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    • VISITORS FLOCK BACK TO THE NATIONAL GALLERY OF IRELAND

    February 16th, 2023
    JMW TURNER – Story of Apollo and Daphne, exhibited 1837

    The National Gallery of Ireland has announced that over 788,000 visitors were welcomed in 2022, marking the second highest attendance recorded in recent years. In what was a significant re-opening year, following two years of pandemic-related closure, visitor attendance increased by 3.5% compared to that of 2019.  

    In 2022, visitors from Ireland and abroad explored a variety of exhibitions such as Jack B. Yeats: Painting & Memory, Giacometti: From Life, the Zurich Portrait Prize and Zurich Young Portrait Prize, and Turner: The Sun is God. Significant new works displayed at the Gallery included Original Sins by Hughie O’Donoghue and Memento Civitatem by Alice Maher and Jamie Murphy.

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    THE MOST VALUABLE HISTORICAL DOCUMENT EVER AT AUCTION

    February 16th, 2023

    The Codex Sassoon is set to become the most valuable historical document or manuscript ever at auction when it is sold at Sotheby’s in May. This bridge from the ancient Dead Sea Scrolls to the Bible of today is estimated to make $30-$50 million. It has been dated as the earliest, most complete definitive text of its kind. Dating to the late 9th early 10th century it is the most complete extant Hebrew Bible. It is named for its prominent modern owner David Solomon Sassoon (1880-1942) and comes to auction from the renowned collection of Jacqui Safra. The auction is to take place in New York in May alongside Sotheby’s marquee sales of Contemporary and Modern Art. UPDATE: THIS SOLD FOR $38.1 MILLION

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    SCILLONIAN LANDSCAPE BY FREUD AT CHRISTIE’S

    February 15th, 2023
    Lucian Freud, Scillonian Beachscape (1945-46) (£3,500,000-5,500,000). UPDATE: THIS SOLD FOR £4,602,000

    Lucian Freud’s fascination with the natural world is underlined by two rare paintings at the 20th/21st century evening sale at Christie’s on February 28. Scillonian Beachscape (1945-46) is one of a handful of works inspired by a formative visit to the Isles of Scilly, accompanied by his close friend, the artist John Craxton. During the trip, Freud created a number of drawings and completed this canvas when he returned to London. Garden from the Window (2002) offers a rare glimpse beyond the studio walls and belongs to a series depicting Freud’s garden at 138 Kensington Church St. in London. Christie’s expect that both works, formerly in the renowned collection of Simon Sainsbury, will resonate with collectors especially given the fact that the National Gallery, London centenary retrospective entitled  Lucian Freud; New Perspectives transfers this month at the Thyssen Bornemisza in Madrid.

    UPDATE: Beyond the Window sold for £4,602,000

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    MUNCH FRIEZE AND PICASSO PORTRAIT AT SOTHEBY’S

    February 14th, 2023
    UPDATE: THIS MADE £16.9 MILLION

    In 1906 Edvard Munch was commissioned to paint the frieze on Max Reinhardt’s avant-garde theatre in Berlin.  Dance on the Beach, the last of 12 canvases and one of the first immersive installations ever, is at Sotheby’s Modern and Contemporary sale on March 1. This sale boasts a Picasso portrait of his little daughter Maya born to Marie Therese Walther titled Fillette au bateau (Maya). Her birth sparked a creative rejuvenation at a time of personal crisis after a lengthy divorce battle and a worsening political situation in Europe. Picasso painted Maya’s portrait no less than 14 times between January 1938 and November 1939.

    Pablo Picasso – Fillette au bateau (Maya) UPDATE: THIS MADE £18 MILLION

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    MAGRITTE’S DOVE FLIES INTO CHRISTIE’S SURREAL SALE

    February 12th, 2023
    René Magritte, Le retour (circa 1950 UPDATE: THIS MADE £6,129,000

    Painted around 1950 Magritte’s dove of peace remains a powerful image for our times.  There is plenty of confidence at Christie’s that his striking work titled Le Retour will spark universal interest at its Art of the Surreal sale in London on February 28. Over the course of his career Magritte became adept at converting his vision of the mysteries of the world into pictures that, through icon like simplicity, conveyed their messages in ways that are more striking.The bird is one of his poetic motifs. It first emerged in 1940. Le retour offers a dream like variation. The surrounding seascape is bathed in soft light from an overcast sky.  Night is replaced by day in the body of the bird. Oliver Camu of Christie’s described this painting as a dreamscape offering a universal symbol of hope, He is confident it will whet a growing global appetite for Magritte.

