| | Sotheby's Evening Sale of Old Master & British Paintings Realises $37,054,556
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A man looks at a 1786 oil on canvas painting by British master George Stubbs, entitled: 'Brood Mares and Foals' at a central London's auction house. The painting which was never seen on the market before according to the house, sold for £10,121,250 / $15,906,556 / €12,096,885 at Sotheby's Old Master & British Paintings sale in London. AP Photo/Lefteris Pitarakis.
LONDON.- The undoubted highlight of tonight’s Evening Sale of Old Master & British Paintings at Sotheby’s in London was George Stubbs's Brood Mares and Foals, one of the British master’s most ambitious and successful works and arguably his finest painting ever to come to the market. The painting, which made its first ever appearance on the open market tonight, sold for £10,121,250 / $15,906,556 / €12,096,885, a price which represents a new auction record for a work by the British master, by a wide margin. (The previous auction record for a work by George Stubbs was £3,191,500 / $5,079,579 and this was set by his Portrait of The Royal Tiger, which sold in June 1995). Brood Mares and Foals was the top-selling lot in a lively sale which brought an overall total of £23,577,600 /$37,054,556 / €28,179,870 (the pre-sale total estimate was £20,360,000-30,030,000) and which achieved sell through rates of 73% b ... More |
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17th-Century Spanish Sculpture, by Juan Martínez Montañés, Acquired by the Toledo Museum of Art
Juan Martínez Montañés (Spanish, 1568–1649) The Infant Christ. Polychromed wood, 1600–1606.
TOLEDO, OH.- The Toledo Museum of Art has added a major sculpture, The Infant Christ by foremost Spanish 17th-century sculptor Juan Martínez Montañés (1568–1649), to its collection. "The acquisition marks the first Spanish sculpture and the first polychromed wood sculpture from that period to enter the TMA collection," said Museum Director Brian Kennedy. Montañés, who lived and worked in Seville his entire career, was esteemed in his day as "El Dios de la Madera," the god of wood. He had an impressive talent for modeling human anatomy; the hallmark of his style is startling realism. "The Infant Christ is a commanding example of Montañés's artistry," said Lawrence Nichols, William Hutton curator, European and American painting and sculpture before 1900. "The foremost reason the Toledo Museum of Art acquired this object is the inherent quality of the sculpture. Its carving is adept and subtle. The polychromy is skil ... More | | Wikileaks Founder Julian Assange "Man of the Year" in Naples Nativity Creches
A figure of Wikileaks founder Julian Assange is placed in a Neapolitan Christmas creche by Gennaro Di Virgilio depicting the Nativity of Jesus in Naples. REUTERS/Ciro De Luca.
By: Philip Pullella
NAPLES (REUTERS).- Wikileaks founder Julian Assange may be alone in jail in London, but in the traditional Neapolitan Christmas creches he is in good company -- with Jesus, Mary and Joseph. Assange, who is depicted holding his trusty lap top, was created by Gennaro Di Virgilio, who each year chooses at least one contemporary character to sculpt and place near the scenes of the traditional story of Jesus' birth in a manger. "I included him to poke a little fun at the world and have a good time," said Di Virgilio, 29, whose family has been making nativity statuettes and ornate creches since 1830. In recent decades, artists and craftsmen who make Neapolitan creches have used them to portray the signs of the times. "In a sense, Assange is the man of the ... More | | Art Institute of Chicago Announces Major Acquisition of an Early 17th Century Painting
The Vision of Saint Francis enters permanent collection, on view in Gallery 212A.
CHICAGO, IL.- The Art Institute of Chicago announce a major acquisition of an early 17th-century painting by Ludovico Carracci, The Vision of Saint Francis (c. 1602). The work, acquired by the Department of Medieval through Modern European Painting and Sculpture at the museum, is the first painting by Ludovico Carracci to enter the collection. While the museum does hold a generous amount of works on paper by Ludovico and his cousins Annibale and Agostino, generally recognized as the artists who transformed Italian painting at the turn of the 17th century, The Vision of Saint Francis is the first painting by a Carracci to become part of the Art Institute's permanent collection. This intimate, emotionally charged oil on copper painting, depicting a tender vision of Saint Francis, is now on view in Gallery 212A at the museum. "We are thrilled to add this singular example of 17th-century Bolognese painting to our per ... More |
 | In Time for the Holidays, Christie's Launches Free App Optimized for the iPAD
The roll-out of the iPad App completes a trifecta of new mobile initiatives first undertaken by Christie’s in July of 2009. Photo: Christie's Images Ltd 2010.
