Fine Art

A small but very successful section of a recent London sale offered a group of just eight lots related to the British Arctic Expedition of 1875-76.

“Although hailing from the north west of England and having close ties to many of the important Northern artists, Geoffrey Key (b.1941) has never really strived to be associated with this school and as such has a more universal, broader appeal and freedom to expand his painting horizon.”

Among a series of strong art sales reported from the recent LAPADA Art & Antiques Fair was an 18th century portrait of a lady offered by Jeremy Astfalck of The Old Corkscrew.

Banksy’s derisive portrayal of The House of Commons reduced to an assembly of primates achieved a record £8.5m (plus premium) in Sotheby’s Contemporary Art auction on October 3.

Since 1984, only about 20 paintings by the Turkish artist Osman Hamdi Bey (1842-1910) have come on the auction market and many of his best-known works are in international museums.

For a number of years, the Colchester-born artist Harry Becker (1865-1928) followed the conventional path of a professional artist, achieving significant success and exhibiting regularly at the Royal Academy. But a growing disenchantment with London led to his ultimate departure in 1913 to Suffolk.

Original paintings by Abstract artist Nicolas de Stael (1914-55) rarely appear at auction outside the main salerooms in London, Paris and New York.

Pitched at £200-300, this Russian diptych icon shown below triggered wide pre-sale Russian and East European interest ahead of Elstob & Elstob’s 20% buyer’s premium) sale at Bedale.

Artist famous for his busy panoramic scenes also profited from intimate female portraits

In a sale of Modern and Contemporary British art in south London, this undated work House and Trees below sold for a multi-estimate £5800.

Emilie Preyer (1849-1930) obviously learnt a lot from her father Johann Wilhelm Preyer, one of the most famous still-life painters in the Düsseldorf School in the late 19th century.

Many figures involved in the booming 19th century art industry of livestock portraiture had no formal training.

Three modestly valued works selling at regional sales for £3000 or under, including a coastal view by Walter Shaw.