ARIA

SOTHEBY'S TO SELL RARE 10.99 CARAT PINK DIAMOND

2011-04-22T02:34:00.003-04:00

SOTHEBY'S GENEVA ANNOUNCED RECENTLY THAT IT WILL PRESENT AN IMPORTANT PINK DIAMOND, WEIGHING 10.99 CARATS IN ITS SALE OF MAGNIFICENT & NOBLE JEWELS ON 17.MAY, SIX MONTHS AFTER THE RECORD BREAKING SALE OF THE GRAFF DIAMOND, THE MOST EXPENSIVE DIAMOND AND JEWEL EVER SOLD AT AUCTION. COMMENTING OF THE FORTHCOMING SALE, DAVID BENNETT, CHAIRMAN OF SOTHEBY'S JEWELRY DEPARTMENT FOR EUROPE AND THE MIDDLE EAST SAID: 'I DO NOT REMEMBER THE MARKET FOR COLOURED DIAMONDS TO HAVE EVER BEEN AS STRONG AS IT IS TODAY. THIS WAS UNDERLINED BY THE UNPRECEDENTED RESULTS OF OUR LAST NOVEMBER SALE AND UNDOUBTEDLY INFLUENCED THE OWNER'S DECISION TO SELL THIS BEAUTIFUL PINK DIAMOND WHICH HAS NOT APPEARED ON THE MARKET FOR OVER 30 YEARS.' THE SUPERB STONE, MOUNTED AS A RING, HAS BEEN GRADED 'FANCY INTENSE PINK', NATURAL COLOUR AND VSI CLARITY BY THE GEMOLOGICAL INSTITUTE OF AMERICA. IT HAS BEEN FURTHER ASSESSED TO BE PART OF A VERY RARE SUBGROUP OF DIAMONDS AS TYPE IIa AND COMPRISING LESS THAN 2% OF ALL OF THE WORLD'S GEM DIAMONDS. THE BEAUTY AND RARITY OF THE STUNNING DIAMOND ALSO LIES IN ITS CUT AND SHAPE. IT FEATURES A CLASSIC EMERALD CUT, A STYLE OF CUTTING NORMALLY ASSOCIATED WITH WHITE DIAMONDS AND IMMENSELY SOUGHT-AFTER WHEN FOUND IN THE RARE COLOURS SUCH AS PINK AND BLUE. ESTIMATED AT $9-$12 MILLION, THE STONE IS BEING OFFERED FROM A PRIVATE COLLECTOR.

V&A ACQUIRE RARE OTTOMAN EMPIRE JADE TANKARD

2011-04-20T02:41:00.003-04:00

A RARE JADE TANKARD INLAID WITH GOLD AND STUDDED WITH RUBIES AND EMERALDS HAS BEEN ACQUIRED BY THE V&A. THE TANKARD WAS ORIGINALLY MADE FOR AN OTTOMAN SULTAN IN THE LATE 16th CENTURY, IN THE IMPERIAL CAPITAL OF ISTANBUL. A LIMITED NUMBER OF THESE OBJECTS WERE PRODUCED AND THIS IS THE FIRST EXAMPLE TO ENTER A BRITISH NATIONAL COLLECTION. THE TANKARD WAS OFFERED TO THE V&A PARTLY THROUGH THE ACCEPTANCE IN LIEU (AIL) SCHEME. THE ART FUND GAVE £220,000 TOWARDS TO PURCHASE, WHICH INCLUDED A CONTRIBUTION FROM THE WOLFSON FOUNDATION. IT COST A TOTAL OF £477,500. THE TANKARD IS A SPECTACULAR EXAMPLE OF HOW THE OTTOMAN COURT BORROWED FORMS FROM EVERYDAY LIFE AND TURNED THEM INTO STUNNING LUXURY ITEMS. ITS SHAPE IS BASED ON THE INDIGENOUS DRINKING VESSELS USED IN A VARIETY OF BEVERAGES INCLUDING BOZA, THE FERMENTED MILLET DRINK STILL POPULAR IN ANATOLIA AND THE BALKANS. HOWEVER, INSTEAD OF WOOD OR LEATHER, IT IS MADE FROM JADE, WHICH HAD TO BE IMPORTED AT HIGH COST, OVER A GREAT DISTANCE FROM CENTRAL ASIA. BY THE 1560s, THE OTTOMAN EMPIRE WAS ONE OF THE WORLD'S GREAT POWERS, AND THE SULTANS WHO RULED IN THE FOLLOWING DECADES NO LONGER FELT THE NEED TO BORROW ARTISTIC IDEAS FROM THEIR RIVALS. INSTEAD, THEY CELEBRATED THEIR REGIONAL SUPREMACY BY ADOPTING LOCAL FORMS AND RECREATING THEM IN LUXURY MATERIALS FOR USE IN COURT. THIS PARTICULAR TANKARD HAS A DISTINCTIVE FORM, POT-BELLIED IN FRONT AND FLAT AT THE BACK, WHICH SUGGESTS IT HAD A LEATHER PROTOTYPE. IT IS DECORATED WITH A GOLD WIRE INLAY AND GEMSTONE SETTINGS, ARRANGED IN A PATTERN OF FLORAL SPRAYS, WITH A VASE MOTIF ON THE FRONT. IT WAS THE CUSTOM TO SET OBJECTS OF ALL KINDS WITH RUBIES AND OTHER GEMSTONES TO MARK THEM OUT AS COURT OBJECTS. AROUND 1800, THE TANKARD WAS FURTHER EMBELLISHED WITH GOLD FITTINGS IN THE ROCOCO STYLE, CONSISTING OF GEMSET GOLD MOUNTS AROUND THE FOOT, THE RIM AND THE LID AND THE DISTINCTIVE CURVED HANDLE. SIR MARK JONES, DIRECTOR OF THE V&A SAID: 'THIS TANKARD IS A SPLENDID EXAMPLE OF OTTOMAN ART. THERE IS NOTHING LIKE IT IN THE V&A OR ANY OTHER COLLECTION IN BRITAIN.'

CONTROVERSIAL ARTWORK DAMAGED BY ASSAILANT

2011-04-19T02:41:00.004-04:00

POLICE QUESTIONED WITNESSES ON MONDAY IN THEIR SEARCH FOR A MAN WHO TOOK A HAMMER TO A CONTROVERSIAL PHOTOGRAPH OF A CRUCIFIX BATHED IN URINE AT AN ART EXHIBITION IN AN AVIGNON MUSEUM. THE MODERN ART MUSEUM, THE COLLECTION LAMBERT, IN SOUTHERN FRANCE, SAID AN ASSAILANT DESTROYED THE PHOTOGRAPH BY AMERICAN ARTIST ANDRES SERRANO, 'IMMERSION (PISS CHRIST)' ON SUNDAY AND APPARENTLY ACCIDENTALLY DAMAGED ANOTHER OF THE ARTIST'S WORKS WHILE STRUGGLING WITH A GUARD. IT WAS NOT IMMEDIATELY CLEAR WHETHER THE ASSAILANT WAS PART OF A DEMONSTRATION A DAY EARLIER BY A RIGHT-WING GROUP DENOUNCING THE 1987 PHOTOGRAPH AS BLASPHEMOUS AND DEMANDING ITS REMOVAL FROM THE EXHIBITION, ENTITLED 'I BELIEVE IN MIRACLES'. ACCORDING TO POLICE, CITING WITNESSES, TWO PEOPLE TRIED TO ENTER THE MUSEUM LATE SUNDAY MORNING CARRYING A CAN OF SPRAY PAINT AND A CHISEL IN THEIR JACKETS. THE GUARD REMOVED THE OBJECTS, JUST AS A THIRD PERSON TOOK A HAMMER TO 'IMMERSION'. THE ATTACKER STRUGGLED WITH A GUARD, BUT HELPED BY AN ACCOMPLICE, MANAGED TO ESCAPE, POLICE SAID. IN THE STRUGGLE, HE APPARENTLY DAMAGED ANOTHER WORK, 'THE CHURCH (SISTER JEANNE-MYRIAM)', WHICH SHOWS A NUN PRAYING. THE MUSEUM'S DOORS WERE SHUT MONDAY FOR ITS WEEKLY CLOSING. HOWEVER, IT SAID IT WILL REOPEN TUESDAY WITH THE DESTROYED WORKS ON DISPLAY SO THAT THE PUBLIC CAN VIEW THE DAMAGE. THE MUSEUM CLOSED EARLY SUNDAY BECAUSE OF PROTEST OF THE PROTEST. SERRANO MADE THE CONTROVERSIAL WORK BY PLACING A CRUCIFIX IN URINE AND BLOOD, AND IT HAD DRAWN CRITICISM IN THE PAST FROM SOME CHRISTIAN GROUPS. YOUNG FAR-RIGHT CHRISTIAN ACTIVISTS FROM THE GENERAL ALLIANCE AGAINST RACISM AND FOR THE RESPECT OF THE FRENCH AND CHRISTIAN IDENTITY IS THE COLLECTION LAMBERT TO COURT WEDNESDAY TO TRY TO HAVE THE CRUCIFIX PHOTOGRAPH REMOVED FROM THE EXHIBIT. THE GROUP DENOUNCED THE PHOTOGRAPH ON ITS WEBSITE, SAYING IT 'INSULTS AND INJURES CHRISTIANS AT THE HEART OF THEIR FAITH'. THE EXHIBIT OPENED 12.DECEMBER.2010 AND IS TO RUN UNTIL 8.MAY.

GLENMORANGIE PRIDE

2011-04-18T03:42:00.004-04:00

SCOTTISH DISTILLER GLENMORNGIE HAVE CREATED AN EXCLUSIVE NEW LIMITED EDITION SINGLE MALT CALLED GLENMORANGIE PRIDE. THE WHISKEY IS AGED 28 YEARS, FIRST IN BOURBON BARRELS FOR 18 YEARS AND A FURTHER 10 YEARS IN BARRELS PREVIOUSLY USED TO AGE CHATEAU D'YQUEM SAUTERNE WINE. ONLY ONE THOUSAND DECANTER WILL BE MADE AND COME IN A SPECIALLY DESIGNED WOODEN BOX.

GEORGE WASHINGTON LIBRARY BREAKS GROUND AT MOUNT VERNON

2011-04-18T02:11:00.002-04:00

IT WAS ONE OF THE FEW THINGS GEORGE WASHINGTON WANTED TO DO BUT NEVER GOT AROUND TO: BUILD A LIBRARY TO HOLD HIS OFFICIAL AND PERSONAL PAPERS. ON THURSDAY, MORE THAN 200 YEARS AFTER WASHINGTON WROTE OF THE IDEA, DIGNITARIES BROKE GROUND AT HIS MOUNT VERNON ESTATE ON A $47 MILLION PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY OF SORTS THAT THEY HOPE WILL EVOLVE INTO A 'THINK TANK' PROMOTING SCHOLARSHIP ABOUT ONE OF THE NATION'S FOUNDING FATHERS. THE ESTATE HOPES THE LIBRARY WILL BECOME A HOME TO A CENTRALIZED COLLECTION OF WASHINGTON'S PAPERS. THE PRESIDENT WROTE IN A 1797 LETTER, TWO YEARS BEFORE HIS DEATH, ABOUT A LIBRARY, SAYING HIS PAPERS WERE 'VOLUMINOUS AND MAY BE INTERESTING'. DEFENSE SECRETARY ROBERT GATES SAID AT THURSDAY'S CEREMONIES THAT NO ONE DESERVES A PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY MORE THAN WASHINGTON. HIS LEADERSHIP AS PRESIDENT PROVIDES GUIDANCE EVEN TODAY, GATES SAID. GATES COMPARED WASHINGTON'S GUIDANCE DURING THE FRENCH REVOLUTION TO THE MODERN DILEMMA ABOUT HOW AMERICA SHOULD SUPPORT DEMOCRATIC-LEANING UPHEAVALS IN THE MIDDLE EAST. WASHINGTON, GATES SAID, WAS CAUGHT BETWEEN FRANCOPHILES LIKE THOMAS JEFFERSON WHO SAW A KINDRED SPIRIT BETWEEN FRENCH, AND AMERICAN REVOLUTIONARIES AND FEDERALISTS LIKE JOHN ADAMS AND ALEXANDER HAMILTON WHO WERE SHOCKED BY THE FRENCH REVOLUTION'S EXCESSES. ULTIMATELY, WASHINGTON EMBARKED ON A CAUTIOUS, PRAGMATIC STRATEGY THAT INCLUDED A DECLARATION OF NEUTRALITY TOWARD FRANCE AND STRUCK A PEACE TREATY WITH THE BRITISH LEADING SOME TO CONCLUDE WASHINGTON WAS 'SELLING OUT THE SPIRIT OF 1776', GATES SAID. 'FROM OUR EARLIEST DAYS AMERICAN LEADERS HAVE STRUGGLED WITH REALISTIC VERSUS IDEALISTIC APPROACHES' TO FOREIGN POLICY, GATES ADDED. THE LESSON FROM WASHINGTON, HE SAID, IS THAT 'WE ARE COMPELLED TO DEFEND OUR SECURITY AND INTERESTS IN WAYS THAT IN THE LONG RUN LEAD TO THE SPREAD OF DEMOCRATIC INSTITUTIONS.' THE BUILDING WILL BE CALLED THE FRED W SMITH NATIONAL LIBRARY FOR THE STUDY OF GEORGE WASHINGTON. MOUNT VERNON DIRECTOR JAMES REES SAID THE TERM 'PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY' COULD MISLEAD PEOPLE INTO BELIEVING THAT THE MOUNT VERNON LIBRARY WILL RECEIVE FEDERAL FUNDING, AS MODERN PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARIES DO THROUGH THEIR ASSOCIATION WITH THE NATIONAL ARCHIVES. THE MOUNT VERNON LADIES' ASSOCIATION, WHICH HAS RUN THE ESTATE SINCE PURCHASING IT FROM THE WASHINGTON FAMILY IN 1858, HAS NEVER ACCEPTED GOVERNMENT FUNDS. THE BIGGEST CHUNK OF MONEY FOR THE LIBRARY CAME FROM THE LAS VEGAS-BASED DONALD W REYNOLDS FOUNDATION, WHICH CONTRIBUTED $38 MILLION. FRED W SMITH, THE FOUNDATION'S CHAIRMAN, HAS BEEN A MOUNT VERNON SUPPORTER SINCE 2001, AFTER BECOMING INVOLVED IN EFFORTS TO KEEP A FAMOUS PORTRAIT OF WASHINGTON FROM BEING SOLD AT PRIVATE AUCTION. REES SAID THE LIBRARY WILL ALLOW THE ESTATE TO EXPAND ITS EXISTING TEACHER-TRAINING PROGRAMS AND HOST SEMINARS FOR GOVERNMENT AND BUSINESS GROUPS ON TOPICS LIKE WASHINGTON'S VISION OF LEADERSHIP. THE ESTATE HAS NOT COMPLETED ITS FUNDRAISING. IT HAS SO FAR RAISED ABOUT $70 MILLION OF THE $100 MILLION THAT WILL BE NEEDED TO BUILD AND ENDOW THE LIBRARY, REES SAID. COMPLETION IS SCHEDULED FOR 2013.

SOTHEBY'S SELLS PAINTING ONCE OWNED BY BARYSHNIKOV

2011-04-16T02:51:00.003-04:00

A 19th CENTURY PAINTING OF ST. PETERSBURG THAT MIKHAIL BARYSHNIKOV PURCHASED DECADES AGO, AND DEPICTING THE RUSSIAN CITY HE LOVED, WAS AUCTIONED RECENTLY FOR $746,500 TO BENEFIT THE FAMOUS DANCER'S NEW YORK CITY PERFORMING ARTS CENTER. THE PROCEEDS FROM THE SOTHEBY'S SALE WILL GO TOWARD NEW PROGRAMMING AT THE BARYSHNIKOV ARTS CENTER. A GERMAN PRIVATE COLLECTOR PLACED THE WINNING BID BY TELEPHONE FOR 'VIEW OF ST PETERSBURG' BY PETER PETROVICH VERESHCHAGIN. THE PRE-SALE ESTIMATE FOR THE STUNNING CITYSCAPE WAS $300,000 TO $500,000. BARYSHNIKOV RECENTLY DONATED THE PAINTING TO THE CENTER'S FOUNDATION SO IT COULD SELL IT TO RAISE MONEY TO DEVELOP NEW PROGRAMMING FROM THEATER DIRECTORS, MUSICIANS AND CHOREOGRAPHERS. BARYSHNIKOV SERVES AS ARTISTIC DIRECTOR OF THE CENTER THAT HE FOUNDED IN 2005 AS A 'CREATIVE LABORATORY' AND PERFORMANCE SPACE FOR MULTIDISCIPLINARY ARTISTS FROM AROUND THE WORLD. IT HOUSES FOUR STUDIOS, A STUDIO THEATER AND A 232-SEAT JEROME ROBBINS THEATER IN MANHATTAN's HELL's KITCHEN, OFFERING PERFORMANCES IN CHAMBER MUSIC, DANCE, THEATER AND VISUAL ARTS AND FILM SCREENINGS. IN A RECENT INTERVIEW WITH THE ASSOCIATED PRESS, BARYSHNIKOV SAID HE PURCHASED THE PAINTING AT A HELSINKI GALLERY AROUND 1978. WHILE IT HELD SENTIMENTAL VALUE BECAUSE HE 'SPENT THE BEST OF MY YOUTH' IN ST PETERSBURG, HE FELT THE MONEY FROM THE SALE COULD BE USED TO PRODUCE NEW ART AT HIS CENTER. 'THAT'S MUCH MORE IMPORTANT THAN A LOOK BACK AND BEING NOSTALGIC ABOUT THE PAST', HE SAID. BARYSHNIKOV SAID HIS NONPROFIT ARTS CENTER DID NOT YET HAVE AN ENDOWMENT AND RELIED ON DONATIONS FROM INDIVIDUALS AND CORPORATIONS. HE HAS ALREADY DONATED HUNDREDS OF WORKS FROM HIS EXTENSIVE 19th-20th CENTURY ART COLLECTION TO THE FOUNDATION BUT SAID THE VERESHCHAGIN WORK WAS THE FIRST TO BE SOLD TO BENEFIT THE ORGANIZATION. EVENTUALLY, BARYSHNIKOV SAID HE PLANNED TO DONATE ALL HIS ARTWORKS TO THE FOUNDATION.

CHRISTIE'S TO SELL NEWLY DISCOVERED ROTHKO PAINTING

2011-04-15T02:26:00.002-04:00

CHRISTIE'S ANNOUNCES THE AUCTION OF A PREVIOUSLY UNDOCUMENTED MASTERPIECE BY THE GREAT ABSTRACT EXPRESSIONIST MARK ROTHKO, TO BE OFFERED AS THE HIGHLIGHT OF THE POST-WAR AND CONTEMPORARY ART EVENING SALE AT CHRISTIE'S NEW YORK ON 11.MAY. THE BOLDLY COLOURED 1961 PAINTING UNTITLED #17 COMES TO AUCTION WITH AN ESTIMATE OF $18,000,000-$20,000,000. THE PRESENT OWNER OF UNTITLED #17 ACQUIRED THE WORK DIRECTLY FROM ROTHKO, AND THE WORK HAS REMAINED IN PRIVATE HANDS SINCE 1965. IT IS ONE OF ONLY 10 PAINTINGS THAT HAVE COME TO LIGHT SINCE THE ROTHKO CATALOGUE RAISONNE WAS PUBLISHED IN 1998. THE DISCOVERED WORK WILL BE INCLUDED IN THE SUPPLEMENT TO THE CATALOGUE RAINSONNE. DAVID ANFAM, AUTHOR OF THE CATALOGUE RAINSONNE, MARK ROTHKO THE WORKS ON CANVAS, HAS WRITTEN A TEXT ON THE PAINTING AND HAS NOTED: 'RECENTLY COME TO LIGHT AFTER AN EXTENDED PERIOD IN PRIVATE HANDS, UNTITLED #17 FITS SQUARELY AMONG THE 22 HITHERTO DOCUMENT OILS ON CANVAS FROM 1961. LARGE, CLASSIC CANVASES THAT MANAGED TO ELUDE MY CATALOGUE RAINSONNE ARE UNCOMMON, AND MOST WELCOME. AT ITS PUBLICATION IN 1998, I COMPARE THE CATALOGUE RAINSONNE PROJECT TO A SORT OF HOMECOMING, FOR A FAMILY OF WORKS THAT HAD BEEN SCATTERED AROUND THE WORLD BY TIME AND CIRCUMSTANCE INTO PUBLIC, PRIVATE AND EVEN FORGOTTEN PLACES. ABSENT FROM MY PAGES THEN, THE REDISCOVERY OF UNTITLED NO.17 ADDS ANOTHER INDELIBLE PRESENCE TO THE GREAT ROTHKO CANON.' ONE OF THE PRE-EMINENT ARTISTS IDENTIFIED WITH ABSTRACT EXPRESSIONISM, ROTHKO EVOLVED HIS CLASSIC STYLE AT THE END OF THE 1940s, CREATING LARGE-SCALE CANVASES IN WHICH FORM AND COLOUR ARE ONE. ALTHOUGH OTHERS HAVE DESCRIBED THESE WORKS IN PURELY FORMAL TERMS, ROTHKO SPOKE OF THEM AS 'INTIMATE AND INTENSE', AND SAID THEY WERE MEANT TO BE EXPERIENCED AT CLOSE QUARTERS, SO THAT THE VIEWER GETS THE FEELING OF BEING 'WITHIN THE PICTURE', PARTICIPATING IN ITS HUMAN 'POIGNANCY'. UNTITLED #17 WAS PAINTED AT THE END OF THE DECADE ROTHKO'S CLASSIC WORK, WHEN HE RECEIVED THE MAJOR COMMISSIONS FOR THE FOUR SEASONS RESTAURANT, THE HOLYOKE CENTER AT HARVARD AND THE DE MENIL CHAPEL IN HOUSTON THAT ALTERED THE DIRECTION OF HIS OF HIS ART.

