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    TOP TEN IRISH ARTWORKS OF 2010 AT JAMES ADAM

    Friday, January 14th, 2011

    Lingering Sun, O'Connell St., once in the collection of John Huston was the most expensive Irish artwork sold at James Adam in 2010.

    Yeats, le Brocquy, Dillon, Lavery and Henry are all in the top ten of Irish artworks sold by James Adam in 2010.  Ireland’s largest auction house reported today that the total hammer price for the Irish art sales in their salesrooms was 4,873,030 in 2010, a 52 per cent increase over the 2009 figure of 3,216,150.

    The top ten Irish artworks sold at Adams last year are: Jack B. Yeats “Lingering Sun,O’Connell Bridge,Dublin”, 140,000 on  6/12/10; Louis Le Brocquy “Adam & Eve” (Aubusson Tapestry), 100,000 on 6/12/10; Louis Le Brocquy “Allegory” (Aubusson Tapestry), 80,000 on 6/12/10; Gerard Dillon “Mending the nets, Aran”, 80,000 on 2/6/10; Sir John Lavery “Portrait of Mrs Arthur Franklin”, 75,000 on 2/6/10;  Paul Henry “The Bog Road”  72,000 on 13/10/10;  Gerard Dillon “Italian washer women” 68,000 on 6/12/10; Mary Swanzy “A hilltop town in the South of France” 66,000 on 6/12/10;  Colin Middleton Opus 1 No. 41 Esmeralda (1942) 62,000 on 2/6/10 and  Daniel O’Neill “Figures on a beach,Newcastle 1928” 60,000 on 6/12/10.
    James Adam reports that the demand for high quality artworks was very strong. “Many purchasers were encouraged back into buying by the apparent good value and the increasing supply of quality, well provenanced and new to the market pieces”.
    They say:  “We took the view, early on, that it is vital for vendors to forget the bloated excesses of the height of the market and accept the new realities of life in 2010/ 2011. Those that did accept this advice were well rewarded as pieces with conservative estimates generally exceeded expectations. This phenomenon was confirmed by the very high sales rates which on average were 82% which is significantly higher than any other auction house”.
    The auction house reports that demand for ‘Blue Chip’ artists’ work is increasing while the demand for more contemporary artists’ work is definitely softening.  The years highlight was the sale of artworks from the Bank of Ireland collection.
    See antiquesandartireland.com posts for December 6 and November 30.

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    MOORE AND RENOIR AT TEFAF, MAASTRICHT

    Thursday, January 13th, 2011

    Henry Moore at Tefaf Maastricht

    Renoir at Tefaf.

    Among an extraordinary display of masterpieces at TEFAF Maastricht from March 18-27 2011 will be a Henry Moore Mother and child sculpture and Pierre-Auguste Renoir’s depiction of his son Claude.

    Mother and child block seat by Henry Moore will be brought to The European Fine Art Fair by Landau Fine Art of Montreal. The 244cm high bronze sculpture will be exhibited in one of the Fair’s squares. Cast in an edition of nine in 1983, three years before Moore’s death, it portrays the child as an elemental, virtually abstract, form as if to represent it in an early stage of development. The effect of “the big form protecting the small form”, as Moore described it, is compelling.
    Hammer Galleries of New York will exhibit La leçon (Bielle, l’institutrice et Claude Renoir lisant), which portrays Renoir’s third son reading with his school teacher. The picture, painted c1906, has been in private collections for decades.
    TEFAF 2011 will have some 260 exhibitors from 16 countries in nine sections. In addition to exhibitors from established centres of the art and antiques market in Europe and North America, the 2011 Fair will include dealers from Korea, Uruguay and Argentina.
    See post on antiquesandartireland.com for January 6

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    MADERSON WORK EVOCATIVE OF AN IRELAND THAT STILL EXISTS

    Tuesday, January 11th, 2011

    Arthur Maderson's Stepping Out at Dolans Art Auction. (click to enlarge) UPDATE: IT SOLD FOR 4,500

