Old Masters
Traditionally this sector is defined as works by master painters working in Europe from before 1800. It includes Renaissance artists and Dutch Golden Age painters for example. Today Old Master auctions in London and New York will include works by British artists as well as some 19th century works.
![img_15-1.jpg](/media/98775/img_15-1.jpg?rxy=0.43103448275862066,0.3015625&mode=crop&width=125&height=125&rnd=133482442700000000)
Romney screen stands out as an unusual offering
02 January 2024Bonhams’ (28/27% buyer’s premium) latest Old Master sale at its New Bond Street rooms was hard going, with almost half the lots unsold and two-thirds of those that did get away either going on or below their low estimate.
![Lorenzetti’s panel](/media/98507/lorenzetti.jpg?rxy=0.49,0.2975206611570248&mode=crop&width=125&height=125&rnd=133470447510000000)
Rediscovered Old Masters in France sell to US collector
18 December 2023Two rare Old Master paintings from the Sienese school of the early 14th century that had been rediscovered in France have been snapped up by an American collector.
![img_45-1.jpg](/media/98668/img_45-1.jpg?rxy=0.46140035906642729,0.35598227474150662&mode=crop&width=125&height=125&rnd=133473738780000000)
Servant portrait shows respect
18 December 2023When it was last on public view, at a Berlin exhibition in 1981, the Portrait of a Black Courtier was attributed to the early 18th century Prussian court painter Antoine Pesne.
![img_44-3.jpg](/media/98667/img_44-3.jpg?rxy=0.49192100538599642,0.44609665427509293&mode=crop&width=125&height=125&rnd=133473738640000000)
Leonardo copy rocks up in Vienna
18 December 2023Plenty of potential takers emerged for an early copy of Leonardo’s 'Madonna of the Rocks' at the Dorotheum (25/20.84% buyer’s premium) sale of Old Masters.
![img_44-1.jpg](/media/98665/img_44-1.jpg?rxy=0.39138240574506283,0.27647867950481431&mode=crop&width=125&height=125&rnd=133473737790000000)
Story behind mother of Salome once attributed to Rubens
18 December 2023Once believed to be by Rubens, work hidden away during the war is now thought to be a copy by a pupil
![img_44-2.jpg](/media/98666/img_44-2.jpg?anchor=center&mode=crop&width=125&height=125&rnd=133473738330000000)
The Sale sells at shock €70,000
18 December 2023The biggest surprise of Wendl’s (21% buyer’s premium) extensive general sale in Rudolstadt on October 25-28 was the seemingly never-ending exchange of bids for an early 18th century Old Master which had a starting price of €900.
![img_4-2.jpg](/media/98431/img_4-2.jpg?rxy=0.47709923664122139,0.57692307692307687&mode=crop&width=125&height=125&rnd=133465956640000000)
Early Rembrandt heads London Old Master sales
11 December 2023A couple of headline lots, a scattering of rare and unusual pictures and one of the most valuable consignments of prints ever offered lifted the latest series of Old Master auctions in London.
![Rembrandt's Adoration of Kings](/media/98332/sothebys-rembrandt-2622ne03a-07-12-2023.jpg?rxy=0.47619047619047616,0.5122615803814714&mode=crop&width=125&height=125&rnd=133465080980000000)
Bumper return for vendor as ‘rediscovered Rembrandt’ sells at Sotheby’s
07 December 2023A small panel painting previously sold two years ago at Christie’s as ‘circle of Rembrandt’ made more than 12 times that level when it reappeared at Sotheby’s with a full attribution.
![The Holy Family by Gerard David](/media/98325/gerard-david-getty-museum-2622ne03a-06-12-2023.jpg?rxy=0.58070175438596494,0.40992907801418438&mode=crop&width=125&height=125&rnd=133462590640000000)
Getty Museum buys three Old Masters to ‘bolster the collection’
06 December 2023The Getty Museum has announced the acquisition of three Old Masters which were all bought this year from separate European sources.