JEWELRY ONCE BELONGING TO POPE PAUL VI TO BE AUCTIONED

2011-04-14T03:22:00.000-04:00

IN THE MOST UNLIKELY LOCATION OF A NORTH CAROLINA JEWELRY STORE NEAR THE BEACH, A LAVISHLY JEWELED CROSS AND A RING ONCE OWNED BY POPE PAUL VI SIT UNDER LOCK AND KEY, AWAITING TRANSFER TO AN EVEN LESS FAMILIAR VENUE FOR SYMBOLS OF ROMAN CATHOLIC AUTHORITY: AN eBAY AUCTION. THE ITEMS HAVE TURNED UP AT A WILMINGTON STORE OWNED BY A SOUTHERN BAPTIST WITH A FLAIR FOR SELF-PROMOTION. IT'S THE LATEST STOP IN A STRANGE JOURNEY INVOLVING LUMINARIES RANGING FROM UN SECRETARY GENERAL U THANT TO EVEL KNIEVEL, AND WHICH BEGAN WITH PAUL VI's NOVEL DECISION TO ALLOW SOME OF HIS JEWELRY TO BE SOLD TO RAISE MONEY FOR CHARITY. ONE OF THE ITEMS IS A PECTORAL CROSS, GIVEN TO CLERGY WHO ATTAIN THE RANK OF BISHOP OR HIGHER TO SIGNIFY THEIR OFFICE. THE POPE'S DONATION WAS A TESTAMENT TO HIS WILLINGNESS TO ENGAGE THE CONTEMPORARY WORLD BY DE-EMPHASIZING THE IMPORTANCE OF SUCH REGALIA. 'THIS IS NEW FOR ME', SAID JEWELRY STORE OWNER ALAN PERRY, WHO THINKS THE ITEMS MIGHT FETCH $800,000 TO $900,000 AT AUCTION. 'THAT'S WHY WE'RE GOING TO PUT IT UP ON eBAY. IT'S ONLY WORTH WHAT SOMEONE'S WILLING TO PAY FOR IT, AND eBAY MIGHT BA A GOOD MEASURE TO SEE IF PEOPLE ARE INTERESTED.' PERRY WAS ENLISTED BY A WIDOW IN WILMINGTON WHOSE HUSBAND HAD BOUGHT THE RING AND CROSS IN THE 1970s. A NEW YORK FIRM HAD TRIED TO SELL THE ITEMS FOR $1.25 MILLION, BUT HADN'T BEEN ABLE TO FIND A BUYER. AFTER SERVING THE BOARD OF A LOCAL CHARITY WITH PERRY, THE WOMAN ASKED IF HE WOULD TRY HIS LUCK. IT'S NOT THE FIRST TIME THAT HIS STORE, PERRY's EMPORIUM, HAS MADE HEADLINES. PERRY APPEARED ON ABC's GOOD MORNING AMERICA AFTER HE VOWED LAST YEAR TO REFUND THE COST OF JEWELRY BOUGHT OVER A TWO-WEEK PERIOD IF A CITY IN THE NORTH CAROLINA MOUNTAINS HAD THREE INCHES OF SNOW ON CHRISTMAS. IT DID, AND HE PAID OUT ROUGHLY $400,000 THAT WAS COVERED BY INSURANCE. HE PLANS TO PUT THE CROSS AND RING ON PUBLIC DISPLAY STARTING 14.APRIL THROUGH HOLY WEEK WITH AN ARMED GUARD. THE VATICAN CONFIRMED THAT THE ITEMS ARE THE 'PERSONAL' RING AND PECTORAL CROSS OF PAUL VI. EACH POPE'S OFFICIAL RING IS SMASHED WITH A HAMMER WHEN HE DIES. PAUL VI IS OFTEN OVERLOOKED, PARTLY BECAUSE OF THE ENDURING POPULARITY OF THE PONTIFFS WHOSE REIGNS BRACKETED HIS. HE SUCCEEDED THE CHARISMATIC JOHN XXIII, WHO CALLED THE HISTORIC SECOND VATICAN COUNCIL. AFTER PAUL's DEATH IN 1978, THE NEXT POPE DIED ROUGHLY A MONTH LATER, TO BE FOLLOWED BY JOHN PAUL II, REVERED BY CATHOLICS AND NON-CATHOLICS AROUND THE WORLD. THE FIRST PONTIFF TO REALLY TRAVEL THE GLOBE, PAUL VI DONATED THE RING AND CROSS DURING A 1965 VISIT TO THE UN. HE INTENDED THE ITEMS TO BE AUCTIONED AND THE PROCEEDS USED TO RELIEVE HUMAN SUFFERING. THEY WERE BOUGHT IN 1967 FOR $64,000 BY CHICAGO JEWELER HARRY LEVINSON, WITH THE MONEY BEING SPLIT AMONG FOUR UN AGENCIES. THE ITEMS CHANGED HANDS SEVERAL TIMES AFTER THAT, INCLUDING A PERIOD WHEN THEY WERE OWNED BY EVEL KNIEVEL, ACCORDING TO A 2004 BIOGRAPHY OF THE DAREDEVIL, WHICH REFEREED TO THE ITEMS AS KNIEVEL's 'MOST EXTRAVAGANT JEWELRY PURCHASE' IN AN INVENTORY THAT ALSO INCLUDED A 13 CARAT DIAMOND RING SHAPED LIKE A MOTORCYCLE. POPE PAUL VI ALSO DONATED HIS PAPAL TIARA, THE THREE-TIERED CROWN SYMBOLIZING THE POPE's AUTHORITY, AS A FUNDRAISING TOOL TO THE CATHOLIC CHURCH IN AMERICA. IT REMAINS ON DISPLAY AT THE BASILICA OF THE NATIONAL SHRINE, AND NONE OF HIS SUCCESSORS HAVE BEEN CROWNED WITH TIARAS.

EDWARD M KENNEDY INSTITUTE FOR THE UNITED STATES BREAKS GROUND IN BOSTON

2011-04-13T02:43:00.002-04:00

GROUND WAS BROKEN FOR THE EDWARD M KENNEDY INSTITUTE FOR THE UNITED STATES, SITUATED ON THE CAMPUS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF MASSACHUSETTS BOSTON. THE HISTORIC PROJECT WILL STAND BESIDE THE EXISTING JOHN F KENNEDY PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM, ENCOURAGING VISITORS TO EXPLORE BOTH BUILDINGS. THE NEW FACILITY WILL HOUSE PARTICIPATORY EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS DESIGNED TO ENGAGE THE PUBLIC IN THE SYSTEMS OF THE AMERICAN GOVERNMENT AND HEIGHTEN AWARENESS OF THE US SENATE'S ROLE IN THE GOVERNMENT. THE FACILITY WILL CONSIST OF ROUGHLY 40,000 SQUARE FEET OF PROGRAM SPACE, COMPRISED MAINLY OF CLASSROOM, EDUCATIONAL EXHIBITS, AND A REPRESENTATION OF THE SENATE CHAMBER. THE INSTITUTE'S OVERALL SITE PLAN HAS BEEN DESIGNED TO WORK IN HARMONY WITH IM PEI'S NEIGHBORING JOHN F KENNEDY LIBRARY. THE DESIGN INCLUDES AN INNOVATIVE COMPOSITE CLADDING, WHICH WRAPS THE EXTERIOR OF THE CHAMBER REPRESENTATION. THE CLADDING IS VISUALLY SEPARATED FROM THE 1-STORY VOLUME BY A RIBBON SKYLIGHT, WHICH RUNS ABOVE THE GROUND-FLOOR EXHIBITION SPACE. THE COMPLETE DEVELOPMENT WILL BOAST A LARGE EXPANSE OF OUTDOOR PUBLIC SPACE, GUIDING VISITORS TO THE ENTRANCE OF THE BUILDING. THE PUBLIC GREEN SPACE IS BORDERED BY TWO TRIANGULAR VOLUMES, WHICH DEFINE THE ENTRY TO THE BUILDING AND GEOMETRICALLY CONNECT THE INSTITUTE TO THE JOHN F KENNED LIBRARY. THE EXTERIOR OPEN SPACE IS A LINK BETWEEN THE INSTITUTE, THE JOHN F KENNEDY LIBRARY AND THE UNIVERSITY OF MASSACHUSETTS BOSTON CAMPUS, WHILE ALSO ACTING AS A CONNECTION TO THE WATERFRONT AND BOSTON HARBOR WALK. THE ENTRANCE APPROACH IS DESIGNED TO INCORPORATE COMPONENTS FROM EACH OF THE 50 STATES AND ENHANCE CONNECTION BETWEEN THE BUILDING AND THE ENTIRE NATION. THE SENATE CHAMBER REPRESENTATION IS THE HEART OF THE INSTITUTE, AND WILL FACILITATE INNOVATIVE EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMMING, SUCH AS AN IMMERSIVE MULTI-PLAYER SOCIAL EXPERIENCE, ACTIVATED BY 100 INTERACTIVE DESKS, BRINGING PARTICIPATING DEEP INSIDE THE LEGISLATIVE PROCESS. CREATED IN COLLABORATION WITH GAME DESIGNER ERIC ZIMMERMAN, THE ROLE-PLAYING EXPERIENCE WILL GUIDE GROUPS THROUGH HISTORICALLY ACCURATE EVENTS, WITH THE VISITORS DETERMINING THE OUTCOME. HIGHLY SOCIAL BY DESIGN, THE IMMERSIVE ACTIVITIES WILL ENABLE PARTICIPANTS TO ENGAGE IN NEGOTIATION, DEBATE, CAUCUSES AND VOTES. THE INSTITUTE WILL ALSO FEATURE A RECREATION OF THE ACTUAL OFFICE OF SENATOR KENNEDY.

MFA, BOSTON, TO PRESENT 'CHIHULY: THROUGH THE LOOKING GLASS'

2011-04-12T03:42:00.002-04:00

GLASS ARTIST DALE CHIHULY SAYS HIS WELL OF INSPIRATION NEVER RUNS DRY, EVEN AFTER SOME 40 YEARS PUSHING THE BOUNDARIES OF HIS MEDIUM. 'JUST WORKING WITH THE MATERIAL BRINGS FORTH A LOT OF IDEAS, IN BOTH THE GLASS BLOWING AND IN WORKING WITH THE GLASS AFTER IT'S BEEN BLOWN', CHIHULY SAID ON THE SIDELINES OF HIS MAJOR NEW EXHIBIT AT BOSTON'S MUSEUM OF FINE ARTS. 'CHIHULY: THROUGH THE LOOKING GLASS', 12 INSTALLATIONS THAT LIVE UP TO THEIR ALICE IN WONDERLAND BILLING, OPENS ON 10.APRIL AND WILL RUN THROUGH AUGUST IN THE RECENTLY OPENED ART OF THE AMERICAS WING. THE EXHIBIT FEATURES A MIX OF NEW AND EARLY WORKS FROM CHIHULY, PERHAPS THE FOREMOST ARTIST NOW WORKING IN GLASS AND, WITH HIS DISTINCTIVE CURLY HAIR AND EYE PATCH, CERTAINLY THE MOST RECOGNIZABLE. THE INSTALLATIONS CONTAIN SOME 7,000 INDIVIDUAL PIECES, INCLUDING MILLE FIORI (ITALIAN FOR 'A THOUSAND FLOWERS'), A 58 FOOT LONG INSTALLATION DISPLAYED IN A DARKENED ROOM. NEODYMIUM REEDS ON LOGS IS A SERIES OF TALL, PURPLE GLASS RODS SET AGAINST FRESHLY-CUT MAINE BIRCH, WHILE PERSIAN CEILING EVOKES A MADLY COLOURED SEASCAPE. THE 42 FOOT TALL LIME GREEN ICICLE TOWER, INSTALLED IN A HIGH-CEILINGED COURTYARD, WEIGHS SOME 10,000 POUNDS AND COMPRISES OVER 2,300 INDIVIDUAL PIECES OF GLASS. 'I TEND TO DO THINGS ON A HUGE SCALE BECAUSE IT'S EXCITING. I LIKE TO PUSH THINGS IN NEW AND DIFFERENT WAYS', CHIHULY SAID. 'MY PHILOSOPHY IS: WHEN ONE IS GOOD, A DOZEN IS BETTER.' 'THROUGH THE LOOKING GLASS' WAS SOME 18 MONTHS IN THE PLANNING AND CONCEPTION BEFORE ARRIVING IN BOSTON IN SIX GIANT CONTAINERS FOR A THREE-WEEK ASSEMBLY MARATHON. THE WORKS WERE CREATED IN CHIHULY'S TWO FACILITIES IN SEATTLE, THE BOATHOUSE, THE 'HOT SHOP' WHERE THE GLASS PIECES ARE BLOWN, AND THE BALLARD STUDIO, WHICH HAS 25 FOOT CEILINGS TO HELP PUT LARGE INSTALLATIONS TOGETHER. CHIHULY SAID HE DOESN'T TRY TO ANTICIPATE HOW VIEWERS WILL RESPOND TO HIS CREATIONS, BUT HOPES HIS WORK WILL LIFT UP THEIR SPIRITS. 'PEOPLE RESPOND TO THINGS IN A DIFFERENT WAY. IF YOU COULD RECORD WHAT PEOPLE WERE THINKING, THERE WOULD BE A TREMENDOUS VARIATION', HE SAID.

CHRISTIE'S TO SELL ELIZABETH TAYLOR'S COLLECTION

2011-04-12T02:15:00.002-04:00

ELIZABETH TAYLOR'S RENOWNED COLLECTION OF JEWELRY, WORKS OF ART, CLOTHING AND MEMORABILIA WILL BE SOLD AT A SERIES OF AUCTIONS, CHRISTIE'S RECENTLY ANNOUNCED. 'CHRISTIE'S WILL BE SELLING THE HISTORIC COLLECTION OF ELIZABETH TAYLOR', WHO DIED LAST MONTH IN LOS ANGELES AGED 79, THE AUCTION HOUSE SAID IN A STATEMENT. TAYLOR'S POSSESSIONS WILL BE SOLD IN A SERIES OF SALES, DETAILS AND THE TIMING OF THE SALES WILL BE ANNOUNCED AT A LATER DATE, IT SAID. STEPHEN LASH, CHAIRMAN EMERITUS OF CHRISTIE'S AMERICAS, AND MARC PORTER, CHAIRMAN OF CHRISTIE'S AMERICAS WORKED WITH TAYLOR AND HER FAMILY 'OVER THE PAST TWO DECADES, AND ARE MOST HONORED TO HAVE BEEN ENTRUSTED WITH COLLECTION OF THIS WORLD RENOWNED FILM LEGEND, HUMANITARIAN AND TASTE MAKER', SAID THE STATEMENT. TAYLOR, KNOWN FOR HER BEAUTY, LOVE OF DIAMONDS, EIGHT MARRIAGES AND WORK AS AN AIDS ACTIVIST, DIED OF CONGESTIVE HEART FAILURE IN LOS ANGELES ON 23.MARCH AND WAS BURIED THE FOLLOWING DAY. CHRISTIE'S STATEMENT REGARDING THE SALE OF ELIZABETH TAYLOR'S COLLECTION IS AS FOLLOWS:

'STEPHEN LASH, CHAIRMAN EMERITUS OF CHRISTIE'S AMERICAS, AND MARC PORTER, CHAIRMAN OF CHRISTIE'S AMERICAS, TODAY CONFIRMED THAT CHRISTIE'S WILL BE SELLING THE HISTORIC COLLECTION OF ELIZABETH TAYLOR, INCLUDING HER COLLECTION OF JEWELRY, WORKS OF ART, FASHION AND MEMORABILIA, IN A SERIES OF SALES THAT WILL BE ANNOUNCED LATER THIS SEASON. FURTHER DETAILS WILL BE AVAILABLE AT THAT TIME. MESSRS. LASH AND PORTER AND THEIR COLLEAGUES WORKED WITH ELIZABETH TAYLOR AND HER FAMILY OVER THAT PAST TWO DECADES AND ARE MOST HONORED TO HAVE BEEN ENTRUSTED WITH THE COLLECTION OF THIS WORLD RENOWNED FILM LEGEND, HUMANITARIAN AND TASTE MAKER.'

MFA, BOSTON, DISCOVERS PROVENANCE OF 17th CENTURY TAPESTRIES

2011-04-11T02:26:00.004-04:00

PROVENANCE RESEARCH CONDUCTED BY THE MUSEUM OF FINE ARTS, BOSTON (MFA), HAS RESULTED IN NEW DISCOVERIES ABOUT THE HISTORY OF OWNERSHIP OF FOUR 17th CENTURY TAPESTRIES IN THE MFA's COLLECTION. THE MUSEUM's RESEARCH REVEALED THAT THE TAPESTRIES, GIVEN TO THE MFA IN THE 1950s BY EUGENE GARBATY, A GERMAN JEWISH ART COLLECTOR AND REFUGEE, HAD BEEN INCLUDED IN A FORCED SALE IN 1935 OF THE STOCK OF THE ART DEALER MARGRAF & CO IN BERLIN, A FIRM RUN BY JAKOB AND ROSA OPPENHEIMER. THE MFA CONTACTED THE OPPENHEIMER HEIRS IN 2010 TO INFORM THEM OF THE DISCOVERY AND TO BEGIN SETTLEMENT DISCUSSIONS, WHICH CONCLUDED RECENTLY. THE FOUR TAPESTRIES (EACH MEASURING APPROXIMATELY 222 x 48 INCHES) WERE PART OF A LARGER SERIES THAT DEPICTED THE LIFE AND ACHIEVEMENTS OF POPE URBAN VIII. THE ENTIRE SERIES, BEGUN IN 1663 AND FINISHED IN 1679, WAS COMMISSIONED AFTER THE POPE'S DEATH BY HIS NEPHEW, CARDINAL FRANCESCO BARBERINI. THE TAPESTRIES HUNG IN THE BARBERINI PALACE IN ROME UNTIL THE END OF THE 19th CENTURY, WHEN THE SERIES WAS DISASSEMBLED AND SOLD. ORIGINALLY, THERE WERE 34 TAPESTRIES MADE OUT OF COLOURFUL WOOL AND SILK. AMONG THEM WERE 10 LARGER NARRATIVE PANELS, OF WHICH NINE ARE NOW IN THE VATICAN MUSEUM IN ROME, AND ONE IS IN THE MUSEES ROYAUX D'ART ET HISTOIRE IN BRUSSELS. THE SERIES ALSO INCLUDES 10 HORIZONTAL BORDER PANELS, CALLED FRIEZES, AND 14 VERTICAL BORDER PANELS, KNOWN AS PILASTERS. BY 1928, EIGHT OF THE PILASTERS FROM THE SERIES, INCLUDING THE FOUR AT THE MFA, WERE OWNED BY MARGRAF IN BERLIN. IN 1933, THE OPPENHEIMERS, WHO WERE JEWISH, FLED GERMANY TO AVOID NAZI PERSECUTION AND RELOCATED TO FRANCE. IN THEIR ABSENCE, THEY WERE FORCED OUT OF THEIR MANAGEMENT ROLES AT MAGRAF AND WERE FORBIDDEN FROM PERFORMING ANY LEGAL TRANSACTIONS FOR THE COMPANY. AS A WELL-KNOWN JEWISH BUSINESS, MARGRAF WAS DISSOLVED BY THE NAZI REGIME, ITS GALLERY STOCK SOLD OFF QUICKLY AND AT LOW PRICES IN A SERIES OF AUCTION HELD IN BERLIN IN 1935. THE EIGHT BARBERINI TAPESTRIES WERE INCLUDED IN THE MARGRAF LIQUIDATION SALE HELD AT THE AUCTION HOUSE PAUL GRAUPE ON 26-27.APRIL.1935. DISCOVERY OF THIS INFORMATION BY VICTORIA REED, THE MFA's MONICA S SADLER CURATOR FOR PROVENANCE, HELPED TO DETERMINE THAT THE TAPESTRIES WERE INCLUDED IN THE FORCED SALE, FROM WHICH THE OPPENHEIMERS WERE UNABLE TO REALIZE THE PROCEEDS. THE MUSEUM THEN CONTACTED THEIR HEIRS. JAKOB AND ROSA OPPENHEIMER LOST THEIR LIVES BEFORE THE END OF WORLD WAR II. AFTER THE WAR, THE BUSINESS SHARES IN MARGRAF WERE LEGALLY TRANSFERRED TO THEIR HEIRS, BUT ALMOST NONE OF THE GALLERY'S ARTWORK WAS RECOVERED.

