Willem van Aelst, Still Life with Fish, Bread, and a Nautilus Cup. Oil on canvas, 67 x 54 cm. Signed and dated upper right: Guillmo van Aelst 1678. Lot 1072 / Result € 292 800. Photo courtesy Lempertz

Provenance: The Sidney Coates collection. - Christie´s London 26.11.1976, Lot 96. - Richard Green, London. - Otto Naumann, New York 1999. - Private collection, Germany 

Exhibitions: Elegance and Refinement. The Still-Life Paintings of Willem van Aelst. The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston / National Gallery of Art, Washington, 2012. 

The Delft painter Willem van Aelst devoted himself almost exclusively to the genre of still life. Against a grey or dark background he depicted rare flowers, fruit, game and expensive tableware, often presented on marble slabs and velvet. Characteristic of his paintings is the cool, silvery palette and striking light. 

An invention of Willem van Aelst's is the integration of fish into the type of magnificent still lifes. The fish still life itself has its roots in the early kitchen still lifes of Pieter Aertsen and Joachim Beuckelaer, and forms a distinct genre in the early 17th century. According to the hierarchy of genres it was considered lower than fruit or flower still lifes for example. For the first time Willem van Aelst combined the shimmering and silvery fish with exquisite and valuable works of art. The present painting is an outstanding example of this. It demonstrates all the characteristic elements of the artist's mature style. A grey veined marble slap is draped with dark red velvet creating a clever play of light. The rustic elements of the still life such as the fish, onions and leeks are combined with fine silver and glass vessels and in particular, an outstanding nautilus Cup. http://www.lempertz.eu

A rare blue and white tripod censer, Ming dynasty, Wanli period. Photo Sotheby's

the compressed ovoid body divided into three bracket lobes above the short feet and set on the shoulder with a pair of upright everted handles, each lobe finely drawn with a panel enclosing a sage seated beneath plantain leaves, the neck with two bands enclosing a half chrysanthemum blossom flanked by wan-fret diaper, the galleried rim with scrollwork, interrupted by an inscription giving the placement of the censer on a Wenchang altar, above an inscription on the shoulder reading Da Ming Chenghua jimao nian Dunben Tang jingzhu (respectfully presented by the Dunben Hall in the jimao year of the reign of Chenghua of the Great Ming), Japanese wood box (3). Length 8 in., 20.3 cm. Estimation 40,000 — 60,000

NOTE A censer of the same form, size and decoration but differently inscribed, from the Edward T. Chow collection, was sold in our Hong Kong rooms 19th May 1981, lot 422. A smaller censer similarly decorated but lacking the dated inscription was sold twice in our Hong Kong rooms, first 11th November 1977, lot 42 and again 24th November 1981, lot 101.Compare also the unmarked censer of similar form decorated with animals illustrated in the Percival David Foundation, Catalogue, section 3. no. A 625.

A large blue and white jar, Ming dynasty, Wanli period. Photo Sotheby's

the ovoid body surmounted by a waisted neck with lipped rim, painted with four shaped panels variously enclosing lotus and peony, all reserved on a diaper ground with ruyi heads, the shoulder similarly decorated with fruiting sprays within shaped cartouches, encircled at the neck with a foliate scroll and the foot with a lappet band. Height 17 in., 43cm. Estimation 10,000 — 15,000

Sotheby's. Fine Chinese Ceramics & Works of Art. New York | 17 sept. 2013 www.sothebys.com

Lot 1391 - A Very Rare Large Famille Rose Turquoise-Ground Bottle Vase, Tianqiuping, Qianlong Seal Mark in Iron Red and of the Period (1736-1795), 20 in. (51 cm.) high. Estimate: $600,000-800,000. Photo: Christie's Images Ltd 2013.

New York – Christie’s is pleased to announce three sales during September’s Asian Art Week devoted to ceramics and works of art from China.   Important Chinese Archaic Bronzes from a Distinguished Private Collection will be held the morning of Thursday, September 19, followed by A Collecting Legacy: Fine Chinese Jade Carvings and Works of Art from The Lizzadro Collection Part II at 11am.  The afternoon will begin with the first session of Fine Chinese Ceramics and Works of Art, which will continue the following day.

On September 19, Christie’s will host the sale of Important Chinese Archaic Bronzes from a Distinguished Private Collection.  The sale will feature 16 exceptional archaic bronze ritual vessels and fittings dating from the Shang to Han dynasties, 13th century BC – 2nd century AD.  This private collection boasts outstanding provenance and many of these bronze vessels have been extensively published and exhibited.   This sale offers the opportunity for collectors to acquire remarkable examples of classic bronze forms, as well as rare and unusual bronze shapes.  The sale of these archaic bronzes is expected to realize in excess of $4 million. 

Lot 1105 - An Important and Very Rare Archaic Bronze Ritual Wine Vessel and Cover, Fangyi. Late Shang Dynasty, 11th Century BC; 8 5/8 in. (22 cm.) high Estimate on Request. Photo: Christie's Images Ltd 2013.

Leading the sale is an important and very rare bronze fangyi, or ritual wine vessel and cover, from the late Shang dynasty, 11th century BC, with publication history dating back to 1842 (pictured left; estimate on request).  Originally used to store wine, the fangyi was a rare and elite vessel form and are highly coveted by collectors.  Fangyi are usually cast with a fine scrollwork ground pattern called leiwen. This fangyi, however, is cast against and embellished ground, which emphasizes the crisp and bold casting and makes this example even rarer. 

