Pumpkin by Yayoi Kusama

En agosto de 2023, Masterworks salió de una oferta anterior de Pumpkin, Masterworks 038, obteniendo una tasa de rendimiento neta anualizada del 13,4% para los inversores en la oferta principal.

OFRECIENDO CIRCULAR 01 YAYOI KUSAMA, PUMPKIN La obra de arte es un ejemplo característico a pequeña escala de la icónica serie Pumpkin de Yayoi Kusama, un motivo que apareció por primera vez en su obra en 1946 cuando exhibió Kabocha (Calabaza) en una exposición itinerante en Japón. Kusama reintrodujo las calabazas en su trabajo en la década de 1980 y continuó incorporándolas en pinturas, dibujos, grabados e instalaciones públicas a gran escala. El interés de Kusama por las calabazas se remonta a su infancia en el Japón de antes de la guerra, donde su familia era propietaria de un vivero que cultivaba calabazas kabocha.

Ella explica su atracción por las calabazas en su autobiografía y escribe: “Me encantó su forma encantadora y atractiva. Lo que más me atrajo fue la generosa sencillez de la calabaza. Eso y su sólido equilibrio espiritual”. Las obras de arte de la serie Pumpkin varían en escala, y algunos ejemplos miden desde menos de diez pulgadas de alto y ancho hasta más de cincuenta pulgadas de alto y ancho. La obra de arte es una pintura horizontal a pequeña escala de una gran calabaza con manchas amarillas y negras colocada en el centro sobre un fondo de red negro y amarillo.

https://www.masterworks.com/dashboard/offerings/cR7mz7FJpPLkcqqjwTQdqW

La calabaza es rechoncha y bulbosa, rasgos característicos de la calabaza kabocha. Las calabazas de Yayoi Kusama se han convertido en algunos de los ejemplos más deseables comercialmente dentro de su práctica. Al 20 de junio de 2023, las pinturas de Pumpkin representan cuatro de los diez precios récord más altos alcanzados por el artista en una subasta, y están encabezadas por “Pumpkin (LPASG)” (2013), que se vendió por 62.540.000 HKD (8.026.633 dólares) el 1 de diciembre de 2021 en Christie’s. , Hong Kong, “Pumpkin” (1995), que se vendió por 56.110.000 HKD (7.147.909 dólares) el 30 de marzo de 2023 en Phillips, Hong Kong, y “Pumpkin (Twpot)” (2010), que se vendió por 54.460.000 dólares de HK (6.937.550 dólares). el 1 de abril de 2019 en Sotheby’s, Hong Kong. Las calabazas horizontales de escala y color similar a la obra de arte también han tenido buenos resultados en las subastas en los últimos años, con récords de subasta liderados por “Pumpkin” (1990), que se vendió por 999.000 dólares en Sotheby’s en Nueva York, el 15 de noviembre de 2018. “Pumpkin ”(1997), que se vendió por 889.812 dólares en Sotheby’s en Hong Kong, el 6 de abril de 2023, y “Pumpkin” (1989), que se vendió por 651.300 dólares en SBI Art Auction Co, Ltd en Tokio, el 28 de mayo de 2022.

El tema, el tamaño y la ejecución de la obra de arte la convierten en una obra comercial y deseable de Yayoi Kusama. Yayoi Kusama ha recibido numerosos honores y premios por sus contribuciones a la historia del arte, incluida la Ordre des Arts et des Lettres de Francia en 2003 y la Orden del Sol Naciente de Japón y el Praemium Imperiale en 2006. Ha sido objeto de varios estudios a gran escala. exposiciones y retrospectivas, incluida una retrospectiva en 2011 a 2012, que viajó al Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofía de Madrid, el Centro Georges Pompidou de París, la Tate Modern de Londres y el Whitney Museum of American Art de Nueva York; una encuesta sobre Infinity Mirrors, que viajó al Museo y Jardín de Esculturas Hirshhorn en Washington, D.C., el Museo de Arte de Seattle, The Broad en Los Ángeles, la Galería de Arte de Ontario en Toronto, el Museo de Arte de Cleveland en Ohio y el High Museo de Arte de Atlanta; y una retrospectiva en Gropius Bau de Berlín en 2021, que viajó al Museo de Arte de Tel Aviv en 2022.

La obra del artista también está incluida en prestigiosas colecciones públicas de todo el mundo, como el Museo de Arte Moderno de Nueva York, el Broad Museum de Los Ángeles, el Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden de Washington, D.C., la Tate Modern de Londres y el museo homónimo del artista en Tokio, entre muchos más. Además de su éxito institucional, Kusama ha colaborado con marcas de lujo, incluidas Louis Vuitton y Veuve Clicquot, que han contribuido aún más a su reconocimiento más amplio. El artista está representado por la Galería David Zwirner, la Galería Gagosian y la Galería Victoria Miro.

12 September, 2023/by Jackson Thompson

Accesorios y Complementos, Belleza, Bolsos, COLECCIONISMO, ESTILO DE VIDA, MODA, Susbastas

CHRISTIE’S ESTABLISHES A RECORD FOR A SINGLE OWNER HERMÉS COLLECTION WITH THREE-PART SALEACHIEVING A COMBINED TOTAL OF:€5,935,230 /£5,146,132 / $6,237,136

INSIDE THE ORANGE BOX: A LIFETIME OF COLLECTING, PROPERTY FROM AN IMPORTANT EUROPEAN COLLECTOR

AMSTERDAM – On 28 June, Christie’s Amsterdam closed the online sale of an exceptional single-owner collection of Hermès handbags, lifestyle accessories, scarves, homeware, jewellery, watches and scarves with Inside the Orange Box: A Lifetime of Collecting, Property from an Important European Collector: Part III, achieving a total of €1,927,044 / £1,659,814 / $2,111,283. This follows parts I and parts II of the auction in June and October 2022 in Milan, bringing the combined total for this extraordinary three-part collection to €5,935,230 / £5,146,132 / $6,237,136, a new record for any single-owner handbag collection at auction.

