Latest News Articles by Alex Capon
Hepworth’s sculptural exploration of colour and strings barred from export
09 December 2024A unique sculpture by Dame Barbara Hepworth (1903-75) has been blocked from export following its sale at Christie’s in London earlier this year.
‘Wantage Botticelli’ sparks fervent bidding to lead Old Master series in London
09 December 2024The latest series of Old Master auctions in London looked a little thin with the evening sales comprising less than 30 lots, but the series was not without its highpoints.
Could it be artist Mary Beale by her own hand?
09 December 2024A bust-length study, thought to be a self-portrait by Mary Beale (1633-99) from the early 1660s, sold above estimate at a recent sale at Parker Fine Art Auctions (25% buyer’s premium).
It’s the turn of Grimshaw Junior to step into the moonlight
09 December 2024Son of the famous John Atkinson Grimshaw under focus with two of his own works in the same style
Botticelli Virgin and Child bid to £8.6m at Sotheby’s
05 December 2024A painting known as ‘the Wantage Botticelli’ which emerged from a British aristocratic collection after 120 years drew a strong bidding battle at Sotheby’s latest Old Master evening sale in London.
Van Dyck horse portrait tops Christie’s Old Master sale
04 December 2024An Anthony van Dyck (1599-1641) equine painting led Christie’s latest evening sale of Old Masters in London.
Dod Procter portraits at the double indicate growing demand
04 December 2024Over the last decade, portraits from the 1920s by Dod Procter (1891-1972) have become increasingly valuable.
Barbara Hepworth sculpture from ‘pivotal moment’ in her career blocked from export
03 December 2024A unique sculpture by Dame Barbara Hepworth (1903-1975) has been blocked from export following its sale at Christie’s in London earlier this year.
Art collection saved from the flames (twice) comes to auction
02 December 2024More pieces appear from a collection that survived a couple of devastating blazes at the family home
Pether depicts a moonlit Venice
02 December 2024A trademark painting by Henry Pether (1800-80) attracted significant interest and sold for a solid price at Kinghams’ (25% buyer’s premium) latest Fine & Decorative Arts auction.
Ronner-Knip feline work is catnip to eager collectors
02 December 2024Pictures by the Dutch artist Henriette Ronner-Knip (1821- 1909) are pretty abundant on the market but the considerable popularity of her characterful feline studies means they are invariably a valuable proposition.
Cedric Morris’ apple painting finds plenty of appeal
29 November 2024While flower paintings by the artist-plantsman Sir Cedric Lockwood Morris (1889-1982) are now a familiar sight at auction and invariably a valuable proposition, his depictions of fruit and vegetables are equally interesting and vivid.
Museum’s fitting purchase for the ‘sport of kings’
25 November 2024The National Horseracing Museum (NHRM) in Newmarket has put on display a portrait of Charles II which it bought at auction this year.
Bilbao depicted before industrialisation
25 November 2024A large and historic view of Bilbao in Spain was among the lots bringing competition at Bearnes Hampton & Littlewood (26% buyer’s premium) of Exeter.
Dreweatts bucks trend of struggles at the top end
25 November 2024Booming regional auction house points to experience and contacts as key to source high calibre works
Roman mosaics found in Hampshire blocked from export
22 November 2024The UK government has placed a temporary export bar on two Roman mosaics dating from the fourth century AD. Together they are valued at £560,000.
Portrait of Charles II goes on view at National Horseracing Museum after auction purchase
21 November 2024The National Horseracing Museum in Newmarket has put on display a portrait of Charles II which it bought at auction earlier this year.
Bidders looks past condition issues as William Blacklock painting flies to 25 times estimate
20 November 2024You might think that when a picture is covered in dirt, suffers from a puncture and paint losses, and also has a tear so large you could put your hand through it, then that would ‘kill’ its prospects at auction.
‘Flipped’ Orpen portrait makes tidy profit for vendor just four months later
18 November 2024A US-based vendor cashed in when a portrait by Sir William Orpen (1878-1931) of his lover Evelyn St George sold at Sotheby’s for more than double the amount it had fetched less than four months earlier at a New Jersey auction.
Modern & Contemporary art: Signs of a market on the move
18 November 2024Artists who had been achieving modest levels of success are catching up with the help of young collectors