Reynolds's and Lawrence's Van Dyck Up for Sale
December 30 2021
Picture: L - Sotheby's / R - Christie's
Posted by Adam Busiakiewicz:
I thought it may be of interest to point out that a Van Dyck owned by Sir Joshua Reynolds and Sir Thomas Lawrence is up for sale at Sotheby's New York's upcoming Nelson Shanks Collection Sale on 27th January 2022 with an estimate of $100k - $150k. The work is a head study of Saint Anthony of Padua which appears in large painting kept at the Pinacoteca di Brera in Milan. As the catalolgue note explains, the picture was rejected in the 2004 catalogue raisonné, a project that didn't provide much attention at all to head studies. Fortunately, scholars have since given the work back to Van Dyck in full.
Curiously, the same picture was sold at Christie's in 2012 (right image), given to Van Dyck in full. Comparing pictures, isn't it astonishing how quickly varnish can discolour! (unless one of the images is photoshopped, of course)