Inside the Orange Box: A Lifetime of Collecting, Property from an Important European Collector: Part III featured over 350 lots by the iconic brand Hermès and spanned over three decades of Hermès creativity. The sale attracted global participation with registrants from 54 countries. The sale was 100% sold by lot and 54% of new registrants to the sale were millennials. Leading the white glove sale was a rare, matte white Himalaya Niloticus Crocodile Birkin 35 which sold for €94,500 / £81,395 / $102,151, surpassing its pre-sale low estimate of €60,000. An additional leading highlight was a Custom Petit H Denim & Black Evercalf Leather Shadow Birkin 40 which sold for €50,400 / £43,411 / $54,481. A Petit H Jaune D’Or Clemence Leather, Black Crocodile & Black Fox Fur Kelly 28 by Hermès achieved €35,280/ £30,388 / $38,136.

Further notable results include a Hermès Matte Blue Paon Alligator Birkin 35 which realised €47,880 / £41,240 / $51,757 alongside a Hermès matte Sanguine alligator Birkin 30 which achieved €44,100 / £37,984 / $47,671.

A selection of accessories and lifestyle items additionally achieved strong results: a limited edition 18k White Gold & Mother-of-Pearl Dial Marche du Zambèze Automatic Wrist Watch by Hermès sold for €13,860 / £11,938 / $14,982 exceeding its estimate of €2,000-3,000. A group of six silver pill boxes in the shape of Hermès handbags sold for €10,710 / £9,225 / $11,577.

Lucile Andreani, Head of Handbags, Christie’s EMEA: “We are thrilled with the results of this exciting three-part single owner collection with a total of €5,935,230 / £5,146,132 / $6,237,136. The first Christie’s handbags auction in Amsterdam, Inside the Orange Box is the largest single owner collection of Hermès handbags and accessories to ever appear at auction, and we are delighted with the phenomenal results of these three online sales, setting a new record for any private handbag collection sold at auction. The Handbags and Accessories department continues to attract millennials, with over half of our new registrants representing the millennial generation.”

Sale Highlights

About Christie’s

Founded in 1766, Christie’s is a world-leading art and luxury business. Renowned and trusted for its expert live and online auctions, as well as its bespoke private sales, Christie’s offers a full portfolio of global services to its clients, including art appraisal, art financing, international real estate and education. Christie’s has a physical presence in 46 countries, throughout the Americas, Europe, Middle East, and Asia Pacific, with flagship international sales hubs in New York, London, Hong Kong, Paris and Geneva. It also is the only international auction house authorized to hold sales in mainland China (Shanghai).

Christie’s auctions span more than 80 art and luxury categories, at price points ranging from $200 to over $100 million. Christie’s has sold 8 of the 10 most important single-owner collections in history, including the Paul G. Allen Collection—the most valuable collection ever offered at auction (November 2022). In recent years, Christie’s has achieved the world record price for an artwork at auction (Leonardo da Vinci’s Salvator Mundi, 2017), for a 20th century artwork (Andy Warhol’s Shot Sage Blue Marilyn, 2022) and for a work by a living artist (Jeff Koons’ Rabbit, 2019).

Christie’s Private Sales offers a seamless service for buying and selling art, jewellery and watches outside of the auction calendar, working exclusively with Christie’s specialists at a client’s individual pace.

Recent innovations at Christie’s include the groundbreaking sale of the first NFT for a digital work of art ever offered at a major auction house (Beeple’s Everydays, March 2021), with the unprecedented acceptance of cryptocurrency as a means of payment. As an industry leader in digital innovation, Christie’s also continues to pioneer new technologies that are redefining the business of art, including use of hologram technology to tour life-size 3D objects around the world, and the creation of viewing and bidding experiences that integrate augmented reality, global livestreaming, buy-now channels, and hybrid sales formats.

Christie’s is dedicated to advancing responsible culture throughout its business and communities worldwide, including achieving sustainability by reducing our carbon emissions by 50% and pledging to be net zero by 2030, and actively using its platform in the art world to amplify under-represented voices and support positive change.

Browse, bid, discover, and join us for the best of art and luxury at: www.christies.com or by downloading Christie’s apps. The COVID-related re-opening status of our global locations is available here.

8 July, 2023/by Carlos

COLECCIONISMO, Especial, EVENTOS, Exposiciones, Relojería, RELOJES, Relojes de bolsillo, Relojes de Hombre, Relojes de Mujer, Relojes de Oro, Relojes Edición Limitada

Patek Philippe presents luxury timepieces in Watches and Wonders Geneva 2023

Patek Philippe presents 17 new watch models with innovative technical and aesthetic features, enriching its vast range of collections

On the occasion of Watches and Wonders 2023, the Geneva-based manufacture is unveiling a wide selection of new models, ranging from a Calatrava with an original 24-hour display and a Travel Time function for the display of a second time zone, to a new haute joaillerie version of the Grandmaster Chime, and the first Annual Calendar to enter the ladies’ Aquanaut Luce collection, renowned for its modern casual chic. A new vintage celebrating technical mastery and creativity.

“Why does Patek Philippe offer so many different collections? Because each of them has its own character and its own way of enabling us to innovate and express ourselves.” That was the message from Thierry Stern, president of the family-owned manufacture, in a recent communications campaign centering on the company’s brand philosophy. From the Grand Complications to the elegant sports models and others that have become icons of horological design, Patek Philippe maintains a vast choice of watches for men and women in every market segment. As time passes, the manufacture takes great care to ensure a balanced evolution of the approximately 150 references, which are crafted in small series, ranging from about ten pieces to a few hundred. The 17 new introductions presented at the Watches and Wonders 2023 salon are the perfect illustration.

