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.

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Sitter dubbed a ‘knight who looks like a postboy’

19 December 2022

William Nicholson (1872-1949) is known today for restrained and sensitively handled still-lifes but in his day he found more success with his portraits.

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Bumper selection of fourteen Bombergs offered

19 December 2022

One of the most eyecatching consignments of Modern British art outside London was a private collection of 14 paintings by David Bomberg (1890-1957).

Venus and Adonis

London Old Master sales pass last year’s totals but continue to be slim affairs

12 December 2022

The latest series of Old Master sales in London put in a decent if not stellar performance, aided by one or two notable lots and a couple of important collections coming forward to the auction block this season.

Roman emperor Antoninus Pius

Dramatic contest for emperor’s head at Sotheby's auction

12 December 2022

A bust of Roman emperor Antoninus Pius sold for more than ten-times its low estimate at a Sotheby's sale

Eugène Manet

Hotung ‘jewel in the crown’ Degas proves precious at auction

12 December 2022

The second tranche of the collection of Hong Kong property investor Sir Joseph Hotung (1930-2021) generated some strong competition at Sotheby’s in London with a number of high-value pictures, as well some exceptional pieces of furniture, ceramics and decorative art, on offer last week.

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A Jacobean double portrait and a 1950s Bakelite telephone are among six lots to watch

12 December 2022

With estimates from £500, here are six previews of items coming up at auction this week.

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Moonlight spotlight: classic Atkinson Grimshaw

12 December 2022

The last few months have been an interesting time for followers of John Atkinson Grimshaw (1836-93).

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Tiffany gift came with true royal approval

12 December 2022

Engraving on Tiffany pepperette reveals the provenance as a princely present in 1879

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Bidders desperate for daguerreotypes

12 December 2022

Found in a cigar box during an attic clearance and taken to Exeter auction house Bearnes, Hampton & Littlewood (25% buyer’s premium), seven framed daguerreotypes in poor condition provided one of the better sleepers of the year on November 22-23.

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Market conditions ideal if you want to move away from the ‘pale, male and stale’

12 December 2022

The philanthropist, retired businessman and one-time Olympian bobsledder for Canada, Sir Christopher Ondaatje, chose a good time to sell a painting depicting a young 19th century black woman.

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Rare Colombe goes to the Louvre

12 December 2022

Terracotta Virgin and Child joined a handful of other known works after 2010 attribution

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Moses sketch marks early Manet work

12 December 2022

This youthful work by Edouard Manet (1832-83) was the top-seller in the Modern and Contemporary auction at Tajan (26/21/14% buyer’s premium) in Paris.

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Brilliant Brunel – and a scandalous corset

12 December 2022

Commissioned by the 'Illustrated London Times' to document the construction of the mighty Great Eastern, the young photographer Robert Howlett (1831-58) took some of the most famous images of ship’s designer Isambard Kingdom Brunel (1806-59).

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Family values of the Daniell duo

12 December 2022

Group of works by the uncle and nephew attracts significant Indian bidder interest

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Benson attribution is fur enough

12 December 2022

Portrait now firmly credited to a Northern Renaissance master stars in Old Masters show

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Gregory’s eye on the Needles

12 December 2022

This oil on canvas of 'Royal Dorset Yawl at the Needles' is the work of Charles Gregory (1849-1920) and is included in a single-owner collection on offer at John Mitchell Fine Paintings.

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‘Quintessentially English’ artist Eurich put in a London spotlight

12 December 2022

Waterhouse & Dodd is hosting an exhibition in London of 25 oil paintings by Richard Eurich (1903-92) coinciding with the publication of a new online catalogue raisonné for the artist.

Portrait of Algernon Moses Marsden

Tissot’s iconic portrait saved for the nation with funding from sitter’s descendants

08 December 2022

A portrait of art dealer Algernon Moses Marsden (1847–1920) by Jacques Joseph Tissot (1836–1902) has been purchased for the National Portrait Gallery and the National Gallery with funding from descendants of Marsden.

Max Beckmann self-portrait

Beckmann the German art auction record-breaker

05 December 2022

A Max Beckmann (1884-1950) self-portrait set a record for any artwork sold at a German auction when it was knocked down at €20m (£17.1m).

Harland Miller print

Dreweatts and Forum draw closer together with joint sale and combined departments

05 December 2022

Dreweatts and Forum Auctions are to hold their first joint sale this month.

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