Fine Art

Fine art is a staple of the dealing and auctioneering industry, featuring works ranging from Medieval art to traditional Old Masters, and right through to cutting-edge Contemporary art.

While oil paintings represent a large part of the sector, other mediums adopted by artists across the ages include drawings, watercolours, prints and photographs.

Portrait of the Duke of Wellington

Thomas Lawrence portrait of Duke of Wellington heads back to auction

22 May 2026

A portrait of Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington, by Sir Thomas Lawrence (1769-1830) will be offered at Christie’s this summer.

Oscar Wilde college photo

As one Oscar Wilde Oxford college photo sells in the UK, another is found in US library

22 May 2026

A rare photograph of the poet and playwright Oscar Wilde taken during his time at Magdalen College, Oxford sold for £4200 (plus 22% buyer’s premium) at a Dominic Winter auction.

Giambologna sculpture

Giambologna cast emerges at California auction

22 May 2026

An undated cast of Giambologna’s Allegory of Astronomy hammered for a remarkable $500,000 (£367,325) at San Rafael Auction Gallery in California.

Wrest Park

Appeal for information on lost Frederic Leighton portraits from stately home

22 May 2026

English Heritage has launched an appeal to help find three portraits by artist Frederic Leighton (1839-96) once on display at Wrest Park in Bedfordshire.

Marble relief of the emperor Marcus Aurelius

Ex-Christie’s specialist Patrick Lindsay to sell contents of London home

22 May 2026

On June 2, Dreweatts is selling the contents of the London home furnished by a renowned Christie’s auctioneer and a distinguished interior decorator.

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Duncan Grant goes for a canine subject

22 May 2026

Although figurative studies, still-lifes and landscapes are most common in the oeuvre of Duncan Grant (1885-1978), it was a work with a somewhat different subject that turned heads at a recent auction in Carmarthen.

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Faces that appear from different eras of history

22 May 2026

Art and antiques dealers have shared their latest finds with Antiques Trade Gazette including a 19th century copy of a Renaissance Madonna, a pair of portraits relating to a Scottish slave owner and a collection from a Second World War RAF bigwig.

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How three family members followed on after Sargent

22 May 2026

David Messum Fine Art’s latest exhibition features the work of British Impressionist Wilfrid Gabrield de Glehn (1870-1951), his wife Jane Emmet de Glehn (1873-1961) and his cousin Lucien Hector Monod (1867-1957).

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Hallett harvest scene reaps a £5000 record result

22 May 2026

The artist Alfred W Hallett (1914-86) is mostly known for his portraits, landscapes and flower paintings made in India from 1938 onwards.

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John Nash trees grow to £10,500

22 May 2026

Among a good number of works by John Nash (1893-1977) commanding interest at the spring sales this year was a painting titled 'Gnarled Trees' which came to Ewbank’s (25% buyer’s premium) in Surrey.

Christie’s auctioneer Adrien Meyer

New York series boasts confidence as Jackson Pollock sails to record $157m

21 May 2026

The latest round of Modern and Contemporary art sales in New York showed the top-end of the market gaining momentum with a series of record prices for leading names in the sector.

Monster by Rabindranath Tagore

Monster price: Rabindranath Tagore watercolour flies to over 150 times estimate

21 May 2026

The unexpected highlight of the collection of Niall Hobhouse sold by Dreweatts on May 13 was a painting by the Indian polymath Rabindranath Tagore (1861-1941).

Harbour of Saint George, Grenada

Rare watercolour of Grenada flies to 15 times estimate

20 May 2026

The artist George Heriot (1759-1839) is perhaps best known for his landscapes of Canada and pictures of indigenous people.

Anna Tonelli self portrait

Rediscovered Anna Tonelli portrait goes above estimate at Cotswolds auction

15 May 2026

A rare painting by the Italian artist Anna Tonelli (c.1763-1846) emerged at a sale at Cotswold Auction Company (24% buyer’s premium) this week.

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Da Messina discovered in private collection

15 May 2026

This oil on panel portrait of a saint is an addition to the small number of autographs by Quattrocento painter Antonello da Messina.

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Petworth dealer explains why having a gallery is so important to business

15 May 2026

For its summer show this year, Ottocento packs its Petworth gallery with the works of Modern British masters: John Nash, Henry Moore, David Bomberg, Peter Lanyon, Ben Nicholson, and more besides.

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Museums on the hunt for drawings and works on paper in Paris

15 May 2026

Institutional purchases have become a major feature of the Salon du Dessin works on paper fair

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Born without hands or feet: the remarkable artist Matthias Buchinger

15 May 2026

Rare family tree drawing by the 18th-century artist, magician, musician and showman comes to auction

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Nelson’s final voyage in a replica Victory

15 May 2026

While the Cheffins auction featured the original drawing for the Duke of Wellington’s funeral carriage (see main Art Market story in this edition), the funeral of another British hero of the Napoleonic wars was in the spotlight in a London sale.

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Moreau festive designs for birth of the Dauphin are now celebrated by the Palace of Versailles museum

15 May 2026

The artist Jean-Michel Moreau the younger (1741-1814) was employed from the 1780s onwards as a dessinateur des Menus-Plaisirs.

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