Previous Posts: July 2024

Holbein the Elder in Augsburg

July 31 2024

Image of Holbein the Elder in Augsburg

Picture: kunstsammlungen-museen.augsburg.de

Posted by Adam Busiakiewicz:

The Art Collections & Museums of Augsburg have just opened a new exhibition dedicated to Hans Holbein the Elder (1465–1524). Scheduled to coincide with the 500th Anniversary of his death, the show is supported by major loans from museums across Europe and will run until 20th October 2024.

Materiality and Medicine in Hans Rottenhammer’s Painted Bodies

July 31 2024

Image of Materiality and Medicine in Hans Rottenhammer’s Painted Bodies

Picture: Fitzwilliam Museum, Cambridge

Posted by Adam Busiakiewicz:

Here's a new article which sounds interesting. The journal German History have just published a new article by Amelia Hutchinson on the subject of ‘Very Full of Details and Excellently Executed’: Materiality and Medicine in Hans Rottenhammer’s Painted Bodies.

According to the abstract:

This article explores the relationship between skin, materiality and medicine in the early modern German-speaking lands. It focuses on the understudied artwork of the Munich-born artist Johann Rottenhammer (1564–1625), demonstrating that his painted bodies were related to medical understandings of skin. Skin was a mediating boundary between inside and outside: the colour and texture of skin carried meanings about the internal state of the body. In this period, ‘exploration’ beyond Europe was destabilizing the definition of ‘good’ or ‘normative’ skin. The appearance of healthy or unhealthy skin was expressed in contemporary northern European artistic theory, for example in Karel van Mander’s Book on Painting. This article contributes to the growing literature on materiality and medicine by demonstrating their indelible impact on the artist’s project. Medical histories of the sixteenth century have traditionally positioned the Galenic and Paracelsian medical traditions as diametrically opposed. This article observes, however, key areas of similarity—the origin of curative materials, and the relationship between the internal body and the external natural world—and considers how they were present in early modern German understandings of skin.

Click on the link above to read this free open access article!

Sleeper Alert!

July 31 2024

Image of Sleeper Alert!

Picture: BOISGIRARD-ANTONINI

Posted by Adam Busiakiewicz:

Several accounts on social media pointed out the following Dutch babushka, catalogued as 'Attributed to Gerrit Dou', which realised €70,000 over its €4,000 - €6,000 estimate in France last week.

Art Degrees & New Art Business MA at the Courtauld Institute

July 31 2024

Image of Art Degrees & New Art Business MA at the Courtauld Institute

Picture: ocula.com

Posted by Adam Busiakiewicz:

The art website ocula.com have run an interesting article on the question of the future of art degrees. Many voices within explain that graduates are often let out into the world with little understanding of how art institutions actually work, hence some calling for more practically based studies.

The article also reveals that The Courtauld Institute in London will be opening up a brand new Master's Degree course in Art Business this autumn. This is presumably going to compete with the Sotheby's Institute's own very successful MA course on the subject, which has been running for many years now. The Courtauld have announced two new appointments related to the programme, but no other details as of yet.

Government of Flanders supports 3 Year Project with Rubenshuis and Trinity Hall, Cambridge

July 31 2024

Image of Government of Flanders supports 3 Year Project with Rubenshuis  and Trinity Hall, Cambridge

Picture: Government of Flanders

Posted by Adam Busiakiewicz:

Exciting news that the Government of Flanders will be supporting a new 3 year collaborative art history project between Rubenshuis in Antwerp and Trinity Hall, Cambridge.

According to the press release which I have been forwarded:

The Government of Flanders is pleased to announce funding for the first year of a 3 year new collaboration in the field of art history between the Rubenshuis in Antwerp and Trinity Hall at the University of Cambridge. This partnership will further strengthen the bonds between our institutions and promote a deeper understanding of our shared cultural heritage. The substantial funding supports the study of Renaissance and Early Modern Flemish Art in the form of research workshops, visiting postdoctoral researchers, visiting postgraduate students, lectures by senior scholars, and summer schools in Antwerp and Cambridge.

