Lost Rubens Sold in Paris
A masterwork by the Baroque painter Peter Paul Rubens has sold in Paris for €2.94 million after being lost for centuries. Back in September, I wrote about this lost Rubens painting, Christ on the Cross, and its rediscovery in Paris … More…
Sotheby’s NY Exquisite Corpus Evening Sale
To close out the week of blockbuster New York sales, Sotheby’s hosted a pair of auctions dedicated to surrealist art, titled Exquisite Corpus. This is a rather clever art historical reference to a surrealist practice called the exquisite corpse. This … More…
Christie’s November 2025 – Nearly $1 Billion in Modern & Post-War Sales
Following the momentum from the landmark Sotheby’s sale, Christie’s held its 20th and 21st Century auctions in New York on November 20–21, 2025. According to Christie’s, the combined sales realized $964,536,953, marking the highest total for this category at the … More…
Sotheby’s November 2025 – A Record-Breaking Night with Klimt & the Lauder Collection
On November 18th, Sotheby’s opened its new Manhattan headquarters at the Breuer Building with one of the most significant auctions the art world has seen in years. The evening centered on works from the Leonard A. Lauder Collection and quickly … More…
Painting of the Week: Miyajima by Frank Ernest Beresford
Miyajima shows a waterside scene on the titular island in Japan’s Inland Sea. Frank Beresford (1881 – 1967) attended the Royal Academy in London, with his efforts rewarded with scholarships that allowed him to travel extensively, particularly to Asia. Today, … More…
Klimt African Prince Portrait Seized
A portrait of a West African prince by the Austrian painter Gustav Klimt has been seized by prosecutors in Vienna since it may have been improperly exported from Hungary. Several months ago, I wrote about conspiracy theories circulating online claiming … More…
Philadelphia Museum’s Ex-Director Sues
Alexandra “Sasha” Suda is suing the Philadelphia Art Museum after she was allegedly wrongfully terminated as its director. Last week, the Philadelphia Art Museum (formerly the Philadelphia Museum of Art) announced the firing of its director and chief executive, Sasha … More…
Louvre Security & the Theft of the Mona Lisa
On October 19th, a heist at the Louvre in Paris sent shockwaves throughout the art world and became the hot current events story for the end of October. Late-night hosts made jokes, and many people designed Halloween costumes inspired by … More…
Rockwell Family Denounces DHS Posts
The family of the American artist Norman Rockwell has called upon federal agencies to stop using the artist’s work in content promoting the Trump administration’s anti-immigration policies. In recent months, government agencies have used parts of Norman Rockwell’s work on … More…
Vermeer’s Pearl Earring Subject Identified?
Has the mystery finally been solved? One British art historian believes he has identified the subject of Johannes Vermeer’s Girl with a Pearl Earring — a revelation that could completely reshape our understanding of the Dutch master’s work. Vermeer’s Girl … More…
Bob Ross Paintings Go To Auction
Thirty paintings by beloved television art instructor Bob Ross will soon head to auction, with proceeds supporting public television. American Public Television (APT) has consigned the collection to Bonhams, which will feature several of the works in its California & … More…
Venice Through Monet’s Eyes
On Saturday, October 11th, the Brooklyn Museum opened its Monet & Venice exhibition to the public, marking the largest museum show to focus on the artist in nearly twenty-five years. In 1908, Claude Monet was living and working in the … More…
Heist at the Louvre
On Sunday, October 19th, a group of men executed a heist at the Louvre Museum in Paris, stealing a collection of jewelry estimated to be worth €88 million (or $102 million). While the popular imagination makes it seem like heists … More…
Painting Of The Week: James Buttersworth’s Yachts Racing Off Southampton
With summer growing more and more distant, memories of warmer weather may help some of us through the winter. While beach scenes might come to mind, paintings with sailing and boating subjects may also do the trick. This is where … More…
Leonardo’s Lost Words
Through several art installations, a new project in Milan will focus on Leonardo da Vinci, his interest in words, and his impact on the Italian language. Sabrina D’Alessandro is not a typical artist. Most of her work involves language, specifically … More…
Modernités at Sotheby’s Paris
On Friday, October 24th, Sotheby’s Paris hosted its Modernités sale, featuring mostly twentieth-century works by European and North American artists, including Jean Dubuffet, Roy Lichtenstein, and Jean Fautrier. The main draw, however, was a pair of portraits by the Italian … More…