Latest News Articles by Jonathan Franks
Buddhist deity forges ahead
06 June 2022Among the numerous sculptures for sale at Nagel’s June 13-14 auction of Asian art in Stuttgart is the ferocious figure of the Tibetan Buddhist deity Dorje Legpa in the incarnation of Damchen Garwai Nakpo, or the Lord of the Forge.
Talent torn apart by tragedies
06 June 2022Two paintings sold in German auctions were produced by artists killed in wartime
Treasures escape the Red Army
09 May 2022German castle’s works of art hidden away in the war come to light in Munich saleroom
Amber casket strikes ‘Baltic gold’ at auction
09 May 2022Over the years, the extensive general sales at Metz (25% buyer’s premium) in Heidelberg have provided many a surprise, partly explainable by the fact that all lots are offered without reserve.
Headless but not valueless
09 May 2022Even though the head of the Christ Child was missing, numerous bidders joined in the action when a carved figure of the Madonna with Child came up for sale in Düsseldorf.
Roll out the barrel organ
09 May 2022Until the widespread advent of the wireless, barrel organs were a familiar sight (and sound) on the streets of Berlin and other major German cities.
Swiss peak proves to be a bargain price 15 years on
09 May 2022During the late summer of 1907, the Swiss artist Ferdinand Hodler visited the Engadin region and painted six landscapes of nearby mountains.
Mahogany armchairs inspired by Percier and Fontaine offered in Stuttgart
09 May 2022The countless designs for furniture and decorative arts created by Charles Percier and Pierre Fontaine, who were known as Napoleon’s architects, not only found favour with the French emperor but also had an enduring influence on cabinetmakers throughout Europe.
Romanian artist Brauner does the twist
09 May 2022The Romanian artist Victor Brauner is known above all for his disturbing Surrealist paintings, often incorporating violent scenes.
Brueghel Junior put in the picture
09 May 2022After the death of his father from cholera in 1625, Jan Brueghel the Younger returned to his home town of Antwerp.
Sculptor on the crest of a wave
09 May 2022The Austrian sculptor Gustav Gurschner, who was particularly productive at the beginning of the 20th century, designed many functional objects such as door knockers, doorknobs and ashtrays, encapsulating the style of Viennese Jugendstil.
Distinctive body of work by Antes
25 April 2022Since 1962, when the German artist Horst Antes (b.1936) first introduced his profile of the male figure to his art, it has become an instantly recognisable aspect, not only of his paintings and lithographs but also of his sculptures.
Kneffel is the realistic choice
25 April 2022Passengers on the Cunard liner Queen Mary 2 encounter paintings by the German artist Karin Kneffel (b.1957) whenever they visit the Britannia restaurant: eight of her monumental paintings of fruit adorn the walls. A more accessible way of finding a work by her presents itself at the June 1-3 sale at Grisebach in Berlin. On offer is her diptych (F XXXVIII) from 1997 which consists of two canvases, each measuring 5ft 11in x 5ft 11in (1.8 x 1.8m).
Bravo to ZERO
25 April 2022The starting point for the careers of many of the most successful Post-war German artists was the group ZERO which came into existence in the late 1950s.
Baselitz: the remix version
25 April 2022Since 2005, the German painter Georg Baselitz has been creating a new body of work by revisiting several of his iconic works, primarily from the 1960s, and interpreting them anew. He worked only from photographs, executing not copies, but what he calls a “remix”.
Wiener Werkstätte design catches the eye at Metz
14 March 2022Among the eye-catchers in the general auction at Metz in Heidelberg on March 25-26 is a small, partly enamelled silver box with a gilt interior.
Brockhusen depicts Berlin with a van Gogh influence
14 March 2022After training at the Art Academy in Königsberg, the German painter Theo von Brockhusen moved to Berlin in 1905.
Kubin’s disturbing demonic creations to be offered in Basel
14 March 2022Works by Alfred Kubin will be offered at a Swiss auction this month.
Painting inspired by icy adventures sails into Stuttgart auction
14 March 2022For several years, from 1902-06, the 'Oihonna', an ice-strengthened passenger ship belonging to the Finland Steamship Company, undertook regular cruises to the Norwegian archipelago of Spitzbergen.
Commode linked to Parisian ebeniste Nicolas Sageot offered in Swiss sale
14 March 2022Among the contemporaries of André Charles Boulle, who perfected the complex form of marquetry that bears his name, was the Parisian ebeniste Nicolas Sageot.