The collaboration, which commences in August 2024, will be led by Dr. Bert Watteeuw, Director of the Rubenshuis, and Prof. Alexander Marr, Professor of Renaissance and Early Modern Art; Fellow, Trinity Hall; and incoming Head of the Department of History of Art, Cambridge. The programme of work will be co-ordinated by Drs. Justin Davies, Fellow Commoner at Trinity Hall and Visiting Fellow of the Rubenshuis.

More news in due course.

Upcoming: Samuel van Hoogstraten online catalogue raisonné

July 31 2024

Image of Upcoming: Samuel van Hoogstraten online catalogue raisonné

Picture: RKD

Posted by Adam Busiakiewicz:

Terribly exciting news that Samuel van Hoogstraten online catalogue raisonné is being developed by the RKD and the Rembrandt House Museum in Amsterdam. It appears that over 500 works will be included alongside a selection of essays by Stephanie Dickey, Leonore van Sloten, Michiel Roscam Abbing and David de Witt.

Here's an article from CODART requesting information on missing works by the artist.

The online catalogue will be published in April 2025.

Apologies...

July 23 2024

Posted by Adam Busiakiewicz:

Apologies for the slow service this week, I am currently working on a few projects that need finishing. I hope to resume posts later on when time allows!

Update - Apologies for the delay in getting back to AHN. Watch this YouTube video if you'd like to know why. For now, blog on!

Recent Release: Van Gogh and the End of Nature

July 17 2024

Image of Recent Release: Van Gogh and the End of Nature

Picture: Yale Books

Posted by Adam Busiakiewicz:

One of the latest publications to explore the climate theme in art is Michael Lobel's recently published Van Gogh and the End of Nature.

According to the book's blurb:

Vincent van Gogh (1853–1890) is most often portrayed as the consummate painter of nature whose work gained its strength from his direct encounters with the unspoiled landscape. Michael Lobel upends this commonplace view by showing how Van Gogh’s pictures are inseparable from the modern industrial era in which the artist lived—from its factories and polluted skies to its coal mines and gasworks—and how his art drew upon waste and pollution for its subjects and even for the very materials out of which it was made. Lobel underscores how Van Gogh’s engagement with the environmental realities of his time provides repeated forewarnings of the threats of climate change and ecological destruction we face today.

Van Gogh and the End of Nature offers a radical revisioning of nearly the full span of the artist’s career, considering Van Gogh’s artistic process, his choice of materials, and some of his most beloved and iconic pictures. Merging a timely sense of environmental urgency with bold new readings of the work of one of the world’s most acclaimed artists, this book weaves together detailed historical research and perceptive analysis into an illuminating portrait of an artist and his changing world.

Postgraduate Research Associate in Prints and Drawings at Yale

July 17 2024

Image of Postgraduate Research Associate in Prints and Drawings at Yale

Picture: Yale Center for British Art

Posted by Adam Busiakiewicz:

The Yale Center for British Art are hiring a Postgraduate Research Associate in Prints and Drawings.

According to the job description:

The Research Associate position provides the opportunity to gain firsthand experience and professional training in curatorial work, specializing in works of art on paper. The postholder will be fully integrated into the department and will contribute significantly to exhibition planning, research, organization, and installation as well as other departmental activities. They will be trained in cataloging and handling of works on paper and in provenance research. The Postgraduate Research Associate will undertake research on works in the permanent collection and will gain training in acquisitions and collections development. The postholder will participate in the development of upcoming exhibition projects including William Blake; the origins and history of the mezzotint engraving technique; the Trinidadian artist Michel Jean Cazabon; and British pastels.

The position comes with an annual salary of $43,920 and applications must be in by 12th August 2024.

Good luck if you're applying!

Sarah Purser in Dublin

July 17 2024

Image of Sarah Purser in Dublin

Picture: hughlane.ie

Posted by Adam Busiakiewicz:

As 2024 is shaping up to be the year for exhibitions on female artists, the Hugh Lane Gallery in Dublin have recently opened a show dedicated to Sarah Purser.