![img_6-1.jpg](/media/98295/img_6-1.jpg?rxy=0.46666666666666667,0.30044182621502208&mode=crop&width=125&height=125&rnd=133461605650000000)
Newly identified Mary Beale portrait sold to Boston museum
04 December 2023Dealer Peter Harrison has sold a recently reidentified portrait by 17th century painter Mary Beale (1633-99) to the Museum of Fine Arts Boston.
![img_44-1.jpg](/media/98275/img_44-1.jpg?anchor=center&mode=crop&width=125&height=125&rnd=133461661420000000)
Old Masters suit you down to a D
04 December 2023Collection from unnamed vendor supplies some of the highest prices in a sale at the Drouot centre
![img_46-1.jpg](/media/98283/img_46-1.jpg?rxy=0.54736842105263162,0.46578366445916114&mode=crop&width=125&height=125&rnd=133461663750000000)
Fragonard in serious mood or with a lighter touch
04 December 2023Pictured here are two paintings by Jean-Honoré Fragonard (1732-1806) appearing on the French auction scene this season within the space of a month - one sold, the other upcoming.
![Diego Velázquez portrait](/media/98088/diego-velazquez-isabel-de-borbon-2621ne-30-11-2023.jpg?rxy=0.48024948024948028,0.21294117647058824&mode=crop&width=125&height=125&rnd=133458111110000000)
Major Old Master emerges as Velázquez portrait of Spanish queen comes to Sotheby’s
30 November 2023A large full-length portrait of Isabel de Borbón, Queen of Spain, by the great Diego Velázquez (1599-1660) will be offered at Sotheby’s New York in February.
![img_56-3.jpg](/media/97568/img_56-3.jpg?rxy=0.43692870201096889,0.25950196592398428&mode=crop&width=125&height=125&rnd=133443517820000000)
Elizabethan gent ready to research
13 November 2023This three-quarter-length portrait of an Elizabethan gentleman, attributed to the circle of the court painter George Gower (c.1540-96), hammered for $32,000 (£26,500) on October 15.
![Cimabue picture](/media/97352/cimabue-la-dérision-du-christ_red-musée-du-louvre-hervé-lewandowski.jpg?rxy=0.48166666666666669,0.35081148564294634&mode=crop&width=125&height=125&rnd=133440056950000000)
Louvre buys medieval panel discovered in a French kitchen
08 November 2023A medieval panel discovered above a stove in a kitchen in France has been bought by The Louvre Museum.
![Portrait of Sir Joshua Reynolds](/media/97268/img_4-1.jpg?rxy=0.48927038626609443,0.32162661737523107&mode=crop&width=125&height=125&rnd=133437431790000000)
Mini Reynolds comes to auction in Chicago
06 November 2023A small autograph version of the famous portrait of Sir Joshua Reynolds (1723-92) in the permanent collection of the Royal Academy of Arts comes for sale at Hindman in Chicago on November 16.
![img_36-1.jpg](/media/97247/img_36-1.jpg?rxy=0.49559082892416223,0.68292682926829273&mode=crop&width=125&height=125&rnd=133437385150000000)
Frieze Masters racks up the sales
06 November 2023Eleventh edition of the London event now widened in scope includes an impressive array of big results
![img_44-1.jpg](/media/97286/img_44-1.jpg?rxy=0.3968253968253968,0.50058892815076561&mode=crop&width=125&height=125&rnd=133437419720000000)
Mystery painting unites two nobles
06 November 2023Doyle’s (26% buyer’s premium) sale of Old Master and 19th century Paintings & Drawings in New York on October 19 was topped by a 15th or 16th century Flemish School oil on panel portrait of a soldier.
![Ombersley Court](/media/96835/the-great-hall-ombersley-court.jpg?anchor=center&mode=crop&width=125&height=125&rnd=133428972090000000)
Historic collection from grand Worcestershire home comes to auction at Christie’s
31 October 2023A £2m collection from Ombersley Court, a Grade I-listed country house near Droitwich Spa, will be offered at Christie’s next month.
![img_5-1.jpg](/media/96675/img_5-1.jpg?rxy=0.44014084507042256,0.4243119266055046&mode=crop&width=125&height=125&rnd=133425339290000000)
Lauterer landscape returns to home turf
23 October 2023Art Recovery International has assisted in the return of a painting missing from Germany since the Second World War.
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