CHRISTIE'S TO SELL WARHOL SELF-PORTRAIT

2011-04-09T03:04:00.002-04:00

AN ANDY WARHOL SELF-PORTRAIT PURCHASED IN 1963 FOR $1,600 ON AN INSTALLMENT PLAN IS POISED TO FETCH $30 MILLION OR MORE WHEN IT GOES ON THE AUCTION BLOCK AT CHRISTIE'S IN MAY. 'SELF-PORTRAIT', A FOUR-PANEL ACRYLIC SILKSCREEN DEPICTING THE POP ARTIST WEARING A TRENCH COAT AND SUNGLASSES, IS BEING SOLD BY THE FAMILY OF DETROIT COLLECTOR FLORENCE BARRON. BARRON FIRST COMMISSIONED WARHOL TO PAINT HER PORTRAIT, BUT CHANGED HER MIND AND SUGGESTED THE YOUNG ARTIST DEPICT HIMSELF, TELLING HIM, 'NOBODY KNOWS ME...THEY WANT TO SEE YOU'. THE RESULT WAS WARHOL'S FIRST SELF PORTRAIT, FOUR IMAGES TAKEN IN A COIN-OPERATED PHOTO-BOOTH RENDERED IN HUES OF BLUE. 'MY MOTHER DIDN'T LOOK AT COLLECTING IN TERMS OF 'IS THIS IMPORTANT OT NOT IMPORTANT', GUY BARRON TOLD REUTERS. SHE LOOKED AT IT FROM THE STANDPOINT OF WHAT RESONATED WITH HER, AND OF 'I WANT TO LIVE WITH IT', IT WAS NOT DONE AS SOME PEOPLE DO TODAY, AS WALL POWER.' THE PORTRAIT GRACED THE LIVING ROOM WALL OF THE FAMILY HOME IN DETROIT. IT ALSO WENT ON PUBLIC DISPLAY, SERVING AS THE COVER IMAGE FOR CATALOGS FROM MAJOR WARHOL EXHIBITIONS AND RETROSPECTIVES AT THE MUSEUM OF MODERN ART IN NEW YORK AND THE GUGGENHEIM MUSEUM IN BILBAO, SPAIN. BRETT GORVY, CHRISTIE'S INTERNATIONAL CO-HEAD AND DEPUTY CHAIRMAN FOR POST-WAR AND CONTEMPORARY ART, SAID THE WORK MARKED THE BEGINNING OF WARHOL'S OWN STARDOM. 'WITH DARK GLASSES AN OBLIVIOUS GAZE, WARHOL WAS AHEAD OF HIS TIME IN CREATING A NEW ARCHETYPE OF GLAMOR', GORVY SAID. 'THE PAINTING IS REMARKABLE NOT ONLY FOR ITS VISUAL IMPACT AND THE INTRODUCTION OF THE PHOTO-BOOTH GENRE, BUT FOR MARKING A KEY MOMENT IN THE HISTORY OF ART, WHEN WARHOL TAKES HIS PLACE IN THE PANTHEON OF CELEBRITY ALONGSIDE MARILYN, ELIZABETH AND ELVIS.' BARRON, WHOSE FAMILY INCLUDES TWO MARRIED SONS AND SEVERAL GRANDCHILDREN, SAID THEY WERE AUCTIONING THE WORK BECAUSE 'DIVIDING IS NOT POSSIBLE, SO SELLING MAKES THE MOST SENSE.' THE RECORD FOR A WARHOL SELF-PORTRAIT IS $32.6 MILLION SET LAST MAY AT SOTHEBY'S IN NEW YORK. THE RECORD PRICE FOR ANY WARHOL SOLD AT AUCTION IS 'GREEN CAR CRASH (GREEN BURNING CAR I)' WHICH CHRISTIE'S SOLD FOR $71.7 IN 2007.

BOUCHERON CIRQUE DU SOLEIL COLLECTION

2011-04-09T02:32:00.002-04:00

PARISIAN LUXURY JEWELER BOUCHERON HAS RELEASED A STUNNING AND UNIQUE SERIES OF ONE OFF PIECES TO CELEBRATE THE 25th ANNIVERSARY OF CIRQUE DU SOLEIL. THE SERIES FEATURES TWENTY DIFFERENT PIECES AND CELEBRATES TWENTY OF THE BEST SHOWS PUT ON BY CIRQUE DU SOLEIL AROUND THE WORLD. EACH PIECE IS DISTINCTLY DIFFERENT AND USES A WIDE VARIETY OF GEMSTONES.

BROOCH THE BELONGED TO QUEEN VICTORIA SELLS FOR £11,400

2011-04-08T02:28:00.003-04:00

A GOLD, ENAMEL AND GARNET BODICE BROOCH FROM 1830 THAT BELONGED TO QUEEN VICTORIA MADE FOURTEEN TIMES ITS PRE-SALE ESTIMATE AT BONHAMS JEWELRY SALE THAT TOOK PLACE YESTERDAY IN KNIGHTSBRIDGE. WITH A PRE-SALE ESTIMATE OF £600–800, THE BROOCH SOLD FOR £11,400. THE FINELY DETAILED BROOCH IS EMBELLISHED WITH GREEN AND RED ENAMEL, SET WITH CABOCHON GARNETS THAT SUSPEND AN ELONGATED DROP OF A SIMILAR DESIGN. THE BROOCH ORIGINALLY BELONGED TO VICTORIA, DUCHESS OF KENT, WHO ON HER DEATH IN 1861 LEFT HER JEWELRY TO HER DAUGHTER, QUEEN VICTORIA. QUEEN VICTORIA SUBSEQUENTLY GAVE THE BROOCH TO HER THIRD DAUGHTER HELENA, PRINCESS CHRISTIAN OF SCHLESWIG-HOLSTEIN, AS A PRESENT ON HER 24th BIRTHDAY IN 1870. THE REVERSE OF THE BROOCH HAS A SIMPLE, YET VERY PERSONAL ENGRAVING: 'BELONGED TO DEAR GRANDMAMMA V. FROM MAMA V.R. TO HELENA 25th MAY 1870'. ALTHOUGH PRINCESS HELENA MARRIED THE GERMAN PRINCE CHRISTIAN OF SCHLESWIG-HOLSTEIN IN 1866, THEY REMAINED IN BRITAIN CLOSE TO THE QUEEN, WHO LIKED TO HAVE HER DAUGHTERS NEARBY. HELENA WAS CONSIDERED THE MOST ACTIVE MEMBER OF THE ROYAL FAMILY, CARRYING OUT AN EXTENSIVE PROGRAM OF ROYAL ENGAGEMENTS. SHE WAS ALSO A COMMITTED PATRON OF CHARITIES, AND WAS ONE OF THE FOUNDING MEMBERS OF THE RED CROSS. SHE WAS ALSO THE ORIGINAL PRESIDENT OF THE ROYAL SCHOOL OF NEEDLEWORK, AND PRESIDENT OF THE ROYAL BRITISH NURSES' ASSOCIATION.

HERMES TO LAUNCH FURNISHINGS COLLECTION

2011-04-08T02:02:00.002-04:00

THE ICONIC LUXURY DESIGN HOUSE HERMES HAS ANNOUNCED THAT IT WILL LAUNCH ITS FIRST FURNITURE COLLECTION DURING THE SALONE DEL MOBILE, RUNNING 12-17.APRIL. ARTISTIC DIRECTOR PIERRE-ALEXIS DUMAS HAS TEAMED UP WITH DESIGNERS INCLUDING ENZO MARI, DENIS MONTEL AND ANTONIO CITTERIO TO CREATE FURNISHINGS, FURNITURE AND ACCESSORIES THAT WILL BE AVAILABLE IN SELECT HERMES BOUTIQUES THIS FALL. IN ADDITION, AS PART OF A NEW PARTNERSHIP WITH ITALIAN MANUFACTURER DEDAR, HERMES WILL PRESENT A RANGE OF HOME FABRICS, WALLPAPER AND CARPETS. UNDER THE LABEL OF NEWLY FORMED VENTURE FAUBOURG ITALIA, THE LINE WILL GO ON SALE IN HERMES AS WELL AS DEDAR BOUTIQUES IN MAY.

ISABELLA STEWART GARDNER MUSEUM LAUNCHES NEW WEBSITE

2011-04-07T02:51:00.003-04:00

THE ISABELLA STEWART GARDNER MUSEUM, BOSTON, ANNOUNCED THE LAUNCH OF A NEWLY DESIGNED EXPLORATORY WEBSITE. IN ADDITION TO STRUCTURAL AND NAVIGATIONAL IMPROVEMENTS, THE MUSEUM'S NEW WEBSITE AIMS TO ENGAGE ONLINE VISITORS WITH MEANINGFUL EXPLORATIONS THAT REFLECT THE UNIQUE, MULTI-SENSORY EXPERIENCES OF A PHYSICAL VISIT TO THE GARDNER MUSEUM AND ITS INTERIOR COURTYARD AND GALLERIES. THE SITE'S LANDING PAGE, ORGANIZED AROUND THE HISTORIC GALLERIES AND FLOORS OF THE MUSEUM, SHOWCASES A MOSAIC OF IMAGES LEADING TO A SELECTION OF ALMOST 300 OBJECTS OF ART, WHICH CAN BE UNDERSTOOD THROUGH TRADITIONAL AND HISTORIC MATERIAL. THE DESIGN FOR THE SITE DIMINISHES THE CONCEPT OF A TRADITIONAL HOMEPAGE BY INVITING VISITORS TO VIRTUALLY EXPLORE THE GALLERIES AND COLLECTION: TO LISTEN TO AUDIO; TO READ ARCHIVAL EXCERPTS; TO LOOK CLOSELY AT WORKS OF ART; AND TO DISCOVER DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVES ON THE COLLECTION OR NEW WORKS BY VISITING CONTEMPORARY ARTISTS. THIS EXPLORATION IMPROVES ACCESSIBILITY TO THE GARDNER MUSEUM'S COLLECTION AND ENCOURAGES CONNECTIONS ACROSS MUSEUM DEPARTMENTS, PROGRAMS AND MEDIA THROUGH A USER-DRIVEN PATH THAT PROVIDES A PERSONALIZED WEB EXPERIENCE. THE NEW WEBSITE AT www.gardnermuseum.org WAS LAUNCHED ON 8.MARCH FOR A QUIET PHASE, FOLLOWING A YEAR OF CONCEPTUAL PLANNING AND DESIGN WORK WITH AWARD-WINNING WEB DESIGN FIRM TENDER CREATIVE, BASED IN NEW YORK. IN THE WEEKS SINCE ITS LAUNCH, www.gardnermuseum.org HAS SEEN AN INCREASE IN DAILY PAGE VIEWS OF ALMOST 100%.

CHRISTIE'S TO SELL STUBBS PAINTING FOR ESTIMATED £20 MILLION

2011-04-07T02:08:00.003-04:00

CHRISTIE'S WILL OFFER A GEORGE STUBBS HORSE PAINTING FOR SALE IN LONDON ON 5.JULY AND EXPECTS IT TO MAKE MORE THAN £20 MILLION, POTENTIALLY PUTTING IT IN THE OLD MASTERS AUCTION ELITE. 'GIMCRACK ON NEWMARKET HEATH, WITH A TRAINER, A STABLE-LAD, AND A JOCKEY' WAS PAINTED BY STUBBS, RENOWNED FOR HIS ANATOMICALLY PRECISE PORTRAYALS OF HORSES, IN 1765, AND IS DESCRIBED BY THE AUCTIONEER AS 'A TRUE MASTERPIECE'. IT DEPICTS GIMCRACK, ONE OF THE MOST ADMIRED 18th CENTURY RACEHORSES WHICH WON 28 OF HIS 36 RACES AND FINISHED UNPLACED ONLY ONCE. THE PAINTING SHOWS GIMCRACK TWICE, IN THE BACKGROUND WINNING A 'TRIAL' AND IN THE FOREGROUND WITH HIS TRAINER AND JOCKEY, A STABLE LAD RUBBING HIM DOWN. SHOULD THE PAINTING EXCEED PRE-SALE EXPECTATIONS, IT WOULD PLACE STUBBS AMONG THE MOST VALUABLE OLD MASTER PAINTERS IN AUCTION HISTORY, ACCORDING TO CHRISTIE'S. THE MOST EXPENSIVE OLD MASTER PAINTING AT AUCTION REMAINS 'THE MASSACRE OF THE INNOCENTS' BY PETER PAUL RUBENS WHICH FETCHED £49.5 AT SOTHEBY'S IN 2002. THAT IS FOLLOWED BY TWO WORKS BY J.M.W. TURNER, A PAINTING BY PONTORMO AND IN FIFTH PLACE, REMBRANDT'S 'PORTRAIT OF A MAN WITH ARMS AKIMBO' WHICH SOLD FOR £20.2 MILLION AT CHRISTIE'S IN 2009.

NELSON-ATKINS TO PRESENT MONET 'WATER LILIES' TRIPTYCH

2011-04-06T02:45:00.003-04:00

ONE OF IMPRESSIONIST MASTER CLAUDE MONET'S 'WATER LILIES' TRIPTYCHS, SEPARATED 50 YEARS AGO AND SOLD TO THREE MUSEUM, HAS BEEN REUNITED IN A MULTIFACETED EXHIBIT THAT HIGHLIGHTS NOT ONLY THE THREE-PANEL ARTWORK, BUT THE ARTIST TOO. 'I THINK ALL OF US THINK OF MONET AS THIS FATHER OF IMPRESSIONISM, AS THIS PAINTER WHO WAS SPONTANEOUS, WHO PAINTED OUTDOORS IN HIS GARDEN', SAID NICOLE MYERS, ASSOCIATE CURATOR AT THE NELSON-ATKINS MUSEUM OF ART, KANSAS CITY, MO, WHERE 'MONET'S WATER LILIES' OPENS 9.APRIL. 'THAT WAS CERTAINLY TRUE. HE PRESENTED HIMSELF THAT WAY PUBLICLY, REALLY TO THE END OF HIS LIFE.' BUT MONET HAD ANOTHER SIDE THAT'S ALSO DETAILED IN THE EXHIBITION, WHICH ENDS 7.AUGUST BEFORE MOVING ON TO THE ST LOUIS ART MUSEUM AND THEN TO THE CLEVELAND MUSEUM OF ART. 'WITH THESE LATER PAINTINGS FROM THE 20th CENTURY THAT HE'S WORKING ON, YOU SEE THE SORT OF OBSESSIVE, ALMOST OBSESSIVE-COMPULSIVE, ARTIST WHO CAME INDOORS AND WORKED TIRELESSLY MAKING REVISIONS AGAIN AND AGAIN IN THIS KIND OF OBSESSIVE WAY', SHE SAID. IT'S UNCLEAR IF MONET EVER CONSIDERED THE THREE PANELS FINISHED, SHE SAID. 'AND IT REALLY BLOWS OUT OF THE WATER THIS IMPRESSION WE HAVE OF THIS MAN WHO JUST SORT OF DASHED OFF HIS FIRST THOUGHTS AND LEFT THINGS ALONE. HE WORKED ON THEM ALMOST CONSISTENTLY FROM 1915 TO 1926', MYERS SAID. THE THREE PANELS, EACH 6 FOOT TALL AND 14 FEET WIDE, LANGUISHED IN MONET'S STUDIO AT GIVERNY OUTSIDE PARIS AFTER HIS DEATH IN 1926, MYERS SAID. THE PIECES ON DISPLAY AT THE NELSON-ATKINS COMPRISE ONE OF TWO OF MONET'S WATER LILY TRIPTYCHS IN THE US. THE OTHER IS AT THE MUSEUM OF MODERN ART IN NEW YORK, WHERE THEY ARE A STEADY, POPULAR SELECTION. THE TRIPTYCH AT THE NELSON-ATKINS WAS BROUGHT TO NEW YORK IN THE 1950s. IT WAS THEN SEPARATED, AND THE INDIVIDUAL PANELS WERE SOLD TO THE ST LOUIS ART MUSEUM, THE CLEVELAND MUSEUM OF ART AND THE NELSON-ATKINS. IT HS BEEN MORE THAN 30 YEARS HOWEVER, SINCE THEY WERE SHOWN AS MONET INTENDED FOR THEM TO BE SEEN, TOGETHER. 'SO FOR A NEW GENERATION THIS IS REALLY A FIRST TIME TO GET THE CHANCE TO SEE THESE GREAT PAINTINGS COME TOGETHER', MYERS SAID.

WOMAN ATTACKS GAUGUIN PAINTING AT NATIONAL GALLERY OF ART

2011-04-05T03:13:00.003-04:00

A WOMAN ACCUSED OF POUNDING ON A PAINTING BY PAUL GAUGUIN AND TRYING TO RIP IT FROM A WALL AT THE NATIONAL GALLERY OF ART TOLD POLICE THE POST-IMPRESSIONIST ARTIST WAS EVIL AND THE PAINTING SHOULD BE BURNED, COURT DOCUMENTS SHOW. SUSAN BURNS, OF ARLINGTON VA, HAS BEEN CHARGED WITH ATTEMPTED SECOND-DEGREE THEFT AND DESTRUCTION OF PROPERTY FOLLOWING THE ATTACK FRIDAY. SHE WAS BEING HELD WITHOUT BAIL PENDING A MENTAL HEALTH HEARING TUESDAY. THE GAUGUIN PAINTING 'TWO TAHITIAN WOMEN', VALUED AT AN ESTIMATED $80 MILLION, WAS NOT DAMAGED AND WILL GO BACK ON VIEW, THE NATIONAL GALLERY SAID IN A STATEMENT. THE PICTURE IS ON LOAN FROM THE METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OF ART IN NEW YORK FOR AN EXHIBIT TITLED 'GAUGUIN: MAKER OF MYTH'. THE PAINTING DEPICTS TWO WOMEN STANDING NEXT TO EACH OTHER, ONE WITH BOTH BREASTS EXPOSED AND THE OTHER WITH ONE BREAST SHOWING. ACCORDING TO CHARGING DOCUMENTS, AN INVESTIGATOR TOLD BURNS HER RIGHTS AND ASKED WHY SHE HAD TRIED TO REMOVE THE PAINTING. 'I FEEL THAT GAUGUIN IS EVIL. HE HAS NUDITY AND IS BAD FOR CHILDREN. HE HAS TWO WOMEN IN THE PAINTING AND IT'S VERY HOMOSEXUAL. I WAS TRYING TO REMOVE IT. I THINK IT SHOULD BE BURNED', ACCORDING TO THE DOCUMENTS. BURNS ALSO SAID: 'I AM FROM THE AMERICAN CIA AND I HAVE A RADIO IN MY HEAD. I AM GOING TO KILL YOU.' BURNS' ATTORNEY, SHARON WEATHERS, DECLINED TO COMMENT MONDAY. BURNS APPROACHED THE PAINTING AROUND 4.45p FRIDAY, GRABBED THE FRAME AND PULLED THE BOTTOM PART OFF THE WALL, CAUSING SCREWS TO FALL TO THE FLOOR, ACCORDING TO THE WITNESSES. SHE THEN BEGAN BANGING ON THE MIDDLE OF THE PAINTING WITH HER FIST. BURNS WAS QUICKLY APPREHENDED BY THE MUSEUM'S FEDERAL PROTECTION SERVICES OFFICERS. THE PAINTING WAS PROTECTED BY A TRANSPARENT PLASTIC SHIELD. IT WAS THE FIRST DOCUMENTED CASE OF SOMEONE TRYING TO DEFACE A PAINTING AT THE GALLERY SINCE THE 1970s, SPOKESWOMAN DEBORAH ZISKA SAID. SHE SAID THE GALLERY'S SECURITY PROCEDURES WORKED. BURNS HAS BEEN ARRESTED SEVERAL TIMES. SHE SERVED SIX MONTHS IN JAIL AFTER A 2006 CONVICTION FOR ASSAULT AND BATTERY ON A POLICE OFFICER. IN 2002, SHE WAS CONVICTED OF MISDEMEANOR TRESPASSING. SHE HAS ALSO BEEN CHARGED WITH DISORDERLY CONDUCT, OBSTRUCTION OF JUSTICE, VANDALISM AND A SEPARATE ASSAULT ON A POLICE OFFICER, BUT PROSECUTORS DECLINED TO PURSUE THOSE CASES, VIRGINIA COURT RECORDS SHOW.

RUSSIAN ARTIST CREATES PEARL-ENCRUSTED PAINTING FOR THE QUEEN

2011-04-05T02:02:00.002-04:00

A RUSSIAN ARTIST IN SERBIA HAS SPENT A SMALL PERSONAL FORTUNE OVER A THOUSAND PEARLS FOR A RELIGIOUS PAINTING HE HAS MADE FOR QUEEN ELIZABETH II. CLAD IN EMBROIDERED ROBES, ADAM AND EVE SIT IN THRONES ON A SUSPENDED GARDEN OF EDEN IN ANATOLY PASTYREV'S PAINTING, WHICH IS CROWNED BY A RUSSIAN ORTHODOX ICON AND PEARL-ENCRUSTED THROWOUT. 'THE BRITISH MONARCHY IN PARTICULAR HAS BEEN THE BASTION OF MODERN CIVILIZATION WHICH HAS CENTURIES-OLD TRADITIONS COMING FROM CHRISTIANITY', PASTYREV TOLD REUTERS ON SUNDAY AT HIS HOME IN TAIGA FOREST ENCIRCLING KRASNOYARSK, SOME 3,300km EAST OF MOSCOW. PASTYREV NOW WANTS TO GIVE THE PAINTING, CALLED 'GLORIFICATION OF THE LORD', TO THE BRITISH MONARCH AS A TRIBUTE TO HER TITLE AS SUPREME GOVERNOR OF THE CHURCH OF ENGLAND. THE BULLDOZER OPERATOR-TURNED-ARTIST SPENT MONTHS WORKING ON THE PAINTING, WHICH HAS 1,360 NATURAL PEARLS HE BOUGHT IN MOSCOW FOR A HANDSOME SUM OF 500,000 RUBLES (£10,947). 'THE BRITISH ROYAL COURT IS THE OLDEST, MOST POWERFUL AND MOST INFLUENTIAL', SAID PASTYREV, WHO WAS A FERVENT COMMUNIST IN SOVIET DAYS. HE IS NOW LOOKING FOR A WAY TO GIVE THE PAINTING, WHICH MEASURES ONE METER BY 1.4 METERS LONG AND IS PEARL-ENCRUSTED ALONG ITS OUTLINE, THROUGH-OUT THE GARDEN AND ON THE BUBBLE-LIKE CLOUDS, TO BUCKINGHAM PALACE. BUT PASTYREV WANTS TO WAIT WHILE THE 'HAT' SURROUNDING PRINCE WILLIAM'S MARRIAGE TO KATE MIDDLETON ON 29.APRIL DIES DOWN BEFORE ATTEMPTING TO GET HIS ARTWORK TO THE BRITISH MONARCH. 'I AM THRILLED BY THIS EVENT...I HAVE NOTHING BUT RESPECT FOR THE YOUNG PRINCE WILLIAM', HE SAID.