According to the exhibition's blurb:

Sarah Purser (1848 – 1943) was a hugely influential figure in Irish artistic circles in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, both as an artist and as an organiser. She played an important role in the founding of Hugh Lane Gallery and helped secure Charlemont House as the gallery’s permanent home. It also marks the centenary of the founding of the Friends of the National Collections of Ireland, which Purser established in 1924.

Sarah Purser was born in 1848 in Dún Laoghaire and studied in Switzerland, Dublin and Paris, where she studied at the Académie Julian. On her return to Dublin, she established herself as one of the leading portraitists in the city. Hugh Lane Gallery has a fine collection of her work, with sensitive portraits of Jane Barlow, Edward Martyn, Maud Gonne and W. B. Yeats along with the figure studies, Portrait Study, Mother and Child and Painting of a Woman. [...]

The show will run until 5th January 2025.

Presumed Self Portrait by Jean Baptiste Pater Coming Up at Auction

July 16 2024

Image of Presumed Self Portrait by Jean Baptiste Pater Coming Up at Auction

Picture: boisgirard-antonini.com

Posted by Adam Busiakiewicz:

Interesting news from France that a work, presumed to be a Self Portrait of the celebrated Fête galante painter Jean Baptiste Pater, is coming up for sale at Boisgirard Antonini later this month. Handled by the art firm Turquin, the portrait is said to be the prime from which other examples (many since questioned) are based. The painting will be offered on 28th July 2024 carrying an estimate of €40,000 -  €60,000.

Dutch and Flemish Encounters with the Islamic World at Harvard

July 16 2024

Image of Dutch and Flemish Encounters with the Islamic World at Harvard

Picture: Harvard Art Museums

Posted by Adam Busiakiewicz:

I failed to spot that the Harvard Art Museums opened a fascinating sounding exhibition earlier in May entitled Imagine Me and You: Dutch and Flemish Encounters with the Islamic World, 1450–1750.

According to the museum's website:

Imagine Me and You traces these multiple encounters through the world of Netherlandish artworks and their varied representations of the Islamic realm. Looking also at the ways in which contemporary Ottoman fashion played a role in biblical and historical scenes by Netherlandish artists, the exhibition invites viewers to reflect on the profound impact these interactions have had on crafting our shared history. This dynamic interplay between cultures unearths revelations about individual heritage and the broader global community. While acknowledging the complexity of establishing the origin of certain hybrid objects, the exhibition ultimately suggests that it is more important to amplify and celebrate these objects’ multicultural and multifaceted characteristics.

The approximately 120 objects in the exhibition include drawings, prints, paintings, textiles, and more; the works come from the collections of the Harvard Art Museums as well as from the Maida and George Abrams Collection, The Tobey Collection, other Harvard institutions, and the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. In addition to sumptuous textiles and striking wool carpets from Türkiye (Turkey) and intricate album paintings from the Ottoman and Mughal periods, there is a range of drawings and prints from Dutch, Netherlandish, and other artists, including Margaretha Adriaensdr. de Heer, Haydar Reis, Pieter Coecke van Aelst, Melchior Lorck, Nicolas de Nicolay, Lucas van Leyden, Jacob Marrel, Rembrandt, and many more. A display of historical pigment samples sheds light on some of the materials these artists used.

The show will run until 18th August 2024.

Sotheby's are Hiring!

July 16 2024

Image of Sotheby's are Hiring!

Picture: Sotheby's

Posted by Adam Busiakiewicz:

Sotheby's London are hiring a Global Head of Restitution (Senior Vice President). This post will cover the role formerly occupied by Lucian Simmons, who is now Head of Provenance Research at the MET.

