Old Masters

Among the Italian Old Masters bringing interest at auctions across the country over the summer was an intriguing painting of the Holy Family that emerged at Lyon & Turnbull (26% buyer’s premium) in Edinburgh.

Pierre-Jean Chalençon is well known as an enthusiast for Napoleonic memorabilia and this summer Sotheby’s Paris (27/22/15% buyer’s premium) offered just over 100 lots from his collection.

A watercolour portrait of the 19th century Egyptian scholar Mohammed-el-Chabassy was one of the surprising high points at a recent auction of 16th to 19th century drawings, held by Bassenge (25% buyer’s premium) in Berlin.

For a sector often tainted by an inadequate supply of fresh and top-draw material, the latest series of Old Master auctions in London certainly had moments where the core market woes seemed mysteriously absent.

The auctioneers at Siebers (26.5% buyer’s premium) in Stuttgart were fairly confident that the 'Landscape with Birds' they had been entrusted with for a recent sale was an autograph work by the 16th and 17th century Flemish artist Roelant Savery (1576/1639).

Three portraits that came fresh to the market with an unbroken provenance drew strong interest at Bonhams’ latest Old Master auction in London.

Works by two of the biggest names in art history put in a strong performance at the latest series of Old Master auctions in London.

The demand for a well-documented genre painting by the 17th century Flemish artist Jan Steen surprised the auctioneers at Döbritz (26% buyer’s premium) in Frankfurt.

A spring sale at Artcurial Beurret Bailly Widmer (25% buyer’s premium) in Basel was devoted to works of art from an impressive, wide-ranging Swiss collection.

A recently discovered floral still-life by Jan Davidsz de Heem sold for €2.8m.

Many works by the great British artist are now owned by institutions but smaller paintings and sketches are common sights at salerooms