Harmony and Opulence: Erté and Der Rosenkavalier, Bonhams London, 101 New Bond Street, London W1, 22nd – 26th May 2017
Presentation of the Rose. Der Rosenkavalier, Act II
Featuring ninety set and costume designs for the famous 1980 Glyndebourne Opera production of Der Rosenkavalier this is a must for lovers of opera and the Russian artist Erté.
Revolution: Russian Art 1917-1932, The Royal Academy of Arts, Burlington House, Piccadilly, London, W1, until 17thApril 2017
As I was unable to attend I asked John Kirkwood to go on my behalf – here are his thoughts:
Boris Mikailovich Kustodiev, Bolshevik, 1920
Oil on canvas, 101 x 140.5 cm
State Tretyakov Gallery
Photo (c) State Tretyakov Gallery
This exhibition to commemorate the centenary of the Russian Revolution focuses on a momentous period in Russian history between 1917, the year of the October revolution, and 1932 when Stalin began his violent suppression of the Avant-Garde.
Wassily Kandinsky, Blue Crest, 1917
Oil on canvas, 133 x 104 cm
State Russian Museum, St. Petersburg
Photo (c) 2016, State Russian Museum, St. Petersburg
Divided into sections all the way from Salute The Leader, through Brave New World to Stalin’s Utopia, there is even a section on Fate of the Peasants. Stalin came to power by promising to make the lives of the peasants better but once in power he ruined their lives by forming collective farms which destroyed the existing peasants’ way of life and livelihood. All sounds a bit too familiar.
Isaak Brodsky, V.I.Lenin and Manifestation, 1919
Oil on canvas, 90 x 135 cm
The State Historical Museum
Photo (c) Provided with assistance from the State Museum and Exhibition Center ROSIZO
The post 1917 paintings are strongly nationalistic and utterly unsentimental – there is no room for doubting your allegiance to the State – but politicised as they are they remain strong and arresting images. There are works by Chagall and Kandinsky and a room dedicated to over 30 paintings and architectons of Malevich seen together for the first time since 1932 in an exact reconstruction of the hang designed by the artist for the Leningrad exhibition that year.
Alexander Deineka, Textile Workers, 1927
Oil on canvas, 161.5 x 185 cm
State Russian Museum, St. Petersburg
Photo (c) 2016, State Russian Museum, St. Petersburg
(c) DACS 2016
Kazimir Malevich, Peasants, c. 1930
Oil on canvas, 53 x 70 cm
State Russian Museum, St. Petersburg
Photo (c) 2016, State Russian Museum, St. Petersburg
What better way to celebrate two hundred and fifty years as a leading art business than through the two hundred and fifty objects selected for this book. It is a wonderful survey of these remarkable sales and the high prices achieved whether for a 3,000-year-old Assyrian frieze or Dorothy’s ruby slippers from The Wizard of Oz. Paintings, furniture, gold and silver, sculpture, wine, even a London Routemaster bus are included. One feature I like is that as well as giving the original sale price they also give today’s equivalent value.
This is a great book to dip into time and time again as there is much to learn and enjoy from it.
phaidon.com
Ceramics and Glass Sale, Chiswick Auctions, 1 Colville Road, London W3 8BL, October 11, 2016
A collection of Russian Royal glassware spanning major important reigns
This is an interesting group of Russian Imperial Glassware dating from the reigns of Catherine I (1725-1727) to Nicholas II (1868-1918). Estimates range from £500 upwards.
Masterpiece London 2016, The Bull Ring Gate Entrance, South Grounds, The Royal Hospital Chelsea, London SW3, 30thJune – 6th July 2016
Nazy Vassegh, CEO of Masterpiece with J.F. Courville, Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer at the RBC Wealth Management
2015
Courtesy Masterpiece London
Now in its 7th edition one can easily understand why Masterpiece has become a magnet for collectors and museum curators from around the world. There is a great emphasis on quality and connoisseurship and the pieces on show reflect more than five thousand years of art history – and yes they are for sale.
Vetting during Masterpiece London 2015
Courtesy Masterpiece London
Masterpiece’s chief executive Nazy Vassegh says: ‘I am delighted to announce so many exciting additions to this year’s fair. Masterpiece 2016 will have unrivalled depth and quality, and I am pleased that Masterpiece continues to strengthen every edition. We are looking forward to another great year.’
It truly is a must visit fair and allow yourself plenty of time because there are so many exciting things to see and tempt. Like me you may well want visit more than once.
Vetting during Masterpiece London 2015
Courtesy Masterpiece London
Over the coming days I will post varied selections of what is on show.