Five refined new looks for the striking watches –Grand Complications emblematic of Patek Philippe

Since the manufacture’s foundation in 1839, Patek Philippe has made its mark as one of the greatest specialists in striking watches. Its supreme mastery was confirmed in 2014 by the launch, as a limited edition, of the Patek Philippe Grandmaster Chime – the most complicated Patek Philippe wristwatch, with 20 complications. This timepiece, which joined the current collection in 2016, is particularly notable for its five chiming modes, including an alarm striking the pre-selected time, and a date repeater striking the date on demand.

The manufacture is reinterpreting the design of the double-face reversible case, endowed with a patented rotation mechanism, by presenting it for the first time in a bicolor version combining white gold and rose gold. This new Patek Philippe Grandmaster Chime Reference 6300GR-001 also stands out by its two brown opaline dials, with a hand-guilloched Clous de Paris or hobnail pattern on the side displaying the time of day, and its two-tone chestnut brown patinated alligator strap and bicolor folding buckle.

In 2022, Patek Philippe highlighted the mechanical perfection of the Grandmaster Chime with two gem- set versions, one with baguette-cut diamonds (Reference 6300/400G-001) the other with baguette-cut diamonds and baguette-cut blue sapphires (Reference 6300/401G-001). Now, the manufacture is presenting a new alliance between haute horlogerie and haute joaillerie with the Patek Philippe Grandmaster Chime Haute Joaillerie Reference 6300/403G-001 shimmering with 118 baguette-cut emeralds (7.87 ct) and 291 baguette-cut diamonds (20.54 ct) in a superb example of the “baguette” and “invisible” setting techniques. This timepiece is endowed with two dials in ebony-black opaline, with a hand-guilloched Clous de Paris or hobnail pattern on the time side and a shiny black alligator leather strap with emerald-green hand stitching.

Another outstanding piece among the striking watches, Reference 5316, launched in 2017, unites a minute repeater, a tourbillon, a perpetual calendar with retrograde date hand and a moon-phase indicator. In the Grand Complication Reference 5316/50P-001, Patek Philippe gives this timepiece a unique new modern allure –with a platinum case and a sapphire-crystal dial with blue metallization and black-gradient rim, affording a veiled glimpse of the mechanical heart of the watch.

Rare Handcrafts World Time Minute Repeater Reference 5531G-001

The manufacture is also enriching its selection of minute-repeating wristwatches –the largest such range in a current collection –with two reinterpretations under the heading of Rare Handcrafts. Rare Handcrafts World Time Minute Repeater Reference 5531G-001 – the first minute repeater model that always strikes the local time –is also the first World Time Minute Repeater in white gold. Its dial center is adorned with a new Grand Feu cloisonné enamel scene depicting one of the famous steamboats still plying the waters of Lake Geneva. Another new model, Rare Handcrafts Minute Repeater Reference 5178G-012, is endowed with a self-winding movement and “cathedral” gongs whose sound is particularly deep and rich. It features a new dial in blue Grand Feu flinqué enamel over a distinctive hand-guilloched swirling pattern.

Calatrava Reference 5224R-001

A new complicated model and refreshed designs in the Calatrava collection

With its sleek round case and air of understatement, the Calatrava collection (launched in 1932) has made its mark as the archetype of timeless elegance. Over the years, Patek Philippe has added to this vast family a variety of complications used in everyday life, such as the Travel Time dual time zone function and the weekly calendar. The manufacture is now expanding its range of travel watches with the new Calatrava Reference 5224R-001 featuring the Travel Time dual time zone and an original 24- hour display. The new caliber 31-260 PS FUS 24H self-winding movement is further distinguished by its patented system for correcting local time by the crown. It is housed in a rose-gold case harmonizing with a blue dial embellished by complex finishing touches, adorned with numerals, hour markers and five-minute cabochons all in rose gold, individually applied by hand.

Since 2015, the models in the Pilot style – inspired by the Patek Philippe watches created for aviators in the 1930s – have featured prominently in the manufacture’s collections, with several versions of the Calatrava Pilot Travel Time with the dual time-zone mechanism, as well as a Grand Complication equipped with a 24-hour alarm. Patek Philippe is now endowing this distinctive line, known for its original, highly recognizable aesthetic, with its first two chronograph models: Calatrava Pilot Travel Time Chronograph Reference 5924G-001, with a blue-gray sunburst dial and a navy-blue grained calfskin strap; and the Calatrava Pilot Travel Time Chronograph Reference 5924G-010, with a lacquered dial in khaki green and an olive-green calfskin strap with a vintage finish. These two watches house the caliber CH 28-520 C FUS self-winding movement uniting three practical and user-friendly complications: a fly-back chronograph, a Travel Time dual time zone function and the date indicated by a hand, coupled with local time.

Other new models in the Patek Philippe current collection include the Calatrava references 6007G- 001, 6007G-010 and 6007G-011 featuring a graphic modern style. The ebony black dials, enriched with three types of finish, center an embossed “carbon” pattern. The dynamism of the design is heightened by touches of color on the dials and straps: yellow (6007G-001), red (6007G-010) or sky blue (6007G-011). The white-gold cases house the caliber 26-330 S C self-winding movement with date and stop-seconds function.

4997/200R – CALATRAVA

Patek Philippe is also expanding its range of elegant watches for women with the new Calatrava self- winding Reference 4997/200R-001, a reinterpretation of a great classic that catches the eye with a rose-gold case and a dial and strap decked out in purple. The dial, embossed with a pattern of concentric waves, is coated with more than fifty layers of translucent lacquer, creating a mesmerizing sense of depth. The case is adorned with a diamond-set bezel and houses the caliber 240 ultra-thin self-winding movement.