    This evocative painting by Arthur Maderson, entitled Stepping Out, features at Dolan’s art auction in Cork on January 23 next. Though not an image of contemporary, recession torn Ireland it does capture a somewhat hidden Ireland that continues to exist, line dancing included.
    A few months ago, at the annual away outing of the Munster Press Golf Society, I found myself at an old style music session and ceili in the clubhouse on the Dundrum House Hotel golf resort in Co. Tipperary.
    People from around the area regularly travel for miles to attend this midweek event in the bar of the clubhouse. This work evokes the enjoyable, devil-may-care and decidedly retrospective atmosphere of that evening in October 2010. The golf course is good too.
    The Dolan’s affordable Irish art sale takes place at Rochestown Park Hotel in Cork on Sunday, January 23 at 3 p.m.  Viewing is from January 21.  This is lot number 111 from that sale of 233 lots and it is estimated at 3,000-4,000, making it one of the more expensively estimated works on the catalogue.
    The sale features a number of works from the studio of Thelma Mansfield, the former RTE presenter who left the station in the 1990’s to pursue a career in painting.  There is art by a variety of painters and sculptors on offer including Kenneth Webb, John Schwatschke, Mat Grogan, Markey Robinson, Denis Orme Shaw,  Graham Knuttel,  John Kingerlee, Elizabeth le Jeune, Emer Byrne  and Sian Maguire.

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    WARHOL SELF PORTRAIT AT CHRISTIE’S LONDON

    Tuesday, January 11th, 2011

    Monumental Warhol self-portrait. (click on image to enlarge) UPDATE: IT MADE £10,793,250

    THIS re-discovered self-portrait by Andy Warhol (1928-1987) from 1967 comes up at Christie’s in London on February 16.  Completely unpublished, it has been in a private collection since 1974 when it was acquired from Leo Castelli, Warhol’s primary dealer.  The six foot square work is one of an historic series of 11 large-scale self-portraits executed in 1967, five of which are in museums (Tate, London; The Staatsgalerie Moderne Kunst, Munich; the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art; and two at the Detroit Institute for Arts).

    Francis Outred, Head of Post-War and Contemporary Art, Christie’s Europe: “I’m incredibly excited at the prospect of offering this rediscovered masterpiece by Andy Warhol. At the time of its execution Warhol was at the peak of his creative powers and this very rare series of works were the largest self-portraits he had made. This work shows a classic image of the artist in an imposing, larger than life scale, with an extraordinary presence of thick, red paint. That five of the works from this series are in museums is a testament to their importance.”
    It will be offered at the Post-War and Contemporary Art Evening Auction and is expected to realise £3 million to £5 million.
    A shot up Warhol portrait of Mao Zedong made $302,500 at Christie’s in New York on January 11, more than 10 times its high estimate. Easy Rider start Denis Hopper shot two bullet holes through the 1972 portrait. A friend of the actor, who died aged 74 last May, explained that Hopper saw the Mao out of the corner of his eye in the shadows and was so spooked that he shot at it. A delighted Warhol called him a collaborator and labelled the damage  “warning shot” and ” bullet hole”.   It had been estimated at $20,000 to $30,000.
    UPDATE|  It made £10,793,250.

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    OLD MASTERS FROM ACROSS EUROPE AT SOTHEBY’S IN NEW YORK

    Friday, January 7th, 2011

    The Madonna and Child enthroned with Angels, flanked by St. Bridget and the Archangel Michael at Sotheby's in New York. (click to enlarge)

    SIGNIFICANT works by artists from across Europe feature at Sotheby’s Important Old Master Paintings & Sculpture sale in New York on January 27.  This sale features Titian’s Sacra Conversazione (see antiquesandartireland.com post for November 2) estimated at $15/$20 million.