London Art Week, Mayfair and St James’s, London, 1st – 8th July 2016
MAURIZIO NOBILE
Jacopo Amigoni (1682-1752)
Jupiter and Callisto
This is a really special gallery-led festival of art dating from antiquity to the 20th century. There is a combination of nearly fifty dealers and three major auction houses who are bringing a tempting mix of subjects ranging from Greek coins, arms and armour, stained glass, sculpture and fine art in all its disciplines.
Specialist exhibitions include:
Vanitas / Memento Mori and The Crucifixion by Paolo Uccello at Agnew’s
Art & Adornment: Treasures of Combat at Ariadne Galleries
Early European Sculpture at Arcadia Cerri Fine Art
ARCADIA CERRI
Exhibition: Early European Sculpture
Head of a man frowning
Champagne, Reims
Second third 13th century
fossiliferous limestone
13 x 13 x 13 cm
Inter-War Paris: Works on Paper at Aktis Gallery
AKTIS GALLERY
Exhibition: Inter-War Paris: Works on Paper
Leonard Tsuguharu Foujita (1886-1968)
Tulips, 1920
Watercolour and ink on paper
Signed and dated lower left
Countersigned in Japanese lower left
European Master Drawings (1545-2015) at Didier Aaron Ltd.
Deities & Daily Life at Charles Ede
Gilded Light; 16th-century stained glass roundels from the collection of Sir Thomas Neave and other private collections at Sam Fogg
SAM FOGG
Exhibition: Gilded Light: 16th Century Stained Glass Roundels from the collection of Sir Thomas Neave and other private collections
Circle of Lambert Van Noort (c.1520-1571)
Nebuchadnezzar dreams of a tree that must be felled
Flint Marble Bronze from the Mediterranean and Beyond at Oliver Forge & Brendan Lynch Ltd.
Dutch Flower Pieces 1607-1814 and Aspects of British Impressionism at Richard Green Fine Paintings
RICHARD GREEN GALLERY
Exhibition: Aspects of British Impressionism
Sir Alfred Munnings (1878-1959)
September Afternoon
Oil on canvas
Signed lower left: AJ. Munnings
17th Century Still Life and Song Yu at Johnny Van Haeften Ltd.
Horses, Rulers, and Victory in the Art of Ancient Greek Coinage at Kallos Gallery
KALLOS GALLERY
Exhibition: Horses, Rulers and Victory in the Art of Ancient Greek Coinage
Gold Drachm of Syracuse (Sicily), c.317-310BC
Minted under Agathocles (317-289BC)
Of Gods and Men at Daniel Katz Gallery
Antonio Joli (1700 – 1777): Views of Italy at Lampronti Gallery
Classicism Reimagined: Master Paintings and Sculpture 1700-1900 at Lullo•Pampoulides
LULLO∙PAMPOULIDES
Exhibition: Classicism Reimagined: Master paintings & sculpture 1700-1900
Camille Claudel (1864 –1943)
Torso of a Crouching Woman,1887
Bronze, 35 cm. high
Material X at M&L Fine Art
Traveller-artists in the Far East: Views in India, China and Indonesia at Martyn Gregory
Bronze Animal Sculptures by Rembrandt Bugatti at The Sladmore Gallery
Drawing Inspiration: Sketches and Sketchbook Pages from the 19th and 20th Century at Stephen Ongpin Fine Art
STEPHEN ONGPIN FINE ART
Exhibition: Drawing Inspiration: Sketches and Sketchbooks from the 19th and 20th Centuries
Eugene Delacroix (1798-1863)
A Standing Moroccan Man
Watercolour and pencil
Antique Inspiration at Tomasso Brothers Fine Art
From Wax to Bronze – Themes and Materials in Sculpture at Trinity Fine Art Ltd.
TRINITY FINE ART
Exhibition: From Wax to Bronze – Themes and Materials of Sculpture
Attributed to the Master of the Unruly Children (16th century Florence)
Bacchus
Terracotta
95/8 x 111/4 x 8 ¼ in. (24.5 x28.5 x 21cm)
Object in Focus: An Archaic Greek Bronze Griffin Protome at Rupert Wace Ancient Art
Cornelius Johnson: Painter to King and Country at The Weiss Gallery
THE WEISS GALLERY
Exhibition: Cornelius Johnson
Cornelius Johnson (1593 – 1661)
Sir William Campion of Combwell (1585–1640)
Oil on panel
Indistinctly signed, centre right: ‘C.J….’