Following the success of A Collecting Legacy: Fine Chinese Jade Carvings and Works of Art from the Lizzadro Collection in March 2013, Christie’s is pleased to offer Part II with over 150 additional works from this renowned collection on September 19 at 11am.  The sale will include a selection of exquisite jade carvings, including fine jade plaques, superb jade and hardstone snuff bottles, as well as outstanding carvings in other materials, such as coral, tourmaline, and amber.

An Italian by birth, Joseph Lizzadro (1898–1972) immigrated with his father to the United States in the early 1900s.  Following his move to Illinois, Lizzadro worked his way up from a laborer at the Meade Electric Company, and eventually was appointed Chairman of the Board.  In 1939, Mr. Lizzadro began his lifelong passion and fascination with Chinese jade and hardstone carvings.  Over the years, his collection grew and he expressed interest in sharing “with others our enjoyment of the eternal beauty in gem stones and our appreciation of the art with which man has complemented the work of nature.”   

Lizzadro’s dream was realized on November 4, 1962, when the Lizzadro Museum of Lapidary Art opened its doors to the public in Elmhurst’s Wilder Park just outside of Chicago.  The collection continues to grow under the discerning eye of his son, John Lizzadro, Sr., who shares his father’s passion for Chinese carving.  The museum now houses several hundred jade and other hardstone carvings, including pieces of international importance. 

Thursday & Friday, 19 & 20 September 2013. Christie’s sale of Fine Chinese Ceramics and Works of Art will be held in three sessions over the course of two days. Featuring over 500 lots that span hundreds of centuries, the sale is expected to realize in excess of $14 million.

A Magnificent And Very Rare Pair Of Massive Huanghuali Compound Cabinets And Hatchests, Sijiangui, 17th Century, 110 ½ in. (280.6 cm.) high, 49 in. (124.4 cm.) wide, 24 ½ in. (63 cm.) deep. Estimate: $1,200,000-1,800,000. Photo: Christie's Images Ltd 2013. 

Highlighting the sale is a very rare and massive pair of compound cabinets and hatchests from the 17th century that are constructed from luxurious huanghuali wood (estimate: $1,200,000-1,800,000). The imposing size and monumental proportions, along with the broad flat surfaces of the cabinets effectively show off the natural beauty of the densely grained, honey-toned wood. The choice of precious huanghuali wood for this magnificent pair suggests the wealth and status of the owner, who could not only afford the most luxurious materials, but also the talents of a highly skilled master cabinetmaker.

A magnificent Qianlong mark and period (1736-1795) famille rose vase, formerly in the George H. Taber (1859-1940) Collection, features a large five-clawed, scaly, iron-red dragon with a long tail and a smaller pink dragon on a vibrant turquoise-ground.   It has been suggested that this design represents the Qianlong Emperor, in the form of a red dragon, passing on knowledge and authority to his son, the future Jiaqing Emperor, in the form of the small pink dragon. The vase is remarkable for the boldness with which the dragon is depicted; the uncluttered scattering of the clouds and the rounded contours of the vase provide the dragons with a vivid sense of movement. 

The sale will also feature a selection of outstanding jade carvings from the Collection of Dr. Leonard and Mrs. Ann Marsak.  The Marsaks collected through the 1980s and early 90s, focusing on works of the highest quality and rarity, and purchasing only the best example of their type. 

Among the jade highlights is a superbly carved spinach-green jade brush pot (bitong) from the Qianlong period (1736-1795) (estimate: $300,000-500,000).  The sides are deeply carved with scenes from the Elegant Gathering in the West Garden, depicting eminent scholars celebrating Su Shi’s return from exile in a continuous dramatic mountain landscape.  Also included is a finely carved white lotus leaf-form brush washer from the 17th/18th century (estimate: $300,000-500,000), that features two birds and a spider on the rim, ingeniously carved from the natural dark grey markings.

Lot 1162 - A White Jade Shaped Rectangular Pendant Plaque, 18th century, 2 7/16 in. (6.2 cm.) high Estimate: $30,000-50,000. Photo: Christie's Images Ltd 2013.

Platinum, Palladium and Diamond. ‘Triple-Band’ Cuff-Bracelet, Suzanne Belperron. Worn by Elisabeth Lewyt on her wedding day. Estimate $40/60,000. Photo Sotheby's

NEW YORK – Sotheby’s first jewelry auction of the autumn auction season will be held in New York on 24 September 2013, with a public exhibition beginning 20 September in Sotheby’s York Avenue galleries.

Gary Schuler, Director of Sotheby’s Jewelry department in New York, said: “The strength of our September sale lies in the remarkable breadth of property that is fresh-to-the-market, emerging from both estates and private collections. We are delighted to offer jewels from the collection of Alex & Elisabeth Lewyt, featuring custom-designed and period pieces by French jewelers such as Schlumberger, Suzanne Belperron and René Boivin. We also have pieces from the family of philanthropist George Rothman, whose collection is led by a beautiful 19.51 carat emerald-cut diamond ring from Harry Winston. This diamond – one of several important white diamonds on offer by private sellers this September – is the caliber of stone that is sure to generate early excitement in the global jewelry market this auction season.”

AUCTION HIGHLIGHTS

Following Sotheby’s spring sales of important Impressionist, Modern and Contemporary art from the collection of Alex & Elisabeth Lewyt, the September auction will offer a selection of jewels from the collection by French designers including Van Cleef & Arpels, Schlumberger and Suzanne Belperron. The group also showcases the abstracted naturalistic designs of René Boivin, highlighted by a fully articulated Labrador Retriever brooch that is both charming and sophisticated.