ISABELLA STEWART GARDNER MUSEUM RESTORES TAPESTRY ROOM TO FORMER GLORY

2011-04-04T02:34:00.003-04:00

FOR THE FIRST TIME SINCE IT OPENED IN 1914, THE ISABELLA STEWART GARDNER MUSEUM'S 4,000 SQUARE FOOT TAPESTRY ROOM IS BEING RESTORED TO ITS ORIGINAL GLORY AND WILL ONCE AGAIN TAKE ITS PLACE AS ONE OF THE NATION'S GREAT TAPESTRY HALLS. THE RESTORATION OF THE BELOVED SPACE WILL RETURN THE TAPESTRY ROOM TO ITS ORIGINAL CONFIGURATION FOR ITS FIRST TIME SINCE A TEMPORARY STAGE, CHAIRS, AND OTHER MODERN ELEMENTS WERE ADDED TO ACCOMMODATE FORMAL CONCERTS IN THE EARLY 1970s. HISTORICALLY, THE TAPESTRY ROOM HAS BEEN A GALLERY AND HOME TO MANY OF THE MUSEUM'S PROGRAMS, INCLUDING THE POPULAR SUNDAY CONCERT SERIES. NOW, AS PART OF THE GARDNER MUSEUM'S EXTENSION AND PRESERVATION PROJECT, THE MUSEUM'S WORLD CLASS CONCERTS WILL BE RELOCATED TO AN INTIMATE NEW PERFORMANCE HALL IN THE RENZO PIANO-DESIGNED ADDITION, AND THE GARDNER WILL BE ABLE TO RESTORE THE SPACE TO ITS HISTORIC APPEARANCE, ENABLING VISITORS TO SEE AND ENJOY THE TAPESTRY ROOM FOR THE FIRST TIME IN NEARLY 40 YEARS. NO EVENT PROGRAMMING IS SCHEDULED FOR 2011 IN THE TAPESTRY ROOM; PROGRAMMING WILL RESUME IN 2012 IN THE NEW WING AND THE GALLERY WILL REMAIN OPEN UNTIL THEN SO THAT VISITORS CAN VIEW THE CONSERVATION AND PRESERVATION WORK TAKING PLACE. THE REINSTALLED TAPESTRY ROOM WILL BE HIGHLIGHTED AS PART OF THE MUSEUM'S GRAND OPENING FOR ITS NEW WING IN JANUARY 2012. 'ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT GOALS OF THE NEW WING IS THE RELOCATION OF PROGRAMMING WHICH HAS OUTGROWN THE HISTORIC GALLERIES', SAYS ANNE HAWLEY, THE NORMA JEAN CALDERWOOD DIRECTOR OF THE ISABELLA STEWART GARDNER MUSEUM. 'THE TAPESTRY ROOM IS PERHAPS THE MOST DRAMATIC EXAMPLE OF THAT AS IT HAD BECOME THE HUB OF THE MUSEUM'S LARGEST AND MOST POPULAR PROGRAMMING AND HAD LOST ITS FOCUS AS A GALLERY. THIS EFFORT RETURNS THE SPACE INTO A BEAUTIFUL GALLERY FOR VIEWING TAPESTRIES, SOMETHING AN ENTIRE GENERATION OF VISITORS HAS NOT EXPERIENCED.' THE NEW 70,000 SQUARE FOOT WING DESIGNED BY RENZO PIANO INCLUDES PURPOSE-BUILT SPACES FOR MANY OF THE ACTIVITIES FORMALLY HELD IN THE TAPESTRY ROOM, SUCH AS LECTURES, VISITOR ORIENTATION AND THE SUNDAY CONCERT SERIES. WHILE OCCASIONAL SMALLER MUSICAL PERFORMANCES AND TALKS WILL CONTINUE IN THE REINSTALLED SPACE, THE TAPESTRY ROOM WILL SERVE PRIMARILY AS A GRAND GALLERY FOR VIEWING TAPESTRIES AND OTHER WORKS OF ART. CURATORIAL AND CONVERSATION STAFFS HAVE PLANNED THE PRESERVATION AND RE-INSTALLATION OF THE TAPESTRY ROOM BASED ON HISTORIC PHOTOGRAPHS FROM THE MUSEUM'S ARCHIVES, WHICH WERE TAKEN IN 1915, 1916, AND 1926 BY PHOTOGRAPHER T.E. MARR AND SON. THE PHOTOGRAPHS REVEAL A PIANO PLACED IN FRONT OF THE LATE 14th CENTURY FRENCH FIREPLACE AND AN ARRANGEMENT OF FURNITURE AND OBJECTS IN THE CENTER OF THE GALLERY. CONSERVATION TREATMENT WILL ENCOMPASS CLEANING, RESTORATION AND RE-INSTALLATION OF MANY PARTS OF THE GALLERY, INCLUDING ITS MERCER-TILED FLOORS AND FRENCH MEDIEVAL STONE FIREPLACE, SELECT ART AND FURNITURE OBJECTS, AND NEW LIGHTING. THE HISTORIC ARRANGEMENT OF FURNITURE IN THE CENTER OF THE GALLERY AND OTHER VIGNETTES AROUND THE WINDOWS AS DEPICTED IN EARLY PHOTOGRAPHS ALSO WILL BE RESTORED. TWO OF THE MOST STRIKING AREAS WILL BE THE CONSERVATION OF THE MASSIVE FIREPLACE AND THE PAINTING OF THE ARCHANGEL MICHAEL BY PEDRO GARCIA DE BENABARRE THAT HANGS ABOVE IT, AND AN ARRANGEMENT OF TEN SIDE CHAIRS UPHOLSTERED IN 18th CENTURY NETHERLANDISH PAINTED LEATHER THAT WILL BE RE-INSTALLED AROUND A 17th CENTURY DUTCH TABLE IN THE CENTER OF THE GALLERY. ADDITIONALLY, LIGHTING UPGRADES WILL ENHANCE THE GALLERY'S HISTORIC ATMOSPHERE, REDUCE HARMFUL LIGHT ON THE COLLECTION AND IMPROVE VISIBILITY. EIGHTEEN TEXTILE PROJECTS ARE INCLUDE IN THE ROOM REFURBISHMENT PLANS. THEY INCLUDE CONSERVING ORIGINAL TEXTILES, RE-UPHOLSTERING FURNITURE, AND REPLACING MISSING, DAMAGED OR INAPPROPRIATE FURNISHING TEXTILES. TWO TAPESTRIES WILL BE REINSTATED TO THEIR ORIGINAL 1926 POSITIONS.

PIAGET LIMELIGHT COLLECTION 2011

2011-04-04T01:56:00.003-04:00

AS PART OF THEIR LIMELIGHT COLLECTION PIAGET HAS RECENTLY RELEASED A STUNNING COLLECTION INSPIRED BY THE SIMPLE BEAUTY OF SPRING. THE CENTERPIECE OF THE COLLECTION IS A UNIQUE DIAMOND ENCRUSTED BIRD PERCHING ON A RUBELLITE GEM. THE COLLECTION ALSO FEATURES A BIRD PERCHED ON A WHITE GOLD SPRIG AND OTHER PIECES FEATURING PEARLS, RING DIAMONDS, EMERALDS AND PINK SAPPHIRES.

CHRISTIE'S TO SELL RARE GALCONDA DIAMOND EAR-PENDANTS

2011-04-02T02:43:00.002-04:00

A PAIR OF SPECTACULAR EAR-PENDANTS FEATURING THE WORLD'S RAREST DIAMONDS FROM THE LEGENDARY GOLCONDA MINES WILL BE OFFERED AT CHRISTIE'S HONG KONG MAGNIFICENT JEWELS SALE, WHICH WILL BE HELD ON 31.MAY AT THE HONG KONG CONVENTION & EXHIBITION CENTRE. THE IMPERIAL CUSHIONS, A PAIR OF D POTENTIALLY FLAWLESS GOLCONDA TYPE IIa DIAMONDS EAR-PENDANTS, IS ESTIMATED AT $7-$10 MILLION. THE OCCURRENCE OF SUCH A PAIR OF GALCONDA GEMSTONES, WITH A LIMPIDITY THAT IS PARTICULAR TO THE WORLD'S FINEST TYPE IIa DIAMONDS, IA A NATURAL MARVEL. AT 23.49 AND 23.11 CARATS EACH, THE PAIR IS OF EXCEPTIONAL CALIBER PROPORTIONS. WITH TYPE IIa DIAMONDS BEING LESS THAN 2% OF THE WORLD'S PRODUCTION, THE SUPERBLY MATCHED PAIR OF THE IMPERIAL CUSHIONS IS A UNIQUE EXAMPLE OF MAGNIFICENCE AND RARITY. WHILE THE PRESENT DIAMONDS DO NOT ACTUALLY COME WITH AN IMPERIAL PROVENANCE, THE QUALITY, WORKMANSHIP, SIZE, AND RARITY ARE CERTAINLY OF A CALIBER WORTHY OF A ROYAL COLLECTION.

PUBLIC ART FUND PRESENTS ROB PRUITT'S THE ANDY MONUMENT

2011-04-01T03:05:00.003-04:00

PUBLIC ART FUND PRESENTS ROB PRUITT'S THE ANDY MONUMENT, 30.MARCH-2.OCTOBER, AT THE NORTHWEST CORNER OF UNION SQUARE. THE MONUMENT TO ANDY WARHOL, THE FATHER OF POP ART AND ONE OF NEW YORK'S ENDURING CULTURAL ICONS IS INSTALLED JUST OUTSIDE THE BUILDING THAT HOUSED WARHOL'S 'FACTORY' FOR MORE THAN TEN YEARS IN THE 1970s AND EARLY 1980s, AND JUST DOWN THE STREET FROM AN EARLIER 'FACTORY' SITE. 'WE ARE THRILLED TO BE COLLABORATING WITH ROB, WHOSE WORK HAS EXACTLY THE SPIRIT OF GENEROSITY AND ENGAGEMENT THAT LENDS ITSELF SO WELL TO PUBLIC ART', SAID NICKOLAS BAUME, PUBLIC ART FUND DIRECTOR AND CHIEF CURATOR. 'INSPIRED BY WARHOL AND HIS STORY, ROB MOVED TO NEW YORK AS A YOUNG MAN AND EVEN MET WARHOL WHEN HE VISITED THE 'FACTORY' TO INTERVIEW FOR A JOB. ROB'S MEMORY OF THE ARTIST THAT DAY FORMED THE VISION FOR THIS SCULPTURE, AND I THINK THAT PERSONAL CONNECTION WILL RESONATE WITH MANY WHO COME TO VISIT, JUST AS IT DOES WITH ME.' PRUITT ENVISIONS THE MONUMENT AS A PILGRIMAGE SITE THAT EMBODIES THE SPIRIT OF WARHOL AND THE DOWNTOWN CULTURAL MOVEMENT. 'EVERY DAY A THOUSAND MORE KIDS COME TO NEW YORK PROPELLED BY HIS LEGACY. AND EVEN IF THE DECADES PASS AND WARHOL'S LEGACY BECOMES FURTHER DISTANT, THERE IS A DIRECT LINK TO HIM, LIKE THIS PILGRIMAGE, COMING HERE TO MAKE IT BIG, TO BE AN ARTIST', SAID PRUITT. 'LIKE OSCAR WILDE'S GRAVE AT PERE LACHAISE, THERE SHOULD BE A DESTINATION IN NEW YORK TO MARK THE JOURNEY. I THINK SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE IN THE STREETS OF NEW YORK, SOMETHING YOU COULD VISIT AT 4:30 IN THE MORNING.' ADAPTING THE VISUAL LANGUAGE OF FORMAL STATUARY, LIKE THE NEARBY MONUMENTS TO GANDHI, LINCOLN AND WASHINGTON, THE SEVEN FOOT TALL FIGURE STANDS ATOP A CONCRETE PEDESTAL, ITS CHROMED SURFACE REFLECTING THE SURROUNDING NEIGHBORHOOD WHERE WARHOL WORKED FOR MUCH OF HIS LIFE: MAX's KANSAS CITY, A FAVORITE WARHOL HANGOUT, ONCE STOOD NEARBY, INTERVIEW MAGAZINE WAS LAUNCHED IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD, AND VALERIE SOLANAS ATTEMPTED HER ASSASSINATION OF WARHOL HERE.

CHRISTIE'S TO SELL WORLD'S LARGEST PEARL

2011-03-31T02:44:00.003-04:00

AUCTION HOUSE CHRISTIE'S WILL PUT ONE OF THE WORLD'S LARGEST PEARLS ON THE BLOCK AT ITS DUBAI SPRING JEWELRY SALE ON 19.APRIL IN A NOSTALGIC REMINDER OF THE EMIRATE'S PEARL DIVING PAST. THE AUCTION HOUSE IS SHOWCASING AN ARRAY OF PEARLS, DIAMONDS, FINE GEMS AND GOLD JEWELRY AHEAD OF THE SALE. PEARLS ARE ESPECIALLY UNIQUE TO DUBAI, AS PEARL HUNTING WAS A MAJOR SOURCE OF INCOME A CENTURY AGO IN THE PORT CITY. CHRISTIE'S, WHO HAVE BEEN HOLDING REGULAR AUCTIONS IN THE MIDDLE EAST SINCE 2006, SAW REGIONAL SALES REACH $51 MILLION LAST YEAR, UP FROM RECESSION LOWS OF $18-20 MILLION IN 2009. THE STUNNING PEARL IS DROP-SHAPED IN A SILVER AND GRAY SHADE AT ALMOST 60 CARATS. ONE OF TEH LARGEST NATURAL SALTWATER PEARLS RECORDED TO DATE, IT IS MOUNTED AS A PENDENT ON A DIAMOND-STUDDED CHAIN NECKLACE. CHRISTIE'S HAS ESTIMATED IT AT UP TO $250,000. 'THIS PART OF THE WORLD LIKES THINGS THAT ARE UNIQUE AND RARE', SAID DAVID WARREN, HEAD OF CHRISTIE'S MIDDLE EAST JEWELRY DEPARTMENT. CLOSE TO ONE HUNDRED JEWELRY LOTS, ESTIMATED AT A TOTAL $5-$6.5 MILLION, WILL BE AVAILABLE AT THE AUCTION NEXT MONTH. ITEMS RANGE FROM AN ELEPHANT-SHAPED GEM RING WORTH $4,000-$6,000 TO A DIAMOND FLOWER NECKLACE WHICH CONVERTS INTO A TIARA WITH MATCHING EARRINGS WORTH $450,000-$550,000.

LICHTENSTEIN DRAWING ACQUIRED FOR $10 EXPECTED TO SELL FOR $1 MILLION

2011-03-31T02:02:00.003-04:00

THE INVITATION TO A 1960s 'HAPPENING' WAS INTRIGUING: PAY $10 TO ENTER A LOTTERY FOR THE CHANCE TO GET A KEY TO A PENN STATION LOCKER CONTAINING AN ORIGINAL ARTWORK. FOR ONE NEW YORKER WHO ATTENDED THE 1965 EVENT, THE KEY REVEALED A ROY LICHTENSTEIN DRAWING THAT CHRISTIE'S AUCTION HOUSE ESTIMATES WILL FETCH AROUND $1 MILLION AT ITS 11.MAY AUCTION. 'KISS V' IS A STUDY FOR ONE OF LICHTENSTEIN'S MAJOR PAINTINGS OF THE SAME NAME, WHICH IS IN A PRIVATE COLLECTION AND BELONGS TO HIS DREAM-GIRL SERIES CREATED BETWEEN 1961 AND 1965. MEASURING 6 INCHES BY 6 INCHES, THE STUDY IS A COMIC BOOK-INSPIRED CLOSE-UP OF A MAN AND WOMAN, EXECUTED IN GRAPHITE AND WAX CRAYON. THE ARTIST, WHO DIED IN 1997, WAS FAMOUS FOR HIS CARTOON-INSPIRED STYLE THAT HELPED LAUNCH, ALONG WITH ANDY WARHOL, JASPER JOHN AND OTHERS, THE POP ART MOVEMENT. 'HAPPENINGS', SPONTANEOUS AND FUN ARTS AND PERFORMANCE EVENTS, SPRUNG UP ALL AROUND THE CITY DURING THE HEADY DAYS OF THE 1960s. THE MARCH 1965 ONE WAS ORGANIZED BY A GROUP OF EMERGING POP ARTISTS. IT INVITED PARTICIPANTS TO COME TO THE HOTEL CHELSEA, HOME TO NUMEROUS LEGENDARY WRITERS AND ARTISTS, TO ENTER INTO THE $10 LOTTERY FOR A KEY TO ABOUT 20 LOCKERS AT THE OLD PENN STATION, WHICH WAS THEN BEING TORN DOWN. THIRTEEN ARTISTS PARTICIPATED IN THE ARTIST'S KEY CLUB EVENT. BESIDES LICHTENSTEIN, THEY INCLUDED WARHOL, CHRISTO AND ARMAN. 'IT WAS A LARGE PARTY FOR ARTIST AND PEOPLE WHO WERE PART OF THE HIP DOWNTOWN GROUP HAVING FUN', SAID CHRISTIE'S POSTWAR AND CONTEMPORARY ART EXPERT BRETT GORVY. LATER, HE SAID, THE GROUP PARTIED AT A RESTAURANT ON THE PROCEEDS FROM THE EVENT. PARTICIPANTS DID NOT KNOWN WHICH KEY OPENED WHICH LOCKER. AND NOT EVERYONE WAS AS LUCKY AS THE WOMAN WHO CLAIMED THE LICHTENSTEIN DRAWING. 'ONE ARTIST PUT UP A GROUP OF VERY PUNGENT CHEESES' FOR HIS CONCEPTIONAL PIECE AND ANOTHER 'HAD SPICES AND HERBS AS HIS ART WORK' SAID GORVY. IN 1965, THE LICHTENSTEIN DRAWING WOULD PROBABLY HAVE BEEN VALUED AT ABOUT $50. THE CURRENT OWNER, WHO DECLINED TO BE IDENTIFIED, DECIDED TO SELL IT BECAUSE SHE HAD IT RECENTLY APPRAISED AND WAS SHOCKED TO FIND OUT HOW MUCH IT WAS WORTH. GORVY SAID LICHTENSTEIN'S 'CRYING GIRL', A DRAWING OF SIMILAR SIZE AND FROM THE SAME SERIES, SOLD AT CHRISTIE'S ON 2007 FOR $1.7 MILLION. HE SAID HE EXPECTED 'KISS V' TO SURPASS ITS PRE-SALE ESTIMATE OF $800,000 TO $1.2 MILLION BECAUSE OF ITS UNIQUE PROVENANCE. THE AUCTION RECORD OF LICHTENSTEIN IS $42.6 MILLION FOR HIS 'OH...ALRIGHT', A COMIC BOOK IMAGE OF A FORLORN WOMAN CLUTCHING A TELEPHONE. IT SOLD AT CHRISTIE'S IN NOVEMBER.

GETTY MUSEUM RETURNS WORLD WAR II LOOTED PAINTING

2011-03-30T02:53:00.002-04:00

THE J PAUL GETTY MUSEUM HAS AGREED TO RETURN A 370 YEAR OLD PAINTING THAT ONCE BELONGED TO AN ART DEALER WHO FLED HOLLAND WHEN THE NAZIS INVADED IN 1940. JACQUES GOUDSTIKKER WAS THE NETHERLANDS' BIGGEST ART DEALER IN THE 1930s. HE WAS FLEEING THE NAZIS WITH HIS WIFE AND YOUNG SON AT THE BEGINNING OF WORLD WAR II WHEN HE FELL THROUGH A TRAP DOOR ON AN OUTBOUND SHIP AND DIED. HIS COLLECTION WAS LOOTED, WITH SOME WORKS CLAIMED BY HITLER CHIEF DEPUTY HERMANN GOERING. GOUDSTIKKER'S DAUGHTER-IN-LAW, MAREI VON SAHER, HAS SPENT YEARS TRYING TO TRACK DOWN THE WORKS. HER SUCCESSES HAVE BEEN ON TOUR AROUND THE COUNTRY IN AN EXHIBITION THAT ENDS TUESDAY IN SAN FRANSISCO AND FEATURED 45 RECOVERED PIECES FROM THE COLLECTION. THE GETTY BOUGHT THE 1640 PIETER MOLIJN PAINTING TITLED 'LANDSCAPE WITH COTTAGE AND FIGURES' IN GOOD FAITH AT A 1972 AUCTION, THE MUSEUM SAID. THE MUSEUM DID NOT DISCLOSE THE PURCHASE PRICE AND HAS NEVER DISPLAYED THE PAINTING. 'WORKING IN COOPERATION WITH REPRESENTATIVES OF THE GOUDSTIKKER HEIRS, THE GETTY'S RESEARCH REVEALED THAT THE PAINTING WAS IN GOUDSTIKKER'S INVENTORY AT THE TIME OF THE INVASION IN 1940, AND THAT IT WAS NEVER RESTITUTED AFTER WORLD WAR II', ACCORDING TO A WRITTEN STATEMENT FROM THE MUSEUM. 'BASED ON IT'S FINDINGS, THE GETTY CONCLUDED THAT THE PAINTING SHOULD BE TRANSFERRED TO THE HEIRS.' AT LEAST FOUR OTHER MUSEUMS IN THE UNITED STATES AND CANADA HAVE WORKS FROM THE COLLECTION, AND FAMILY ATTORNEY LAWRENCE KAYE SAID HE HOPES THEY WILL FOLLOW GETTY'S LEAD. ABOUT 1,000 OF GOUDSTIKKER'S 1,400 PAINTINGS REMAIN UNACCOUNTED FOR, HE SAID. 'IT IS ALWAYS ENCOURAGING TO SEE AN IMPORTANT CULTURAL INSTITUTION LIKE THE GETTY MUSEUM DECIDE TO DO THE RIGHT THING FOR HOLOCAUST VICTIMS AND THEIR HEIRS', VON SAHER, OF GREENWICH, CONN, SAID IN A STATEMENT TO THE LOS ANGELES TIMES.

