Auction sales as new museums?

Forthcoming Old Master sale highlights, Part I

End of the year is a time when we all love to receive gifts and indulge ourselves with some pleasures we treasure. For those in love with art there is always a tradition to look through the forthcoming Old Master weeks at the grand auctions in the sourse of inspiration.

And there are things to look at, no worse than at headliner exhibition shows by the best museums.

As an art collector myself I am always interested to see what’s on. If not to buy, then at least to “train the eye” — to see the best examples of art out there on the market to then easily separate the wheat from the chaff in the myriads of artworks.

I would like to share with you my selection of the forthcoming winter sales with my short commentary on side. Not to tell you what’s the best (or what you should go for, save the mark), yet to provoke you to look closer at high resolution images on the auction house websites and study great masterpieces, please your eyes and get to know art and artists a little better.

Part I. Sotheby’s Evening Sale, London, 4 Dec 2019

fragment (see the description below)

1. An unbeatable and insanely instagrammable (forgive me, though that seems to be one of main criteria now) altar wings, 1520-30, now attributed to Simon Frank, who is said to be one of the most accomplished pupils of Cranach the Elder. Saint Ursula and her maidens do truly look like typical Cranach females (no wonder they made an early 20th century market appearance as Cranach himself). Seems to be in a good condition in spite of numerous retouchings in the past.

another wing of the altarpiece by Simon Frank (fragment)

2. Christ on the Cross by grand Spanish master Francisco de Zurbaran. Promising provenance and typical manner the master is praised for are enough to close your eyes on extensive restoration interventions and overcome the high estimate of £3,5 mln. Or not?

3. My personal favourite subject — child portrait with beloved pet — is represented by an exquisite Portrait of Young Golfer, 1626, by Jan Antonisz. van Ravesteyn. Not a household name though a perfect painting quality places it at a decent £180,000 high estimate. Oh, look at this lace!

4. A very warming Spanish still life, 1765, by Luis Meléndez. Barely known during his lifetime he is considered to be the greatest Spanish still life painter of the 18th century. And this very work is definitely one of the finest examples.

5. Last, but not least, is this extraordinary Pietà by, again, Spanish mannerism master Luis de Morales. What a manner! The artwork itself is reported to be in excellent condition thanks to the provenance trace that suggests it was kept in the home town of the artist (Badajoz) for the first 300 years and only being moved relatively recently. Estimate of £300,000–400,000 seems quite reserved, though will see how it goes quite soon.

The frame here is another reason to admire the lot

Hope I managed to get you interested and eager to learn more about great artworks that have all the chances not to emerge to the eyes of wider audiece for decades to come.

Here is the link for the respective online catalogue shall you decide to look it through yourself and find your own personal favourites.

Part II of this review is now released — welcome to read it here.

Just as a caveat, this blog is not supported or sponsored in any way by the auction house or other artwork sellers whose artworks got featured here.

My name is Marina Viatkina and I am an art collector, researcher and art advisor. You may read my other art-related articles, watch videos or reach out to discuss this article and address your art enquiries here or on my website marinaviatkina.com.

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