Platinum and Diamond Double-Clip Pendant-Brooch, Schlumberger, set with marquise-shaped diamonds weighing 5.22 and 5.28 carats, both E color, VS1 clarity. Estimate $200/300,000. Photo Sotheby's

18 Karat Gold, Blackened Gold, Colored Diamond, Diamond, Citrine and Ruby Dog Brooch, René Boivin. Estimate $70/90,000. Photo Sotheby's

Jewels from the family of George Rothman, the successful real estate developer and philanthropist who created the Rothman Foundation, feature pieces signed by Bulgari, David Webb and Van Cleef & Arpels. The top lot of the collection is the Winston diamond ring, set with a beautifully-shaped, emerald-cut diamond of nearly 20 carats.

Platinum and Diamond Ring, Harry Winston 19.51 carats, E color, VVS2 clarity, improvable, type IIa. Estimate $1.2/1.8 million. Photo Sotheby's

IMPORTANT DIAMONDS FROM PRIVATE COLLECTIONS

Property from a New York Estate. Platinum and Diamond Ring 15.10 carats, D color, VVS2 clarity, potentially Internally Flawless, type IIa. Estimate $1.25/1.75 million. Photo Sotheby's

Property of a Lady, Texas. Platinum and Diamond Ring 9.77 carats, D color, Internally Flawless, type IIa. Estimate $800,000/1.2 million. Photo Sotheby's

Platinum, fancy dark brown-yellow diamond and diamond ring. Photo Sotheby's

Centered by a round Fancy Dark Brown-Yellow diamond weighing 5.93 carats, flanked by two pear-shaped diamonds weighing approximately 1.15 carats, size 7¾. Estimation 15,000 — 20,000 USD

Accompanied by GIA report no. 17250670 stating that the diamond is Fancy Dark Brown-Yellow, Natural Color, VVS1 clarity.

Sotheby's. Important Jewels. New York | 24 sept. 2013 - http://www.sothebys.com

Platinum, 18 karat gold, fancy intense yellow diamond and diamond ring. Photo Sotheby's

The cut-cornered rectangular modified brilliant-cut Fancy Intense Yellow diamond weighing 7.02 carats, flanked by two trapeze-cut diamonds weighing approximately 1.40 carats, size 5. Estimation 140,000 — 160,000 USD 

Accompanied by GIA report no. 15330995 stating that the diamond is Fancy Intense Yellow, Natural Color, VVS1 clarity. 

Sotheby's. Important Jewels. New York | 24 sept. 2013 - http://www.sothebys.com

Anonymous (Late 16th-Early 17th Century), A Portuguese Ship Comes to Trade. Photo Christie's Image Ltd 2013

Six-panel screen; ink. color, gold and gold leaf on paper; 61¼ x 137½in. (155.5 x 349.5cm.). Estimate $700,000 – $900,000

Provenance: Private collection, Tokyo 

Literature: Okamoto Yoshitomo and Takamizawa Tadao, Nanban byobu (Nanban screens) (Tokyo: Kashima kenkyujo shuppankai, 1970), Plate volume, color plate pp. 80-81 and fig. 58, page xiv; text volume no. 58, p. 186. 

Sasaki Johei, ed., Tokubetsu kikaku byobue ten Folding screens (Kyoto: Kyoto University, 1994), pl. 1.

Sakamoto Mitsuru et al., eds., Nanban byobu shusei A Catalogue Raisonné of Nanban Screens (Tokyo: Chuokoron Bijutsu Shuppan, 2008), pl. 63. 

Exhibited: University Museum, Faculty of Letters, Kyoto University, "Tokubetsu kikaku byobue ten Folding screens," 1994.6.14-7.16 

Notes: Portuguese traders reached Japan in 1543, and by 1573 they had selected the Bay of Nagasaki as the ideal natural harbor for the center of their commerce. The Portuguese nau, or carrack, was known to the Japanese as the kurofune (black ship) or nanban bune, ship of the Nanban, or Southern Barbarians, so called because these foreigners arrived from the south. (The term originated in China, where all foreigners were regarded as barbarians.) The three- or four-deck carrack with its three masts was the cause of much wonder and excitement at the time of its annual visit.

The nau was designed for very long journeys. It could accommodate several hundred passengers and crew and carried enormous quantities of cargo. The lower decks held provisions stored in hundreds of barrels, sacks, jars and baskets. Provisions typically included hardtack, wine, meat, hakes, olive oil, vinegar, water, salt, sardines, chick-peas, almonds, plums, lentils, mustard, garlics, onions, sugar and honey. There would also have been live animals such as sheep, pigs and chickens. The Japanese artist here appropriately renders the elevated forecastle (bow end) and the quarterdeck with balcony below (stern end).

The carrack set off for Macao and Japan from Goa, on the west coast of India, the center of the Portuguese empire in Asia, and some of the crew are dark-skinned natives of the Indian sub-continent. Until they were expelled in 1639, the Portuguese made large profits selling Chinese silk, lacquer and ceramics to the Japanese in exchange for silver. (The sixty members of their delegation who arrived in 1640 were all beheaded.)

Dating from about 1620 to 1650, this is the left half of a pair of screens that closely follows the composition of a pair in the Nagasaki Museum of History and Culture (Nagasaki Rekishi Bunka Hakubutsukan; see Sakamoto et al., pl. 59). The right half is thought to be in a collection somewhere in the West. Like the screen in the Nagasaki Museum, this one differentiates the pale blue of the sky from the deeper sea-blue of the bay.