New functions and new faces for the Aquanaut and Aquanaut Luce

Patek Philippe made its mark in the domain of sporty elegance by designing two models that have acquired cult status: the Nautilus (1976) and the Aquanaut (1997), the latter strengthening its offer in 2004 with the launch of the ladies’ Aquanaut Luce line. Following the introduction of a Travel Time dual time-zone model in 2021 and a self-winding chronograph version in 2022, the Aquanaut Luce is now treating itself to a new practical and easy-to-use complication: the patented Annual Calendar. Graced with a blue-gray dial and strap, this Aquanaut Luce Annual Calendar Reference 5261R-001 in rose gold enhances the choice of complicated watches for women with a non-gemset model.

The new self-winding ladies’ Aquanaut Luce Reference 5268/200R-010 coordinates a rose-gold case with a dial and integrated strap in taupe –a warm hue between brown and gray in perfect harmony with this model’s “modern casual chic” style. Its characteristic rounded octagonal bezel is lit by the fire of 48 diamonds. The case is water resistant to 120 m and houses the caliber 26-330 S C self-winding movement with stop seconds.

The self-winding Aquanaut chronograph for men, already available in steel and in white gold, also sports a rose-gold case for the new Aquanaut Chronograph Reference 5968R-001, endowed with a sunburst dial in a gradient of brown to black, and a matching composite strap.

From technical models to jewelry pieces

In the segment of complicated watches for men, Self-winding Flyback Chronograph with Annual Calendar Reference 5905R-010 endowed with a rose-gold case and a blue sunburst dial lends a new face to this alliance between two sought-after Patek Philippe complications.

Gondolo Serata Reference 4962/200R-001

The Gondolo collection, comprising the Patek Philippe “form watches” of Art Deco inspiration, announces the return of a jewelry watch with unique style and timeless elegance. The Gondolo Serata Reference 4962/200R-001, in rose gold, is set with spessartites arranged in a double color gradient, highlighting the case’s refined curves. The brown-lacquered dial presents a floral decoration with contrasting finishes.

A rich collection of rare handcrafts

Once again, as in previous years, Patek Philippe is also unveiling a splendid collection of one-of-a-kind or limited-edition pieces (dome table clocks, table clocks, pocket watches and wristwatches) showcasing the rarest and most refined of the artistic crafts, such as miniature painting on enamel, Grand Feu cloisonné enameling, hand engraving and wood marquetry. The “Rare Handcrafts 2023” exhibition, bringing together these 67 creations, will be open to the public from April 1 to 15 2023 in the Patek Philippe Salons in Geneva.

Patek Philippe Grand Complication Perpetual Calendar 5271/11P

4 April, 2023/by Jackson Thompson

ARCHITECTURE, COLECCIONISMO, Interior design, Susbastas, VENTA

Sotheby’s International Realty: 1859 Bel Air Road Los Angeles, California, 90077 United States

Sotheby’s International Realty:

1859 Bel Air Road Los Angeles, California, 90077 United States

Enveloped in the lush landscape and bound by the masterful vision of icons in quality and thoughtful execution, award-winning architectural firm Tag Front and world-renowned interior designer Cesar Giraldo, 1859 Bel Air Road offers 20,000 square feet of venerable beauty and an artful abundance of sophistication.

Sotheby’s International Realty:
1859 Bel Air Road Los Angeles, California, 90077 United States

The sleek curvature of the exterior of the house is a work of art in itself, with clean lines, geometric shapes, and a contemporary design that exudes sophistication and elegance. An eco-green living wall and a manicured pathway above a striking water feature encompass the 350-foot width of frontage and lead to a moment of arrival, peering above the clouds and extending to the views of the ocean, Catalina Island, and the canyons from Bel Air.

The grand, masterpiece spiral staircase connects two stories, appears suspended, and was carefully engineered with aluminum and steel, immediately immersing guests in the home’s meticulous design. A free-flowing main level dialogues with the outdoor veranda from the sunken formal living room and intimate entertainment spaces, to the breakfast nook and Poliform chef’s kitchen with a seamless caterer’s preparation galley ideally hidden directly behind.

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The architecture is modern yet the amenities are luxurious

Each statement room is designed with a subtle transition from the last, the architecture is modern yet the amenities are luxurious. The master suite is a true oasis, with a fireplace, a sitting area, two walk-in closets, and a spa-like shower with tubs, steam shower, and dual vanities. Three-story walls of glass drape a bamboo cove exposing the incredible backyard scape totaling 1.6 acres with an outdoor lanai, a substantial infinity pool and spa, and an effortless flow over the canyon.

The lower level allows an ultimate experience in leisure and wellness, complete with a playroom, theater, gym with signature TechnoGym equipment, a wine lounge for over 1,152 bottles, and additional bedrooms to complete the nine-bedroom, ten-bath, three-powder-room offering. One of the premier tri-level estates in Bel Air, a first and last of its kind, 1859 is a home of impeccable attention to detail, an unmistakable eye for global design, and one of the finest vast view lots in Los Angeles. All in all, this Bel Air modern masterpiece is a true gem, offering the ultimate in luxury living. With its stunning design, top-of-the-line finishes, and state-of-the-art amenities, this is the perfect home for one who wants the best of everything. If you’re in the market for a high-end property, this Bel Air mansion is a must-see. Don’t miss your chance to own a piece of real estate history.

Sotheby’s International Realty:
1859 Bel Air Road Los Angeles, California, 90077 United States

PRICE

$68,000,000

BEDROOMS

9 BATHROOMS

13 Full

INTERIOR

20,000 Sq Ft.

