Fine Art

While the Tiepolo drawing caused the biggest stir at the Roseberys (25/20/12% buyer’s premium) November 17 sale (see separate story in this edition), there were several other notable results, writes Jonathan Franks.

‘Venus’ figurines from the Upper Paleolithic are recognised as some of the earliest works of prehistoric art.

It is thought that Giovanni Battista Tiepolo (1696-1770) executed at least a hundred drawings featuring the Punchinelli, the hook-nosed, humpbacked clowns which were central to the commedia dell’arte. Jonathan Franks reports.

Edouard Manet’s (1832-83) small-scale works have always enjoyed a keen following alongside his larger more finished paintings.

Trademark colourful picture features people depicted with a distinctive style of limbs.

An artist’s painting of his wife turned heads at a recent David Lay (18% buyer’s premium) auction in Penzance, selling over 10 times above estimate.

In 1946 the artist Laura Knight (1877-1970) was commissioned by the War Artists’ Advisory Committee to create a painting of the Nuremberg Trials.

This story was updated on January 6 following an announcement from the organiser.

View of French resort comes from collection assembled over decades by a dealer and his wife.

An unpublished lacquer panel by Jean Dunand (1877-1942), the Art Deco artist/designer who was one of the masters of the medium, was one of the highlights in a 45-lot white-glove auction held by Ferri (28.8% buyer’s premium inc VAT) at Drouot in Paris.

A rare work by Sarah Biffin (1784-1850), the early 19th century artist born without limbs, sold for £9000 at Sworders on December 15.

A portrait by Orientalist artist Paul Leroy (1860-1942) of a man in a yellow turban is among the early sales made during London Art Week (LAW).

Two Banksy prints donated to charity set high prices for their respective individual editions at a Bristol auction.

A select 13-lot auction of works from the collection of Amalia de Schulthess at Bonhams (27.5/25/20/14.5% buyer’s premium) in New York on December 7 was led at $8.4m (£6.36m) by a classic René Magritte (1896-1967) Surrealist painting.

Two works by ‘kitchen sink’ realist John Bratby (1928-92) were offered in the latest picture sale at Olympia Auctions (25% buyer’s premium).

Shepeard collection includes a drawing thought to be an unrecorded portrait of the artist

A sight increasingly uncommon at auction – the trade outbidding private buyers on key lots of Modern art – occurred a number of times at Sworders’ (25% buyer’s premium) latest sale in this category.