Religious elements are downplayed here. There are no banners with Jesuit crosses. Sails have been furled and deckhands scurry up ratlines and shrouds seeking a roost atop the crows' nests. The shrouds are fastened in deadeyes on the side of the hull. The gundeck is implied here by a few dark holes in the hull near the stern. The immense size of the ship is suggested by the rapidly diminishing size of the crew members high in the rigging. One balances precariously on the bowsprit. An officer in red, perhaps the captain, supervises the dismantling of the rigging from the comfort of his dais at the stern.

Some of the merchants have already made it to land via a small open boat of the type that accompanied them in the hold of the ship. They offload precious cargo, including lacquer and ceramics. The missing right screen would feature a Jesuit chapel and a parade of these foreigners on the main street of a Japanese port town, likely intended to represent Nagasaki (see lot 638). The artist exaggerates the height of the men and emphasizes the balloonlike bagginess of their bombacha pantaloons, but focuses also on distinct details such as heavy gold necklaces, embroidered capes and vests, assorted hats, and clothing with lively checked and striped patterns.

The earliest Nanban screens date to around 1600. The novel subject fascinated the Japanese. Professional painting ateliers in Kyoto made numerous versions for clientele prepared to enjoy the strange costumes and odd physiognomy of these taller, hairy and long-nosed Southern Barbarians, a throwback to the outlandish imagery from the iconography of Daoist immortals.

Nearly one hundred Nanban screens are now recorded, and Japanese scholars have determined that the subject ranked second in popularity only to screens depicting Scenes In and Around the Capital. What accounts for this high demand? One theory is that their foreignness and abundance of luxury goods were viewed as a charm for happiness and prosperity. Trade was auspicious and generated wealth, and the original owners of such screens were merchants in port cities. Nanban screens are the product of mainstream Kyoto painting studios, in an indigenous style typical of genre screens of the early Edo period.

Christie's. JAPANESE AND KOREAN ART. 18 September 2013. New York, Rockefeller Plaza. 

A large inlaid-iron dish, Meiji period (late 19th century), signed Nihon koku Kyoto ju Komai sei. Photo Christie's Image Ltd 2013

The shallow dish with lobed rim, inlaid in gilt, silver and shakudo nunomezogan, hirazogan and takazoganwith a large central roundel of Minamoto no Nakakuni riding a horse and playing a flute, encircled by continuous shippo patterns designed with pairs of dragons, kirin, tigers, phoenixes and lions on a geometric and floret ground, the rim with a border of scrolling grape vines, signature on base; 15¾in. (40cm.) diameter.  Estimate $70,000 – $90,000

Notes: A courtier on horseback stops to play his flute at a rustic gate on an autumn evening. The full moon rises above distant hills, illuminating the pagoda of a temple. The setting is the rural Saga district in the southwestern suburbs of Kyoto, the ancient capital. The horse grazes among autumn grasses, including miscanthus and ominaeshi. This subject, a romantic episode drawn from the Tale of the Heike, was immortalized in the Noh play Kogo, and then popularized in the Meiji period by the print artist Tsukioka Yoshitoshi in his 1891 series One Hundred Aspects of the Moon.

According to the story, the twelfth-century Emperor Takakura loved Lady Kogo, the daughter of a Fujiwara nobleman. However, the powerful warrior Taira no Kiyomori wanted to pair the emperor with his own daughter, Chugu. To this end, Kiyomori banished Kogo from the capital, and she went into hiding in Sagano. The emperor longs for Kogo and orders Minamoto no Nakakuni to search for his beloved, who was known for exceptional skill playing the koto. The emperor has heard only that she lives in a humble abode with a single-door gate. As it is the fifteenth of the eighth month--the night of the full moon--Kogo is sure to be playing her koto. Nakakuni cleverly hits on the idea of playing his flute so as to elicit a response from Kogo. Here, we see him at the gate of her refuge, and we are left to imagine the sound of her koto, and Nakakuni's own mixed emotions.

Christie's. JAPANESE AND KOREAN ART. 18 September 2013. New York, Rockefeller Plaza. 

Katsushika Hokusai (1760-1849), Immortals, gods of good fortune and Kyogen actors. Photo Christie's Image Ltd 2013

Signed Gakyo rojin Manji hitsu yowai hachiju (painted by old man Manji mad about painting at age 80), sealed Katsushika. Twelve paintings mounted as a pair of six-panel screens; ink, color and gold on silk; 29 x 12¼in. (73.5 x 31cm.) each (2). Estimate $200,000 – $300,000

Provenance: Kobayashi Bunshichi (1861-1923), Tokyo 

Literature: Sasaki Johei, ed., Tokubetsu kikaku byobue ten Folding Screens (Kyoto: Kyoto University, 1994), pl. 15. 

Exhibited: University Museum, Faculty of Letters, Kyoto University, "Tokubetsu kikaku byobue ten Folding Screens," 1994.6.14-7.16 

Notes: One screen features kyogen theatrical scenes, including the plays Utsubozaru (Monkey-skin Quiver),Boshibari (Tied to a Pole), Tsurigitsune (Trapping the Fox), Nawanai (Rope Twisting), Busu (A Poison) andKoyakuneri. The other shows Daoist Immortals, notably Gama with his three-legged toad on his head and Choka decanting an ox in place of the usual horse, as well as some of the popular household Gods of Good Fortune, subjects Hokusai painted frequently late in life.
Ebisu, the Kitchen God, points to a fish he caught, and Daikoku appears in unconventional form with a giant radish, rather than his usual bag of treasures. The radish has the unmistakable shape of a young woman, her legs hanging over his shoulders, adding a bawdy touch. Included in the lighthearted mix are Shojo, the sea sprite with mane of red hair and a fondness for alcohol, and Sojobo, the mythical king of the tengu. Hokusai adopted the signature "gakyo rojin manji" (Old man Manji mad about painting, using the propitious manjisymbol) in 1834. From the time he turned eighty, he added his age to every painting.