Here are the key responsibilities for the role:

- Drive the strategy for the Restitution Department Globally, managing the team.
- Oversee and direct workflow of Sotheby’s Global Restitution department’s research to prevent stolen objects from circulating in the art market and, in particular, resolving provenance issues of any item with ownership claims from the Nazi-era.
- Collaborate with business getters and cataloguers in each affected expert department to vet and research artworks being appraised, prospected or sold.
- Provide guidance and training to art specialists and other colleagues at Sotheby’s on policies surrounding stolen art and objects with Nazi-era provenance.
- Represent Sotheby’s and Sotheby’s Restitution as an ambassador at events including lectures and conferences globally.
- Organize Sotheby’s hosted events and educational seminars focusing on the nuances and scholarship in this area.
- Develop and maintain relationships with relevant lawyers, researchers and government bodies in the restitution field.
- Generate incremental business through research and contacts, specifically lawyers, heirs, museums and researchers.
- Publish articles in relevant magazines and be a recognised expert in the field.
- Work directly with clients and their advisors to navigate and resolve claims.
- Facilitate settlements between consignors and claimants and lead any sale claims management.
- Partner with colleagues to oversee compliance around source of funds.
- Act as a member of the Sotheby’s Ethics Committee.

The website provides no details in regard to salary or application deadlines.

MET acquire Bonaventure Louis Prevost Drawing

July 16 2024

Image of MET acquire Bonaventure Louis Prevost Drawing

Picture: Sabrier & Paunet

Posted by Adam Busiakiewicz:

The French dealers Sabrier & Paunet have announced on Instagram that the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York have acquired Bonaventure Louis Prevost's Portrait of a Young Boy.

Watteau's Pierrot to be cleaned

July 15 2024

Image of Watteau's Pierrot to be cleaned

Picture: Louvre

Posted by Adam Busiakiewicz:

Exciting news from the Louvre in Paris that Watteau's iconic Pierrot (or sometimes referred to as Gilles) will be cleaned for a special exhibition opening in October 2024. Entitled A NEW LOOK ON WATTEAU: AN ACTOR WITH NO LINES - PIERROT, KNOWN AS GILLES the show promises to reveal new findings from their ongoing conservation project, alongside a more wider cultural history of the painting. Alas, they haven't released any mid-clean or post-clean photos just yet.

According to the museum's upcoming schedule:

Watteau’s Pierrot, formerly known as Gilles, is one of the most famous masterpieces in the Louvre’s collection. This enigmatic work, which has long raised questions for art historians, is currently undergoing conservation treatment at the Centre for Research and Restoration of the Museums of France, after which time it will be the focus of a spotlight exhibition.

Nothing is known about the painting before it was discovered by the artist and collector Dominique Vivant Denon (1747–1825), Director of the Louvre under Napoleon. It soon came to be regarded as a Watteau masterpiece and garnered praise from renowned writers and art historians. It has often been seen as reflecting a certain image of the 18th century – mischievous, cynical or melancholy, depending on the author and the era. Its fame boosted the return to favour of 18th-century art in the age of Manet and Nadar.

The exhibition will present the findings of the conservation project. It will approach this wholly original work – whose attribution to Watteau has sometimes been questioned – both as part of the artist’s oeuvre and in the cultural and artistic context of the time. Alongside many other paintings and drawings by Watteau, there will be works by his contemporaries – painters, draughtsmen, engravers (Claude Gillot, Antoine Joseph Pater, Nicolas Lancret, Jean Baptiste Oudry, Jean Honoré Fragonard, etc.) and writers (Pierre de Marivaux, Alain-René Lesage, Jean-François Regnard, Evaristo Gherardi), with special emphasis on the rich theatrical repertoire of the time.

Private View of the Jean Daret Exhibition

July 15 2024

Picture: Scribe Accroupi

Posted by Adam Busiakiewicz:

For those unable to make it to the Jean Daret exhibition at the The Musée Granet in Aix-en-Provence, the following private tour (in French) has been uploaded by the YouTube channel Scribe Accroupi.