SOTHEBY'S TO SELL GAUGUIN CARVED SCULPTURE 'JEUNE TAHITIENNE'

2011-03-30T02:14:00.003-04:00

AN INTRICATE WOODEN BUST CARVED BY PAUL GAUGUIN IS EXPECTED TO SELL FOR AS MUCH AS $15 MILLION WHEN IT IS AUCTIONED ON 3.MAY, ACCORDING TO SOTHEBY'S. 'JEUNE TAHITIENNE', WHICH WAS CARVED BY GAUGUIN DURING HIS FIRST TRIP TO TAHITI BETWEEN 1891 AND 1893, DEPICTS A YOUNG, UNIDENTIFIED TAHITIAN WOMAN AND INCLUDES JEWELRY WHICH GAUGUIN MADE HIMSELF USING SEASHELLS AND PIECES OF RED CORAL. A PIECING LEFT ON THE EAR IS BELIEVED BY EXPERTS TO HAVE ONCE HELD A FLOWER, AND TWO FOXES CARVED IN THE BACK OF THE NECK REPRESENT A SORT OF SIGNATURE GAUGUIN OFTEN USED, WITH THE FOXES BEING REPRESENTATIVE OF SEXUALITY. 'IT'S RARE TO SEE A PIECE OF ART OF SUCH GREAT QUALITY AND WITH SUCH A GREAT STORY', SAID SIMON SHAW, SOTHEBY'S HEAD OF IMPRESSIONIST AND MODERN ART. 'IT'S TRULY UNIQUE.' THE 9.5 INCH HIGH CARVING, WHICH HAS NOT BEEN SEEN IN PUBLIC SINCE 1961, WAS GIVEN AS A GIFT TO THEN 10 YEAR OLD JEANNE FOURNIER, THE DAUGHTER OF FRENCH ART CRITIC AND COLLECTOR JEAN DOLENT. 'HIS SCULPTURES WEREN'T VERY WELL RECEIVED BY THE FRENCH AVANT-GARDE ART WORLD AT THE TIME, EVEN THOUGH HE CONSIDERED THEM HIS GREATEST ACHIEVEMENTS', SHAW SAID. 'FOURNIER PROBABLY RESPONDED IN A MUCH MORE POSITIVE AND VISCERAL WAY.' FOURNIER LATER GAVE THE SCULPTURE TO FATHER CELAS RZEWUSKI, A DOMINICAN PRIEST, WHO IN TURN HANDED IT OVER TO SOTHEBY'S, WHO SOLD IT TO ITS CURRENT OWNER. THE SCULPTURE IS THE ONLY FULLY-WORKED BUST GAUGUIN IS KNOWN TO HAVE MADE. HE IS BETTER KNOWN FOR HIS POST-IMPRESSIONIST PAINTINGS, MANY OF WHICH DEPICT SCENES FROM THE YEARS HE SPENT LIVING IN THE ISLANDS OF FRENCH POLYNESIA. AFTER AN INITIAL VOYAGE FROM 1891 TO 1893, GAUGUIN EVENTUALLY MOVED THERE PERMANENTLY AND IT IS WHERE HE LATER DIED. SHAW SAID THAT GAUGUIN'S FASCINATION WITH FRENCH POLYNESIA STEMMED FROM HIS DESIRE TO ESCAPE MODERN LIFE AND HIS FORMER CAREER AS A STOCKBROKER IN FRANCE, SOMETHING THAT RESONATES WITH MANY OF HIS MODERN-DAY ENTHUSIASTS. 'AFTER HE LEFT THE BANKING INDUSTRY, HE BECAME A REAL ESCAPIST', SHAW SAID. 'HE WANTED TO GET AWAY FROM CROWDS AND MODERNITY. HE WENT LOOKING FOR ANOTHER WORLD BEYOND THE MODERN WORLD', HE ADDED. 'SOMETHING ABOUT THIS DESIRE FOR ESCAPE AND FINDING AN ALTERNATIVE REALITY REALLY HAS GREAT RESONANCE FOR TODAY.'

ELIZABETH TAYLOR'S LOVE LETTERS TO BE AUCTIONED

2011-03-29T02:38:00.002-04:00

BEFORE BECOMING A BRIDE EIGHT TIMES OVER, ELIZABETH TAYLOR WAS A 17 YEAR OLD STARLET SCRIBBLING LETTERS TO HER FIRST FIANCE, CHARTING ON PALE PINK STATIONARY HIS PROGRESSION FROM HER ONE AND ONLY TO THE ONE THAT GOT AWAY. 'I'VE NEVER KNOWN THIS KIND OF LOVE BEFORE - IT'S SO PERFECT AND COMPLETE - AND MATURE', TAYLOR WROTE TO WILLIAM PAWLEY ON 6.MAY.1949. 'I'VE NEVER LOVED ANYONE IN MY LIFE BEFORE ONE THIRD AS MUCH AS I LOVE YOU - AND I NEVER WILL (WELL, AS FAR AS THAT GORES - I'LL NEVER LOVE ANYONE ELSE - PERIOD!) TAYLOR, WHO DIED LAST WEEK AT AGE 79, WAS ENGAGED TO PAWLEY IN 1949, JUST BEFORE HER FIRST MARRIAGE. MORE THAN 60 OF THE LETTERS SHE WROTE HIM BETWEEN MARCH AND OCTOBER OF THAT YEAR WILL BE AUCTIONED IN MAY BY RR AUCTIONS OF AMHERST, N.H. IT BOUGHT THE LETTERS TWO YEARS AGO FROM PAWLEY, WHO LIVES IN FLORIDA. THE UNPUBLISHED LETTERS - SOME WRITTEN IN PURPLE FOUNTAIN INK ON PINK PAPER - PROVIDE A GLIMPSE OF A TEENAGER'S TRANSITION TO ADULT STAR. SHE FRETS ABOUT HER WEIGHT ('AS I'M SITTING HERE - WRITING TO YOU, I'M JUST STUFFING MYSELF ON A BOX OF CANDY - HONESTLY I'VE GOT TO STOP EATING SO MUCH') AND PASSING HER HIGH SCHOOL EXAMS. AND SHE CONTRASTS TWO MOVIES SHE WAS DOING AT THE TIME, 'A PLACE IN THE SUN' AND 'THE BIG HANGOVER', PRAISING THE DIRECTOR OF THE FORMER AND COMPLAINING ABOUT HER ROLE IN THE LATTER. BUT MOSTLY, SHE GUSHES ABOUT PAWLEY, THE 22 YEAR OLD SON OF A FORMER AMBASSADOR TO BRAZIL, REASSURING HIM OVER AND OVER THAT HER LOVE IS TRUE. 'MY HEART ACHES & MAKES ME WANT TO CRY WHEN I THINK OF YOU, AND HOW MUCH I WANT TO BE WITH YOU AND TO LOOK INTO YOUR BEAUTIFUL BLUE EYES, AND KISS YOUR SWEET LIPS AND HAVE YOUR STRONG ARMS HOLD ME, OH SO TIGHT, & CLOSE TO YOU ... I WANT US TO BE 'LOVERS' ALWAYS ... EVEN AFTER WE'VE BEEN MARRIED SEVENTY FIVE YEARS AND HAVE AT LEAST A DOZEN GREAT-GREAT-GRANDCHILDREN', SHE WROTE ON 28.MARCH. AT THE TIME, TAYLOR WAS PUBLICLY DATING FOOTBALL PLAYER GLENN DAVIS, BUT IN SEVERAL OF THE LETTERS, SHE COMPLAINS ABOUT THE RUSE PROMOTED BY HER MOTHER AND THE STUDIO TO MAINTAIN HER GIRL NEXT DOOR IMAGE. IN A 10 PAGE LETTER DATED 1.APRIL, SHE DESCRIBES HER REACTION TO DAVIS ACCIDENTALLY BREAKING A PAIR OF EARRINGS PAWLEY HAD GIVEN HER. 'I HAVE NEVER HAD SUCH A STRONG DESIRE TO HIT ANYONE WITH ALL MY MIGHT IN ALL MY LIFE', SHE WROTE. 'I GAVE HIM BACK HIS 'A' PIN, THE FOOTBALL AND HIS ALL-AMERICAN SWEATER ... I DON'T CARE WHAT THEY SAY ANYMORE ... FROM NOW ON I', GOING TO LIVE MY LIFE THE WAY I WANT TO.' IN MAY, SHE TOLD PAWLEY SHE WAS READY TO SAY GOODBYE TO HER CAREER AND EVERYTHING CONNECTED WITH IT, 'FOR I WON'T BE GIVING ANYTHING UP - BUT I WILL BE GAINING THE GREATEST GIFT THAT GOD BESTOWS ON MAN - LOVE, MARRIAGE, A FAMILY - AND YOU MY DARLING.' BY SEPTEMBER, HOWEVER, TAYLOR WAS WRITING ABOUT RETURNING HER ENGAGEMENT RING AT PAWLEY'S REQUEST. 'I KNOW WITH ALL MY HEART AND SOUL THAT THIS IS NOT THE END FOR US - IT COULDN'T BE - WE LOVE EACH OTHER TOO MUCH', SHE WROTE. LESS THAN EIGHT MONTHS LATER, SHE MARRIED HOTEL HEIR CONRAD 'NICKY' HILTON. THE ONLINE AUCTION, SET FOR 19-26.MAY, WILL ALSO FEATURE LETTERS TAYLOR'S MOTHER WROTE TO PAWLEY AFTER THE ENGAGEMENT ENDED, INCLUDING ONE IN WHICH SHE WROTE, 'YOU HAVE A NERVOUS CONDITION AND A PROBLEM WITH JEALOUSY, AS SUCH YOU AND ELIZABETH CAN NEVER BE TOGETHER.' BOBBY LIVINGSTON, SPOKESMAN FOR THE AUCTION HOUSE, SAID THE LETTERS WERE ESTIMATED AT $25,000 TO $35,000 BEFORE TAYLOR'S DEATH, AND HE EXPECTS THEY COULD FETCH TWO OR THREE TIMES THAT AMOUNT.

MUSEUM OF LONDON PRESENTS VISION OF THE POOR

2011-03-28T02:03:00.003-04:00

A DISPLAY OF SIGNIFICANT PAINTINGS, PRINTS AND DRAWINGS ARE ON DISPLAY AT THE MUSEUM OF LONDON FROM 23.MARCH. THE IMAGES BY ARTISTS INCLUDING GUSTAVE DORE, THEODORE GERICAULT, THOMAS ROWLANDSON AND PAUL SANDBY, CONSIDER HOW THE URBAN POOR WERE DEPICTED FROM THE 17th TO THE 19th CENTURY. THE PRINTS AND DRAWINGS ILLUSTRATE STREET VENDORS AND LONDON'S URBAN POOR, INCLUDING TRAVELING CARPENTERS AND CANE-WEAVERS, PROSTITUTES AND CRIMINALS. SOME OF THE IMAGES PRESENT AND IDEALIZED VISION OF THE POOR; OTHERS ARE AMONGST THE FIRST WORKS OF ART TO ATTEMPT A MORE REALISTIC VIEW OF LONDON'S POOREST INHABITANTS. THE COLLECTION POSES INTERESTING QUESTIONS ABOUT HOW SOCIETY IN THE PERIODS WAS ORGANIZED, THE MOTIVES OF THOSE MAKING, SELLING AND BUYING PRINTS, AND THE STATUS AND IDENTITY OF THE PEOPLE PORTRAYED. THE STREET CRIES EXHIBITION EXPLORES THESE ISSUES AND SHOWCASES SOME OF THE MUSEUM'S MOST IMPORTANT 18th AND 19th CENTURY PRINTS AND DRAWINGS. EXHIBITION CURATOR, FRANCIS MARSHALL, SAID: 'THE MUSEUM OF LONDON'S EXTENSIVE ART COLLECTION CONTAINS MANY ITEMS WHICH ARE RARELY DISPLAYED FOR CONSERVATION REASONS. THIS SHOW OFFERS THE CHANCE TO SEE SOME OF OUR GEMS: DELICATE WATERCOLOURS AND PRINTS DEPICTING GRITTY LONDON SUBJECT MATTER.'

CHRISTIE'S TO SELL MONET'S 'LES PEUPLIERS'

2011-03-26T03:42:00.003-04:00

A PRISTINE MONET MASTERPIECE FROM THE ARTIST'S CELEBRATED 'POPLARS' SERIES WILL BE FEATURED AT CHRISTIE'S IN MAY, WHEN IT IS EXPECTED TO SELL FOR AS MUCH AS $30 MILLION, THE AUCTION HOUSE SAID RECENTLY. 'LES PEUPLIERS', THE LARGEST FROM MONET'S FAMED PAINTINGS DEPICTING POPLAR TREES EXECUTED DURING HIS YEARS IN GIVERNY, IS BEING SOLD BY AN ASIAN COLLECTOR WHO PURCHASED IT AT AUCTION IN 2000 FOR JUST OVER $7 MILLION. AFTER A PRECIPITOUS DECLINE FOLLOWING THE FINANCIAL CRISIS THAT HIT IN LATE 2008, THE ART MARKET CAME ROARING BACK LAST YEAR WITH WORKS BREAKING THE $100 MILLION MARK, ARTISTS' RECORDS BEING BROKEN AND AUCTION HOUSES RAKING IN CASH ONCE AGAIN. 'THE APPEARANCE OF THIS MASTERPIECE QUALITY WORKS MARKS THE FIRST TIME IN OVER A DECADE THAT A MAJOR 1890s SERIES PAINTING HAS COME TO AUCTION', SAID CONOR JORDON, CHRISTIE'S HEAD OF IMPRESSIONIST AND MODERN ART. 'WE ANTICIPATE GREAT ENTHUSIASM FROM MANY COLLECTORS, DEALERS AND MUSEUM DIRECTORS WHO HAVE BEEN EAGER FOR A QUINTESSENTIAL MONET SCENE SUCH AS THIS', JORDON ADDED. PRICES FOR TOP QUALITY WORKS BY MONET HAVE SOARED IN RECENT SEASONS, CHRISTIE'S NOTED. THE AUCTION RECORD FOR A MONET IS $80.4 MILLION SET IN MAY 2008 BY 'LE BASSIN AUX NYMPHEAS' FROM THE ARTIST'S RENOWNED WATERLILIES SERIES, WHICH WAS ABOUT TWICE THE PRE-SALE ESTIMATE. THE MAJORITY OF THE 24 WORKS FROM THE POPLARS SERIES HANG IN MAJOR ART MUSEUMS INCLUDING LONDON'S TATE GALLERY, THE PHILADELPHIA MUSEUM OF ART AND BOSTON'S MUSEUM OF FINE ARTS. 'LES PEUPLIERS' WILL BE SOLD IN NEW YORK ON 4.MAY AFTER TOURING IN MOSCOW AND LONDON IN APRIL. MONET PAINTED 'LES PEUPLIERS' DURING THE SUMMER OF 1891 AFTER STRIKING A DEAL WITH A WOOD CUTTER NOT TO CUT DOWN A STAND OF POPLAR TREES ON THE RIVER NEAR HIS HOME UNTIL HE COULD FINISH PAINTING THEM.

PERRIER-JOUET BI-CENTENAIRE

2011-03-26T02:56:00.002-04:00

21.MARCH, THE FIRST DAY OF SPRING, SAW CHAMPAGNE HOUSE PERRIER-JOUET CELEBRATE ITS BICENTENARY IN PARIS WITH THE UNVEILING OF BI-CENTENAIRE, THE VERY FIRST LIVING LEGACY CHAMPAGNE DESIGNED TO BE PASSED ON TO FUTURE GENERATIONS. JUST 200 SELECTED GUESTS FROM 10 COUNTRIES ATTENDED THE PRIVATE LAUNCH, SET IN THE STUNNING GLASS COURTYARD OF THE ICONIC ECOLE DES BEAUX ARTS IN PARIS. GUESTS WERE ALSO TREATED TO THE UNVEILING OF A NEW UNIQUE CREATION COMMISSIONED FROM AMERICAN ARTIST DANIEL ARSHAM, DESIGNED TO EMBODY THE SPIRIT OF BI-CENTENAIRE. CHAIRMAN & CEO OF MARTELL MUMM PERRIER-JOUET LIONEL BRETON SAID: 'WE ARE VERY PROUD TO CELEBRATE TONIGHT THE BICENTENARY OF PERIERR-JOUET WITH THIS UNIQUE CHAMPAGNE EXPERIENCE AS A REAL TRIBUTE TO THE HOUSE'S REMARKABLE CRAFTSMANSHIP AND PASSION FOR PASSING ON A SENSE OF FRENCH ART DE VIVRE TO FUTURE GENERATIONS.' PERRIER-JOUET BI-CENTENAIRE IS AVAILABLE IN VERY LIMITED QUANTITIES (ONLY 100 PIECES WILL BE AVAILABLE) AT THE CHAMPAGNE HOUSE'S BOUTIQUE IN EPERNAY AND BY APPOINTMENT ONLY INCLUDING A PRIVILEGED HOSPITALITY EXPERIENCE, WITH AN ESTIMATED PRICES OF 10,000 EUROS.

CHOPIN MUSEUM TO PRESENT A COLLECTION OF FREDERIC CHOPIN'S LETTERS

2011-03-25T02:43:00.002-04:00

A COLLECTION OF FREDERIC CHOPIN'S LETTERS TELLING OF THE POLISH COMPOSER'S DAILY LIFE, FROM GIVING LESSONS TO THE HOT CHOCOLATE HE DRANK, HAVE GONE ON DISPLAY IN WARSAW'S CHOPIN MUSEUM MORE THAN SIX DECADES AFTER THEY WENT MISSING. THE SIX LETTERS WRITTEN BY CHOPIN TO HIS PARENTS AND SISTERS BACK HOME IN WARSAW IN 1845-1848 ARE THE CENTERPIECE OF THE EXHIBIT THAT OPENED THURSDAY. IT WILL RUN FOR ONE MONTH AFTER WHICH THEY WILL BE MADE AVAILABLE TO RESEARCHERS. THE COLLECTION ALSO INCLUDES LETTERS FROM THE PIANO COMPOSER'S SCOTTISH PUPIL JANE STIRLING TO CHOPIN'S SISTER, AS WELL AS OTHER ITEMS, SUCH AS A TICKET FOR A REHEARSAL CONCERT ON 26.JULY.1840. ALTHOUGH THE CONTENTS OF THE LETTERS WERE KNOWN TO RESEARCHERS, THE ORIGINALS WERE BELIEVED TO HAVE BEEN LOST OR DESTROYED DURING WORLD WAR II. 'THIS IS A GREAT DAY FOR US. THIS IS AN INVALUABLE COLLECTION THAT WE HAVE ACQUIRED', MUSEUM CURATOR ALICJA KNAST TOLD A NEWS CONFERENCE. HE SAID THAT UNTIL 1939 THE COLLECTION WAS IN THE HANDS OF LAURA CIECHOMSKA, A GRANDNIECE OF CHOPIN'S. WORD EMERGED IN 2003 THAT THE LETTERS EXISTED AND THAT A POLISH EMIGRE ART DEALER LIVING IN MEXICO, MAREK KELLER, WAS TO BUY THEM. HE THEN DONATED THEM TO THE MUSEUM. MUSEUM AUTHORITIES REFUSED TO DISCLOSE THE NAME OF THE COLLECTOR WHO HAD THEM OR THE FATE OF THE ITEMS SINCE 1939, HONORING THE COLLECTOR'S REQUEST TO REMAIN ANONYMOUS. KNAST SAID ALL THE ITEMS WERE CONFIRMED AS AUTHENTIC BEFORE THEY WERE BOUGHT FOR AN UNDISCLOSED SUM OF MONEY. CHOPIN WAS BORN IN POLAND IN 1810 TO A FRENCH FATHER AND A POLISH MOTHER, AND SPENT THE FIRST HALF OF HIS LIFE IN POLAND. DURING THE SECOND HALF HE LIVED IN FRANCE, WHERE HE WON FAME WITH HIS COMPOSITIONS, MOSTLY FOR THE PIANO, AND HIS POPULAR CONCERTS. HE DIED IN PARIS IN 1849.

SOTHEBY'S TO SELL EMERALD AND DIAMOND TIARA

2011-03-25T02:28:00.002-04:00

DAVID BENNETT, SOTHEBY'S CHAIRMAN OF JEWELRY FOR EUROPE AND THE MIDDLE EAST, TODAY ANNOUNCED THAT SOTHEBY'S WILL SELL THE MOST VALUABLE EMERALD AND DIAMOND TIARA TO HAVE APPEARED AT AUCTION IN OVER 30 YEARS IN ITS SALE OF MAGNIFICENT AND NOBLE JEWELS IN GENEVA ON 17.MAY. ESTIMATED TO SELL FOR A RECORD £3.1-6.2 MILLION, THE HIGHLY IMPORTANT AND EXTREMELY RARE EMERALD AND DIAMOND TIARA IS COMPOSED OF 11 EXCEPTIONALLY RARE COLOMBIAN EMERALD PEAR-SHAPED DROPS WHICH WEIGH OVER 500 CARATS IN TOTAL, WHICH MAY WELL HAVE ORIGINALLY ADORNED THE NECK OF A MAHARAJAH. THE EMERALDS ARE ALSO BELIEVED TO HAVE BEEN IN THE PERSONAL COLLECTION OF EMPRESS EUGENIE. THE SUPERB TIARA WAS COMMISSIONED, POSSIBLY FROM THE RENOWNED JEWELERS CHAUMET, BY GUIDO COUNT VON HENCKEL, FIRST PRINCE VON DONNERSMARCK FOR HIS SECOND WIFE PRINCESS KATHARINA. THE JEWELRY COLLECTION OF THE DONNERSCARCKS WAS KNOWN TO BE ON PAR WITH, OR EVEN TO HAVE EXCEEDED, THOSE OF MANY OF THE CROWNED HEADS OF EUROPE.