Christie's. JAPANESE AND KOREAN ART. 18 September 2013. New York, Rockefeller Plaza. 

A Large Buncheong Stoneware Bottle, Joseon dynasty (15th-16th century). Photo Christie's Image Ltd 2013

Of pear form with cylindrical neck ending in a wide, flaring rim with bands of white-slip decoration, beginning above the foot with incised overlapping lotus leaves filled with white slip between line borders and a wide panel of "rope curtain" rising to successive bands of lappets, chrysanthemum florets and stylized leaf bands below triple lines at the rim, the mouth interior ornamented with a white-slip band of lines and leaves, the bottle finished with a transparent glaze with greenish hue; 11 5/8in. (29.4cm.) high. Estimate $35,000 – $40,000

Notes: For a related bottle in the collection of the National Museum of Korea, see Handbook of the National Museum of Korea (Seoul: National Museum of Korea, 1996), p. 190; Hanguk misul yicheunnyeun 2000 Years of Korean Arts, exh. cat. (Seoul: National Museum of Korea, 1973), no. 305; see also the bottle in the collection of the Museum of Oriental Ceramics, Osaka, Mishima koyomide ten Exhibition of Punch'ong Wares, Koyomide Style, Korea, exh. cat. (Osaka: Museum of Oriental Ceramics, 1990), no. 41. 

Christie's. JAPANESE AND KOREAN ART. 18 September 2013. New York, Rockefeller Plaza. 

A Blue and White Jar with Tigers, Joseon dynasty (19th century). Photo Christie's Image Ltd 2013

Of ovoid form, vividly painted in underglaze cobalt with two animated tigers beneath a gnarled pine tree and a collar of clouds encircling the base of the neck, all decorated with a blue-tinged transparent glaze; 12in. (30.5cm.) high . Estimate $35,000 – $40,000

Provenance: A European Private Collection 

Notes: For two other jars with tigers, see Uri horangi: Seulgi euijeothan iksal The Tiger in Korean Art: Wisdom, Dignity, Humor, exh. cat. (Seoul: National Museum of Korea, 1998), pls. 70-71. 

Christie's. JAPANESE AND KOREAN ART. 18 September 2013. New York, Rockefeller Plaza.

Lucas Cranach the Elder, Portrait of Desiderius Erasmus, c. 1530-36, oil on panel. 19 x 14.6 cm. Collection Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen. Loan, the Erasmus Foundation, 2013.

ROTTERDAM.- Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen has received a splendid portrait of the famous scholar Desiderius Erasmus (1466-1536) on long-term loan from the Erasmusstichting (Erasmus Foundation). The exquisite little panel was painted around 1530-36 by Lucas Cranach the Elder, one of the great masters of the German Renaissance. Until now the Dutch National Collection lacked a portrait of Erasmus of this quality. Rotterdam, as Erasmus’s birthplace, is the perfect setting for the panel. Erasmus’s ‘homecoming’ will be celebrated with a programme of lessons for primary schools, a family day and an exhibit opening on 12 October. 

Director Sjarel Ex, ‘The generosity of the Erasmus Stichting means the museum is now the only one in the Netherlands to have an outstanding portrait of an iconic figure in our national history. No other city is more fitting for this work of art than Rotterdam.’ 

A Rotterdam Collaboration

Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen discovered the sixteenth-century portrait at Derek Johns Ltd, a London gallery. Extensive research revealed that it was indeed an authentic work by the painter Lucas Cranach the Elder. The Erasmusstichting is presenting the City of Rotterdam with a superb portrait of its most important citizen. 

Characteristic Portrait

The beautifully executed little panel shows Erasmus in his sixties. He is seen three quarter length and three-quarter face. His characteristic fur-trimmed cloak and black cap stand out against a bright blue background. Dendrochronological research reveals that Cranach probably painted the work during Erasmus’s lifetime. The panel comes from a beech tree that was cut down around 1523. There is a portrait of Katharina von Bora, wife of Martin Luther, painted on a panel from the same tree. Cranach is famous for his portraits of Luther. He never met Erasmus, however, and used a painting by Hans Holbein the Younger as his model. Cranach painted other versions of the Erasmus portrait, but the work now granted to the museum by the Erasmusstichting is by far the best. 

Erasmus for Everyone

Erasmus was one of the most authoritative thinkers of his day. His publications on education, war, peace, the church and faith were read by sovereigns and scholars. His views - thanks in part to the development of the printing press - were widely disseminated throughout Europe. His best-known book, the Praise of Folly, was published in 1511. Erasmus belongs to the official Netherlandish canon. The Erasmusstichting is offering primary schools in the region an education pack to encourage children to find out about him. The foundation wants everyone in Rotterdam to learn about their world-famous fellow citizen and his ideas. 

Exhibit

The newly-acquired portrait can be seen from 12 October in a small display, accompanied by a selection of portrait prints of Erasmus in the museum’s collection by such artists as Albrecht Dürer, Anthony van Dyck and Hieronymus Hopfer. A number of early publications of key works and a handwritten letter by the Humanist will be on view. An animated film will show how surprisingly topical Erasmus’s views still are today. When the exhibit closes, the Erasmus portrait will become part of the museum’s permanent display.

Francis Bacon, 'Figure Writing, Reflected in a Mirror. The Writer', 1976, lithograph in colours, signed in pencil, image: 85 x 64 cm. From William Weston Gallery.