NEW YORK, NY.- As the holiday shopping season reaches its fever pitch, Christie's International, the world's leading art business, is pleased to announce the availability of its new, free App designed specifically for users of the Apple iPad. With special features and functions that are optimized for the iPad’s rich interface, the new App takes users on a tour of Christie’s upcoming auctions and enables “at a glance” browsing of hundreds of luxury items and objects to be sold in the company’s salerooms worldwide, including fine art, rare wines, luxury handbags, jewelry, watches, antiques, modern design, and more. The roll-out of the iPad App completes a trifecta of new mobile initiatives first undertaken by Christie’s in July of 2009 with the launch of Christie’s popular App for the iPhone and iTouch devices. This first App was followed in June of 2010 with the launch of an optimized mobile ... More | | Controversial Video by David Wojnarowicz "A Fire in My Belly" on View at the New Museum
A man watches the video, "A Fire in My Belly," outside the Transformer Gallery. AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin.
NEW YORK, NY.- David Wojnarowicz’s A Fire in My Belly is now on view at the New Museum through January 23, 2011. David Wojnarowicz is a widely respected artist whose first U.S. retrospective was held at the New Museum in 1999. The film, A Fire in My Belly, A Work in Progress (1986-87) is a poetic meditation on man, life, death, faith, and suffering made in part as a response to the AIDS-related death of his close friend, artist Peter Hujar. In the 13-minute silent film, Wojnarowicz juxtaposes informal black and white footage from the streets of Mexico with staged color images in a rough montage. After Wojnarowicz’s own untimely death from AIDS in 1992, a separate seven-minute version was found in his studio and was subsequently remastered and redited, with a soundtrack by Diamanda Galas. A four-minute excerpt was created from the original 13-minute film for inclusion in the exhibition “Hide/Seek: Difference an ... More | | Bonhams Sell 38 Pieces of Fine Meissen Porcelain that Survived the 1945 Dresden Bombing for £500,000
Lot 42. A Meissen figure of Beltrame c. 1740, restored. Photo: Bonhams.
LONDON.- Rare surviving items from the world-famous collection of Meissen porcelain assembled by Gustav and Charlotte von Klemperer from the late nineteenth century, which survived Nazi looting and the 1945 bombing of Dresden, were auctioned at Bonhams New Bond Street. The 38 lots – many in a broken or fragmentary state - were 100% sold and made a fantastic £546,492. The top lot was a rare Meissen figure of a dancer circa 1740 which sold for £126,000 (est. £50,000-80,000) but other high prices were achieved for two Meissen dancing Harlequins which fetched £108,000 and £74,400 (each est. £20,000-30,000). Fragments of an important Meissen model of a classical temple of Minerva smashed their pre-sale estimate to sell for £20,400 (est. £2,000-3,000). The porcelain has survived a tumultuous past. Von Klemperer (1852-1926), chairman of the Dresdner Bank, collected 834 pieces of fine Meissen over a period of three decad ... More |
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Garry Gross, the New York Photographer of Young, Nude Brooke Shields Dies
Garry Gross is photographed with a puppy named "Pixie" in New York. AP Photo/Branka Ruzak.
By: Cristian Salazar, Associated Press
NEW YORK (AP).- Garry Gross, a fashion photographer known for his 1970s nude images of Brooke Shields, taken when she was 10 years old, has died in Manhattan, his sister said Tuesday. He was 73. His sister, Linda Gross, said he died Nov. 30 from a heart attack at his home in the Greenwich Village neighborhood. "He'll be sorely missed by family and friends alike," his sister said when reached by The Associated Press by telephone at his studio. Though Garry Gross earned his reputation as a celebrity image-maker — his pictures graced the covers of albums by Whitney Houston and Lou Reed — in 2002 he switched careers and became certified as a dog trainer. Most recently, he had turned to photographing portraits of canines, including such notable dogs as talk show host Rachael Ray's pit bull Isaboo. But it was the 1970s images of Shields that marked his career most significantly. In 1975, the actress' mother, Teri Shields, ... More | | Recently Acquired Peformance Art Piece by Allora & Calzadilla Debuts at MoMA
Jennifer Allora (American, born 1974) and Guillermo Calzadilla (Cuban, born 1972). Stop, Repair, Prepare: Variations on “Ode to Joy” for a Prepared Piano. 2008. Prepared Bechstein piano, pianist (Amir Khosrowpour shown). Piano: 40 x 67 x 84" (101.6 x 170.2 x 213.4 cm). The Museum of Modern Art. Gift of the Julia Stoschek Foundation, Düsseldorf. © 2010 Jennifer Allora and Guillermo Calzadilla. Photo: Jason Mandella.
