allentown Art Museum
Posted by Adam Busiakiewicz:
The Allentown Art Museum in Pennsylvania will be opening a new exhibition later this summer unveiling a recently upgraded Rembrandt in their collection. Portrait of a Young Woman had long been considered a studio work, however, a detailed conservation project which began in 2018 revealed that this was a painting from the master's hand. The above video details some of collaborative work with conservators from the MET and other institutions.
I can't seem to find any details on which scholarly authorities authenticated the work. Such details are of equal interest when it comes to upgrading a Rembrandt.
Louvre Acquires Vouet Drawing at Christie's
May 28 2020
Picture: Christie's
Posted by Adam Busiakiewicz:
La Tribune de l'Art has reported that the Louvre has acquired Simon Vouet's drawing of Cardinal Mazarin that sold at Christie's Paris yesterday. The drawing was purchased for €165,000 (without fees).
The auction house published a rather interesting article to accompany the three Vouet drawings that were included in the sale. It explains that the portraits were completed for the young Louis XIII, who wanted to become an artist himself.
As their works on paper expert mused:
‘It is easy to imagine Louis inquisitively watching Vouet over his shoulder, as the artist sketched away in his court,’ suggests Christie’s Old Master drawings specialist Hélène Rihal. ‘Maybe Louis even studied alongside him, pastel in hand.’
Danny Katz Sale at Sotheby's
May 28 2020
Picture: Sotheby's
Posted by Adam Busiakiewicz:
Yesterday's online sale at Sotheby's in collaboration with the dealer Danny Katz achieved an impressive £2.26m (inc. fees). 92.2% of the lots on offer were sold. Further proof that online sales are producing strong results in these uncertain times.
The sale consisted of a mixture of sculpture, modern pictures and some fine British works on paper. This included a fine selection of Zoffany drawings that were only recently unveiled by fellow dealer Andrew Clayton-Payne. Quite a few pieces soared above their estimates, including this Roman arm which sold for £175,000 over £30,000 - £50,000.
My favourite picture in the sale was the Sickert pictured above, which sold for £22,500 over an estimate of £8,000 - £12,000.
Quiz: Find the Original
May 27 2020
Picture: Cambi Auction House
Posted by Adam Busiakiewicz:
Here's a painting that is coming up for sale in Cambi Auction House in Italy catalogued as 'French School Eighteenth Century'. Can you find the original picture on which this is based?
No prizes, just for fun.
Update - Congratulations to reader Richard Rand who spotted that this picture is a mixture between Greuze's L'Enfant Gaté (The Spoiled Child) in the Hermitage and featuring the child in Silence! in the Royal Collection.
Art Dealer Gifts Spranger to Rijksmuseum
May 27 2020
Picture: Rijksmuseum
Posted by Adam Busiakiewicz:
New York art dealer Bob Haboldt has gifted a painting by Bartholomeus Spranger (1546-1611) to the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam. The Angel Pietà (pictured), dated to c.1587, is described by the museum as a powerful and poignant image of compassion.
The accompanying press release on the Rijksmuseum website contains a quote from Haboldt explaining this generous gift:
Coronavirus has affected me, in the first place emotionally. It gave me occasion to reflect on how I could make a contribution, and on how we could best memorialise this period. What is wonderful about paintings is that they are eternal and can serve as monuments to the difficult times in which we find ourselves. With this thought in mind, I came to the decision that I would donate this exceptional work by Bartholomeus Spranger to the Rijksmuseum. In the first place, it is a gift to everyone to commemorate the victims of COVID-19; it also serves as an example, encouraging everyone to do good for museums. I hope that others will follow.
BMAG is Hiring!
May 27 2020
Picture: BMAG
Posted by Adam Busiakiewicz:
The Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery is looking for a new Chief Executive.
As their advert in The Guardian explains:
The CEO will lead the development of a post Covid19 transformation vision for Birmingham Museums, whilst driving through the implementation of one of the most exciting museum capital development projects anywhere in the UK over the next decade. The opportunity is to transform what is already one of the country’s premier museum trusts into a modern, inspirational, globally relevant visitor experience.
Applications close on 8th July 2020. The salary is not disclosed.
The Future of Blockbuster Exhibitions
May 27 2020
Picture: CODART
Posted by Adam Busiakiewicz:
CODART, the international network of curators of Dutch and Flemish art, have published an interesting article on the future of blockbuster exhibitions in the age of COVID. The article comprises of three views given by curators Christi M. Klinkert (Stedelijk Museum Alkmaar), Marjorie E. Wieseman (National Gallery of Art in Washington) and Aleksandra Janiszewska (National Museum in Warsaw).
Titian Show Extended
May 27 2020
Picture: The National Gallery
Posted by Adam Busiakiewicz:
Good news to report. The National Gallery in London has announced on their website that their exhibition Titian: Love, Desire, Death will be extended. They haven't given the precise details yet so we must wait to see how generous they will be. The show was due to run till 14th June 2020.
The gallery's director Gabriele Finaldi posted a video on YouTube a few days ago regarding a short visit he made to the closed galleries.
Update - The gallery's upcoming Raphael exhibition has been pushed back to 2022.
Update 2 - Disappointing news that the exhibition will no longer be travelling to The National Galleries of Scotland in Edinburgh.
As their recent posts on Twitter explain:
We regret to announce that the National Galleries of Scotland exhibition Titian: Love, Desire, Death will no longer take place in Edinburgh. We are however pleased to support our partners with our loans to the remainder of this tour.
The show was planned as a highlight of our summer programme at the busiest time of the year during the Edinburgh Festival but without that context, against a backdrop of uncertainty around scheduling & visitor numbers, this project was no longer a viable proposition for us.