LONDON.- The 20/21 British Art Fair, the only fair which specialises exclusively in British art will take place from 11 – 15 September at the Royal College of Art, Kensington Gore, London SW7. It will be opened at 5pm on the 11th by Hattie Morahan, the prize winning actress, who plays Laura Knight in the recent film ‘Summer in February’ about the life of Sir Alfred Munnings and who has just opened to great acclaim in The Doll’s House in the West End. 

The fair is a pivotal date for collectors of British art and continues to attract an enviably loyal following in London’s busy art fair calendar. Its success over 26 years has spawned many rivals but none have the same exclusive focus. Its particular strengths lie in the excellence and range of Modern (1900-1945) and Post-War art (1945 – 1970) on show, however, the fair also has a wide selection of contemporary art (1970 onwards). 

Each year the 56 exhibitors bring to their stands a great variety of work, much of which has been kept back especially for the fair. The result is a niche event that annually showcases a truly eclectic selection of paintings, prints, drawings, sculpture and, new this year, a stand dedicated to photography. 

The Royal College of Art is an ideal setting for the fair and is often called ‘the spiritual home’ of British art. On offer will be work by most of the leading names in 20th century British art alongside a selection of contemporary work, for example: Edward Burra, Elisabeth Frink, Patrick Heron, David Hockney, Howard Hodgkin, Peter Lanyon, Henry Moore, John Piper, Bridget Riley, Graham Sutherland and Keith Vaughan. 

The high regard in which many of these artists is held is shown by the exhibitions at the major public galleries: portraits by Dame Laura Knight and sculpture by Jacob Epstein are currently at the National Portrait Gallery. Patrick Caulfield is at Tate Britain as is the first large retrospective of the work of LS Lowry whilst the Dulwich Picture Gallery features ‘A Crisis of Brilliance 1908-22’ highlighting those Slade artists caught up in the first World War. Also of special interest this year will be the work of William Scott in the centenary year of his birth and he will feature at Tate St. Ives, Bacon/Moore has also just opened at the Ashmolean in Oxford. 

At the fair, the history of the 20th and early 21st century British art is represented: Vorticists, Camden Town, Scottish Colourists, Bloomsbury Group, surrealism to post-war abstraction, pop art, the YBA’s and more recent graduate work. The price range is from a few hundred up to many thousands. 

‘The only art fair I make an effort not to miss is the 20/21 British Art Fair.….it is the only gathering of dealers I find really enjoyable and inspiring with a wide range of high-quality Mod Brit on show…’ ---Andrew Lambirth, The Spectator. 

Patrick Caulfield, 'Thus she would come, escaped, half-dead to my door', 1973, Screenprint, 40.5 x 35.5cm (image); 61 x 56cm (sheet). Signed and numbered from the edition of 100. From Gwen Hughes Modern British Art.

Grayson Perry (b. 1960), 'Hold your Beliefs Lightly', tapestry embroidery, signed, 2011. Edition of 250, 32 x 45 cm. Exhibited at the British Museum in the Tomb of the Unknown Craftsman. From Dominic Guerrini

Henry Moore (1898-1986), 'Reclining Figure: Flint', 1977, Bronze, From the edition of 9. 14 x 21 x 12.5 cm. From Osborne Samuel

Beryl Cook OBE (1926 – 2008), 'Car Boot Sale', oil on panel, 1997,  79 x 66 cms. From Portal Painters

John Hoyland (1934-2011), 'Untitled [29.7.75]', 1975, acrylic on canvas, 122 x 91.5 cm, signed and dated on the canvas overlap. From Alan Wheatley Art

Terence Donovan (1936-96), 'Julie Christie', 1962, silver gelatin print, 60 x 50 cm, edition of 50. From Beetles & Huxley

Alison Watt (b. 1965), 'Portrait of the artist Stephen Conroy', 1987, oil on canvas, 101.5 x 56 cm. From Ewan Mundy

William Scott (1913-89), 'Mingulay', Original gouache for the lithograph. This work is recorded in the William Scott Archive as No. 2321, 49 x 61 cm. From Osborne Samuel

Lynn Chadwick (1914-2003), 'Bird III', 1958, bronze. From the edition of 4+1 casts, 32 x 122 x 50 cm. From Osborne Samuel

Craigie Aitchison CBE, RA, (1926-2009), 'Saint with Dog', c. 1982, oil on canvas, 61 x 50.8 cm. From Merville Galleries

John Bratby, RA (1928-92), 'Guy the Gorilla', oil on canvas, signed, 75 x 50 cm. From Manya Igel Fine Arts

Bernard Meadows (1915-2005),'Crab', c. 1952, bronze, ed. 6, 31 cm. From Keith Chapman

Paire de salerons ovales en argent. Fin XVIIIème. Photo Maître Aurèle BIRABEN et HOTEL DES VENTES DU PERIGORD

Le décor en repoussé et ajouré reprenant l'esthétique du Palais-Royal avec arcades, grilles et luminaires. Frise de fleurs de lys en partie supérieure. Ils reposent sur quatre pieds feuillagés terminés en goutte. Intérieurs en verre bleu. Poinçon de charge : Paris (1783-1789) pour les menus ouvrages d'argent. Décharge (1786-1789). Maison commune (1786). Maître-Orfèvre : probablement Pierre Médard MOTHET, reçu Maître en 1761 (poinçons partiellement lisibles).  Haut. 4,5, Long. 8, Larg. 5,5 cm. Poids des montures : 37 g. (petits manques, un intérieur rapporté ?). Estimation: 300 € - 500 €

L'aspect actuel du Palais-Royal se dessine vers 1780. En 1781, Le Duc de Chartres, cousin de Louis XVI, obtient l'autorisation de ce dernier pour lotir sur le pourtour du jardin. C'est Victor Louis qui est choisit comme architecte. Celui-ci concoit 180 arcades séparées par des pilastres corinthiens et éclairées par des réverbères suspendus sous le cintre des arcades. 