    Among the works to be sold by the J. Paul Getty Museum to benefit future painting acquisitions is
    The Madonna and Child Enthroned with Angels and Flanked by Saint Bridget and the Archangel Michael.  Erroneously known as “The Poggibonsi Triptych”  the work has been attributed to the as-yet-unidentified Master of Pratovecchio, who worked in and around Florence in the mid-15th century. It is estimated at $200/300,000.
    The afternoon session of Old Master Paintings and Sculpture is led by an Italian marble relief portrait of Cosimo I de ‘Medici by Baccio Bandinelli, executed just prior to the future Grand Duke’s rise to power in 1537.
    Luis Meléndez’s Still Life with Tomatoes, a Bowl of Aubergines and Onions leads the Spanish paintings.   It is estimated at $1.5/2 million.  A popular exhibition of 40 still lifes by Meléndez (1716-1780), organised in collaboration with the Prado Museum in Madrid, was held at the National Gallery of Ireland in the summer of 2004.

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    GAUGUIN STILL LIFE AT CHRISTIE’S

    Friday, January 7th, 2011
    GAUGUIN’S Nature morte à “L’Espérance is the highlight of Christie’s Impressionist and Modern Art evening sale in London on February 9. Christie’s Art of the Surreal sale takes place on the same evening.
    The pre-sale estimate of £73,880,000 to £109,060,000 is the second highest for the February Impressionist sales at Christie’s in London.  The corresponding estimate in 2010 was £56.5 million to £80.8 million.
    Paul Gauguin’s (1848-1903) historically important still life was painted in 1901 when he was still living in Tahiti.  The work has been exhibited at over 20 major museum exhibitions including the artist’s first landmark Retrospective at the Grand Palais, Paris, in 1906. It is expected to realise £7 million to £10 million.
    Four works to be sold by the Art Institute of Chicago are led by Nature morte à la guitare (rideaux rouge) by Georges Braque (1882-1963) (estimate: £3.5 million to £5.5 million).
    A collection of works on paper by Paul Gauguin made in France and Tahiti between 1894 and 1902 will be sold at Sotheby’s in London on March 30.  From the Collection of Stanley J. Seeger, the American privagte collector, the ten works have a well-recorded provenance. They can be traced back in most cases directly to the artist. The group will lead the sale of Old Master, Modern and Contemporary Prints, and is estimated at £430,000-574,000.
    UPDATE:   There was disappointment when this work failed to sell in an otherwise sucessful auction that realised £84.9 million.  It was suggested that the brown colour of the work had something to do with this.

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    TEFAF AT MAASTRICHT 2011 OFFERS RARITIES

    Thursday, January 6th, 2011

    A fragment from an Egyptian water clock.

    The last fragment of an Egyptian water clock still in private hands  and a painting containing one of the few self portraits by Bernardo Bellotto are among the rarities at The European Fine Art Fair (TEFAF) in 2011.

    The 2011 fair at Maastricht in The Netherlands, the 24th, will include over 30,000 objects, all rigorously vetted by an international committee of experts. Maastricht has built its reputation on the unique quality of its exhibits.  It will run from March 18 to March 27.

    The Egyptian water clock was commissioned  by Alexander the Great c332-323 BC. It depicts Alexander offering wine in front of the goddess Hathor.  Water clocks were used to measure time in temples, and ensure that rituals were carried out at the appropriate hour.  It will be offered for sale by Galerie Harmakhis of Brussels for 150,000 euro.

    Architectural Capriccio with a self-portrait of Bellotto in the costume of a Venetian Nobleman depicts the

    Architectural Capriccio by Bellotto

    lavishly clad artist extending his arm proudly towards the splendid surroundings.  Otto Naumann of New York will exhibit the work priced at 8.2 million euro.

    In 2011 TEFAF Paper includes a loan exhibition.  Wim Pijbes, managing director at the Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam, will bring his personal choice of late 15th century works on paper from the museum’s collection.  Directors Choice, the Happy Hunter will show prints and drawings with a hunting theme.  TEFAF is the best hunting place for professional and private collectors, Wim Pijbes remarked.

    Everything at the fair, which covers antiques, paintings, antiquities, modern design, jewellery, paper and manuscripts, is covered by 28 specialist vetting committees.  All modern and contemporary art is also vetted.

