Europe

Before his death on St Helena, Napoleon Bonaparte said: “What nothing will erase, what will live forever, is my Civil Code.”

A hit at TEFAF was a rediscovered portrait that Gustav Klimt (1862-1918) painted in 1897 of Prince William Nii Nortey Dowuona, from the Ga people of west Africa.

A landscape by Gottardo Guido Segantini (1882-1974) was the highly fought-after favourite at Döbritz (26% buyer’s premium) in Frankfurt on February 22.

The continuing interest of international collectors for ceramics by the Zsolnay factory in Pécs in south-west Hungary could be seen at a recent auction held by Mehlis (24% buyer’s premium) in Plauen.

One of the factors that made the Mona Lisa probably the most-visited work of art in the world was that the painting was stolen from the Louvre in 1911.

Late 18th century Order of the Garter soars way over estimate as part of an Austrian sale

One of several known versions of the most famous painting by Gabriel von Max (1840-1915) caused quite a stir at Plückbaum (26.5% buyer’s premium) in Bonn.

Collectors and institutions flooded into the huge art fair for an ‘exceptional calibre’ of works on display

Windows from 1923 by a master of the craft mark the move from Art Nouveau to Art Deco

Exhibitors at The European Fine Art Fair (TEFAF) in Maastricht made a string of early sales at the prestigious event which opened on Thursday, March 13.

The revocation of the Edict of Nantes by the French king Louis XIV in 1685 led to the massive exodus of Huguenots, many of whom moved to Great Britain.

Produced by a German-Austrian sculptor in the 18th century, three intriguing marble sculptures were among the attractions of the sale at EP Deutsch (24% buyer’s premium) on January 31 in Vienna.

A mid-19th century papier-mâché globe sewing table from Birmingham, part of the legacy of a South American collector, has found its way to Heidelberg, where it is being sold by Metz on March 21-22.

Since the 16th century, silversmiths in Germany have produced so-called Brautbecher (bridal beakers), a tradition that still exists today.

A large part of the auction at Neumeister in Munich on March 19-20 is devoted to works of art from the legacy of Alexander Eugen, Duke of Württemberg who died last year at the age of 91.

One of the highlights of the March 22 sale at Auction Team Breker in Cologne is a pioneering mid-19th century calculating machine.

It’s obviously a good season for Meissen hares.

Drinking vessels in the form of an owl were as decorative as they were practical.