Maître Aurèle BIRABEN et HOTEL DES VENTES DU PERIGORD. Dimanche 29 septembre à 14h30 à BERGERAC. Maître Aurèle BIRABEN, 40 cours Alsace Lorraine, 24100 Bergerac. Tél. : 05 53 58 57 51 - Fax : 05 53 57 16 67 - dordogne.encheres@free.fr

CARTIER ART MAGAZINE N°9 / Stone age

(source http://www.peterlippmann.com)

Gerhard Richter (b. 1932) Green-Blue-Red (Parkett 35) oil on canvas 1993 signed and dated in black felt-tip pen verso, numbered 789-80/115, from the edition of 115 unique works 305 x 401 mm. Estimate: £150,000- 250,000. Photo: Christie's Images Ltd 2013.

LONDON - Christie’s is pleased to present a private collection of the complete editions from the first 50 volumes published by Parkett, the Swiss based journal of Contemporary Art, which will be offered in the Parkett: First Fifty Editions 1984-1997 (Vol. 1-50/51) auction on Thursday, 26 September 2013. The fascinating collection, produced from 1984 to 1997 offers 95 works, spanning an extraordinary range of formats, schools and generations, from prints, objects and installations to unique works of art. Almost all the editions offered in this sale have been sold out by the publisher, presenting a unique opportunity for established and new collectors around the world to acquire these works. The works featured in the collection are by many of today’s most eminent contemporary artists, including Gerhard Richter, Andy Warhol, Félix González-Torres to name but a few.

Since 1984, the journal Parkett has explored the work of contemporary artists through a unique publishing model: in collaboration with editors and designers, artists create works for the magazine in editions offered along with the texts and essays of each volume. This fusion of shared ideas produces exciting and explorative content, with the list of contributors reading like a who’s who of the art world.

Parkett’s catalogue has continued to grow since 1997 and has been exhibited around the world at many established cultural institutions including the Museum of Modern Art, New York; the Whitechapel Gallery, London; the 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art, Kanazawa, Japan and more recently the Ullens Center for Contemporary Art, Beijing, and the Taipei Fine Arts Museum. 

GERHARD RICHTER – Green-Blue-Red (Parkett 35)

In this series Gerhard Richter applies paint directly from the tube along the border of his canvas, pulling the pigments across the surface of his work with a squeegee. Layering blue on red over a base green, the pigments dissipate as they are spread thinly across each preceding layer. These stripes and grids were to dominate during the 1990s. Five further paintings were created in addition to the Parkett series, which the artist held aside as gifts to each of the authors who contributed to the Richter issue. Each work from the 115 produced for the Parkett edition is unique. Green-Blue-Red is expected to realise between £150,000 and £250,000.

ANDY WARHOL – Photo Edition for Parkett (Parkett 12)

Andy Warhol’s machine-sewn series of photographs of skeletons appear like a patchwork of macabre figures at a party, their duplicate format mirroring the repetition of his celebrated screenprinted portraits. Warhol’s interest in photography began early in his career and was foundational to his art as an alternative to the sketchbook and diary. This edition is particularly haunting as it was one of Warhol’s last works, arriving at Parkett just a few days after he died in 1987. Photo Edition for Parkett is expected to realise between £7,000 and £10,000.

FÉLIX GONZÁLEZ-TORRES – Untitled (Parkett 39)

Félix González-Torres’ monumental billboard depicts footsteps in the sand and turns an advertising format more readily associated with brash taglines and commercial slogans into something much more contemplative, a contemporary memento mori. González-Torres likened art to the trace of footsteps, saying ‘It leaves a mark. It leaves a statement that you were here, that perhaps it is possible to have a different view of life.’  The immersive scale and absence of text suggests layers of meaning and interpretation — a journey, the passing of time, the absence of human presence, the inevitability of death. The accompanying certificate gives the owner the right to install, however this can only be done once, as installation is an integral part of the finished work.  Untitled is expected to realise between £5,000 and £7,000.

There is an astounding breadth to the collection, including Sigmar Polke’s unique photographs (he later collaborated twice more); Meret Oppenheim’s hand-stitched, silkscreened leather gloves; Fischli/Weiss’s rubber record and carved bucket; Martin Kippenberger’s unique books; Hiroshi Sugimoto’s miniature seascapes; Louise Bourgeois’s collaged and embroidered fabrication Reparation; David Hammons’s photograph Money Tree; Rachel Whiteread’s Switch; Damien Hirst’s floating ping pong ball; Cady Noland’s large, sprayed cardboard pillory; and Gabriel Orozco’s Light through Leaves, to name just a few of the many highlights.

Platinum, Ruby and diamond ring 'Pyramid' ring, Tiffany & Co. Photo Sotheby's

Centered by a cushion-cut ruby weighing 5.45 carats, accented by graduated rows of square emerald-cut diamonds weighing .60 carat, size 7½, signed Tiffany & Co. Estimate 50,000 — 70,000 USD

Accompanied by AGL report no. CS 56100 stating that the ruby is of Classic Thailand origin, with indications of heating.