ICONIC ACTRESS ELIZABETH TAYLOR DIES AT 79

2011-03-24T01:22:00.002-04:00

THE ICONIC FILM STAR ELIZABETH TAYLOR, WHO DIED OF HEART FAILURE AGED 79, WAS IN THE PUBLIC EYE FROM THE AGE OF 11 AND REMAINED THERE EVEN DECADES AFTER HER LAST HIT MOVIE. SHE MANAGED TO KEEP PEOPLE FASCINATED, BY HER INCANDESCENT BEAUTY, HER COURAGE, HE OPEN-NATURES CHARACTER, HER SELF-DEPRECATING HUMOR, HER EIGHT MARRIAGES (TWO OF THEM WITH RICHARD BURTON), HER STUNNING COLLECTION OF DIAMONDS AND HER HUMANITARIAN CAUSES, ALL OF WHICH OFTEN OBSCURED THE REASON WHY SHE WAS FAMOUS IN THE FIRST PLACE - SHE HAD A TANTALIZING SCREEN PRESENCE, IN FILMS INCLUDING 'A PLACE IN THE SUN', 'GIANT', 'CAT ON A HOT TIN ROOF', 'BUTTERFIELD 8', CLEOPATRA' AND 'WHO'S AFRAID OF VIRGINIA WOLFE?'. TAYLOR WAS BORN IN HAMPSTEAD, NORTH LONDON, OF AMERICAN PARENTS. HER MOTHER, SARA, WAS A FORMER STAGE ACTOR AND HER FATHER, FRANCIS, AN ART DEALER. AS SOON AS SHE COULD WALK SHE WAS GIVEN BALLET LESSONS, AND AT THE AGE OF THREE SHE DANCED WITH HER CLASS IN FRONT OF THE ROYAL FAMILY. IN 1939, A FEW MONTHS BEFORE THE OUTBREAK OF WAR, THE FAMILY MOVED TO HOLLYWOOD, WHERE HER FATHER OPENED AN ART GALLERY MUCH PATRONIZED BY THE FILM COLONY. THE BEAUTY OF THE OWNER'S DARK-HAIRED, VIOLET-EYED YOUNG DAUGHTER WON ALMOST AS MUCH PRAISE AS THE PAINTINGS ON THE WALLS, AND SHE WAS SOON MAKING HER SCREEN DEBUT, AT THE AGE OF 10, IN 'THERE'S ONE BORN EVERY MINUTE', AT UNIVERSAL. BUT IT WAS MGM WHO LAUNCHED HER CAREER PROPER WITH 'LASSIE COME HOME', AND FOR WHOM MOST OF HER FILMS WERE MADE. WHEN SARA TAYLOR HEARD THAT THE STUDIO WAS LOOKING FOR A YOUNG GIRL TO PLAY VELVET BROWN, WHO WINS THE GRAND NATIONAL DISGUISED AS A BOY IN 'NATIONAL VELVET', SHE BROUGHT HER DAUGHTER TO SEE THE PRODUCER PANDRO S BERMAN. HE THOUGHT HER TOO THIN AND FRAGILE FOR THE PART, ALTHOUGH SHE COULD RIDE WELL. BUT THREE MONTHS LATER, AFTER RIGID TRAINING FROM HER MOTHER, SHE WAS ABLE TO CHANGE BERMAN'S MIND. HER PERFORMANCE, IN WHICH SHE RADIATES YOUTH, IS ENJOYED PERENNIALLY. TAYLOR'S FIRST MARRIAGE WAS TO NICKY HILTON, THE 23 YEAR OLD PLAYBOY SON OF THE HOTEL MAGNATE CONRAD HILTON, IN 1950. IT SEEMED A FAIRYTALE ROMANCE, AS BOTH WERE YOUNG, ATTRACTIVE, RICH AND PAMPERED. MGM TOOK ADVANTAGE OF HOLLYWOOD'S BIGGEST WEDDING OF THE YEAR BY RELEASING VINCENTE MINNELLI'S DELIGHTFUL COMEDY 'FATHER OF THE BRIDE', IN WHICH TAYLOR PLAYED THE BRIDE AND SPENCER TRACEY WAS THE FATHER, AT AROUND THE SAME TIME. AFTER HER SEPARATION FROM HILTON SHE MET THE SOPHISTICATED BRITISH ACTOR MICHAEL WILDING, 20 YEARS HER SENIOR. SHE WAS PLAYING REBECCA IN 'IVANHOE' IN ENGLAND WHEN SHE PROPOSED TO HIM. THEY WERE MARRIED IN 1952, AT A LONDON REGISTRY OFFICE. HER SONS, MICHAEL AND CHRISTOPHER, WERE BOTH BORN BY CAESAREAN SECTION, IN 1953 AND 1955 RESPECTIVELY. BY 1956 THE MARRIAGE BEGAN TO TOTTER. IRONICALLY, THE MAN SHE WAS TO MARRY NEXT WAS FIVE YEARS OLDER THAN WILDING. BUT THE FLAMBOYANT IMPRESARIO MIKE TODD, THE BEGETTER OF 'AROUND THE WORLD IN 80 DAYS', WAS NOTED FOR HIS YOUTHFUL SPIRIT AND HIS ABUNDANT ENERGY. AT THEIR WEDDING IN ACAPULCO IN 1957, MIKE'S LIFELONG FRIEND, THE SINGER EDDIE FISHER, WAS BEST MAN, AND EDDIE'S WIFE, DEBBIE REYNOLDS, WAS MATRON OF HONOR. IN THE SAME YEAR, A DAUGHTER, LIZA, WAS BORN AND BOTH MOTHER AND CHILD NEARLY DIED. TAYLOR WAS ADVISED NEVER TO HAVE ANOTHER BABY. A MERE SEVEN MONTHS LATER, TODD'S PRIVATE PLANE, LUCKY LIZ, IN WHICH HE WAS FLYING TO NEW YORK, CRASHED IN A STORM NEAR ALBUQUERQUE LEAVING NO SURVIVORS. TAYLOR HAD WANTED TO ACCOMPANY HER HUSBAND ON THE FLIGHT BUT SHE WAS PERSUADED TO STAY AT HOME BECAUSE OF THE FLU. GRADUALLY, TAYLOR CAME OUT OF SECLUSION AFTER THE DEATH AND COMPLETED 'CAT ON A HOT TIN ROOF'. DESPITE, OR BECAUSE OF, HER STATE OF MIND, SHE GAVE ONE OF HER MOST FINELY WROUGHT PERFORMANCES AS THE SEXUALLY FRUSTRATED MAGGIE. HER VOICE, NEVER HER STRONG POINT, SEEMED TO HAVE GAINED IN POWER, AND SHE MATCHED PAUL NEWMAN AND BURL IVES BLOW FOR BLOW. THE FILM'S BOX-OFFICE POTENTIAL WAS INCREASED FURTHER BY GOSSIP SURROUNDING TAYLOR AND FISHER. TAYLOR, WHO HAD BEEN CAST AS THE GRIEVING WIDOW, NOW FOUND HERSELF IN THE ROLE OF THE VAMP WHO WRECKED THE FISHERS' APPARENTLY IDYLLIC MARRIAGE. THE OUTRAGED MORALISTIC PUBLIC WAS UNAWARE THAT THE FISHER-REYNOLDS MARRIAGE WAS ALREADY IN TATTERS. IN 1959, TAYLOR WHO HAD CONVERTED TO JUDAISM WHEN SHE MARRIED TODD, MARRIED FISHER AT A SYNAGOGUE IN LAS VEGAS. TAYLOR WAS IN LONDON WHERE SHE WAS COMPLETING 'SUDDENLY, LAST SUMMER', WHEN THE PRODUCER WALTER WANGER OFFERED HER THE TITLE ROLE IN 'CLEOPATRA'. THE STAR HALF-JOKINGLY TOLD HIM THAT SHE WOULD DO IT FOR $1 MILLION AGAINST 10% OF THE GROSS. TO EVERYONE'S ASTONISHMENT, 20tH CENTURY FOX AGREED TO HER TERMS, MAKING HER THE HIGHEST PAID PERFORMER FOR A SINGLE FILM IN THE HISTORY OF HOLLYWOOD TO THAT DATE. AS SHE SAID, 'IF SOMEONE'S DUMB ENOUGH TO OFFER ME A MILLION DOLLARS TO MAKE A PICTURE, I'M CERTAINLY NOT DUMB ENOUGH TO TURN IT DOWN.' WHEN FILMING ON 'CLEOPATRA' STARTED TAYLOR WAS FIRST STRICKEN WITH A COLD, THEN A FEVER, THEN AN INFECTED TOOTH. IN MARCH 1961, SHE WAS RUSHED TO A LONDON CLINIC WITH LUNG CONGESTION. SHE WAS GIVEN A TRACHEOTOMY THAT HELPED HER BREATHING, BUT FOR DAYS SHE WAS ON THE DANGER LIST. AFTER SOME TIME IN A COMA, SHE BEGAN TO RALLY. HER PHYSICIANS ANNOUNCED, 'SHE HAS MADE A VERY RARE RECOVERY. MISS TAYLOR IS A WOMAN OF GREAT COURAGE. SHE PUT UP A WONDERFUL FIGHT.' IN THE SPRING, TAYLOR WON HER FIRST OSCAR, AFTER THREE CONSECUTIVE NOMINATINS FOR BEST ACTRESS IN A LEADING ROLE (IN 'RAINTREE COUNTY', 'CAT ON A HOT TIN ROOF' AND 'SUDDENLY, LAST SUMMER') FOR THE HIGH CLASS HOOKER IN THE 1960 FILM 'BUTTERFIELD 8', AN ADAPTION OF JOHN O'HARA'S NOVEL. AS FOR CLEOPATRA, THE WHOLE PROJECT WAS SHIPPED TO ROME, WHERE TAYLOR ARRIVED WITH A LARGE ENTOURAGE CONSISTING OF ONE HUSBAND, THREE CHILDREN, FIVE DOGS, TWO CATS, VARIOUS SECRETARIES AND DOZENS OF SERVANTS, AND SETTLED AT THE VILLA PAPPA, A 14 ROOMED MANSION OFF THE VIA APPIA. 'THERE COMES A TIME DURING THE MAKING OF A MOVIE WHEN THE ACTORS BECOME THE CHARACTERS THEY PLAY', WAGNER NOTED IN HIS DIARY. 'THE CAMERAS TURNED ON AND THE CURRENT WAS LITERALLY TURNED ON. IT WAS QUIET AND YOU COULD ALMOST FEEL THE ELECTRICITY BETWEEN ELIZABETH TAYLOR AND BURTON.' AFTER THE FIRST 'ELECTRIC SCENE' THEY PERFORMED TOGETHER, BURTON, WHO WAS MARRIED, FREQUENTED THE VILLA IN THE EVENINGS. 'I'M AFRAID AT FIRST IT WAS LUST, AND THEN I GOT TO KNOW HER AND IT WAS LOVE', BURTON RECALLED. THROUGHOUT THE SHOOTING, TO AVOID THE CONSTANT PRYING OF THE PAPARAZZI, THE CELEBRATED COUPLE WOULD ESCAPE TO A CHEAP ONE ROOM APARTMENT ON THE BEACH. FINALLY, WARY OF SUBTERFUGE, THEY DECIDED TO BE SEEN PUBLICLY IN THE VIA VENETO. THE VATICAN TALKED OF 'THIS INSULT TO THE NOBILITY OF THE HEARTH', AND ED SULLIVAN ON HIS TV SHOW SAID, 'YOU CAN ONLY TRUST THAT YOUNGSTERS WILL NOT BE PERSUADED THAT THE SANCTITY OF MARRIAGE HAS BEEN INVALIDATED BY THE APPALLING EXAMPLE OF MRS TAYLOR-FISHER AND MARRIED MAN BURTON.' AFTER CLEOPATRA, BURTON AND TAYLOR ANNOUNCED THAT THEY WOULD MAKE ANOTHER FILM TOGETHER, ORIGINALLY TO BE CALLED 'INTERNATIONAL AFFAIR'. THE TITLE WAS CHANGED TO 'THE VIPs'. DURING THE FILMING IN LONDON, CLEOPATRA OPENED TO MIXED REVIEWS. AUDIENCES WERE DISAPPOINTED THAT THE LOVE SCENES BETWEEN TAYLOR AND BURTON THAT HAD BEEN THE TALK OF MODERN ROME WERE NOT REPEATED WITH SO MUCH PASSION IN THOSE OF ANCIENT ROME. BUT PUBLIC INTEREST IN THE COUPLE'S PRIVATE LIVES STILL MADE THE FILM A TOP EARNER OF 1963. THE AFFAIR CONTINUED IN THE PUBLIC EYE, WHILE BOTH FISHER AND SYBIL BURTON HELD OUT FOR THE BEST POSSIBLE DIVORCE DEALS. FINALLY, SYBIL BURTON CAVE IN, CLAIMING CRUELTY AND THAT HER HUSBAND WAS 'IN THE CONSTANT COMPANY OF ANOTHER WOMAN', WHICH NEWSWEEK CALLED 'THE THROWAWAY LINE OF THE DECADE'. BURTON AND TAYLOR WERE MARRIED IN MARCH 1964 BY A UNITARIAN MINISTER AT THE RITZ-CARLTON IN MONTREAL. SHE WORE A PALE YELLOW IRENE SHARAFF GOWN, AND A $150,000 EMERALD AND DIAMOND BROOCH THAT BURTON HAD BOUGHT HER AT BULGARI IN ROME. THE SCANDAL OVER, PUBLIC INTEREST IN THEM ONLY SEEMED TO INCREASE. THE WORLD'S MOST FAMOUS COUPLE HAD BECOME CELEBRITIES RATHER THAN ACTORS. 'I WANT TO BE KNOWN AS AN ACTRESS', TAYLOR TOLD THE NEW YORK TIMES IN 1964. AFTER A SERIES OF LESS THAN CONVINCING FILMS TOGETHER, IT WAS FORTUNATE THAT THEIR CREDIBILITY AS PERFORMERS WAS SOON BRILLIANTLY RESTORED BY 'WHO'S AFRAID OF VIRGINIA WOLFE?' FOR WHICH TAYLOR WON HER SECOND BEST OSCAR, PLAYING THE BITTER, 52 YEAR OLD, VULGAR WIFE OF A SELF LOATHING PROFESSOR. AS THE TAYLOR-BURTON CIRCUS MOVED FROM COUNTRY TO COUNTRY, THEIR WAY OF LIFE, WHICH THE NEW YORK TIMES LIKENED TO THE COURT OF LOUIS XIV, BECAME EVER MORE LAVISH. TAYLOR'S ELDEST SON, MICHAEL, WOULD BECOME A HIPPIE AND LIVE IN A COMMUNE IN WALES 'IN ORDER TO GET AWAY FROM ALL THOSE DIAMONDS', ACCORDING TO THE DAILY MIRROR. 'THOSE DIAMONDS' INCLUDED THE 33.19 CARAT KRUPP DIAMOND THAT BURTON BOUGHT TAYLOR FOR MORE THAN $300,000 IN 1968; A $1.5 MILLION CARTIER DIAMOND SET IN A NECKLACE OF SMALLER DIAMONDS, AND THE MUCH PUBLICIZED HEART SHAPED DIAMOND PENDENT BURTON GAVE HER FOR HER 40th BIRTHDAY. THE MARRIAGE EVENTUALLY BROKE DOWN AND, IN JUNE 1974, TAYLOR DIVORCED BURTON IN SWITZERLAND. 'THERE WERE TOO MANY DIFFERENCES. I HAVE TRIED EVERYTHING', SHE TOLD THE COURT. YET THEY WERE RECONCILED IN AUGUST 1975, ATTRACTING AS MUCH ATTENTION AS EVER. ON A VISIT TO SOUTH AFRICA IN THE AUTUMN, AN X-RAY OF TAYLOR'S CHEST SHOWED TWO SPOTS ON HER LUNGS. TERRIFIED, BURTON AND TAYLOR CLUNG TO EACH OTHER ALL NIGHT. IN THE MORNING, SHE WAS TOLD SHE DID NOT HAVE CANCER. IN HIS JOY, BURTON PROPOSED REMARRIAGE. THE CEREMONY TOOK PLACE ON THE BANKS OF A RIVER IN BOTSWANA. A FEW MONTHS LATER, THEY WERE AGAIN FILLING FOR DIVORCE. TAYLOR SOON MET JOHN WARNER, THE FORMER SECRETARY OF THE NAVY TO PRESIDENT GERALD FORD, AND THEY MARRIED IN 1976. SHE BECAME A POLITICAL WIFE, CAMPAIGNING HARD TO GET HER HUSBAND ELECTED TO THE SENATE. 'IT WAS SO BORING. THAT'S WHY I PUT ON SO MUCH WEIGHT', SHE CONFESSED. SHE THEREFORE DECIDED TO RETURN TO ACTING, ON BROADWAY, AS THE VIXEN REGINA GIDDENS IN LILLIAN HELLMAN'S DRAMA 'THE LITTLE FOXES', WHICH SHE ALSO PLAYED AT THE VICTORIA PALACE THEATRE, LONDON IN 1982 TO MIXED REVIEWS. BUT, WITH HER CAREER IN FULL SWING AGAIN - AND SOLO - SHE WAS NOT CONTENT TO BE KEPT DOWN ON THE FARM IN VIRGINIA. SHE AND WARNER DIVORCED IN 1982. THE LONG-RUNNING ROMANCE ENDED WITH BURTON'S DEATH IN AUGUST 1984. TAYLOR STAYED AWAY FROM HIS FUNERAL AS AS NOT TO TURN IT INTO A MEDIA CIRCUS. BUT A FEW DAYS LATER, SHE STOOD STRICKEN AT THE GRAVESIDE OF THE MAN WITH WHOM SHE HAD SHARED THE LIMELIGHT FOR MORE THAN TWO DECADES. AND IN 1991 TAYLOR MARRIED LARRY FORTENSKY, A CONSTRUCTION WORKER 20 YEARS HER JUNIOR WHOM SHE MET WHILE BEING TREATED AT THE BETTY FORD CLINIC. TAYLOR, WHO WAS MADE DAME IN 2000, IS SURVIVED BY HER BROTHER, HOWARD; TWO SONS, MICHAEL AND CHRISTOPHER WILDING; HER DAUGHTER LIZA TODD; HER AND BURTON'S ADOPTED DAUGHTER, MARIA; AND 10 GRANDCHILDREN.

'THE VIRGIN AND CHILD WITH REPENTANT SINNERS' COMFIRMED AS AN ORIGINAL VAN DYCK

2011-03-23T02:36:00.003-04:00

'THE VIRGIN AND CHILD WITH REPENTANT SINNERS' WAS NOT A COPY OF VAN DYCK AND DID NOT DESERVE TO BE IN THE BASEMENT OF THE SAN FERNANDO ROYAL ACADEMY OF FINE ARTS IN MADRID. IT WAS A GENUINE VAN DYCK FROM 1625, THE INSTITUTION TOOK IT OUT OF STORAGE RECENTLY AFTER MANY YEARS. THE WORK WAS INCLUDED IN THE 1964 INVENTORY OF THE ACADEMY AS 'AN OLD COPY OF VAN DYCK'. ONCE THE PAINTING WAS CLEANED AND RESTORED, THE AUTHENTICITY OF THE WORK OF ART HAS BEEN CONFIRMED ACCORDING TO THE PRESS RELEASE. THE DIRECTOR OF THE ACADEMY, ANTONIO BONET CORREA, APPEARED BEFORE THE PRESS TO PRESENT THE WORK WITH THE TEACHER AND RESEARCHER OF HISTORY OF ART AND FORMER CURATOR OF THE MUSEO DEL PRADO, MATIAS DIAZ PADRON. THE ATTRIBUTION TO VAN DYCK IS 'NO LONGER IN DOUBT', SAID THE ROYAL ACADEMY. 'THE VIRGIN AND CHILD WITH REPENTANT SINNERS' DEPICTS THE VIRGIN MARY WITH THE BABY JESUS IN HER ARMS WATCHED BY MARY MAGDALENE, KING DAVID AND THE PRODIGAL SON. THE PICTURE IS AN EXAMPLE OF THE CATHOLIC EMPHASIS PLACED ON THE SACRAMENT OF PENANCE. ACCORDING TO THE ACADEMY OF SAN FERNANDO, 'THE HIGH QUALITY OF HIS STYLE AND TECHNIQUE ALLOWS US TO CLASSIFY THE WORK IN THE ITALIAN PERIOD OF VAN DYCK. THIS COUPLED WITH THE PROXIMITY OF THE DOCUMENTS CITED, LEAVES NO DOUBT ABOUT HIS AUTHORSHIP.' THE PAINTING IS PART OF THE EXHIBITION 'ECHOES OF VAN DYCK', WHICH OPENS IN MURCIA, SPAIN, FROM 1.APRIL TO 8.MAY AND WILL BE IN MADRID FROM 16.MAY TO 26.JUNE.

