Damien Hirst’s Backdating Scandal
Damien Hirst has always been controversial to some. While he is often hailed as one of the greatest artists to come out of Britain in the 1990s, he has always received his fair share of criticism. Some of it comes … More…
British Museum Recovers Half Of The Higgs Theft
In a truly remarkable feat, the British Museum, against all odds, is on its way to recovering nearly half of the artifacts that were likely stolen by former curator Peter John Higgs. This feat, achieved mere months after the theft’s discovery was … More…
The King’s New Portrait Has Some Divided
King Charles III has one of the most recognizable faces in the world, meaning his image and presentation is of paramount importance. This week, Buckingham Palace revealed His Majesty’s first official painted portrait as king, made by the British artist … More…
John Jacob Astor’s Timepiece Sets Titanic Record
John Jacob Astor’s pocket watch, which he was wearing when his body was found, is now the most expensive Titanic memorabilia purchased at auction. John Jacob Astor, an American self-made millionaire, was a multifaceted individual who excelled as a businessman, … More…
Sotheby’s New York Contemporary Evening Sale
This month’s sales at New York’s auction houses had a decent start last night at Sotheby’s with back-to-back contemporary sales. Things started at 6:30 pm with a short sale called The Now, featuring established giants and the best new artists … More…
Mothers In The Arts
Until 1974, an American bank could refuse to issue a credit card to a woman in her own name. And if they approved her, many required a man to cosign for it. Some major universities did not accept female undergraduate students … More…
AI Spots Fakes Online
A story has been making the rounds in the arts and culture sections of many respectable publications about the latest wonder pulled off by an artificial intelligence program. The Swiss company Art Recognition announced that one of its AIs identified … More…
The New Old Frame
London’s National Gallery has recently stirred up a storm in the art world by replacing the frame for one of its main attractions, Jan van Eyck’s Arnolfini Wedding. This seemingly innocuous act has unexpectedly sparked a heated debate, leaving part of … More…
Monet & Auerbach Changing Hands
This week saw two confiscated paintings make the news: in the United States, a Monet pastel drawing stolen by the Nazis may be returned to its owners’ descendants. Meanwhile, Britain’s National Crime Agency will auction off an Auerbach painting taken from a … More…
Bonhams New York American Art Sale
On Wednesday, May 1st, Bonhams’ New York location hosted its first American art sale of the year, featuring ninety-four paintings and sculptures primarily by twentieth-century American artists like Guy Carleton Wiggins, Theodore Earl Butler, and Reginald Marsh. The auction’s top … More…
Possible Heir Claims Klimt Portrait
A significant Gustav Klimt portrait has become the subject of an ownership dispute after a German man said it was his. Portrait of Fräulein Lieser by Gustav Klimt sold at the Vienna auction house im Kinsky last week for €30 million / … More…
Pope Visits The Venice Biennale
The 2024 Venice Biennale has been one of the most memorable events in the art world this year thus far. Some of the highlights have included Archie Moore, an Aboriginal Australian artist, winning the Golden Lion award for the exhibition’s best film; … More…
Sotheby’s New York Modern Evening Sale
On Wednesday evening, Sotheby’s New York followed up their string of contemporary sales with something a little older. The Modern Evening sale consisted of fifty lots, mostly by nineteenth- and twentieth-century European and North American masters like Pablo Picasso, Mark … More…