Sotheby's. Important Jewels. New York | 24 Sep 2013 - http://www.sothebys.com

Brookite titanium dioxide, Kharan, Balochistan, Pakistan

Michael Beaudry Diamond, Platinum Ring. Platinum with a 4.07 carat diamond, accented by diamonds. A GIA Laboratory report # 13368322 dated May 12, 2004 stating F color, VS1 clarity, accompanies the center diamond. Size: 7-3/4 (sizeable) Estimate: $100,000 - $125,000. Photo courtesy Heritage Auctions

DALLAS, TX.- An exemplary 4.07 carat diamond platinum ring by Michael Beaudry may sell for $100,000+ and a Hermès Special Order Horseshoe 35cm Shiny Blue Electric & Indigo Porosus Crocodile Birkin Bag with Gold Hardware may sell for $60,000+ at Heritage Auctions' inaugural Boutique Jewelry & Luxury Accessories Auction Sept. 23. 

Hermes 35cm Shiny Blue Electric Porosus Crocodile Birkin Bag with Palladium Hardware. Pristine Condition. 14" Width x 10" Height x 7" Depth. Estimate: $50,000 - $60,000. Photo courtesy Heritage Auctions

This fresh auction concept combines the world's most desirable bags and fine contemporary designer jewelry at fabulous prices at Heritage's Beverly Hills location, 9478 West Olympic Blvd, Beverly Hills, 90212. 

"This inaugural event makes it easy for new and existing clients to meet our staff and see the finest luxury jewelry and accessories at one event in one place," said Jill Burgum, Senior Director of Fine Jewelry at Heritage. "We're excited to break in to the LA market and what better way than offering the finest examples from top designers and brand names?" 

The weekend-long preview featuring more than 700 lots runs Friday-Sunday, Sept. 20-22. 

The auction starts with a stellar line up of contemporary jewelry by renowned 20th century designers including Emily Armenta and Cynthia Bach, including an 8.95 carat sapphire diamond platinum ring by Tiffany, which may sell for $75,000+, a 3.75 carat diamond gold bracelet by Van Cleef & Arpels, which may sell for $20,000 and a playful 8 carat diamond multi-stone gold necklace by Laura Munder that is expected to bring $20,000+. 

Tiffany & Co. Sapphire, Diamond, Platinum Ring. Platinum ring with an 8.94 carat Burmese sapphire and approximately 0.80 carat total weight of diamonds. A GIA Laboratory report # 5131869312, dated September 28, 2011 stating Natural Corundum, No Indications of Heating, Burma (Myanmar) Origin, accompanies the sapphire. Size: 4-3/4 (sizeable). Estimate: $75,000 - $100,000. Photo courtesy Heritage Auctions

Van Cleef & Arpels Diamond, Gold Bracelet. From the Perlée Collection - Diamond model, an 18k pink gold bangle with approximately 3.75 carats total weight of pavé set diamonds. Length: 6-1/2 inches. Property Sold to Benefit the Mildred Yount Manion Charitable Trust. Estimate: $20,000 - $30,000.

Laura Munder Multi-Stone, Diamond, Gold Necklace. 18k gold with tourmaline, peridot, citrine, blue topaz, amethyst and approximately 8.00 carats total weight of diamonds. Length: 16 inches Estimate: $20,000 - $30,000. Photo courtesy Heritage Auctions

From Cartier's Trinity de Cartier Collection comes a 3.50 carat diamond white and rose gold ring, estimated at $20,000+, to highlight a hand-picked selection of rings, suites, and earrings. 

Cartier Diamond, Gold Ring. From the Trinity de Cartier Collection, 18k yellow, white and rose gold bands with approximately 3.50 carats total weight of diamonds. Size: 7-1/4 (not sizeable) Estimate: $10,000 - $15,000. Photo courtesy Heritage Auctions

Among the fine selection of vintage designer handbags is a first-class variety of Hermes bags, including a Hermès 40 cm Matte Mimosa Porosus Crocodile Birkin Bag with Palladium Hardware, which may fetch $60,000+, an Hermès 32cm Shiny Amethyst Porosus Crocodile Sellier Kelly Bag with Gold Hardware, which may sell for $30,000+ and an extremely rare Hermès 25cm Ombre Lizard Birkin Bag with Palladium Hardware, expected to reach $20,000+. 

Hermes 40cm Matte Mimosa Porosus Crocodile Birkin Bag with Palladium Hardware. Pristine Condition. 15.5" Width x 11" Height x 8" Depth. Estimate: $60,000 - $70,000. Photo courtesy Heritage Auctions

Hermes 32cm Shiny Amethyst Porosus Crocodile Sellier Kelly Bag with Gold Hardware. Pristine Condition. 12.5" Width x 10" Height x 4" Depth. Estimate: $30,000 - $40,000. Photo courtesy Heritage Auctions

Hermes Extremely Rare 25cm Ombre Lizard Birkin Bag with Palladium Hardware. Excellent to Pristine Condition. 9.5" Width x 8" Height x 5" Depth. Estimate: $20,000 - $30,000. Photo courtesy Heritage Auctions

A pristine Hermès Special Order Horseshoe 35cm Gris Tourterelle, Vert Canopee & Blue Galice Birkin Bag with Gold Hardware is estimated at $15,000+. 

Hermes Special Order Horseshoe 35cm Gris Tourterelle, Vert Canopee & Blue Galice Birkin Bag with Gold Hardware. Pristine Condition. 14" Width x 10" Height x 7" Depth. Estimate: $15,000 - $20,000. Photo courtesy Heritage Auctions

Additional rarities from top designers names featured in the auction include examples by Balenciaga, Chanel, and Louis Vuitton.