T he scarf is quite possibly the most simple accessory: just a square (or rectangle) swatch of fabric, long enough to circle the neck, but not so long as to be considered a blanket. But simplicity can mean brilliance, especially when considering scarves from French luxury brand Hermès. 1. The Height of Parisian Fashion Hermès […]
Read moreLose Yourself in the Simple Beauty of Spencer’s Cottage Garden
E nglish artist Sir Stanley Spencer spent the summer of 1940 hard at work, intent on painting artworks which would attract critics and collectors alike. He needed to be: at 49, Spencer was a seasoned artist, having exhibited twice at the Venice Biennale – but even so, he was burdened with financial debt. Spencer’s first […]
Read moreMeet the Curator of Helene Schjerfbeck at the RA
Christian House talks to curator Anna-Maria von Bonsdorff about Helene Schjerfbeck, a prominent Nordic artist of the 19th and early 20th century, and now the subject of a major Royal Academy retrospective . W ith its rural modernism and confessional spirit, Schjerfbeck’s work sits somewhere between that of Cézanne and Francis Bacon. Born in 1862 […]
Read moreDiscoveries: Two Pietre Dure Panels by a Famous Florentine Master
D iscovered from a routine online valuation enquiry from a Belgian client, these panels were considered important enough to be included in our recent Treasures sale when they exceeded the top end of the estimate to realise £75,000 including premium. Their importance lies not only in their technical skill and decorative appeal, but also the […]
Read moreDiscoveries: Two Pietre Dure Panels by a Famous Florentine Master
D iscovered from a routine online valuation enquiry from a Belgian client, these panels were considered important enough to be included in our recent Treasures sale when they exceeded the top end of the estimate to realise £75,000 including premium. Their importance lies not only in their technical skill and decorative appeal, but also the […]
Read moreDiscoveries: A Pair of Equine-Themed Japanese Kano Screens
T his pair of Japanese screens, which sold for £125,000 in the Fine Japanese Art sale, were consigned to Sotheby’s from a client who used the on-line “request an estimate” platform to obtain a valuation. They were purchased in Japan in 1970 from an antique dealer who told the client that the screens had […]
Read moreDiscoveries: John Piper’s Seaside Collage
T his delightful painting and collage by John Piper is a comparatively early work by the artist, from the period when he was experimenting with collage and cut-outs. When we think of Piper, we tend to think of his English churches and follies: strong images of ruined churches standing out against dramatic skies and often […]
Read more21 Facts About Edward Hopper part 2
11. Hopper’s most common subject was the solitary figure. A projection of his personal introspection, the artist frequently returned to images of lone figures, most often women, within a windowed interior setting. Often misinterpreted as a symbol for his own feelings of loneliness, these figures more likely represent Hopper’s preference for quiet and thoughtful self-examination. […]
Read more21 Facts About Edward Hopper part 1
1. Edward Hopper grew up in a small town with a view of the Hudson. From the bedroom window of his childhood home in Nyack, New York, Hopper had a clear view of the Hudson River and the many boats and racing yachts that sailed out of the port. At age 15, Hopper built himself […]
Read moreDiscoveries: A Tranquil Summer Portrait Passed Down Through Generations
A discovery through the on-line ‘request an estimate’ platform, this beautiful painting – The Billiards Player by Willem Bastiaan Tholen – has been in the same family since purchase and has not been seen in public since 1930, when it was last exhibited. The work was sold for £287,500 in Sotheby’s 19th Century European Paintings […]
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