Art Institute Of Chicago’s Payroll Plunder
Recently, federal prosecutors charged the Art Institute of Chicago’s former payroll manager for allegedly stealing about $2.3 million from the museum over 13 years. 56-year-old Michael Maurello is accused of stealing this money between 2007 and 2020. He made deposits … More…
King Charles II Coronation Mug
As you wander around a flea market, would you consider buying a chipped and heavily distressed-looking mug for just £2 ($2.50)? Well, one sharp-eyed couple did that, and their meager investment paid off – big time! At a market in … More…
Architecture In Art – Bleed II By David Pollot, Featuring Times Square
I’m bending the rules for this week’s Architecture in Art. We’re not checking out a building per se, but more so exploring one of the most famous spaces in the city and the world – Times Square. While every real … More…
Art History Professor’s Firing Gets Attention
Last week, the news cycle blew up a story coming out of a small university in Saint Paul, Minnesota, where an adjunct art history professor was, in effect, fired over an image she presented in her classroom. And while the … More…
The Louvre’s Limit On Visitors
In 2022, the Louvre was the most visited museum in the world. While attendance numbers are still not quite reaching pre-pandemic levels, the museum has made vast improvements since 2021. However, the museum administration recently admitted to voluntarily restricting attendance, … More…
Mystery Surrounds Indian Princess Coin
In 2000, the American Numismatic Association’s Edward C. Rochette Money Museum was thrilled to have been selected as the ideal new home for the Harry W. Bass Jr. coin collection. Located in the historic Colorado Springs City Hall building, it houses a collection … More…
Jane Fonda At Christie’s
Next week, on January 18th, Christie’s New York will be hosting its sale of Outsider and Vernacular art. The hundred or so lots available are from self-taught artists or those working in naïve or primitive styles, including James Castle, Nellie … More…
20 West 55th – Moving Along
The family stopped by our new space to see how the build-out was moving along and were pleased to see that they had installed the sheetrock in most areas. The crew has also begun the taping and spackling process. In … More…
Requisitioned Rubens
A painting by Peter Paul Reubens in relatively good condition is by no means worthless. Yet the owners of one of his religious scenes are currently under investigation for trying to milk a bit more cash out of it. On … More…
Glass Onion: A Critique Of Collectors [SPOILER ALERT]
In late December, many people I know decided to watch the mystery movie Glass Onion on Netflix. It is a sequel to the movie Knives Out, with Daniel Craig reprising his role as Southern gentleman detective Benoit Blanc. The film features commentary on … More…
The Art Market 2022: A Year In Review
2022 has been an incredible year for the art market. Many of the major auction houses achieved record highs in sales. Christie’s came out on top this year with $8.4 billion in sales, the highest any auction house has performed … More…
Hollywood Memorabilia Lowers The Curtain For 2022
As the curtain lowers on the 2022 auction year, there was one more sale featuring some of Hollywood memorabilia’s golden goodies that I am sure will bring back fond memories. Collectors vied for many of the most treasured costumes and … More…
Aaron Judge’s Home Run Baseball Strikes Out
The recording-breaking home run ball hit by Aaron Judge on October 4, 2022, was expected to break another record when it crossed the auction block. Judge hit his 62nd home run during the 2022 season when the Yankees played the Rangers in … More…
Architecture In Art – New York Stock Exchange By Johann Berthelsen
For this week’s Architecture in Art, we’re down on Wall Street taking a look at one of the most iconic buildings in the city through the work of Johann Berthelsen – the New York Stock Exchange. Broker-to-broker securities trading in … More…
Give Us Back Our Van Gogh!
Mendelsohn & Co. was one of the most prestigious banks in Germany throughout the nineteenth century. At the height of its power, it was one of the major banks in Europe and served as the royal bankers for the Emperors … More…
Sotheby’s New York – Art Of The Americas
On Wednesday, January 18th, after a weeks-long lull in auctions to accommodate the holidays, Sotheby’s New York hosted its Art of the Americas sale. The auction mainly featured nineteenth- and early twentieth-century paintings. In the end, all of the top … More…