The Duke of Buccleuch's Rembrandt Re-hung
January 13 2021
Picture: The Sunday Times
Posted by Adam Busiakiewicz:
The Sunday Times published a story last weekend in regards to a Rembrandt owned by the Duke of Buccleuch.
The Duke has recently rehung the painting of A Lady Reading (pictured) in Drumlanrig Castle after it had spent years hanging up high in an obscure room. This previous arrangement was sought after a Leonardo was stolen from the castle in 2003. Fortunately, the Rembrandt is now hanging in a secure position at eye line in a more prominent room.
Van Eyck Scanned by the University of Antwerp
January 13 2021
Video: Museabrugge.be
Posted by Adam Busiakiewicz:
I've spotted this interesting video (on Twitter via. @auctionaugur) that the University of Antwerp is undertaking some scans of Van Eyck's Madonna with Canon Joris van der Paele. The scans undertaken onsite in the Groeningemuseum in Bruges will allow researchers to understand more about the material and techniques that went into this masterpiece.
Sotheby's Master Paintings II Sale
January 13 2021
Picture: Sotheby's
Posted by Adam Busiakiewicz:
Sotheby's have published their NY Master Paintings Part II Sale onto their website. This online sale, the equivalent of the old 'day sale', will be held between 22 - 30 January 2021.
There are lots of pictures worth highlighting, but I don't want to spoil too much of the fun. Perhaps worth pointing out is Van Dyck's Virgin and Child, estimated $400k - $600k. This version was taken by William III from the British Royal Collection back to the Netherlands. Recent conservation has revealed many pentimenti, some of which are now visible, showing perhaps that the other version in the Royal Collection might be a repetition of the present picture.
A few others worth pointing out are a Madonna and Child by Lorenzo di Bicci estimated at $200k - $300k; a Roelandt Savery of Venus and Adonis estimated at $150k - $200k; a recently upgraded Gerrit Honthorst violinist estimated at $200k - $300k; and a Guercino Mars at $150k - $200k.
Stolen Bacon Allegedly Revealed in Video
January 11 2021
Picture: @brand_arthur
Posted by Adam Busiakiewicz:
Art Investigator Arthur Brand has posted a video on his Twitter account allegedly showing a painting by Francis Bacon which was stolen from a Madrid Gallery in 2015. The video was purportedly made by thieves who are trying to sell the painting for €4m on the black market. Here's an article which gives a little more of the background to the thefts and this recording.
Vermeer Exhibition in Dresden
January 11 2021
Picture: The Gemäldegalerie Alte Meister
Posted by Adam Busiakiewicz:
The Gemäldegalerie Alte Meister in Dresden will be opening a new exhibition in June 2021 entitled Johannes Vermeer. On Reflection.
This exhibition will focus on the recent conservation of the gallery's Girl Reading a Letter at an Open Window. The removal of old overpaint shows that Vermeer had intended the scene to include a painting of cupid in the background. This detail, which also features in Vermeer's Lady at the Virginals in London, was overpainted at some point.
The show will also feature loans from the Rijksmuseum, The National Gallery in London and other works by Vermeer's contemporaries.
It seems that the gallery have pushed back the dates of the exhibition to 4th June 2021 - 12th September 2021.
Bernini & Son up for Auction
January 9 2021
Video: Sotheby's
Posted by Adam Busiakiewicz:
It's not often that you get the chance to purchase an Bernini. Let alone a piece of sculpture by the hand of two Berninis! But it seems that these unprecedented times are bringing all sorts of treasures to the marketplace. Sotheby's New York have made the above video to accompany the sale of an early marble sculpture of Autumn by Gian Lorenzo Bernini and his father Pietro. The work will be sold later this month with an estimate of $8m - $12m.
Unrecorded Jan Massys at Christie's
January 9 2021
Picture: Christie's
Posted by Adam Busiakiewicz:
Christie's are offering a previously unrecorded painting of Mary Magdalene by the Flemish mannerist Jan Massys (1509-1575) in their upcoming sale of the collection of Mr & Mrs John H Gutfreund. It will be offered for sale on 26th January 2021 and carries an estimate of $120k - $180k.
The painting doesn't seem to have been known to Max J. Friedländer, who compiled the most authoritative catalogues of early Netherlandish paintings during the 1970s. Christie's catalogue note explains that other versions are known, yet the quality of this particular work suggests that it is the primary autograph version on which the others were based.
The work also bears the artist's signature and date (albeit slightly scrubbed):
Article: Pierre Rosenberg as a Collector
January 9 2021
Picture: La Gazette Drouot
Posted by Adam Busiakiewicz:
La Gazette Drouot has published an article on the collection of art historian Pierre Rosenberg. His work will be familiar to anyone who has researched French painting of the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries.
The piece focuses on some of the stories relating to the 680 paintings and 3,500 drawings he has recently gifted to the yet to be opened Musée du Grand Siècle in Saint Cloud. This includes works by Simon Vouet, Poussin, Claude, Philippe de Champaigne, Laurent de La Hyre and Eustache Le Sueur.