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    PATRICIA HURL AT THE IRISH MUSEUM OF MODERN ART

    February 11th, 2023

    The lived experiences of women is the primary subject of Irish Gothic, a retrospective by Patricia Hurl at the Irish Museum of Modern Art until July 2.  Hurl explores hardship faced by mothers, sisters and friends: women warriors affected by horrific acts, often powerless to ease the suffering of loved ones. Using sketchbooks, diaries, magazine and newspaper cuttings she draws on her own experience to explore the suburban home as an imperfect ideal. This is the first significant exhibition by the Dublin born artist – much admired by colleagues – whose work traverses painting, multi-media and collaborative practice. Hurl is?part of Na Cailleacha, a collective of European women artists, filmmakers and musicians whose concerns embrace the processes of ageing, personal loss, loneliness and stereotypes of the older woman as witch or hag.  Pictured here is Living Room by Patricia Hurl (Denis Mortell Photography, image copyright of the artist).

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    A NEAR PAIR OF LATE GEORGE III IRISH SIDE CABINETS

    February 10th, 2023
    A near pair of Irish late George III side cabinets, c1800

    This near pair of Irish late George III satinwood and amaranth and mahogany banded side cabinets made $11,970 at Sotheby’s in New York. The c1800 cabinets were described as in good restored condition. They came up as lot 457 at Sotheby’s Hyde Park Antiques, Past Present and Future sale (Part II). They had previously been with Partridge Fine Arts in London and were last sold at auction at Christie’s in London in 2003.

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    STYLISH EARLY 19TH CENTURY HEAVY GATES AT FONSIE MEALY

    February 9th, 2023
    UPDATE: THESE MADE 1,600 AT HAMMER

    This stylish pair of early 19th century heavy gates will come up as lot 469 at Fonsie Mealy’s Making Room spring sale in Castlecomer and online on February 15. Originally at Tudenham Park, Mullingar, they are estimated at €2,000-3,000. Viewing for this sale gets underway on February 13 and the catalogue is online. Most lots, from antique furniture, mirrors, lanterns, knife boxes, clocks, chairs, peat buckets and collectibles, are to be sold without reserves.

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    CLASSIC WEEK MADE $96 MILLION AT CHRISTIE’S, GOYA RECORD

    February 8th, 2023
    FRANCISCO JOSÉ DE GOYA Y LUCIENTES – Portrait of Doña María Vicenta Barruso Valdés, seated on a sofa with a lap-dog; and Portrait of her mother Doña Leonora Antonia Valdés de Barruso, seated on a chair holding a fan

    This double portrait smashed the previous record for Goya when it made $16,420,000 at Christie’s Old Masters sale in New York. Portrait of Doña María Vicenta Barruso Valdés and Portrait of her mother Doña Leonora Antonia Valdés de Barruso was the top lot in a sale of 49 lots which brought in $44.2 million. The grand total for Classic Week came to $92 million. Old Masters brought in $76 million across a number of sales including the collection of J.E. Safra, Masterpieces from a New York collection, Old Master and British drawings and sales of prints, paintings and sculpture.

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    CHARITY AUCTION OF UNIQUE RUGS MAKES €156,000

    February 8th, 2023
    DOROTHY CROSS (B. 1956) – GLOW

    Glow, a magical carpet hand tufted with pure wool and luminescent filament designed by Dorothy Cross made €19,000 at a charity sale by Whyte’s entitled Island. On offer was a series of 13 unique one off rugs or wall hangings by some of Ireland’s best known artists and designers. Each piece was hand tufted by Ceadogán Rugmakers at their studio in South East Wexford. Whyte’s conducted the timed on-line sale free of charge in order to maximise the proceeds for The McVerry Trust and For The Birds. The total hammer price for the 13 works was €156,000. Every one sold. Seán Scully’s Wall Fez which made €85,000.

    Glow appears plain white in daylight but an image of a tangle of trees emanates as darkness falls. Dorothy Cross lives and works in Connemara, Ireland. Her work ranges from object to opera: working with sculpture, photography and video. 

    (See post on antiquesandartireland.com for January 25, 2023)

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