NEW YORK, NY.- The Museum of Modern Art’s Performance Exhibition Series continues with Performance 9: Allora & Calzadilla, which will bring Stop, Repair, Prepare: Variations on Ode to Joy for a Prepared Piano (2008) to the Museum’s Donald B. and Catherine C. Marron Atrium for performances throughout the day, from December 8, 2010, through January 10, 2011. The piece, which was acquired by MoMA in 2009 and is being publicly performed in the Museum for the first time, was created by the artist duo Jennifer Allora (b. 1974) and Guillermo Calzadilla (b. 1971), who have been named the United States representatives for the 2011 Venice Biennale. Blending sculpture and performance, the artists have carved ... More | | Ben Johnson Begins to Complete One of His Paintings in Public at the National Gallery
Ben Johnson working on the painting, The Liverpool Cityscape, 2008 in his studio. © Ben Johnson 2010. All Rights Reserved DACS.
LONDON.- This autumn, to coincide with the Sainsbury Wing exhibition Venice: Canaletto and his Rivals, the National Gallery has invited contemporary artist Ben Johnson to display his work in an exhibition in Room 1. Ben Johnson paints the city, for very different reasons, and with very different outcomes. The display reveals his motivations and working processes – and his fascination with the legacy of Canaletto. In this display, Ben Johnson will be completing one of his paintings in public. Following the example of Canaletto, Ben Johnson combines and manipulates different views to make paintings that are completely convincing. Along with large-scale cityscapes including depictions of London landmarks Piccadilly Circus and Trafalgar Square, preparatory drawings and photographs are shown that demonstrate how this artist produces such apparently realistic paintings with differing techniques and tools. ... More |
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Sotheby's Smashes World Record for Any Piece of English Furniture Sold at Auction
An important George III gilt-lacquered brass mounted fustic, rosewood, tulipwood and marquetry commode, almost certainly by Thomas Chippendale, circa 1770 sold for: £3,793,250 ($5,980,438). Photo: Sotheby's.
LONDON.- In the midst of the excitement surrounding the record price achieved for Audubon’s Birds of America yesterday, another world record was set in a different field. An exquisite serpentine-shaped Harrington Commode, dating to circa 1770 and almost certainly crafted by Thomas Chippendale, exceeded the previous world record for any piece of English furniture at auction* by over £1 million. Following a stretch of prolonged bidding in the sale room, the commode achieved a sum three times that of its high estimate of £3,793,250 / $5,980,438 (est. £600,000-1,000,000), setting an exciting new benchmark for English furniture. Commenting on the sale, Henry House, Head of English Furniture at Sotheby’s and the auctioneer for the sale, commented: “This remarkable commode ... More | | Getty Museum Displays a Selection of Chinese Photographs Produced Since the 1990s
Song, Yongping, Passage 5, 1998 - 2001, 22 x 16 cm © Song Yongping. The J. Paul Getty Museum, Los Angeles.
LOS ANGELEs, CA.- On view at the J. Paul Getty Museum, at the Getty Center, December 7, 2010 —April 24, 2011, Photography from the New China displays a selection of Chinese photographs produced since the 1990s, when People's Republic leader Deng Xiaoping introduced the current period of Opening and Reform. Photography from the New China is shown concurrently with Felice Beato: A Photographer on the Eastern Road, an exhibition featuring nineteenth-century views of China and other parts of East Asia, creating a powerful contrast with the contemporary works. “This exhibition highlights the Getty Museum’s recently acquired photographs by some of the young artists emerging from the reinvented society that is present-day China,” says Judith Keller, senior curator of photographs and curator of the exhibition. “The photographs on display ... More | | Bonhams to Sell Archibald Thorburn Masterpiece Entitled 'The Covey at Daybreak'
Archibald Thorburn, The Covey at Daybreak (detail), 68 x 114cm. Estimate: £100,000-150,000. Photo: Bonhams.