We understand that many will be disappointed and we are very sorry for this unfortunate cancellation. We will be in touch with those who had pre-booked tickets.
Van Dijk Restituted to Schloss Friedenstein
May 26 2020
Picture: Van Ham Auctions
Posted by Adam Busiakiewicz:
An eighteenth century painting by Philip Van Dijk of Venus and Cupid has been restituted to Schloss Friedenstein in Gotha, Germany. The last inhabitant of this palace was actually the grandson of Queen Victoria; the murky Prince Charles Edward (d.1954), son of Prince Leopold Duke of Albany. The picture was due to come up for sale in Van Ham Kunstauktionen's upcoming sale with an estimate of €5,000 - €8,000.
Curiously, is seems that the painting was catalogued and ready to be sold with this inclusion in the note;
According to a writing from 22.2.2005 the Foundation Schloss Friedenstein Gotha and the Federal Republic of Germany confirmed, that they will make no further claims on this work.
I wonder when they changed their mind?
Paint Roller Punches Through Picasso
May 26 2020
Picture: ArtNet
Posted by Adam Busiakiewicz:
ArtNet has reported on an expensive accident in which a Picasso worth $100m was damaged by a paint roller. Picasso's Le Marin (pictured), owned by casino mogul Steve Wynn, was due to come up for sale at Christie's in 2018. However, before the sale an employee from the decorators T F Nugent left out a paint rod extension that came crashing down on the work which was waiting on foam pads ready to be installed. The auction house's insurers Steadfast Insurance Co. is suing T F Nugent for $18.4m in damages.
Bizarrely, the article reports that an enormous sum was spent on restoring the picture;
Following the incident, Christie’s had the work restored, spending $487,625 to close the gaping hole and the surrounding damage, a total area of seven inches long and two inches wide.
Steadfast hired two art experts to appraise the restored work and assess how much the accident had impacted its value. The lawsuit contends that the appraisers found that the painting had previously been worth up to $100 million, but that the accident had lowered its worth by 20 percent, or $20 million, “given the extent of the physical damage to the Le Marin, and the accompanying reputational damage.”
Early Ribera at Daguerre
May 26 2020
Picture: Daguerre
Posted by Adam Busiakiewicz:
A newly discovered painting by Jusepe de Ribera (1588-1656) is coming up for sale at the Parisian auction house Daguerre on 16th June. This painting, said to depict an ancient philosopher, was uncovered in a house in the west of France last year. The artwork was unveiled in January as a rare early canvas by Ribera painted in Rome between the years 1610 - 1615. It was due to be sold in March before the lockdown delayed the sale.
The picture carries as estimate of €200,000 - €300,000. In January the French press speculated that several museums are eyeing up the painting. I wonder if this is still the case?
Update - The picture made €1,400,000 (hammer price).
MET Reopening in August
May 24 2020
Picture: MET
Posted by Adam Busiakiewicz:
The Arts Newspaper has reported that the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York has deferred its reopening schedule from July to August at the earliest. There is also news that the museum has laid off 81 members of staff and is excepting a shortfall of $150m by the next fiscal year.
This is rather concerning news from one of the largest and most important museums in the world, which begs the question of how smaller museums in the US will cope. Let's hope it doesn't result in the reawakening of schemes such as the Detroit Institute of Arts adopted in 2013 to evaluate their collection for sale.
The MET's president and CEO Daniel H Weiss is quoted in the article;
This museum is also a profound reminder of the strength of the human spirit and the power of art to offer comfort, inspiration, and community. As we endure these challenging and uncertain times, we are encouraged by looking forward to the day when we can once again welcome all to enjoy the Met's collection and exhibitions.
What Connects Georges de La Tour to Tennis?
May 21 2020
Video: via. YouTube Nicolas Milovanovic
Posted by Adam Busiakiewicz:
Nicolas Milovanovic, curator at the Louvre in Paris, has made this rather nice video describing the museum's The Card Sharp with the Ace of Diamonds by Georges de La Tour.
Included is an appeal to tennis star Novak Djokovic to follow in the footsteps of the player and art collector Pierre Landry (1898-1990), who helped bring back La Tour from relative obscurity and sold The Card Sharp to the Louvre.
Non-French speakers can use the auto-translate function at the bottom of the screen.
Christiana Herringham at Royal Holloway
May 21 2020
Video: Royal Holloway
Posted by Adam Busiakiewicz:
Royal Holloway, University of London, have produced a beautifully illustrated video drawing attention to their recent exhibition on female artist, patron, campaigner and collector Christiana Herringham (1852-1929). Herringham's bequest represents a third of Royal Holloway's collection of art and has been overlooked in recent times.
Seeing Double at Bukowski's
May 21 2020
Picture: Bukowskis
Posted by Adam Busiakiewicz:
The Swedish auction house Bukowskis's upcoming Important Spring Sale has been uploaded online. As usual it is filled with many interesting pictures.
I had to do a double take at lot 383, given to the 'Circle of Mierevelt'. It is another version of an obscure picture in the former collection of the Earls of Warwick (one of my unhealthy obsessions, I must disclose).
What is the connection between the two pictures? Which one might have come first?
The Warwick picture had been traditionally identified as a daughter of one of the family's seventeenth century descendants. In fact, just over the past few weeks I had been discussing this very painting with a colleague who had recently found many payments to the artist and dealer George Geldorp (c.1595-1665) in the family's account books of this period. But the appearance of the Bukowski picture probably suggests that this connection might be entirely false.
I wonder who this young girl was?
