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.

van Gogh bedroom

Van Gogh Museum unveils new high-tech print series in London

09 February 2017

The Van Gogh Museum has unveiled a series of prints of nine works by the great artist recreated with three-dimensional technology.

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Empress of Russia's Fabergé gift to her Yorkshire godchildren comes to auction

09 February 2017

The tragic story of the last of the imperial Russian family does not have an immediately obvious connection with a Yorkshire spa town but it is nonetheless a strong one.

Paul Nash book cover

Paul Nash book designs go on show in London and offered for sale

08 February 2017

Followers of Paul Nash (1889-1946) are getting another opportunity to view his works in London this month.

Frans Hals portrait

Sotheby's and dealer Mark Weiss head to court in Old Master dispute over Frans Hals portrait

06 February 2017

Sotheby’s has begun legal action against dealer Mark Weiss over the sale of a Frans Hals painting that it now believes to be “undoubtedly a forgery”. However Weiss said he will "contest the claim vigorously".

Faker of Norman Cornish pictures sent to prison

04 February 2017

A man from Sunderland who forged the work of local artist Norman Cornish (1919-2014) was jailed for three years and seven months last week.

Glyn Cywarch

Lord Harlech's Kennedy letters and a painting by Queen Elizabeth I’s portraitist go to auction

01 February 2017

Intimate letters from a recently widowed Jackie Kennedy and a painting by Queen Elizabeth I’s portraitist are among the lots being auctioned from Lord Harlech’s estate. After inheriting Glyn Cywarch, the family house and grounds in Talsarnau, Gwynedd in Wales on the death of his father in February, Jasset Ormsby Gore, now the seventh Lord Harlech, decided to put his film production career on hold to focus on the estate. To fund the upkeep of the Grade II-listed property he made the decision to auction off 400 lots at Bonhams on March 29.

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Slideshow – seven key lots from New York’s Old Master auction series

31 January 2017

The latest series of Old Master auctions in New York posted a total of $52.662m (£41.8m) including premium. With Christie’s moving their main sales in this category to April, this figure was always bound to come in below the $113.3m (£78.14m) for the equivalent series last year. Yet, the auctions performed relatively well overall and provided a decent selection of individual highlights, seven of which are pictured here.

Martin

London’s Scottish art showcase launches on Burns Night week

24 January 2017

Panter and Hall’s annual show of Scottish art opens the day after Burns Night this week in London.

Ceri Richards

Man charged in north London gallery theft

20 January 2017

A man has been charged in connection with the theft of a painting by Welsh modern artist Ceri Richards from Belsize Park gallery Sylvester Fine Art and will be tried later this month.

Furio Rinaldi of Christie's

Christie’s appoints Old Master drawing specialist in New York

19 January 2017

Christie’s have appointed Furio Rinaldi as associate specialist in the Old Master Drawings department in New York.

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Celebrating Japanese woodblock artists and the Brits they inspired at galleries and auction

18 January 2017

The beautiful Japanese woodblock prints created by artists such as Hokusai and Hiroshige inspired similar works across the world and most famously the paintings of Van Gogh.

Saint Jerome painting

Sotheby’s sues vendor of Italian Old Master as ‘fakes scandal’ reaches court

17 January 2017

Sotheby’s is taking legal action to recover its losses over the sale of a ‘fake’ Italian Old Master.

Orazio Gentileschi

10 highlights at the upcoming Old Master auctions in New York

12 January 2017

The main series of Old Master auctions in New York traditionally take place in January. This year Sotheby’s are holding four sales while Christie’s are staging two – a sale of drawings and an auction of prints only – having moved its main paintings sale in this category to the ‘Classic Week’ scheduled for April.

16th century large-scale portrait of Queen Elizabeth I

Review of the Year 2016 - Saved for the Nation

27 December 2016

Important works of art sold to overseas buyers are typically subject to temporary export bans in the hope that a buyer can be found to keep them in the UK - here we offer our top five 2016 purchases

Jacob Savery the Elder

Five Christmas picks for Christmas Eve

24 December 2016

See our pick of Christmassy lots this month:

William Orpen drawing

Whyte’s broker sale of William Orpen archive to National Gallery of Ireland

21 December 2016

An archive of over 400 letters and drawings by Sir William Orpen (1878-1931) has been acquired by the National Gallery of Ireland in a deal brokered by Dublin auctioneers Whyte’s.

Andrea del Sarto drawing

Andrea del Sarto drawing chalks up €3.2m at auction in France

20 December 2016

A rediscovered chalk portrait by Andrea d’Angiolo, called Andrea del Sarto (1486-1530), has set an record for any Old Master drawing sold at auction in France.

Harry Hyams' collection of art and vintage cars to be placed on public view

19 December 2016

Property developer and collector Harry Hyams, who died in December 2015, has left much of his £487m estate to a charity that will preserve his collection for the nation.

 alabaster statuette of Saint Cecilia

Alabaster statue of Saint Cecilia hits €2.3m top note in Paris auction

16 December 2016

A small Castilian mediaeval alabaster statue of Saint Cecilia playing a portable organ led a strong selection of traditional art and antiques in the Paris pre-Christmas auctions at Hotel Drouot.

Julius Schnorr von Carolsfeld drawing

German drawing sells at auction for €1.7m following restitution

15 December 2016

A remarkable drawing by German artist Julius Schnorr von Carolsfeld (1794-1872) that was recently restituted to the family of a Holocaust victim has sold for €1.7m (£1.44m) at an auction in Berlin.

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