Rubens Head Studies Text out in March
January 9 2021
Picture: @VeroVdK
Posted by Adam Busiakiewicz:
Véronique Van de Kerckhof of the Rubenianum in Antwerp has shared news that the upcoming volumes of the Corpus Rubenianum Ludwig Burchard will be published in March of this year. These two volumes will be examining Rubens's head studies, and will surely make for fascinating reading!
By the way, the Rubenianum website is well worth exploring if you're a fan of seventeenth century Flemish art.
Caring for Art during Covid at Tate
January 8 2021
Video: Tate
Posted by Adam Busiakiewicz:
Tate have made the video above giving an insight into the work required to look after their collection during the virus crisis. If you've ever wondered how they manage to carry enormous paintings through the doorways of the gallery, this video will be enlightening!
Ps. The video also features a view of the museum's storage areas, which are rather vast considering how much of their collection isn't on display. A video giving art-lovers a peek inside would be fascinating, wouldn't it?
Christie's Halt Archive Enquiries
January 8 2021
Picture: Christie's
Posted by Adam Busiakiewicz:
A reader has been in touch, alongside a post made by @MulraineArt on Twitter in December, that the Christie's Archives is no longer responding to requests from researchers.
The Christie's Archives has provided an incredibly valuable service to researchers over the years. The service was particularly useful when it came to identifying old stencil marks on the back of paintings (pictured). In hindsight, it is rather remarkable that they provided this service free of charge for so long. But, it seems that the virus crisis has finally put an end to that.
To provide a short example of my own experience, I had emailed the department in May 2020 and received an auto-reply explaining that staff had been furloughed. A few days later I then received a message that staff were working remotely from home without access to materials.
A reader who had emailed the department in December was told that the member of staff who used to deal with archive enquiries has now left the company. The Department has been closed to outside enquiries since 2nd November 2020.
One wonders whether a subscription or pay-as-you-go system might help the problem of funding resources, if it is indeed money that is the issue.
Update - Christie's have supplied the following comment:
As a courtesy Christie’s has previously supplied complimentary archival information for the purposes of research. However, with regret, the archives team has had to be reduced and can now only serve the needs of our own specialist teams.
Britain Sheds EU Laws Governing Importation of Art
January 7 2021
Posted by Adam Busiakiewicz:
The Art Newspaper has published an article on the swift changes made to the laws that govern the importation of art in Britain. The UK government, which has recently exited the European Union, has rejected new EU import licensing regulations for cultural property which were introduced in 2019 and were due to be enforced in 2025. The regulations were a part of an attempt to prevent crime and the funding of terrorism through the sale of art, yet in turn had much broader implications for the art market.
To quote the article's summary of the rules:
It [the regulations] effectively removes any back stop on the seizure and return of goods illegally removed from their source countries. This would mean that anything from paintings to pots exported hundreds of years ago, or even longer, in breach of local laws of the time can be confiscated and returned under the measures, regardless of subsequent good faith purchase, treaty and convention considerations or the normal statutes of limitation.
Such a far-reaching power is arguably unprecedented in the history of the art market, with serious implications for property rights and business...
In this respect, the UK follows the US now in possessing no similar regulations to the EU in these matters.
Update - Alexander Herman had published an article on Brexit and the Importation of Cultural Goods earlier in December, pointing out that the government have stated that they will follow the EU regulations after all. The article is well worth a read.
Don't Sell the Books, says the Royal College of Physicians
January 7 2021
Posted by Adam Busiakiewicz:
The Royal College of Physicians in London has backtracked from a proposal to sell of their historic rare books collection, for now. This proposal had been put forward after the institution was facing a £14m drop in income for 2020.
To quote a paragraph found in a full statement from the college:
The Board of Trustees acknowledges this concern [surrounding the sale of books] and, while as the governing body it has the authority to progress with the plans, trustees have agreed to delay such a sale for the immediate future. Trustees have taken this decision because after much hard work, potential ways to achieve a balanced budget for 2021 have been identified, although these will result in reduced activity in some areas. All financial avenues will continue to be explored, including continuing to review risks and explore appropriate mechanisms for any potential sale of non-medical assets in case it should be required in the future.
The Younger Brueghels in Russia
January 7 2021
Picture: njerusalem.ru
Posted by Adam Busiakiewicz:
It looks like that inhabitants of the Moscow region are in for a treat with this exhibition.
The Younger Brueghels and Their Time has recently opened at the New Jerusalem Museum, which is attached to the newly restored New Jerusalem Monastery in the vicinity of Moscow. The exhibition features over 70 works by the younger members of the Brueghel dynasty and their Flemish contemporaries. It has been made possible by loans from the collection of Valeria and Konstantin Mauerhaus, one of the largest private collections in Russia. The museum's website explains that their collection has been built up over the past twenty years through sales at Sotheby's, Christie's and other auction houses.
The exhibition runs until the 24th April 2021, and is strictly 18+ as the poster above suggests.
Christ Church Picture Gallery is Hiring!
January 7 2021
Picture: Christ Church Picture Gallery
Posted by Adam Busiakiewicz:
The Christ Church Picture Gallery in Oxford are looking for a Curatorial Assistant.