EXTERIOR

1.39 Acre(s)

copyright © Photos: all rights reserved : www.sothebysrealty.com

www.sothebysrealty.com

6 March, 2023/by Jackson Thompson

Coches, COLECCIONISMO, Especiales, Susbastas, VENTA

RM Sotheby,s | The Carrera Collection July 2023

THE CARRERA COLLECTION

JULY 2023

Comprising a total of nearly 90 sports cars across a diverse list of marques, the common thread that unites The Carrera Collection is its impressive diversity. An almost encyclopedic selection of Porsche sports cars represents the majority of the models, including early 356 examples, top-of-the-line 928 grand tourers, as well as multiple generations of the legendary 911 sports coupe. The collection also includes a variety of desirable modern classics from marques including Alfa Romeo, BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Alpina, and Chevrolet. Notably, every car in the collection will be offered without reserve.

The Carrera Collection will be offered across two sales, one in Switzerland and the other in Italy. More details will be announced very soon, and we encourage you to register for an RM Sotheby’s account for the latest updates.

AUCTION DETAILS

18 February, 2023/by Carlos

ART, Artists, COLECCIONISMO, Exhibitions, Susbastas

Remarkable Rubens and Bronzino Paintings Lead Masters Week to $100M Sales

BY WILL FENSTERMAKER | JAN 30, 2023

Paintings by the Old Masters sold for $26.9 million and $10.7 million respectively.

The Old Masters are at it again: Sotheby’s annual Masters Week auctions again surpassed $100 million in total sales. The highlight of the week was the expertly assembled Fisch Davidson Collection, one of the most important collections of Baroque art to ever appear at auction. All ten lots sold in this $49.6 million white-glove event, led by Salome Presented with the Head of Saint John the Baptist (1609) by Sir Peter Paul Rubens. Part of the Spanish Royal Collection from 1666 to 1700, the shocking and masterful painting – made by a then-unknown artist just returned from Italy – sold for $26.9 million, establishing the third-highest price for the artist.

“Today’s white-glove result for the Fisch Davidson collection was a tribute both to the drama and splendor of these Baroque masterpieces, and to the combination of passion and meticulous dedication with which the collection was put together over the decades,” says George Wachter, Sotheby’s Chairman and Co-Worldwide Head of Old Master Paintings. “I always believed these works would inspire the next generation of Old Master collectors all over the world, and indeed they did.”

Bidding Battle for Bronzino’s “Portrait of a Young Man with a Quill and a Sheet of Paper”

Remarkable Rubens and Bronzino Paintings Lead Masters Week to $100M Sales

Bidding Battle for Bronzino’s “Portrait of a Young Man with a Quill and a Sheet of Paper”

Thursday’s Master Paintings auction was led by a riveting portrait by Bronzino (Agnolo di Cosimo) that possibly depicts the artist himself. Its sale for $10.7 million – doubling its high estimate and setting a world record for the artist – marks a resolution for the painting’s remarkable and tragic journey. Painted circa 1527, the portrait is one of Bronzino’s earliest and was once owned by Sir William Temple, a prominent diplomat, politician and essayist. Over the years it was incorrectly attributed to a number of different artists and passed through multiple owners, eventually entering the collection of Ilse Hesselberger, heir to a German sewing-machine company fortune, and Franz Hesselberger, a businessman from Munich.

In 1938 Nazis forced Ilse Hesselberger to sell her property, including the Bronzino portrait, to finance the construction of a transit camp and three years later she was murdered in the Kaunas Concentration Camp. The Nazi architect Gerdy Troost possessed the work – falsely attributed to Jacopino del Conte – for some time before it was recovered by the Allied Monuments Men after the war and displayed in a German office block. At last, only last year was the Bronzino portrait restituted to Ilse Hesselberger’s heirs, then sold by the estate to benefit a number of charities in New York.

THE $10.7M SALE OF THIS BRONZINO PORTRAIT RESTORES ILSE HESSELBERGER TO THE IMPORTANT PAINTING’S HISTORIC PROVENANCE.

“It was a privilege to witness the record-breaking sale of this extraordinary work at Sotheby’s today, knowing that the proceeds will benefit Selfhelp Community Services and The Lighthouse Guild,” says Raymond V.J. Schrag, President of Selfhelp Community Services. “This work now enters a new chapter of its life, and we are so pleased that through today’s sale Ilse Hesselberger’s name has rightfully been written back into its fascinating and long history.”

Especially strong results were seen by Dutch Masterpieces from the Theiline Scheumann Collection, totaling $8.1 million, while throughout the week, auction records were set for Bronzino, Master of the Spinola Annunciation ($2.4 million), Lieve Pietersz Vershuier ($1.1 million), Master H.B. with the Griffin Head ($441,000), Christian Ezdorf ($264,400, breaking the record set by the same work in 2020) and Isaak van Ruisdael ($176,400). More than a third of the works offered had been off the market for over 30 years, and participation was global across 18 different countries. Institutions made a number of acquisitions – including Bernardo Cavallino’s Saint Bartholomew ($3.9 million) by the National Gallery of London; Anna Dorothea Therbusch’s portrait of a scientist seated at a desk by candlelight by The Cleveland Museum of Art ($441,000); and a moving painting of a young man asleep before an open book by an artist active in the circle of Rembrandt van Rijn acquired by the Stockholm Nationalmuseum ($945,000) – that will see these magnificent works return to public view.

4 February, 2023/by Carlos

Archeology, ARCHITECTURE, ARTE, COLECCIONISMO, Descubrimientos, Susbastas, Susbastas

Sotheby’s: GORGOSAURUS SKELETON

GORGOSAURUS SKELETON

Gorgosaurus spec.

Late Cretaceous (approx. 77 million years ago)

Judith River Formation, Choteau County, Montana

Exhibition-ready mounted skeleton, measuring 9 feet, 2½ inches tall (110.5 inches, 113.5 with armature), just under 22 feet long (263.5 inches). Skull measuring 38½ by 26½ by 17 inches (97.8 x 67.3 x 43.2 cm). 79 fossil elements, mounted on custom armature with additional cast elements.

The Gorgosaurus roamed the Earth about 77 million years ago, roughly 10 million years before it’s more famous relative, the T-Rex. Well-preserved until it was discovered in 2018 at Montana’s Judith River Formation, this particular specimen is a great example of this apex predator.

