The Last Emperor’s Watch
The last Emperor of China was Aisin Gioro Puyi, also known as Henry Pu Yi. He was born on February 7, 1906, and became the Xuantong Emperor at the age of two in 1908. Talk about starting your career early! … More…
Artcurial Altercation
A London-based art dealer has gotten into a bit of a spat with the French auction house Artcurial. Patrick Matthiesen owns the Matthiesen Gallery, just around the block from St. James’s Square in London, specializing primarily in Old Master paintings. … More…
A Queenly Tribute: The New Monument To Elizabeth II
At the time of her death on September 8, 2022, most people on earth had not known another Queen of England apart from Elizabeth II. With the Second Elizabethan era concluded, no doubt the United Kingdom will soon be littered … More…
Butkin Collection At Sotheby’s 19th-Century Sale
On May 24th, Sotheby’s offered up a lower-end group of 19th-century paintings, and while it had mixed results, some of the works did rather well. As we have seen over the past few years, the main salerooms have been trying … More…
Supreme Court Rules Against Warhol Foundation
Last April, I wrote about an upcoming Supreme Court case concerning Andy Warhol’s Prince portraits. Well, the justices have reached their ruling. In a 7-2 decision, the court has decided against the Andy Warhol Foundation, finding that their licensing of … More…
The Mo Ostin Collection at Sotheby’s New York
Christie’s and Sotheby’s sometimes mirror each other. That fact was more apparent during Sotheby’s sales on Tuesday, May 16, which came shortly after a pair of very successful Christie’s sales the previous Thursday. On Tuesday, Sotheby’s started with the collection … More…
“Degenerate” Reunion
“Degenerate” was a term used by the Nazis to describe most modern art. The Nazis were vocally opposed to many modernist styles and schools since their streetfighting days in the 1920s. They preferred strict realism that elevated German ideals and … More…
Christie’s 20th Century Evening Sale
Following the success of the Newhouse collection, Christie’s New York continued on Thursday evening with their 20th Century evening sale. This consisted of fifty-four lots from various collections, including that of Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen. Christie’s sold most of the … More…
Christie’s Newhouse Collection
On Thursday, May 11th, Christie’s New York held some of the biggest sales so far this year. Before they could start their 20th Century evening sale, they first offered the works from the S.I. Newhouse collection. Samuel Irving Newhouse, Jr. … More…
Rejects: The Salon That Changed the Art World
For nearly a century and a half, the Paris Salon stood as the most esteemed art exhibition in the world. Though it was originally established as a show for the recent graduates of the Académie des Beaux-Arts, over time, it … More…
Victory For KAWS
Over more than twenty years, the artist Brian Donnelly, professionally known as KAWS, has become one of the world’s most popular contemporary artists. He is primarily known for creating distinctive characters throughout his work, portraying them through paintings, sculptures, and … More…
Olympia’s New York Debut
Édouard Manet made a name for himself in the 1860s by becoming one of the biggest names in the burgeoning modernist movement. His works shocked audiences for several reasons, one of which was nudity. Nude figures were nothing new to … More…
Mona Lisa’s Bridge: A Fake Historian’s Latest Claim
Leonardo da Vinci’s Mona Lisa has captivated viewers for many reasons. There’s the enigmatic smile, Leonardo’s sfumato technique on full display, and the subject’s mysterious identity. But few people concern themselves with the background of the work. The Mona Lisa … More…
Beth Ann Sistrunk (1978-2023)
It is with great sorrow that we announce the passing of beloved artist Beth Ann Sistrunk. Beth was born in Wheeling, West Virginia to Jerry and Beverly Grubb, and was raised in south-east Ohio. Growing up in the rural Midwest, … More…
Dorotheum 19th Century Paintings
I normally don’t cover sales from continental European auction houses. However, when I saw the results from Dorotheum’s sale of nineteenth-century paintings, I knew I had to write something about it. On May 2nd, Dorotheum’s Vienna saleroom offered one hundred … More…
Sotheby’s New York Master Paintings
Sometimes a single painting can make or break a sale. For example, last year’s most valuable painting sold at auction was Andy Warhol’s Shot Sage Blue Marilyn, part of the Thomas & Doris Ammann collection at Christie’s New York on … More…