OPENING TIMES:
Galleries:
Preview -Thursday: 3pm to 8pm
Friday 1st July – Friday 8th July: 10am to 6pm
Weekends: 12 noon to 5pm
STOPPENBACH & DELESTRE
Henry Moret (1856-1913)
La baie de Lampaul, Île de Ouessant
Oil on canvas
Auction houses:
Friday 1st July – Friday 8th July: 9am to 5pm
Saturday 2nd July: 12 noon to 5pm
Sunday 3rd July: 11 noon to 5pm
The Art & Antiques Fair, Olympia London, Hammersmith Road, London W14, 27th June – 3rd July 2016
Opening Day, June 2015
This Fair certainly has staying power as it is in its 44th year and continues to draw visitors in from home and abroad to see what the hundred and sixty participating dealers have to offer for their collections and homes.
Wakelin & Linfield
An unusually large late 19th century two plank Spanish table in walnut with carved decoration to the legs and original ironwork supports to the base.
L144” x W39” x H30.25”
In the region of £25000
Provenance: Orson Welles
The Fair’s Director, Mary Claire Boyd sums it up: “The Art & Antiques Fair, Olympia is London’s original, quintessential art and antiques fair. Over four decades since the event was founded, we continue to pride ourselves on offering a wider choice of high quality, vetted art, antiques, furniture and collectibles than any other event in the capital.”
Art Ancient
Large piece of Roman glass work, reflecting the heights achieved in glassblowing in the 1st-2nd Centuries AD
Among new “features” is Showcase which highlights five specially chosen galleries and dealers – Simon Pirzada (ceramics), The Parker Gallery (Fine Art), Adam Gahlin Fine Art (Modern paintings, drawings and prints), Adam Bentley (Contemporary Art) and Store Street Gallery ((Contemporary Art).
Albermarle Gallery. SOFA LONDON
Rado Kirov
Monolith
mirrored stainless steel
227 x 30 x 110 cm (89 x 12 x 43 in)
The well-known SOFA CHICAGO – a Sculpture Objects Functional Art and Design Fair (SOFA) will have a European version at this Fair as Mary Claire Boyd, explains: “We are very excited to introduce SOFA LONDON as part of The Art & Antiques Fair, Olympia for the very first time this June. SOFA is widely known in the US for its international dealers selling one-of- a-kind masterpieces. Here in London we have an elite selection of dealers who will be showcasing original works from different artists and makers using a variety of mediums. For sale will be works of art including ceramics, metal work, photography, glass works, textiles, furniture and sculptures that appear more contemporary and cutting edge than other pieces in the fair, but yet will also stand the test of time. SOFA CHICAGO attracts over 35,000 people but for those who aren’t able to cross the pond to attend we’re delighted to offer this opportunity within the UK.”
Opening Day, June 2015
According to recent research there is a resurgence in the demand for antiques and again I will share Mary Claire Boyd’s observations on this: “The world of antiques can be intimidating at first glance but this research shows that there is a real thirst for antiques. They are appreciated for the qualities they can bring to people’s homes– particularly amongst the younger generation who are frustrated with spending money on furnishings that only last a few years.
Galerie Arabesque
Three-legged ottoman inlaid table.
Provenance: estate of Eduard Starke-Pascha, Berlin-Constantinople
“While people see great benefits of purchasing antiques often they don’t realise the options and scope available to them – and the affordability. Antiques are unique, often come with a fascinating story – and add individuality to your home. They can also be combined very effectively with contemporary art and furniture.”
Gilden’s Art Gallery
JOAN MIRÓ 1893-1983
Sun Eater | Mangeur de Soleil, 1955
Original Hand Signed and Numbered Lithograph in Colours on Arches Paper
Paper size: 76.2 x 56.5 cm. / 30 x 22.3 in.
Very true indeed as many leading interior decorators would no doubt concur.
Tribal Gathering London
Mende helmet mask ‘ Sowei’. Sande society. Sierra Leone
Manning Fine Art
“Keep Calm and Carry On” poster, printed in 1939
Kate Thurlow
Louis XIV upholstered oak armchair, circa 1700
Provenance: Formerly in the collection of Yves St Laurent.
Don Kelly Books, June 2015
The Private Collection of Joan Rivers, Christie’s New York, 22nd June 2016; Online Auction 16th – 23rd June 2016
‘Joan’s apartment was a reflection of the true Joan: warm, elegant and truly inviting’ is how the celebrity event designer Preston Bailey described this private world of a much-loved entertainer.