Standing around 10 feet tall and 22 feet long, it’s one of one a few ever found in the US, and the only known example not in a museum or large collection. It’s going up for auction as part of Sotheby’s Natural History sale in New York on July 28, and is expected to sell for up to $8 million.

THE FIRST SPECIMEN OF ITS KIND TO COME TO AUCTION —ONE OF ONLY ABOUT 20 KNOWN EXAMPLES, AND THE ONLY KNOWN TO BE AVAILABLE FOR PRIVATE OWNERSHIP

UNLIKE OTHER DINOSAURS SKELETONS THAT HAVE RECENTLY COME TO MARKET, THIS SPECIMEN HAS NOT YET BEEN GIVEN A NICKNAME — THE NEW OWNER WILL GET TO PICK THE NAME OF THEIR CHOICE

Gorgosaurus was a predatory dinosaur whose name means “dreadful lizard”. It was a bipedal, apex carnivore that lived approximately 76 million years ago in what is now western North America.

It is believed that Gorgosaurus’ body reached lengths of nearly 30 feet and weighed in at around three tons, and paleontologists have been able to make educated depictions of its body-shape based on the very small number of fossil skeletal remains that have been discovered thus far. What we can see is that at the end of a massive S-shaped neck, a huge head was held that housed dozens of long, slim, double-edged serrated teeth.

The dentition in the front of the snout were D-shaped, and those in the rear of the jaws appearing oval in cross section, which were ideally designed for piercing and cutting. Its leg proportions were more typical of swift-moving biped dinosaurs, and its long tail acted as a counterbalance while running. Paleontologists speculate that Gorgosaurus might have used these adaptations to hunt herbivorous contemporaries including the hadrosaurs Lambeosaurus and Corythosaurus, the ceratopsians Styracosaurus and Centrosaurus, and the armored ankylosaurs Edmontonia and Euplocephalus.

The fossil record indicates that Gorgosaurus coexisted with the less-widely distributed but similarly-sized theropod, Daspletosaurus, with whom they competed for resources. Both were members of the family Tyrannosauridae, which includes both North American and Asian super predators such as Tyrannosaurus, Tarbosaurus, Albertosaurus, Daspletosaurus, and others. Gorgosaurus itself predates Tyrannosaurus rex by about 10 million years. They are considered a cousin species to Tyrannosaurus rex, and a crucial piece in the understanding of the evolutionary diversity of the entire Tyrannosaurid family.

Condition & Detail Images

The bones are preserved in exquisite detail, exhibiting little distortion and retaining much of their original shape and surface characteristics. Overall, the fossilization of this Gorgosaurus is superb. The patina is a light to medium brown, a color consistent with most vertebrate fossils from the Judith River Formation. There is no sign of “pyrite disease” or other mineral issues that would represent a problem with future preservation of the fossils.

The skull is represented by a beautifully preserved left maxilla and an assortment of cranial bones. The left side of the skull is well represented including the preserved maxilla and the three major bones that create the rounded orbit. The shape of orbit is a distinguishing feature between Gorgosaurus and Tyrannosaurus. The maxilla includes two fully rooted exposed teeth, three partial teeth, and five unerupted teeth in their alveoli. The maxilla, overall, shows very little distortion and is large as compared to other Gorgosaurus maxillae.

The Gorgosaurus specimen contains a well-documented axial skeleton with material representing the cervical, dorsal, and caudal vertebrae. The axial skeleton also includes an exceptionally well-preserved pelvis, with all eleven elements represented including complete articulated pubis bones.

28 July, 2022/by Maria G

ART, COLECCIONISMO, Painting, Susbastas

Sotheby’s – Picasso’s Rapturous 1932 Homage to Marie-Thérèse Walter

New York

Painted in April 1932, 90 years ago to the month, Femme nue couchée is one of Pablo Picasso’s most monumental and uninhibitedly sensual portrayals of Marie-Thérèse Walter. Appearing at auction for the first time, the large-scale painting is poised to achieve in excess of $60 million at Sotheby’s Modern Evening Auction on 17 May, making it one of the most valuable portraits of Marie-Thérèse Walter ever offered at auction.

Marie-Thérèse was the inspiration for many of Picasso’s greatest works, with 1932 – the year in which he was finally able to give full painterly voice to his passion – widely regarded as his ‘annus mirabilis’. So extraordinarily was Picasso’s output that year, an entire museum exhibition has been dedicated to it (“Paris 1932”, at Tate Modern in 2018). And while the works from this moment stand out for their creativity and their joyous mood, what perhaps marks them out most of all is the intensity of desire that underpins them. (In fact, the French leg of exhibition at the Musee Picasso was called “Paris 1932: année erotique”.)

Femme nue couchée a Monumental Achievement in Picasso’s Oeuvre and the History of Portraiture, Is Poised to Achieve in Excess of $60 Million

© 2022 ESTATE OF PABLO PICASSO / ARTISTS RIGHTS SOCIETY (ARS), NEW YORK | JULIAN CASSADY PHOTOGRAPHY

But of the many portraits Picasso painted of Marie-Therese in that year, this particular image stands out: it is a uniquely compelling composition that is radically different, both from anything else in his oeuvre, and from the broader art historical tradition of the female reclining nude. In this work, Picasso evokes Marie-Therese with the strong and sensuous fin-like limbs of a sea-creature. Though he would go on to render subsequent lovers in animalistic form, the allusion to the sea here is significant: Marie-Thérèse was also an avid and accomplished swimmer whose powerful, athletic grace in the water was a source of constant fascination for Picasso (something that was perhaps all the more beguiling for him, given that – for all the time he spent on the beach as a child and subsequently – he in fact he never learned to swim). In addition to which, the headiest days of their blossoming relationship were spent by the sea: in the summer of 1928, Picasso took his then-wife Olga and son Paulo to the seaside at Dinard. Unbeknown to them, he also installed his then-still-secret-lover Marie-Thérèse in a holiday camp nearby, ‘eloping’, whenever possible for secret romantic encounters by the sea.

