Old Masters

Over recent years, works painted in India by Arthur William Devis (1762-1822) have become a valuable proposition.

A rare self-portrait by William Dobson (1611-46) has been jointly acquired by Tate Britain and the National Portrait Gallery in a £2.37m private treaty sale brokered by dealer Hazlitt.

The first oil painting ever exhibited by JMW Turner (1775-1851) in his lifetime will be offered at Sotheby’s this summer.

Works from the heirs of the Dutch coal magnate and business tycoon Daniël George Van Beuningen (1877-1955) are being offered at Christie’s in London this summer.

A painting by Henry Singleton (1766-1839) depicting the surrender of Tipu Sultan’s two sons to Major General David Baird (1757-1829) made five times its estimate at Bonhams.

When it came to works drawing good competition at the latest series of Old Master auction in New York at the end of May, three works in particular caught the eye at Christie’s.

A painting by Spanish artist Jusepe de Ribera (1591-1652) which emerged from a shed in rural Sweden drew competition at an auction in Stockholm.

It was billed as the ‘first ever $100m collection of Old Masters to come to auction’ but the auction of the Saunders collection at Sotheby’s New York last night came in significantly below expectations.

Christie’s has announced a major highlight for its Old Masters evening sale in London on July 1.

A temporary export bar has been placed on a painting of the Virgin Mary by Sandro Botticelli valued at £10.2m.