LESLIE HINDMAN AUCTIONEERS TO PRESENT GARMENTS FROM GLADYS KNIGHT

2011-03-22T03:45:00.003-04:00

DURING A SPECIAL EVENING SESSION OF THE HOUSE'S VINTAGE COUTURE AND ACCESSORIES AUCTION ON 11.APRIL, LESLIE HINDMAN AUCTIONEERS WILL OFFER A COLLECTION OF GARMENTS OWNED BY GLADYS KNIGHT, A SEVEN TIME GRAMMY AWARD WINNER KNOWN TO HER FANS AS 'THE EMPRESS OF SOUL'. KNIGHT, WHO BEGAN HER ILLUSTRIOUS CAREER AS LEAD VOCALIST OF GLADYS KNIGHT & THE PIPS, WORE THE 57 DAZZLING OUTFITS THROUGHOUT HER STORIED CAREER AT PERFORMANCES AND AWARD CEREMONIES. HER COLLECTION DEPICTS THE EVOLUTION OF HER PERSONAL STYLE ACROSS MORE THAN FOUR DECADES. GLADYS KNIGHT WAS BORN IN ATLANTA, GEORGIA ON 24.MAY.1944. HER FIRST TASTE OF STARDOM CAME AT THE AGE OF SEVEN, WHEN SHE WON TED MACK'S ORIGINAL AMATEUR HOUR CONTEST. THE FOLLOWING YEAR, SHE, HER BROTHER MERALD, SISTER BRENDA AND COUSINS WILLIAM AND ELEANOR GUEST FORMED A GROUP CALLED 'THE PIPS', AFTER ANOTHER COUSIN, JAMES 'PIP' WOODS. BY 1960 THE PIPS BEGAN TOURING, EVENTUALLY SIGNING WITH MOTOWN RECORDS AND OPENING FOR DIANA ROSS AND THE SUPREMES. GLADYS KNIGHT & THE PIPS COUNT AMONG THEIR HIT SINGLES 'I HEARD IT THROUGH THE GRAPE VINE', 'FRIENDSHIP TRAIN' AND 'IF I WERE YOUR WOMAN'. IN 1973 THE GROUP LEFT MOTOWN TO SIGN WITH BUDDAH RECORDS, LANDING A MAJOR HIT WITH GRAMMY-WINNER 'MIDNIGHT TRAIN TO GEORGIA'. AFTER THE PIPS RETIRED IN 1988, KNIGHT EMBARKED ON AN ENORMOUSLY SUCCESSFUL SOLO CAREER. SHE HAS RECEIVED WORLDWIDE ACCLAIM FOR HER SINGLES WHICH HAVE TOPPED THE ALBUM CHARTS. ENSEMBLES FROM DESIGNERS SUCH AS BOB MACKIE, TONY CHASE AND OLEG CASSINI COVER APPEARANCES MADE BY KNIGHT IN RECENT YEARS TO AS EARLY AS THE 1970s. THE MAGNIFICENTLY BRILLIANT COLOURS, TEXTURES AND MATERIALS MAKE IT CLEAR THAT EACH GOWN IS NOT JUST SOMETHING KNIGHT WORE, BUT A WAY OF HEIGHTENING THE EXPERIENCE OF A PERFORMANCE. 'THESE DRESSES ARE AS EXCITING S ANY WE'VE HANDLED FROM A PROMINENT COLLECTION', SAID AUCTIONEER LESLIE HINDMAN. 'IT'S AN HONORED TO BE HANDLING A PART OF MUSIC HISTORY.'

ART FUND SAVES TWO COLLECTIONS FOR THE NATION

2011-03-22T03:09:00.002-04:00

THE ART FUND ANNOUNCED THAT BOTH THE FROME HOARD OF ROMAN COINS AND THE IRON AGE HOARD OF GOLD TORQUES, OR NECK ORNAMENTS, UNCOVERED NEAR STIRLING IN SCOTLAND HAVE BEEN SECURED FOR THE UK PUBLIC WITH SIGNIFICANT ASSISTANCE FROM THE ART FUND AND THE NATIONAL HERITAGE MEMORIAL FUND. THE MUSEUM OF SOMERSET TAKES POSSESSION OF THE £320,250 FROME HOARD AND FURTHER FUNDS OF OVER £100,000 TOWARDS ITS CONSERVATION FOLLOWING THE ANNOUNCEMENT OF THE £294,026 GRANT FROM THE NHMF. THE GOOD NEWS FOLLOWS AN INTENSIVE FUNDRAISING CAMPAIGN WHICH THE ART FUND KICK-STARTED WITH A GRANT OF £40,250 TO HELP RAISE THE FUNDS NEEDED FOR THE EXTRAORDINARY FIND OF OVER 52,000 SILVER AND BRONZE COINS. MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC GENEROUSLY DONATED £13,657 TOWARDS THE APPEAL THAT WERE MATCH-FUNDED WITH A FURTHER £10,000. AT THE SAME TIME THE NATIONAL MUSEUM OF SCOTLAND ADDS FOUR STUNNING IRON AGE GOLD TORQUES, DATED BETWEEN THE 1st AND 3rd CENTURY BC, TO ITS COLLECTION. THE ART FUND GAVE A GRANT OF £10,000 TOWARDS THE £462,000 NEEDED FOR THE TORQUES. OTHER FUNDS DONATED INCLUDED £154,000 FROM THE NATIONAL HERITAGE MEMORIAL FUND, £123,000 FROM THE NATIONAL MUSEUMS SCOTLAND AND £85,000 FROM THE SCOTTISH GOVERNMENT. ART FUND DIRECTOR, STEPHEN DEUCHAR SAID: 'WE ARE ABSOLUTELY THRILLED THAT NOT ONE BUT TWO WONDERFUL HOARDS OF TREASURE HAVE BEEN ADDED TO COLLECTIONS AT OPPOSITE ENDS OF THE UK. BOTH THE ROMAN COINS IN SOMERSET AND TORQUES IN SCOTLAND ARE GOING TO ABSOLUTELY THE RIGHT PLACES WHERE GENERATIONS CAN LEARN, ENJOY AND BE INSPIRED BY THEM, AND EXPERTS CAN CARRY OUT VITAL RESEARCH. IN THE CASE OF THE FROME COINS IT IS VERY MUCH THANKS TO THE GENEROSITY OF MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC THAT WE WERE ABLE TO DOUBLE DONATIONS THROUGH OUR MATCH-FUNDING APPEAL. I'D ALSO LIKE TO THANK THE NATIONAL HERITAGE MEMORIAL FUND FOR HELPING TO MAKE THESE ACQUISITIONS POSSIBLE. THIS IS AN EXAMPLE OF HOW PRIVATE AND PUBLIC FUNDS COME TOGETHER TO SAVE IMPORTANT HERITAGE ITEMS.'

L'ANEILLE DE GUERLAIN BACCARAT

2011-03-21T02:09:00.003-04:00

THERE ARE ONLY 47 STUNNING BOTTLES OF 'L'ANEILLE DE GUERLAIN' (THE BEE OF GUERLAIN) PERFUME IN THE WORLD. THE SCENT, CREATED BY HEAD PERFUMER THIERRY WASSER, BECOME THE MOST EXPENSIVE BOTTLES OF PERFUME IN THE WORLD (245ml OF PURE EXTRAIT DE PARFUME FOR $17,500). GUERLAIN TEAMED AGAIN WITH LUXURY CRYSTAL CREATOR BACCARAT TO MANUFACTURE A MASSIVE FLACON FOR THE UTLRA-EXCLUSIVE FLACON OF THEIR NEW PERFUME CALLED L'ABEILLE DE GUERLAIN. IT IS MEANT TO LOOK LIKE A GIGANTIC BEE WITH ITS WINGS FACETED LIKE PRECIOUS DIAMONDS. THE BEE HAS BEEN A SYMBOL OF GUERLAIN SINCE THE FOUNDER PIERRE-FRANCIOS-PASCAL GUERLAIN CAME TO FAME CRAFTING PERFUMES FOR EMPRESS EUGENIE OF FRANCE, WHO REIGNED FROM 1853 TO 1870; THE BEE WAS THE EMBLEM OF FRANCE'S SECOND EMPIRE. GUERLAIN SAYS THE EXCLUSIVE BEE FLACON, WHICH CAN BE DISPLAYED AS ART EVEN AFTER THE PERFUME IS GONE, MAY ATTRACT BUYERS. THE LAST TIME THE COMPANY MADE AND EXCLUSIVE PERFUME BOTTLE WAS CLOSE TO A CENTURY AGO, WITH A TURTLE-SHAPED FLASK IN 1914; A SNAIL BOTTLE WAS FEATURED IN 1902. AND THE PERFUME ITSELF COULD LAST A LIFETIME; THE BOTTLE IS EIGHT TIMES AS LARGE AS THE USUAL 30ml PORTION FOR PARFUM.

HERMES GENTLEMEN'S VALET

2011-03-19T03:10:00.002-04:00

FAMED FRENCH LUXURY DESIGNER HERMES HAS RECENTLY CREATED THE ULTIMATE ACCESSORY FOR THE WORLD'S BEST-DRESSED GENTLEMAN, A VALET STAND IN SOLID MAHOGANY, FINE LEATHER AND BRASS WITH EBONY DETAILING. THE STUNNING LUXE PIECE, DESIGNED TO ACCOMMODATE A FULL SUIT OF GENTLEMAN'S CLOTHING AND ACCESSORIES, IS A LIMITED EDITION RE-ISSUE OF A CLASSIC ITEM CREATED FOR HERMES IN 1930 BY FAMED FRENCH DECORATOR AND DESIGNER PAUL DUPRE-LAFON. THE ORIGINAL WAS SOLD BY SOTHEBY'S AT ITS ART NOUVEAU 7 ART DECO SALE IN PARIS IN 2007 FOR AN ESTIMATED $65,000. THE STAND, WITH AN ART DECO AND VINTAGE FLAIR, FEATURES A CALFSKIN HANGER FOR THE SUIT, A CALFSKIN TRAY FOR WATCHES AND JEWELRY, A MAHOGANY SHOE RACK AT THE BASE, AND BRASS HOOKS AND RODS FOR TIES AND BELTS. WITH AN ESTIMATED COST OF $3,000 THE UNIQUE CREATION WILL BE AVAILABLE EXCLUSIVELY AT HERMES BOUTIQUES WORLDWIDE.

CHAZEN MUSEUM OF ART PRESENTS EXHIBITION OF RUSSIAN ICONS

2011-03-19T02:12:00.003-04:00

THE ICON IS A DISTINCTIVE FORM OF HOLY IMAGE IN EASTERN ORTHODOX CULTURES, INTENDED TO EVOKE SACRED PRESENCE BY APPEALING TO THE SENSES. HOLY IMAGE, SACRED PRESENCE: RUSSIAN ICONS, 1500-1900 PRESENTS ABOUT THIRTY WORKS FROM THE CHAZEN MUSEUM OF ART'S PERMANENT COLLECTION TO EXPLORE THE DISTINCTIVE DEVOTIONAL FUNCTIONS, RELIGIOUS EXPERIENCES, ICONOGRAPHY AND CHANGING STYLES OF RUSSIAN ICONS FROM THE 16th TO THE EARLY 20th CENTURIES. EXAMPLES INCLUDE A MANDYLION (MIRACULOUS IMAGE OF THE FACE OF JESUS), PROSKYNETARIA AND ICONOSTASIS PANELS FROM ORTHODOX CHURCHES, AND SMALL DEVOTIONAL ICONS FOR PRIVATE USE. THE EXHIBITION IS ON VIEW 12.MARCH THROUGH 5.JUNE. FOLLOWING THE RUSSIAN REVOLUTION OF 1917, MANY MONASTERIES AND CHURCHES WERE CLOSED AND TEH BEST ICONS WERE COLLECTED IN STATE MUSEUMS. THOSE DATING FROM THE 11th TO THE 17th CENTURY WERE PRIZED AS REPRESENTING TRADITIONAL RUSSIAN CULTURE. BY CONTRAST, SOVIET EXPERTS DENIGRATED THE STYLE AND ICONOGRAPHY OF LATER ICONS FROM THE 18th TO THE EARLY 20th CENTURIES AS 'CONTAMINATED' BY WESTERN EUROPEAN INFLUENCE. IT WAS THESE ICONS THAT THE SOVIETS EITHER RELEGATED TO MUSEUMS OF RELIGION OR, BEGINNING IN THE 1930s, SOLD TO FOREIGN TOURISTS AND DIPLOMATS IN GOVERNMENT-RUN SHOPS. AMERICAN COLLECTORS FIRST BECAME AWARE OF RUSSIAN ICONS IN THE 1920s AT OFFICIAL SOVIET EXHIBITIONS IN NEW YORK AND BOSTON, AND THROUGH SALES OF 'IMPERIAL RUSSIAN TREASURES' IN DEPARTMENT STORES IN THE EARLY 1930s. THE MUSEUM'S ICON COLLECTION ORIGINATED IN 1937 WITH THE GIFT OF 23 ICONS BY JOSEPH E DAVIES, A PROMINENT LAWYER, UW ALUMNUS, AND AMERICAN AMBASSADOR TO THE SOVIET UNION.

SOTHEBY'S/PIASA TO SELL ICONIC FABIUS FRERES GALLERY COLLECTION

2011-03-17T02:48:00.003-04:00

SOTHEBY'S ANNOUNCED TODAY THAT, IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE AUCTION HOUSE PIASA, IT WILL SELL THE FABIUS FRERES GALLERY COLLECTION ON 18-19.OCTOBER IN PARIS. THE 400 SCULPTURES, PIECES OF FURNITURE, WORKS OF ART, DRAWINGS AND 19th CENTURY PAINTINGS, ESTIMATED TO SELL FOR €9 - 14 MILLION, WILL BE ON DISPLAY AT THE GALERIE CHARPENTIER FOR FIVE DAYS PRIOR TO THE SALE. THE FABIUS FRERES GALLERY IN KNOWN WORLDWIDE FOR THE EXCEPTIONAL QUALITY, CONDITION AND PROVENANCE OF WORKS OF ART IN THEIR COLLECTION. THE SELECTION OF SCULPTURE TO BE OFFERED REPRESENTS PERHAPS THE MOST IMPORTANT GROUP OF 19th CENTURY SCULPTURES EVER TO BE SOLD AT AUCTION AND INCLUDES WORKS BY TWO OF THE LEADING EUROPEAN SCULPTORS OF THEIR TIME, ANTOINE-LOUIS BARYE AND JEAN-BAPTISTE CARPEAUX. THE FURNITURE SECTION COMPRISES CLASSICAL 18th CENTURY AND MORE EXUBERANT CREATIONS FROM THE 19th CENTURY. THE CLASSICAL FURNITURE RANGES FROM THE PERIOD OF LOUIS XIV TO EMPIRE STYLE. FOR DECADES THE FABIUS FRERES GALLERY PROMOTED THE FURNITURE OF THE 19th CENTURY, INCLUDING WORKS BY MAJOR CABINETMAKERS SUCH AS GROHE OR DIEHL, AS WELL AS ASTONISHING NEO-RENAISSANCE CREATIONS. IN THE DECORATIVE ART SECTIONS, CERAMICS AND GLASS FROM THE FABIUS FRERES GALLERY COLLECTION ARE REPRESENTED WITH A RICH DIVERSITY OF PIECES, AND UNIQUE AND REFINED WORKS BY THEODORE DECK, EUGENE COLLINOT AND MAURICE MARINOT. THE COLLECTION BRINGS TO SALE AN INTERESTING GROUP OF PAINTINGS AND DRAWINGS BY THE SCULPTORS CARPEAUX AND BARYE, AS WELL AS SOME GREAT 19th CENTURY PORTRAITS, AND GENRE PAINTINGS BY CAROLUS-DURAN, JEAN BERAUD AND ADOLPHE YVON. FOUNDER OF ONE OF THE MOST PRESTIGIOUS PARISIAN ART GALLERIES, ELLE FABIUS BECAME ONE OF THE PRINCIPAL ACTORS OF THE ART MARKET FROM THE 1890s TO THE 1940s. PASSIONATE ABOUT NAPOLEON AND LAFAYETTE MEMORABILIA, AND OBJECTS OF HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE, AS WELL AS SCULPTURE BY BARYE AND CARPEAUX, FABIUS BROUGHT THE 19th CENTURY STYLE BACK INTO FASHION. PIECES WHICH PASSED THROUGH HIS HANDS ARE NOW IN THE COLLECTIONS OF THE MOST IMPORTANT MUSEUMS IN FRANCE AND IN THE UNITED STATES. ELIE FABIUS' WORK WAS CARRIED ON FIRST BY HIS SONS AND THEN WITH THE SAME ELEGANCE AND PASSION BY HIS GRANDSON FRANCOIS, DECEASED IN 2006. SOTHEBY'S AND PIASA ARE VERY PROUD TO HAVE BEEN ENTRUSTED BY MRS ARMELLE FABIUS WITH THE SALE OF SUCH A PRESTIGIOUS COLLECTION.

RARE KING EDWARD VII RIFLE TO BE AUCTIONED IN APRIL

2011-03-17T02:32:00.002-04:00

A RIFLE BELONGING TO EDWARD, PRINCE OF WALES, BEFORE HE BECAME KING EDWARD VII WILL BE OFFERED BY GAVIN GARDINER (IN ASSOCIATION WITH SOTHEBY'S) IS A SALE OF FINE MODERN AND VINTAGE SPORTING GUNS AND RIFLES ON 20.APRIL, AT SOTHEBY'S NEW BOND STREET LOCATION. MADE BY FAMOUS LONDON GUNMAKER JAMES PURDEY & SONS, THIS HAMMER RIFLE WAS BUILT IN 1873 FOR THE PRINCE OF WALES (KING EDWARD VII 1901-1911) AND WAS USED ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS. IT WAS SUBSEQUENTLY TAKEN TO INDIA AND USED DURING THE PRINCE'S VISIT IN 1876. RECORDS STATE THAT HER MAJESTY'S GOVERNMENT PLACED AN ORDER WITH PURDEY'S FOR A NUMBER OF RIFLES TO BE PRESENTED AS GIFTS DURING THE VISIT, HOWEVER THIS WAS THE PRINCE'S OWN EXAMPLE AND IS ESTIMATED AT £7,000-9,000. COMMENTING ON THE AUCTION, GAVIN GARDINER SAID: 'I AM DELIGHTED TO BE OFFERING SUCH A HISTORIC RIFLE AT MY FORTHCOMING AUCTION. BUILT IN 1873 FOR EDWARD, PRINCE OF WALES, THE RIFLE WAS GIVEN TO ONE OF HIS FAITHFUL HUSSARS FOLLOWING HIS RECORD TIGER SHOOT ON HIS STATE VISIT TO INDIA IN 1876. UNLIKE MANY OTHER RIFLES PRESENTED ON THIS VISIT AS GIFTS, THIS PARTICULAR RIFLE WAS THE PRINCE'S OWN, THAT HE USED TO GOOD EFFECT, AND WAS GIVEN IN REWARD TO FAITHFUL SERVICE TO A MEMBER OF HIS OWN REGIMENT AT THE END OF THE MONTHS SPORT. IT IS RARE THAT SUCH IMPORTANT AND HISTORIC ITEMS APPEAR AT AUCTION, AND I AM VERY PLEASED TO HAVE DISCOVERED THIS PIECE.' GAVIN GARDINER IS THE ONLY SPECIALIST FIREARMS AUCTIONEER HOLDING HIS AUCTIONS IN THE HEART OF LONDON'S WEST END, WHERE HE HOLDS TWO SALES EACH YEAR AS WELL AS HIS PRESTIGIOUS SALE AT THE GLENEAGLES HOTEL, SCOTLAND IN AUGUST.

SOTHEBY'S SELLS THE LATE DUTCH QUEEN JULIANA'A POSSESSIONS

2011-03-16T01:56:00.003-04:00

FROM THREADBARE ARMCHAIRS TO MARBLE MANTEL CLOCKS, GARDEN FURNITURE TO A SILVER POCKET KNIFE, THOUSANDS OF THE LATE DUTCH QUEEN JULIANA'A POSSESSIONS ARE GOING UNDER THE HAMMER IN AN ATTIC SALE FIT FOR A KING. THE FOUR-DAY AUCTION BY SOTHEBY'S STARTED MONDAY AND WAS STIRRING INTEREST AMONG SERIOUS COLLECTORS AS WELL AS DIE-HARD ROYALTY FANS OF THE POPULAR HOUSE OF ORANGE. A TOTAL OF 1,725 LOTS GATHERED FROM SEVEN ROYAL PALACES WERE BEING AUCTIONED WITH THE PROCEEDS GOING TO FOUR CHARITIES, ONE CHOSEN BY EACH OF JULIANA'S FOUR DAUGHTERS. 'IT'S REALLY LIKE A ROYAL ATTIC SALE', AUCTIONEER MARK GROL TOLD THE ASSOCIATED PRESS. 'WITH PAINTINGS TO PRINTS, CERAMICS, SILVER, FURNITURE. JUST BASICALLY EVERYTHING YOU WOULD FIND IN A PALACE.' THE SALE IS INTENDED TO CLEAR OUT UNWANTED BELONGINGS THAT WERE LEFT OVER AFTER JULIANA'S ESTATE WAS DIVIDED AMONG HER DAUGHTERS FOLLOWING HER DEATH IN 2004 AT AGE 94. SOME 10,000 PEOPLE COME ON VIEWING DAYS LAST WEEK AT THE SOTHEBY'S OFFICE IN AMSTERDAM, SHUFFLING THROUGH A MAZE OF OAK TABLES, MAHOGANY AND SATINWOOD CHAIRS, AND GIANT CHANDELIERS. WALLS WERE LINED WITH OIL AND WATERCOLOUR PAINTINGS. TO UNDERSCORE THE ROYAL PROVENANCE, PHOTOS SHOWED SOME OF THE LOTS IN USE AT THE PALACES THEY CAME FROM. ONE PHOTO SHOWED QUEEN JULIANA, HER HUSBAND PRINCE BERNHARD AND THEIR FOUR DAUGHTERS, INCLUDING PRESENT QUEEN BEATRIX, EATING BREAKFAST AT SOESTDIJK PALACE USING A SERVICE BEING AUCTIONED WITH A PRE-SALE ESTIMATE OF $4,185-$5,580. GROL SAID THAT ONLY AFTER THE FIRST 213 LOTS WERE UP FOR GRABS ON MONDAY WOULD THERE WOULD BE AN INDICATION OF HOW FAR OVER THE PRE-SALE MINIMUM ESTIMATE OF ABOUT $2.07 MILLION THE AUCTION WOULD GO. HE SAID INTEREST WAS HIGH NOT JUST FROM THE NETHERLANDS, BUT ALSO FROM THE US, RUSSIA AND CHINA. EARLY BIDDING WAS BRISK, WITH A COMBINATION OF ONLINE, TELEPHONE AND AUCTION ROOM BIDS PUSHING UP THE PRICE OF THE FIRST LOT, A QUINTESSENTIALLY DUTCH WATERCOLOUR OF SKATERS ON A FROZEN WATERWAY BY JAN ANTHONIE LANGENDIJK TO $7,000. THE PRE-SALE ESTIMATE WAS $1,377-$2,066. THOSE IN THE ROOM WERE GIVEN CARDS, ORANGE, OF COURSE, WITH A BIDDER'S NUMBER ON IT. THERE APPEARED TO BE SOME BARGAINS ON OFFER, WITH THE CHEAPEST LOT AN OAK WRITING DESK WITH A PRE-SALE ESTIMATE OF JUST $35-$70. 'SOME ITEMS WILL GO FOR A REASONABLE PRICE, BUT WE HAVE A LOT OF INTEREST BOTH FROM COLLECTORS AND PEOPLE WHO WANT TO BUY A SOUVENIR FROM THE ROYAL FAMILY WHO'S VERY POPULAR IN THE NETHERLANDS', GROL SAID. ROYAL FANS WERE LIKELY BEHIND LIVELY ONLINE BIDDING FOR A PINE BOX WITH 'ZKH PRINS DER NEDERLANDEN STAL SOESTDIJK', MEANING 'HIS ROYAL HIGHNESS PRINCE OF THE NETHERLANDS SOESTDIJK STABLE' PAINTED ON THE LID. ONE BIDDER WHO DESCRIBED HIMSELF AS A COLLECTOR AND A ROYAL FAN SAID HE HOPED TO BUY SOME ANTIQUE PORCELAIN. 'I HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM AS THE ROYAL HOUSEHOLD', SAID THE MAN, WHO DECLINED TO GIVE HIS NAME. 'WHERE DO I PUT IT ALL?'