“Picasso’s portraits of his golden muse Marie-Thérèse are undeniable hallmarks of 20th century art. When unveiled at his career retrospective in 1932, this cycle of monumental works scintillated with their rapturously romantic and sensuous depiction of Picasso’s heretofore sequestered mistress. A radical departure from tradition, this striking painting is at the same time a deeply lyrical ode to the artist’s unbound desire for Marie-Thérèse; with her fin-like, endlessly pliable limbs, the portrait continues to enchant as it perfectly captures Picasso’s muse as the ultimate expression of his genius.”

BROOKE LAMPLEY, SOTHEBY’S CHAIRMAN AND WORLDWIDE HEAD OF GLOBAL FINE ART SALES

Furthermore, a lover of the sea (‘I am a child of the sea; I long to bathe in it, to gulp down the salty water’) and an avid film goer, Picasso may well have been influenced in this composition by Jean Painlevé’s 1928 surrealist masterpiece, La Pieuvre, “a captivating love letter to one of nature’s most intelligent and enigmatic creations.”

Building on the lineage of the reclining nude in art history, Picasso’s Femme nue couchée offers a daring new take on the tradition, upending naturalism for the biomorphic forms of Surrealism and a curvilinear approach derived from his simultaneous sculptural practice, which would prove highly influential to generations of artists to come.

In early 1932 Picasso was planning a major retrospective scheduled for June, and in preparation for the exhibition began his first dedicated series of paintings depicting his muse and mistress Marie-Thérèse Walter in the seclusion of his new country home of Boisgeloup. In Femme nue couchée, which was completed during this period, Picasso charted new territory with his portrait of Marie-Thérèse, not only in his own body of work, but in the history of the nude figure with his depiction of her reclining in a highly abstracted space, highlighting her biomorphic figure with touches of fertility, sexuality, and grace. As a landmark work within Picasso’s oeuvre and his famed series completed in 1932, as well as a pivotal exampale in the history of portraiture, Femme nue couchée’s arrival at auction for the first time this Spring marks a significant moment in Picasso’s unrivaled legacy in the art market.

“As one of the star highlights of Tate Modern’s world-class exhibition devoted to 1932 as a pivotal year for Picasso, Femme nue couchée is a ground-breaking, extraordinarily sensual work that remained within the artist’s estate for decades before its acquisition directly from the family of the artist . Marking the first time this painting will appear at auction, our Modern Evening Sale will be a defining moment in solidifying 1932 as one of Picasso’s most critically important and sought-after periods.”

HELENA NEWMAN, SOTHEBY’S WORLDWIDE HEAD OF IMPRESSIONIST & MODERN ART

The story of Picasso’s first encounter with Marie-Thérèse, and their subsequent love affair, is among the most compelling in 20th century art history. Picasso first met Marie-Thérèse in Paris in 1927 when she was seventeen years old. The couple’s relationship was kept a well-guarded secret for many years, both on account of the fact that Picasso was then still married to Olga Khokhlova, a Russian-Ukrainian dancer he had met on tour with Diaghilev, and because of Marie-Thérèse’s age. It was during these preceding months that he first cast his artistic spotlight on the voluptuous blonde. Until then, Picasso had only referenced his extramarital affair with Marie-Thérèse in code, sometimes embedding her symbolically in a composition or rendering her unmistakable profile as a feature of the background. But by the end of 1931, Picasso could no longer repress the creative impulse that his lover inspired, and over Christmas 1931 and into early 1932, Marie- Thérèse emerged, for the first time, in fully recognizable, languorous, form in his work.

For Picasso, Marie-Thérèse offered a sensual amalgam of the lover, the model, and the goddess, and would be cast in many roles throughout his body of work. In Boisgeloup, Picasso increasingly devoted his time and creative energy to sculpture, including a number of plaster busts and reclining nude portraits of Marie-Thérèse. The influence of this medium is visible in Femme nue couchée in the monumental sculptural force with which Picasso portrays the female body. At the same time, the psychological state of the sleeping woman resonates in the soft modelling of the figure, creating an atmosphere of reverie and carefree abandon. Seeking to convey his erotic desire, Picasso generates morphological permutations and distortions of the female anatomy. Abandoning any attempt at naturalism, he creates a figure composed of biomorphic forms, a technique that developed from his earlier, Surrealist works.

Picasso’s treatment of the female figure is undoubtedly rooted in the great tradition of the reclining nude in art history, following his predecessors Goya, Ingres, and Manet, among others. Yet, the artist’s shocking new take on the nude and frank sexuality would provide an influence to some of the greatest artists in the generations to follow.

“There were many notable years in the long, dramatic career of Pablo Picasso, but 1932 stands out as particularly momentous. In this ‘year of wonders,’ Picasso produced the most sensuous depictions of his great muse and lover Marie-Thérèse Walter, who would inspire some of the artist’s most iconic images. In Femme nue couchée, she is presented with a potent mix of sensuality and youthful naivety, and heralds a major creative turning point for Picasso as he was no longer willing to hide his passion and affair.”

JULIAN DAWES, SOTHEBY’S HEAD OF MODERN ART, AMERICAS

Exhibition Schedule
Hong Kong 8 – 12 April
London 20 – 24 April
New York 6 – 17 May

28 April, 2022/by Maria G

ART, COLECCIONISMO, DESTACADOS, Esculturas, EVENTOS, Exhibitions, Galerías, VENTA

Theatrum Mundi

Theatrum Mundi brings the spirit of the Wunderkammer to the 21st century, by exploring what today can be considered marvelous and exceptional.