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    LAST SKETCH MADE BY YEATS AT BONHAMS

    Tuesday, January 4th, 2011

    Roundabout Ponies by Jack B. Yeats. (click to enlarge) IT SOLD FOR £5,760

    The last sketch by Jack B. Yeats (1871-1957) has been consigned by the family of his former nurse to Bonhams first Irish art sale in London on February 9 next.  The pen and ink drawing, `Roundabout ponies’, measures just over 5 x 4 inches and is estimated at £1,500-2,000.

    It was gifted by the artist to the matron of Portobello Nursing Home in Dublin, where he died. They had been friends for a long time.
    Yeats Catalogue Raisonne author Hilary Pyle says of it: “He died on 28 March 1957. His last drawing, a tiny gay swirling sketch of two roundabout ponies on writing paper, was drawn two days before.”

    Penny Day, head of Irish art at Bonhams, said:  ”This little gem exhibits the unique artistic vitality he had right to the end.”
    See posts on antiquesandartireland.com for September 15 and December 22.
    UPDATE:  IT MADE £5,760 INCLUSIVE OF BUYER’S PREMIUM.

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    TURNER WATERCOLOURS AT NATIONAL GALLERY OF IRELAND

    Thursday, December 30th, 2010

    Joseph Mallord William Turner (1775-1851) Great Yarmouth Harbour, Norfolk, c.1840 Photo © National Gallery of Ireland. (click to enlarge)

    Joseph Mallord William Turner (1775-1851) The Grand Canal Venice from below the Rialto Bridge, Venice, c.1820 Photo © National Gallery of Ireland. (click to enlarge)

    The National Gallery of Ireland’s magnificent collection of watercolours by J.M.W. Turner (1775-1851) will be on annual display during January 2011.  These delicate watercolours are only ever shown at this time of year, when natural light in these latitudes  is at its lowest.  For January 2011 the theme is care of the collection, past and present.  It examines how Turner’s watercolours have been cared for before and after they entered the collection of the National Gallery in 1900.  Information on conservation methods from Victorian times is included.  Areas like pigments, fading and lux levels are addressed.  The Turner watercolour were bequeathed to the gallery by the English collector Henry Vaughan.

    ‘Colour and Light: Caring for Turner’s Watercolours’ runs from January 1 to January 31, 2011.
    (see antiquesandartireland.com post for July 7, 2010)

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    ANTIQUE PORTRAIT BY IRISH ARTIST IS A HIGHLIGHT AT ARMORY SHOW

    Tuesday, December 28th, 2010

    A portrait by John Singleton Copley of Alice Hooper. (click to enlarge)

    THIS portrait  by John Singleton Copley promises to be one of the highlights of the Winter Antiques Show in New York.  In 2011 the show celebrates its 57th year as America’s most prestigious antiques show, providing museums, established collectors, dealers, design professionals and first time buyers with opportunities to see and purchase exceptional pieces showcased by 74 exhibitors.

    Copley, whose parents were Irish, is famous for his portraits in colonial New England.  He is considered the most influential painter in colonial America and made this portrait of Alice Hooper in 1763 when he was just 25.  Later on, in Britain, he continued to paint portraits, developed contemporary history painting and was one of the pioneers of the private exhibition.  His father, Richard, came from Limerick, his mother Mary was a Singleton from Co. Clare. Boston’s Copley Square and Copley Plaza bear his name. This portrait will be shown by Hirschl & Adler Galleries.

    Shiva Adhikaranandi. (click to enlarge)

    A copper alloy figure of Shiva Adhikaranandi from Tamil Nadu in India is another highlight.  It is from new exhibitors Carlton Rochell Asian Art, which was established in New York in 2002.   With Brahma and Vishnu, Shiva, the destroyer, is one of the three most important deities of the Hindu pantheon.  Typical images depict Shiva with a bovine head. Those in which he has a human head are rarer. This one was made during the Chola dynasty, a period considered to be the zenith of bronze sculpture production in India.  The Winter Antiques Show runs from January 21-30 at the Park Avenue Armory at 67th in Manhattan.
    See post on antiquesandartireland.com for December 21

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