Old Masters

A rediscovered historical portrait by a major name can give a boost to any sale.

In a market challenged by a lack of fresh consignments, works new to the saleroom stand out

The flagship event of Sotheby’s Masters Week sale series is the January 28 Master Paintings and Sculpture auction. Its highlight entries are Botticelli’s 'Portrait of a young man holding a roundel' (estimate in excess of $80m) and Rembrandt’s 'Abraham and the Angels' guided at $20m-30m.

Doyle is offering a selection of Old Master and 19th century paintings as the opening 78 lots of its January 21 sale of English and Continental Furniture, Silver and Decorative Arts and Old Masters.

Christie’s Old Master and British drawings sale will take place as an online auction from January 14-28.

This large 19th century portrait of Marie Antoinette and her children from the studio of the French artist Elisabeth Louise Vigée le Brun (1755-1842) is one of the highlights of Skinner’s Fine Paintings and Sculpture sale in Marlborough, Massachusetts, on January 22.

Two auctions devoted to drawings and works on paper, one single-owner, one mixed-owner, form part of Sotheby’s Master Week sales, both staged on January 27.

London salerooms hope for increased consignments after a difficult year for Old Masters

Three works from British vendors were among the most notable lots at Sotheby’s (25/20/13.9% buyer’s premium + 1% overhead premium) latest Old Master evening sale in London.

A marine battle scene believed to have once been owned by auctioneer James Christie (1730-1803) topped Bonhams’ (27.5%/25/20/14.5% buyer’s premium) latest Old Master sale in London.

The traditional pre-Christmas Old Masters auctions in London were something of a mixed bag this year.

One of the last Georges de la Tour (1593-1652) paintings in private hands was sold by Cologne auction house Lempertz on December 8.

Two-sided picture now heading to Dijon museum after being given definite attribution

This painted wooden sign dated to the 18th century was one of the highlights of a sale held by the Hôtel des Ventes de Nîmes (22.2% buyer’s premium) in the southern French city.

In the second half of the 19th century, the Normandy coast became a popular destination for Parisians keen to make an excursion from the capital and to enjoy the new leisure activity of sea bathing.

Five bidders – two Americans, one French and one Cypriot – competed to secure a small 15th centry devotional oil on panel of the Virgin and Child by the Italian artist Lazzaro Bastiani.

A painting by the artist known as Salai, one of Leonardo da Vinci’s closest pupils, proved to be the toast of the latest sale of Old Master and 19th century paintings and sculpture at Artcurial (25/20/12% buyer’s premium).

Thousands of items are available to buy from dealers online. Here we pick out one that caught our eye this week.

A painting from the workshop of Peter Paul Rubens making its second appearance at Dorotheum (28/25/22/18% buyer’s premium) in the space of a decade was the best-seller in the November 10 Old Masters auction in Vienna.