As the job description explains:
Christ Church seeks a Curatorial Assistant to support the Curator of its Picture Gallery. This three-year, fixed-term appointment is an excellent opportunity for someone in the early stages of a career in museums and invites applications from suitably experienced candidates. The role offers attractive on-the-job training with insights in all aspects of museum work. The post-holder will be able to balance clerical, practical and research work; and assist in the day to day running of this prestigious gallery. This is a highly practical role, dealing mainly with the administration and managerial side of museum work.
The salary on offer for this fixed-term contract is between £22,417 - £25,941.
If you're interesting you'll have to be quick! Applications must be in by noon on Friday 8th January 2021.
__________________
As an aside, has any progress been made on finding the three paintings that were stolen from the gallery last March? I think it's about time there was some update, surely?
Removing Monuments from Oxbridge Colleges
January 6 2021
Picture: Cherwell.org
Posted by Adam Busiakiewicz:
By all accounts, it's not a good time to be an historic monument in an Oxbridge College at the present moment.
All Souls College in Oxford are under growing pressure from campaign groups and some students to remove Henry Cheere's 1734 monument of Christopher Codrington (1668-1710) from the college's library (pictured). Growing criticisms of Cordington's connection to slavery in the West Indies prompted the recent removal of his name from the room. Officials are currently resisting calls to go further and remove the statue completely.
Jesus College in Cambridge has also drawn up plans to remove a late seventeenth century baroque plaque from its chapel and relocate it to a small room which is currently used as a wine store.
The plaque, attributed to Grinling Gibbons, was erected after the death of benefactor Tobias Rustat (1608-1694). Rustat's connections to the Royal African Company are judged by some to warrant the removal of his memorial. The full proposal document from the college, including a 'Theological Reflection' and quote from Cliveden Conservation to undertake the work for £11,123, can be found here.
Update - A reader has been in touch with the following comment:
I am not wholly against removing statues of obnoxious individuals but is there a point when the artistic importance of the statue overrides any concerns over the individual it memorialises? Both the Grinling Gibbons plaque and the Henry Cheere statue are impressive works by historically important sculptors and in themselves, devoid of their context, contribute to Oxford and Cambridge’s history and beauty. Would you also remove a portrait by Rembrandt if it was discovered that the sitter was involved in the slave trade?
I personally tend to agree with the questions above. For some pressure groups it is clear that everything must be viewed from a political lens. Surely there is room in this debate for aesthetic reasoning too?
Master Drawings New York Celebrates 15th Anniversary
January 6 2021
Video: Master Drawings New York
Posted by Adam Busiakiewicz:
Master Drawings New York is celebrating its 15th Anniversary this year. They've posted the above video featuring an interview with the two founders Margot Gordon and Crispian Riley-Smith. The conversation is chaired by the Director, Allison Wucher.
This year's event will be held online between 23rd January - 30th January 2021.
Society of Antiquaries to Lose Home? (ctd.)
January 6 2021
Posted by Adam Busiakiewicz:
The Burlington Magazine's January editorial contains a very good summary of the conundrum facing the home of the Society of Antiquaries in Burlington House. It presents the history of the society's rental agreement with the government and shows that the current crisis seems to have been put in motion in 2004-05 and made worse by a change of policy in 2014. The editorial asks whether the government department in charge will be "capable of seeing 'value for taxpayers' in more than monetary terms."
The January edition focuses on Italian Art, and features articles on the Ludovisi Tondo, Raphael's Villa Madama, and new documents relating to Caravaggio's exile amongst others.
US Crime Network Agency to Study Art Market
January 6 2021
Picture: The Art Newspaper
Posted by Adam Busiakiewicz:
The Art Newspaper has published a very interesting article into news that the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) at the Department of the Treasury in the US is going to conduct a study into money laundering in the art market. This is part of a much larger bill recently passed by the US Senate.
It is not yet known whether this study will result in any changes in the rules that govern the art market, but the growing number of related stories in the press suggests that there is a growing pressure for even greater transparency. The bill specifically mentions that "dealers in antiquities" will be included within the reach of this study.
Masks are Everywhere These Days
January 6 2021
Picture: Dreweatts
Posted by Adam Busiakiewicz:
"Well you don't see that everyday" - I thought to myself when I was scrolling through upcoming lots at auction last night. How many nineteenth century portraits feature such ridiculous masks?
In fact, these two original portraits Attributed to John Graham Gilbert had masks painted onto them as recently as up to five years ago. They are included in the upcoming Aynhoe Park Sale held by the auction house Dreweatts, an eccentric collection amassed by the entrepreneur and collector James Perkins. The catalogue notes show that Perkins's Studio had these masks added after they had been purchased at Christie's in 2015. I wonder what Archibald Buchanan of Auchentorlie and Mary Lyon would have made of these alterations to their painted likenesses.
Perhaps the collector was following Banksy for inspiration, who famously defaced an eighteenth century portrait by Thomas Beach in The Rude Lord (sold by Sotheby's in 2007). Subsequently, my art historian friend James Innes-Mulraine managed to uncover the identity of this previously unknown sitter in a blog of his.
I wonder if the added masks will be kept by whoever buys the portrait at the sale. One hopes these additions are reversible.
