Sotheby's New York 'Master Paintings'
December 28 2015
Picture: Sotheby's
I'm going to be away from the blog for a few more days, but in the meantime feast your eyes on no less than six Sotheby's Old Master catalogues for their New York sale. Though it seems we must now call them simply 'Master Paintings', for the word 'old' has been dropped. I think I can just about manage this change, though describing Titian and Raphael as simply 'the masters' confusing golf fans might be a challenge.
Anyway, there are treats aplenty, and I'll write up a more in depth preview in the New Year. For now, my pick is the above small portrait by Raphael of the medalist Valerio Belli. The picture is signed, has great provenance, and is one of the last known Raphaels in private hands. All that for an estimate of just $2m-$3m, which seems cheap, even if it's a small thing at 5 inches wide.
The sale catalogues are: the Taubman pictures here; a private collection of Italian landscapes here; 'Master Paintings' part 1 here; Master Paintings day sale here; the effective part 3 is not yet fully online, but the print catalogue is here; and the drawings catalogue is here.
I'll be in New York for the sales by the way. If any readers want advice on pictures for sale, just ask.
Update - the advice is gratis, by the way.