Lot 15
PRIVATE & ICONIC
New York, Rockefeller Plaza
Jun 22, 2016
A FRENCH TERRACOTTA BUST OF A WOMAN
Price Estimate: 2,000 – 3,000 U.S. dollars
Now the contents are being auctioned off with a portion of the proceeds going to the HIV/Aids charity God’s Love We Deliver and to Guide Dogs For The Blind. The latter reflecting her great love of dogs. Some two hundred lots will be in the June 22nd auction with many items from her home eloquently reflecting her connoisseurship, wit and elegance. The latter being especially obvious in her costumes – some by Bob Mackie – and in her jewellery by celebrated makers including Cartier, Van Cleef & Arpels and Harry Winston, some of which are being sold in the online auction 16th – 23rd June.
She was, as many of you may know, a collector of Fabergé and in the words of Geoffrey Munn, Wartski’s director and author of the recent volume on the firm’s history ‘Joan’s connoisseurship was informed and intuitive’. ‘She was conscious of the importance of provenance.’
Lot 156
PRIVATE & ICONIC
New York, Rockefeller Plaza
Jun 22, 2016
A SET OF ELEVEN ITALIAN PORCELAIN DINNER PLATES AND A SET OF TWELVE DRESDEN PORCELAIN PLATES
Price Estimate: 600 – 800 U.S. dollars
I will leave the last word on her home to the great lady herself who once said that it was ‘where Marie Antoinette would have lived if she had money’.
I think she got that right!
Lot 134
PRIVATE & ICONIC
New York, Rockefeller Plaza
Jun 22, 2016
AN ASSORTED GROUP OF JOAN RIVERS’ TABLE LINENS
Price Estimate: 500 – 800 U.S. dollars
Russia and the Arts: The Age of Tolstoy and Tchaikovsky, National Portrait Gallery, London, until 26th June 2016
Modest Mussorgsky by Ilia Repin, 1881
Copyright: State Tretyakov Gallery, Moscow
The staging of this important exhibition is thanks to the fact that Moscow’s State Tretyakov Gallery is like the National Portrait Gallery also celebrating the one hundred and sixtieth anniversary of its foundation.
Anna Akhmatova by Olga Della-Vos-Kardovskaia, 1914
Copyright: State Tretyakov Gallery, Moscow
Twenty-two of the twenty-six Russian portraits on show have never been seen in Britain before. They are hugely important paintings, depicting some of the key proponents of the Russian arts between 1867-1914, including Akhmatova, Chekhov, Dostoevsky, Mussorgsky, Rimsky-Korsakov, Rubinstein, Tchaikovsky, Tolstoy and Turgenev. It is an opportunity not to be missed.
Anton Chekhov by Iosif Braz, 1898
Copyright: State Tretyakov Gallery, Moscow
In return for this generous loan the National Portrait Gallery has loaned works from its own collection to the Moscow Gallery for an exhibition entitled Elizabeth to Victoria: British Portraits from the Collection of the National Portrait Gallery
The Works on Paper Fair, The Royal Geographical Society, Exhibition Road, South Kensington, London SW7, 11th – 14th February 2016
John Iddon Fine Art
David Hockney,
Anne Combing Her Hair,
Lithograph ed. of 75
This year’s Fair is in a new venue but it will still bring a tempting array of works on paper from over six centuries from some fifty or so European and British dealers.
Laurie Lee: The Artist loan exhibition –
Laurie Lee,
Self Portrait,
Gouache, c.1937, 56 x 38cm
There is a very special exhibition, thanks to Jessy Lee, of drawings and paintings by her father Laurie Lee of Cider with Rosie fame. Among those giving talks during the Fair are historian Simon Schama and the National Portrait Gallery’s Colin Wiggins.
Elizabeth Harvey Lee
Jan Both (c1615/18 – 1652),
Ponte Molle, Original etching, early1640s
20 x 27 cm
The dealers at this well-vetted fair include among others Abbott and Holder, Chris Beetles Gallery, Marcus Campbell Art Books, Martyn Gregory, Elizabeth Harvey-Lee, John Iddon Fine Art, Kevis House Gallery, Kaye Michie, Stephen Ongpin Fine Art, Crispian Riley-Smith Fine Arts, David Simon Contemporary and John Spink.
David Simon Contemporary
Peter Lloyd-Jones,
The Dance,
Ink, 30 x 21cm
Stephen Ongpin
Henri Lebasque (1865 – 1937),
A Seated Female Nude in an Interior
20 x 19cm,
Crispian Riley-Smith
attrib. Patrizi (1663 – 1744),
Marriage Scene of Dorinda and Silvio,
Red chalk, ink wash, 20 x 14cm
Tim Forrest's E & A 