LONDON.- Bonhams announce that a beautiful Archibald Thorburn painting entitled ‘The Covey at Daybreak’ will be a highlight of the 19th Century Paintings auction on 27th January 2011, New Bond Street, London. This follows on from the success of the last 19th Century Paintings auction in April, where seven Thorburn paintings sold for a total of £339,600 and two works achieved the highest prices recorded for Thorburn ptarmigan works (£72,000 and £62,400). Both of these works smashed their pre-sale estimates of £15,000-20,000. The painting now offered on the market is exceptionally stunning and unusually large for Thorburn, measuring 68 x 114cm. In excellent condition it has been consigned from a private collection in East Anglia, and appears on the market for the first time since it was purchased from the Thorburn Museum sale in 1993. Thorburn (1860-1935) was a Scottish artist with a life-long love of birds and was Vic ... More |
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Centre D'Art Contemporain Presents Image Mouvements
GENEVA, SWITZERLAND.- The Centre d’Art Contemporain directed by Katya García-Antón launches IMAGE—MOUVEMENT (I-M) a new platform of thought and experimentation dedicated to the past, present and future of the moving image in its diverse forms. I—M addresses the general public, artists, students and art professionals as well as scholars from the art world and beyond. Its first act, IMAGE—MOUVEMENT 2010, includes an international exhibition, “Atlas. Truths, intervals, details and the afterlives of the image”, which will take place from the 9th of December 2010 to the 13th of February 2011 and a forum running from 9th to 12th December, 2010. IMAGE—MOUVEMENT finds its roots in the Biennale de l’Image en Mouvement (1997-2007), previously known as the Semaine Internationale de la Vidéo (1985- 1997), which had become an important cultural event in Switzerland and in Europe. Given the rapidly shif ... More
Ambika P3 Presents Terry Flaxton: High Resolution Moving Image Works
LONDON.- Ambika P3 presents a programme of new high resolution digital works by artist and cinematographer, Terry Flaxton. Highlights include the ‘World Portraits’ series shot in Beijing, Venice, Glastonbury, London and New York as well as selection of 16 installation works made worldwide. The exhibition will feature 12 High Definition works from single screen to installation and represents one of the largest gatherings of high definition display, yet made in the UK (there will be six 20 by 10 foot displays). Four major installation pieces will also be showcased including the acclaimed ‘In Other People’s Skins’, experienced by audiences of over 300,000 people in locations as diverse as Xi-an Fine Art Academy in China, Vasteras Cathedral, Sweden and New York’s St. John the Divine Cathedral. A UK tour was funded by the Arts Coun ... More
Sharjah Art Foundation Announces Artists and Participants of the 2011 Sharjah Biennial
SHARJAH, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES.- The Sharjah Art Foundation announces 119 artists and participants from 36 countries across the globe to partake in Plot for a Biennial, the 10th edition of the acclaimed Sharjah Biennial, March 16 through May 16, 2011. One of the oldest and most respected contemporary art events in the Middle East, the Sharjah Biennial has nurtured the creativity and collaboration of artists, arts organizations, and institutions throughout the MENASA region (Middle East, North Africa, South Asia) and internationally since 1993. For the occasion of Plot for a Biennial, the Sharjah Biennial has commissioned approximately 65 new works for a cutting-edge presentation of visual art, film, music, performance, video and publication. The 2011 artists and participants were selected by Plot for a Biennial Co-Curators Suzanne Cotter (Curator, Guggenheim Abu Dhabi Project) and Rasha Salti (Creative Director ArteEast), an ... More
Art Gallery of Alberta Announces Winning Project in Sculpture Commission
EDMONTON, AB.- The Art Gallery of Alberta (AGA) announce that Robin Arseneault and Paul Jackson have been chosen as the winners of the Alberta Foundation for the Arts (AFA) / Art Gallery of Alberta Sculpture Commission. The two Albertan artists will create a new sculptural installation for the AGA’s City of Edmonton Terrace, which will be unveiled to the public in August 2011. The AFA / AGA Sculpture Commission was launched earlier this year as a province-wide juried competition, open to all Alberta artists. The winning work, which will be displayed on the AGA’s third floor terrace for the next five years, will become part of the AFA’s permanent art collection. The selection jury was comprised of national arts professionals, AGA and AFA representatives. The successful applicants will receive $100,000 for the creation of their work, which will be funded entirely ... More
The Hirshhorn Launches ARTLAB+ Digital Technology and Innovative Approaches Are Key
WASHINGTON, D.C..- The Smithsonian’s Hirshhorn Museum announces significant funding that supports technology-driven education for young people. The Hirshhorn is the recipient of a John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation grant of $500,000 for the creation of a digital youth learning center. It has also received a technology grant of $50,000 from the computer and video game industry’s philanthropic arm, the Entertainment Software Association Foundation. In addition, the Hirshhorn is one of three Smithsonian museums named in a Pearson Foundation and Nokia gift awarded earlier this year to enhance education through the use of mobile and digital technologies at the Smithsonian. The combined funding will assist the Hirshhorn in building a physical and intellectual environment—a “21st-century classroom”—that blends technology and curriculum in innovative ways. The Museum has launched an initiative ... More
Parasol Unit Presents Exhibition Dedicated to the Work of Emerging British Artist Nathan Cash Davidson
LONDON.- Parasol unit foundation for contemporary art presents a solo exhibition dedicated to the work of emerging British artist Nathan Cash Davidson, comprising some twenty paintings dating from 2004 to the present. An artist and lyricist with a uniquely compelling visual language, Cash Davidson’s paintings feature such diverse figures as King Henry VIII, Mr. Punch, George Bush and Ali G. Historical and popular cultural characters and the artist’s own family members meet animated gargoyles and mournful mythological creatures in otherworldly forests, cathedrals, desert islands and council estates; boldly rendered in vital, swirling jewel colours. Burlesque in which we've thrown it on its head is an encounter with Cash Davidson’s prodigious talent for figuration and architectural detail, and his wry and irreverent wit. These accomplished and confident works evoke a rich interior landscape whilst also offeri ... More
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