Theatrum Mundi presents an eclectic selection in which extraordinary paleontological specimens, such as dinosaurs, fossils, and meteorites, coexist in perfect harmony with contemporary myths, including original costumes from Hollywood movies and authentic spacesuits, witnesses to the space conquest era. A unique combination of archaeology, design, classical and primitive art.

Theatrum Mundi wishes to create a new celebration of human knowledge and achievements, combining rigorous experience and integrity with a taste for the unconventional.

Theatrum Mundi

Mission
Authenticity

25 April, 2022/by Rubén

ART, COLECCIONISMO, Descubrimientos, Escultura, Especial, EVENTOS, Exhibitions, Exposiciones

ROYAL COLLECTION TRUST – Japan: Courts and Culture – The Queen’s Gallery, Buckingham Palace

Japan: Courts and Culture: The Queen’s Gallery, Buckingham Palace

This exhibition explores British royal encounters with Japan over a period of 350 years.

From samurai armour sent to James I in 1613, to a Coronation gift for HM The Queen in 1953, Japanese treasures have reached the British Court through trade, travel and treaties.

Each object on display reflects materials and techniques particular to Japan. Uniquely, many were commissioned or presented by the Japanese Imperial Family. Together, they reveal the ceremonial, diplomatic and artistic exchange linking the two courts of East and West.

… an exquisite, intricate, truly diverting parade of treasures ★★★★

THE TELEGRAPH

The Royal Collection holds some of the most significant examples of Japanese art and design in the western world. For the first time, highlights from this outstanding collection are brought together to tell the story of 300 years of diplomatic, artistic and cultural exchange between the British and Japanese royal and imperial families. The exhibition includes rare pieces of porcelain and lacquer, samurai armour, embroidered screens and diplomatic gifts from the reigns of James I to Her Majesty The Queen. Together, they offer a unique insight into the worlds of ritual, honour and artistry linking the courts and cultures of Britain and Japan.

Japan: Courts and Culture: The Queen's Gallery, Buckingham PalaceJapan: Courts and Culture: The Queen's Gallery, Buckingham Palace

Explore the Exhibition

Description

This splendid and understated armour was sent to James I of England by Tokugawa Hidetada, third son of Tokugawa Ieyasu, who ruled as the second shōgun of the Tokugawa dynasty from 1605 to 1623. Some sources have suggested that the armour may once have been owned by Takeda Katsuyori (1546 – 82), a daimyō who had fought, and lost, against Tokugawa Ieyasu at the Battle of Tenmokuzan in 1582.

The armour is of the body-wrapped (dōmaru) type, which hinges around the body and fastens on the right. The ‘pumpkin-shaped’ helmet (akodanari kabuto) is signed by Iwai Yozaemon, one of the main armourers to the ruling Tokugawa family. Armours by Iwai Yozaemon in other European royal collections indicate that this was a popular diplomatic gift from the Tokugawa family, easily available from a regular and reliable source.

The helmet has a very wide, almost flat neck guard (shikoro), small turn-backs (fukikaeshi) and visor (mabizashi) decorated in gold lacquer with stylised clouds. The akodanari helmet has prominent vertical rivet lines and is lacquered black. A raised area at the back of the helmet bowl may have been designed to accommodate the chonmage, the samurai hairstyle which consisted of a shaved pate with the hair oiled and tied at the back of the head in a queue. This distinctive form of helmet was extremely popular during the Muromachi period (1392–1573) and the traditional style would have appealed to the Tokugawa family who were conservative in their tastes. The face-mask (sōmen) has a fearsome appearance, although the whiskers have possibly been trimmed over the years.

Much of the armour is laced in red and blue silk in a chequerboard pattern. The lamellae (kozane) are individual pieces of iron lacquered and laced together – a technique known as hon-kozane (‘true’ kozane), which creates a more flexible armour.

Continuing the conservative style, the shoulder guards (sode) are very large for an armour of this period. The solid iron upper areas of the cuirass (dō) are decorated with gold lacquer dragons whose red lacquer tongues chase stylised clouds, possibly symbolising the Buddhist pearl of enlightenment, on a black lacquer ground. The rims (fukurin) and other metal fittings are of engraved and pierced shakudō and gilt-copper alloy. Interestingly, the small fittings to secure the cuirass have a discreet motif of a paulownia (kiri) leaf, an imperial symbol later adopted by the Tokugawa family. The sleeves (kote) are decorated in a similar fashion and have fine, though faded, silk with auspicious motifs and areas of iron mail. The greaves (suneate) are decorated with further stylised clouds in gold lacquer on black.

Text adapted from Japan: Courts and Culture (2020).

Provenance

Sent to James I by Shōgun Tokugawa Hidetada, 1613

This is one of the ‘two varnished armours’ given to Captain John Saris of the East India Company at Edo on 19 September 1613. Saris returned to Plymouth with the gifts in September 1614, but no account of their delivery to James I survives. The pair were almost certainly the first Japanese armours to arrive in Britain. By the mid-seventeenth century, they appear to have been separated, for only one was recorded at the Tower of London in 1660. The present armour was stored in a lacquer box in the Armoury at St James’s Palace, where it was inventoried in 1649–51 by the Commonwealth government for the posthumous sale of Charles I’s possessions. At that time, it was described as an ‘Indian Armor’ and purchased by Major Bas on 23 October 1651 for £10.

Following the Interregnum, the armour was returned to the Royal Collection, but confusion about both pieces’ provenance abounded. The armour at the Tower was for example described in 1662 as a present to Charles II ‘from the Emperor Mougul’, in India. As late as 1916, the present armour was confused with another in the Royal Armouries which had in fact been given to Philip II of Spain in 1585. At that time, it was in reality mounted on the wall of the Grand Vestibule at Windsor Castle, with other Japanese items from the Royal Collection.

Source & Photos: ROYAL COLLECTION TRUST

16 April, 2022/by Maria G