Restored Rubens masterpiece goes back on public view at The Courtauld Gallery

LONDON.- The newly-conserved masterpiece Cain Slaying Abel by Sir Peter Paul Rubens went back on public display at The Courtauld Gallery, today. The magnificent painting, widely considered to be one of the most important in the Gallery’s world-class collection of works by Rubens, has been restored as part of the Bank of America Art Conservation Project which was launched in 2010. The Flemish master Rubens (1577-1640) was one of the most exciting and explosive artistic talents of early modern Europe . His [...]

Iconic 19th Century Orientalist Painting by Jean Léon Gérôme Creates Pre-Auction Buzz

NEW YORK (REUTERS).- An iconic 19th Century painting depicting an Ottoman Empire reserve soldier and his hunting dogs is generating buzz ahead of an auction next week, due to a rise in popularity of Orientalist art. The artwork, “Master of the Hounds” by Jean Leon Gerome is expected to fetch $700,000 to $1 million on January 26, during Christie’s auction of Old Master & 19th Century paintings, drawings and watercolors that could total as much as $56 million. Diana Bramham, 19th [...]

Newly-Discovered Works to Lead Sotheby’s Sale of Old Master Drawings in New York

NEW YORK, NY.- Three major discoveries will lead Sotheby’s sale of Old Master drawings in New York on 26 January 2011: a newly discovered drawing by Sir Peter Paul Rubens; and two exceptionally rare composition studies by Rembrandt van Rijn and Perino del Vaga, neither seen by scholars since the early 20th century. The discovery of Rubens’s Venus nursing Cupids adds an important and beautiful work to the artist’s oeuvre that has long eluded scholars and collectors (est. $500/800,000). Rembrandt’s [...]

Works of Art from the Spencer Collections Realise $32 Million at Christie’s

LONDON.- Christie’s offered a selection of works from the Spencer Collections this week at their London salerooms. The auctions realised a total of £21,076,288 / $31,989,353 / €25,360,494. The top price was paid for A Commander being armed for Battle by Sir Peter Paul Rubens (1577-1640) which sold for £9,001,250 / $13,663,898 / €10,846,506 at the evening auction of Old Master & 19th Century Art on 6 July. The Trustees of Althorp Estate: “For the sales this week we carefully [...]

Princess Diana’s Family Sells Painting by Flemish Master Peter Paul Rubens for Near $14 M

LONDON (REUTERS).- A painting by Flemish master Peter Paul Rubens, put up for auction by the aristocratic family of the late Princess Diana as part of a clearout sale, sold on Tuesday for 9 million pounds ($13.68 million). The picture “A Commander being armed for Battle,” was painted in 1613 or 1614, and Christie’s, which sold the work as part of its Old Masters auction in London, described it as one of the most important Rubens still in private British [...]

Works of Art from the Spencer Collections Go on Public View at Christie’s

LONDON.- A selection of works of art from Althorp and Spencer House (the historic London home of the Spencer family) is to be offered on 6, 7 and 8 July at Christie’s King Street and South Kensington salerooms, with individual estimates from £200 to £12 million. The sale previews are open to the public from Saturday 3 July, and offer the chance to see masterpieces by Rubens and Guercino, as well as selected contents from the attics and store rooms [...]

Christie’s Presents a Curated Public Exhibition of Masterpieces

LONDON.- Christie’s announced that they will present a curated, public exhibition from 14 to 17 June 2010 showcasing the leading highlights from the richest and most exciting summer auction season in a generation. Juxtaposed: Masterpieces through the Ages will present paintings by renowned artists including van Gogh, Picasso, Monet, Rubens, Warhol, Matisse, van Dyck and Hirst alongside exceptional furniture, works of art and medieval manuscripts. The exhibition will present over 80 works of museum quality arranged according to themes, independent [...]

Rubens, Guercino, Pencz and Van Dyck to Highlight Christie’s Sale

LONDON.- Christie’s Old Masters and 19th Century Art Evening Sale will take place on 6 July 2010 and will offer a rich array of 68 paintings, drawings and watercolours spanning 600 years of European art history. Leading the sale is A Commander being armed for Battle, a highly important portrait by Sir Peter Paul Rubens (1577-1640) which is offered from the Spencer Collections and sold by order of the Trustees (estimate: £8 million to £12 million). From the same collection [...]

Select Works from the Salander O’Reilly Galleries to be Sold at Christie’s

NEW YORK, NY.- On June 9, as a special addition to its sale of Old Masters & 19th Century Art, Christie’s will offer an exceptional selection of European paintings and sculpture from the former Salander-O’Reilly Galleries based in Manhattan. The inventory is to be sold pursuant to a Chapter 11 plan approved by the U.S. Bankruptcy Court. A total of 130 Renaissance era and 19th century works will be presented for sale, including paintings by Sir Peter Paul Rubens, Palma [...]

Christie’s in London to Offer Works of Art from the Althorp Attics

LONDON.- Christie’s announced the details of the auction of works of art from the attics, stables, cellars and storerooms at Althorp which will take place at the South Kensington salerooms on 7 and 8 July. The auction will also present the most important ancestral collection of carriages ever to appear at auction. Presenting over 700 lots and including carriages, European and Oriental porcelain, furniture, works of art, portrait miniatures, pictures, silver, militaria and textiles, individual estimates will range from £200 [...]

Princess Diana’s Family Offers Painting by Peter Paul Rubens in $30 million Sale at Christie’s

LONDON.- The family of Princess Diana will auction a painting by Flemish master Peter Paul Rubens as part of a clearout sale valued at $30 million designed to ensure the financial future of the Althorp estate. Earl Spencer, Diana’s brother, is head of the estate, and plans to marry for a third time later this year, according to newspaper reports. Diana, who was married to heir-to-the-throne Prince Charles, was killed in a car crash in Paris in 1997. The highlights [...]

Rare and Important Works by van Dyck and Rubens to Lead Sotheby’s Sale

LONDON.- Rare and important works by two Flemish old masters, Sir Anthony van Dyck and Sir Peter Paul Rubens, will form the cornerstone of this year’s December Evening Sale of Old Master & British Paintings at Sotheby’s in London. The sale, which is scheduled to take place on the evening of Wednesday, December 9, 2009, will also include prime examples by the prominent British masters, Sir Edwin Landseer and Samuel Scott. As previously announced, an outstanding self portrait by Sir [...]