Become Director of the Yale Center for British Art

July 15 2024

Image of Become Director of the Yale Center for British Art

Picture: imsearch.com

Posted by Adam Busiakiewicz:

Yale University are hiring for the Paul Mellon Director of the Yale Center for British Art.

According to the job description:

The next Paul Mellon Director will have a unique opportunity to strategically lead the YCBA as it approaches its fiftieth anniversary in 2027. Currently, the YCBA is closed for conservation, focusing on exterior improvements, including the replacement of the museum’s roof and skylights, as well as significant upgrades to the gallery lighting system. Slated to open in spring 2025, the Paul Mellon Director will play a significant role in a reconceived installation of its collection. 

An inspirational leader and seasoned manager, the Paul Mellon Director is responsible for the artistic vision and fiscal management of the institution and will inspire, support, and develop the staff. The next Paul Mellon Director will champion the Center’s dual identities as both a museum and a center for research and teaching and continue to promote understanding and appreciation of British Art worldwide. Recognizing that the YCBA is nested within a university, they will partner and connect with all constituents, including faculty, staff, and students, across the Yale ecosystem. Located in New Haven, CT, the YCBA has a deep commitment to its surrounding community as a core audience and fulfills this commitment through a range of partnerships. 

The website provides no indication of potential salary or the deadline for applications.

Mabel Pryde Nicholson in Rottingdean

July 15 2024

Image of Mabel Pryde Nicholson in Rottingdean

Picture: rottingdeanheritage.org.uk

Posted by Adam Busiakiewicz:

A new exhibition will be opening at The Grange Gallery in Rottingdean, East Sussex in a few days' time. It is dedicated to Mabel Pryde Nicholson, the the mother of abstract pioneer Ben Nicholson and modern architect Kit Nicholson, and the sister of the Scottish artist James Pryde.

According to the exhibition's website:

The Grange Gallery is pleased to announce the first exhibition of paintings by the artist Mabel Pryde Nicholson (1871–1918) in more than 100 years.

Her story has been overshadowed by the artistic successes of the men in her family: she was the first wife of the Edwardian society portraitist and still life virtuoso William Nicholson, the mother of abstract pioneer Ben Nicholson and modern architect Kit Nicholson, and the sister of the Scottish artist James Pryde.

Running 20 July – 26 August, ‘Prydie: the life and art of Mabel Pryde Nicholson’ brings together more than 30 objects from private collections and public institutions including the Tate, Pallant House Gallery and the Scottish National Gallery. The exhibition also features letters, photographs and personal objects, almost all of which have never been on public display and will coincide with the publication of the first biography of Mabel Pryde Nicholson by Lucy Davies.

The Hood Museum's Portrait of Madame Aignan de Sanlot

July 12 2024

Image of The Hood Museum's Portrait of Madame Aignan de Sanlot

Picture: Sotheby's

Posted by Adam Busiakiewicz:

One story that seemed to escape the art press in 2022 (as far as I can tell) was The Hood Museum of Art's acquisition of Elisabeth-Louise Vigée Le Brun's Portrait of Madame Aignan de Sanlot. The work was sold at Sotheby's Paris in 2022 where it made €85,650 over its €25k - €35k estimate. Curator Elizabeth Rice Mattison has had an article published on the pastel in the most recent issue of Notes in the History of Art in case you'd like to read more.

Sleeper Alert!

July 12 2024

Image of Sleeper Alert!

Picture: Mallams

Posted by Adam Busiakiewicz:

Social media was awash with speculation a few days ago regarding the following painting catalogued as 'Circle of Guido Reni (1575-1642) - St Agnes'. The picture realised £80,000 (hammer) over its £2k - £3k estimate at Mallams on Wednesday.

Notice to "Internet Explorer" Users

You are seeing this notice because you are using Internet Explorer 6.0 (or older version). IE6 is now a deprecated browser which this website no longer supports. To view the Art History News website, you can easily do so by downloading one of the following, freely available browsers:

Once you have upgraded your browser, you can return to this page using the new application, whereupon this notice will have been replaced by the full website and its content.