KEITH HARING ARTWORK DONATED TO LOS ANGELES GAY & LESBIAN CENTER

2011-03-15T03:53:00.002-04:00

A COMPLETE SERIES OF 10 SILKSCREENS BY ICONIC GAY ARTIST KEITH HARING HAS BEEN DONATED TO A GAY AND LESBIAN CENTER IN LOS ANGELES BY TYLER CASSITY, CO-OWNER OF THE HOLLYWOOD FOREVER CEMETERY. THE APOCALYPSE SERIES IN ON EXHIBIT IN THE ADVOCATE & GOCHIS GALLERIES UNTIL 30.MARCH. 'HARING'S WORK IS SO ICONIC; WE'RE HONORED TO RECEIVE AND EXHIBIT THIS SERIES', SAID JON IMPARATO, DIRECTOR OF THE CENTER'S CULTURAL ARTS PROGRAM. 'IT'S RARE TO HAVE A COMPLETE HARING SERIES TOGETHER LIKE THIS; WE'RE THRILLED THAT PEOPLE WILL HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SEE ALL 10 SILKSCREENS IN OUR GALLERIES.' IT'S FITTING THAT A SERIES CREATED BY HARING, WHO ESTABLISHED A FOUNDATION TO SUPPORT AIDS ORGANIZATIONS AND CHILDREN'S PROGRAMS, HAS BEEN DONATED TO THE CENTER, A LEADER IN HIV CARE AS WELL AS SERVICES FOR LGBT YOUTH. 'I HOPE AND BELIEVE KEITH HARING WOULD BE PLEASED THAT HIS PASSIONATE VISION HAS FOUND A HOME AT THE CENTER', CASSITY SAID. THE LA GAY & LESBIAN CENTER PROVIDES A BROAD ARRAY OF SERVICES FOR THE LESBIAN, GAY, BISEXUAL AND TRANSGENDERED COMMUNITY, WELCOMING NEARLY A QUARTER MILLION CLIENT VISITS FROM ETHNICALLY DIVERSE YOUTH AND ADULTS EACH YEAR. THROUGH ITS JEFFREY GOODMAN SPECIAL CARE CLINIC AND ON-SITE PHARMACY, THE CENTER OFFERS FREE AND LOW-COST HEALTH, MENTAL HEALTH, HIV/AIDS MEDICAL CARE AND HIV/STD TESTING AND PREVENTION. THE CENTER ALSO OFFERS LEGAL, SOCIAL, CULTURAL AND EDUCATIONAL SERVICES, WITH UNIQUE PROGRAMS FOR SENIORS, FAMILIES AND YOUTH, INCLUDING A 24-BED TRANSITIONAL LIVING PROGRAM FOR HOMELESS YOUTH.

CHAUMET LE GRAND FRISSON

2011-03-15T02:29:00.003-04:00

LUXURY JEWELER CHAUMET HAS RECENTLY RELEASED A STUNNING NEW COLLECTION FOR THE SUMMER NAMED LE GRAND FRISSON OR 'THE BIG SHIVER' AFTER THE GEOMETRIC SHAPES. THE COLLECTION FEATURES EARRINGS, RINGS, PENDANTS AND A CHOKER NECKLACE ALL IN ECLECTIC GEOMETRIC SHAPES, SET WITH BRIGHTLY COLOURED VIOLET SAPPHIRES, TSAVORITES, GARNETS AND TANZANITE MIXED WITH WHITE GOLD WITH DIAMONDS.

GEOFFREY PARKER $7.5 MILLION POKER SET

2011-03-14T03:05:00.003-04:00

GEOFFREY PARKER, LONDON-BASED MAKER OF THE FINEST GAMES ON THE GLOBE, IS OFFERING THE WORLD'S MOST EXPENSIVE POKER SET FOR $7.5 MILLION. THE BESPOKE SET FOR THE ULTIMATE HIGH STAKES GAME COMES HOUSED IN A GENUINE ALLIGATOR SKIN CASE FINISHED IN THE COLOUR OF THE CLIENT'S CHOICE, FITTED WITH 18 CARAT WHITE GOLD COMBINATION LOCKS AND HARDWARE. THE CASE' SUEDE LINING FEATURES AN 18 CARAT AND DIAMOND FRAME TO HOLD 384 18 CARAT WHITE GOLD CHIPS, EACH INLAID ON BOTH SIDES IN SHAGREEN EMBOSSED WITH ITS VALUE, WHICH CAN BE IN ANY CURRENCY AND DENOMINATION THE CLIENT DESIRES. THE EDGE OF EACH CHIP IS SET WITH PRECIOUS STONES, WHITE DIAMONDS FOR THE WHITE CHIPS, SAPPHIRES FOR THE BLUE, RUBIES FOR THE RED, EMERALDS FOR THE GREEN AND CLACK DIAMONDS FOR THE BLACK. THE DEALER BUTTON WILL BE A LARGER 18 CARAT WHITE GOLD 'CHIP' SET WITH TWO ROWS OF DIAMONDS TO THE EDGE. THE SET WILL FEATURE AN ESTIMATED 22,364 STONES IN ALL, TOTALING 1,012 CARATS. FINALLY THERE ARE FOUR PLATINUM-PLATED DECKS OF POKER CARDS.

SABATINO NORTH AMERICA TO OPEN STORE IN BOSTON

2011-03-14T02:08:00.002-04:00

BOSTON'S ICONIC LUXURY SHOPPING DESTINATION, NEWBURY STREET WILL HAVE A STUNNING NEW TREAT COME 24.MARCH. SABATINO NORTH AMERICA, THE LARGEST IMPORTER AND MANUFACTURER OF GOURMET TRUFFLE PRODUCTS IN THE US IS OPENING THEIR FLAGSHIP RETAIL STORE, SABATINO & CO ROMA. THE STORE WILL INTRODUCE A WIDE RANGE OF UNIQUE PRODUCTS INCLUDING GOURMET FOODS AND CONDIMENTS, COOKBOOKS AND HOME ACCESSORIES TO ADD A EUROPEAN TOUCH TO YOUR LIFE.
FOR MORE INFORMATION VISIT www.sabatinoandco.com

BONHAMS TO SELL RARE BOOK OF EARLY POEMS BY WILLIAM BLAKE

2011-03-12T03:11:00.003-05:00

A PREVIOUSLY UNKNOWN COPY OF A VERY RARE BOOK OF EARLY POEMS BY WILLIAM BLAKE IS UP FOR AUCTION AT THE BOOKS, MAPS, MANUSCRIPTS AND HISTORICAL PHOTOGRAPHS SALE AT BONHAMS IN LONDON ON 22.MARCH. IT IS ESTIMATED AT BETWEEN £60,000-80,000. THE POEMS IN POETICAL SKETCHES WERE WRITTEN BETWEEN 1768 AND 1777 WHEN BLAKE WAS IN HIS TEENS. IN 1783, A GROUP OF HIS FRIENDS BANDED TOGETHER AND PAID FOR THEM TO BE PRINTED IN A SLIM 70 PAGE VOLUME. APPROXIMATELY 50 COPIES WERE PRINTED BUT THE WHEREABOUTS OF ONLY 20 ARE KNOWN SO THE DISCOVERY OF THIS COPY, ONE OF A VERY FEW IN PRIVATE HANDS, IS HIGHLY SIGNIFICANT. BLAKE WAS GIVEN THE PRINT RUN TO SELL OR GIVE AWAY BUT HE SEEMS NOT TO HAVE BEEN VERY ACTIVE IN PROMOTING THEM BECAUSE SEVERAL COPIES WERE FOUND AMONG HIS POSSESSIONS WHEN HE DIED. HIS FRIENDS, WHO INCLUDED THE SCULPTOR JOHN FLAXMAN, WERE KEEN TO SPREAD THE WORD OF BLAKE'S TALENT AND GAVE SOME VOLUMES AWAY ON HIS BEHALF BUT THE COPY FOR AUCTION WAS ACTUALLY GIVEN BY BLAKE HIMSELF. IT CARRIES HIS INSCRIPTION AND HIS ADDRESS NEAR LEICESTER FIELDS (PRESENT DAY LEICESTER SQUARE) WHERE HE LIVED FROM 1782 UNTIL JULY 1784, SO HE MUST HAVE GIVEN THE COPY AWAY FAIRLY SOON AFTER IT WAS PRINTED. THE IDENTITY OF THE RECIPIENT IS NOT KNOWN. THE BOOK ITSELF WAS LITTERED WITH ERRORS, SOME OF WHICH BLAKE CORRECTED BEFORE HANDING COPIES OUT. ALTHOUGH IT NEVER WENT INTO COMMERCIAL PUBLICATION DURING BLAKE'S LIFETIME, THE BOOK, WHICH INCLUDES WORKS SUCH AS 'MAD SONG' AND 'TO THE EVENING STAR' IS SEEN AS A SIGNIFICANT PART OF HIS OUTPUT, ANTICIPATING THE STYLE OF HIS MATURE WORK AND THE DEVELOPMENT OF HIS SYMBOLIC LANGUAGE.

MAJOR EXHIBITION OF CARAVAGGIO TO BE PRESENTED IN MILAN

2011-03-11T03:09:00.004-05:00

VITTORIO SGARBI RETURNS TO MILAN TO PRESENT A MAJOR NEW EXHIBITION THAT ILLUSTRATES THE BIRTH OF THE GENIUS CARAVAGGIO. RECONSTRUCTING HIS ARTISTIC TRAINING, FROM SIMONE PETERZANO TO THE VENETO AND LOMBARD MASTERS, THIS FASCINATING SHOW EXAMINES THE PRECURSORS AND CONTEMPORARIES OF MICHELANGELO MERISI (1571-1610), HIGHLIGHTING THE WORKS THAT THE ARTIST WOULD ACTUALLY HAVE SEEN AND WHAT HE WOULD HAVE WITNESSED IN THE ARTISTIC CLIMATE THAT DOMINATED THE AREA FROM VENICE TO MILAN BEFORE HE MOVED TO ROME, WHICH ACCORDING TO THE MOST RECENT STUDIES WAS LIKELY TO HAVE BEEN AROUND 1595-96. CURATED BY VITTORIO SGARBI, THE EXHIBITION 'THE EYES OF CARAVAGGIO. HIS FORMATIVE YEARS BETWEEN VENICE AND MILAN' IS PRODUCED AND ORGANIZED BY ARTHEMISIA GROUP IN COLLABORATION WITH THE MUSEO DIOCESANO DI MILANO, PROMOTED BY REGIONE LOMBARDIA AND STAGED THANKS TO THE VITAL SUPPORT OF BANCO POPOLARE DI MILANO AND TERNA. THE EXHIBITION GATHERS AROUND SIXTY MASTERPIECES BY THE GREATEST PAINTERS OF THE DAY, WHICH ARE EXHIBITED IN THE MUSEO DIOCESANO FROM 11.MARCH TO 3.JULY. WORKS BY GIORGIONE, TITIAN, TINTORETTO, LORENZO LOTTO, JACOPO DA BASSANO, MORETTO DA BRESCIA, GIOVAN BATTISTA MORONI, GEROLAMO SAVOLDO, VINCENZO AND ANTONIO CAMPI, AND MANY MORE, SOME OF WHICH HAVE NEVER BEEN EXHIBITED BEFORE, DOCUMENT THE FORMATION OF A GROUNDBREAKING AESTHETIC AND AN INNOVATIVE CONCEPTION OF THE HUMAN FIGURE AND ITS RELATIONSHIP WITH SPACE AND LIGHT, WHICH WAS FUNDAMENTAL TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE YOUNG MERISI. NATURALLY CARAVAGGIO HIMSELF COULD NOT BE LEFT OUT, AND THE EXHIBITION INCLUDES SOME EXTREMELY SIGNIFICANT WORKS. ONE OF THESE IS THE SO-CALLED 'MURTOLA MEDUSA', THE FIRST VERSION IF THE FAMOUS SHIELD IN THE UFFIZI GALLERIES, WHICH TAKES ITS NAME FROM THE POET WHO WROTE A POEM ABOUT IT IN 1600. THE EXHIBITION ALSO INCLUDES TWO OTHER SEMINAL MASTERPIECES BY CARAVAGGIO: THE OUTSTANDING 'REST ON THE FLIGHT INTO EGYPT', FROM THE DORIA PAMPHILJ COLLECTION IN ROME, AND 'THE FLAGELLATION OF CHRIST', IN ALL ITS HARROWING AND SENSUAL BEAUTY, FROM THE MUSEO DI CAPODIMONTE IN NAPLES, IN MILAN FOR THE FIRST TIME SINCE 1951. DIVIDED INTO SIX SECTION, THE EXHIBITION ILLUSTRATES THE ARTISTIC CONTEXT OF CARAVAGGIO's EARLY YEARS AS AN ARTIST.

A LA VIEILLE RUSSIE TO EXHIBIT AT TEFAF MAASTRICHT 2011

2011-03-11T02:52:00.002-05:00

A LA VIEILLE RUSSIE, THE NEW YORK ART AND ANTIQUES GALLERY THAT COUNTS AMONG THE WORLD'S LEADERS IN ANTIQUE JEWELRY AND RUSSIAN WORKS OF ART, WILL EXHIBIT EXQUISITE ITEMS BY FABERGE, AS WELL AS A VERY RARE ENGLISH NECKLACE, AT THE TEFAF MAASTRICHT 2011, THE EUROPEAN FINE ART FAIR THAT OPENS ON 18.MARCH. AMONG THE HIGHLIGHTS ARE TWO ELEGANT ENAMEL FABERGE FRAMES, AS WELL AS A FRENCH 18th CENTURY LACQUER BOX, AND A VICTORIAN GARNET AND DIAMOND NECKLACE AND EARRINGS. OTHER HIGHLIGHTS INCLUDE A GREAT COLLECTION OF RUSSIAN CLOISONNE ENAMEL, FEATURING SIGNIFICANT COMMEMORATIVE PIECES. 'WE ALWAYS BRING TOP REPRESENTATIVE EXAMPLES OF WHAT WE SELL IN THE GALLERY IN NEW YORK, WITH A FOCUS ON EUROPEAN ANTIQUE JEWELRY, SNUFF BOXES AND OBJECTS DE VERTU, AND OF COURSE FABERGE', SAID MARK SCHAFFER, A PARTNER IN A LA VIEILLE RUSSIE (ALVR) ALVR's STAND IS COMPLETELY RE-DESIGNED AND UPDATED, MEANT TO BE A JEWEL-LIKE MICROCOSM OF ITS NEW YORK SPACE. IN FACT, THIS YEAR IS ITS 17th EXHIBITING AT TEFAF, MAKING IT ONE OF THE LONGEST EXHIBITING US DEALERS AT THE FAIR. IN THE 160 YEARS SINCE ITS FOUNDING ALVR HAS BOUGHT A SOLD COUNTLESS FABERGE PIECES, INCLUDING MANY IMPERIAL EASTER EGGS. ALVR WAS KEY IN CREATING SOME OF THE LEADING FABERGE COLLECTIONS, INCLUDING THE FORBES MAGAZINE COLLECTION, NOW PARTIALLY OWNED BY VICTOR VEKSELBERG. OTHER CLIENTS INCLUDED GRAND DUCHESSES KSENIA AND OLGA, SISTERS OF NICHOLAS II, AND THE DUKE AND DUCHESS OF WINDSOR, AND KING FAROUK. WORKS FROM THE GALLERY ARE LOANED TO MUSEUMS AROUND THE WORLD AND EXHIBITED REGULARLY.

RODIN SCULPTURE STOLEN FROM ISRAEL MUSEUM

2011-03-10T02:45:00.003-05:00

A STATUE BY FRENCH SCULPTOR AUGUSTE RODIN WAS STOLEN FROM THE ISRAEL MUSEUM DURING THE FACILITY'S RECENTLY COMPLETED RENOVATION, THE MUSEUM SAID WEDNESDAY. THE NUDE BRONZE OF FRENCH NOVELIST HONORE DE BALZAC WAS ONE OF A SERIES OF STUDIES RODIN CAST FOR A MONUMENT TO BALZAC ON DISPLAY IN PARIS. IT WAS DONATED TO THE MUSEUM IN 1966 BY THE JEWISH-AMERICAN IMPRESARIO AND LYRICIST BILLY ROSE. THE MUSEUM SAID THE THEFT WAS DISCOVERED THREE MONTHS AGO AND IMMEDIATELY REPORTED IT TO POLICE. POLICE SAY AN INVESTIGATION IS ONGOING BUT WOULD NOT PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS ABOUT THE CASE. THE STATUE IS 50 INCHES BY 24 INCHES WIDE AND WEIGHS ABOUT 140 POUNDS. IT WAS MOLDED IN 1892 AND CAST POSTHUMOUSLY BETWEEN 1918 AND 1926. RODIN IS RENOWNED FOR THE ICONIC MASTERPIECES SUCH AS 'THE THINKER' AND 'THE KISS'. THE MUSEUM SAID IT COULD NOT PROVIDE A VALUE FOR THE BALZAC PIECE. BUT BASED ON RODIN SCULPTURES OF SIMILAR DIMENSIONS PUT THE ESTIMATED VALUE OF THE STOLEN ARTWORK AT APPROXIMATELY $350,000, ACCORDING TO THE ART LOSS REGISTER, WHICH SPECIALIZES IN RECOVERING STOLEN ART. CHRISTOPHER MARINELLO, THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR AND GENERAL COUNCIL OF THE ART LOSS REGISTER, SAID IT WOULD BE VERY DIFFICULT TO SELL SUCH AN HIGH-PROFILE PIECE IN THE OPEN MARKET WITHOUT DETECTION. HE SAID IT WAS MOST LIKELY THAT THE THIEVES WOULD MOVE THE PIECE UNDERGROUND, SHOP IT ON THE BLACK MARKET OR RANSOM IT TO AN INSURANCE COMPANY.

SOTHEBY'S TO SELL RARE BEJEWELED CANOPY

2011-03-09T03:14:00.003-05:00

A STUNNING, RARELY SEEN BEJEWELED, NEARLY 150 YEAR OLD CANOPY FROM INDIA IS EXPECTED TO SELL FOR AS MUCH AS $5 MILLION WHEN IT GOES UNDER THE HAMMER NEXT MONTH, ACCORDING TO SOTHEBY'S. THE PEARL CANOPY OF BARODA WILL BE ACUCTIONED OFF ON 24.MARCH AS PART OF A LARGER AUCTION OF INDIAN AND SOUTHEAST ASIAN WORKS OF ART IN NEW YORK. IT INCLUDES OVER 500,000 PEARLS, AS WELL AS NUMEROUS DIAMONDS, SAPPHIRES, RUBIES AND EMERALDS SEWN ON SILK. FLORAL 'PERSIAN-STYLE' VINES MADE WITH COLOURED BEADS CIRCLE THE CANOPY. 'THE MAHARAJA WAS A GREAT PATRON OF THE ARTS', SAID MARY JO OTSEA, THE WORLDWIDE DIRECTOR OF SOTHEBY'S CARPET DEPARTMENT. 'THIS PIECE IS A CONTINUATION OF THE GOLDEN AGE OF INDIAN ART FROM THE MUGHAL PERIOD, WITH PERSIAN INFLUENCES.' THE CANOPY DATES FROM AROUND 1865, WHEN IT WAS COMMISSIONED BY THE MAHARAJA OF BARODA, IN THE PRESENT-DAY INDIAN STATE OF GUJARAT. IT IS BELIEVED THAT THE PIECE WAS INTENDED TO BE DONATED AS A GIFT TO DECORATE THE TOMB OF THE PROPHET MOHAMED IN MEDINA, IN WHAT IS NOW SAUDI ARABIA. THE MAN WHO COMMISSIONED THE CANOPY, MAHARAJA KHANDE RAO GAEKWAR, WAS KNOWN TO BE PARTICULARLY FOND OF JEWELS. IN 1867, HE BOUGHT THE 'STAR OF THE SOUTH', ONE OF THE LARGEST DIAMONDS IN THE WORLD. THE CANOPY IS PART OF A SET WHICH INCLUDED FOUR LARGE RECTANGULAR JEWEL-ENCRUSTED CARPETS, OF WHICH ONLY ONE REMAINS. ONE OF THE RECTANGULAR CARPETS WAS SOLD AT AN AUCTION IN DOHA, QATAR IN MARCH 2009 FOR A RECORD $5.4 MILLION. ART HISTORIANS ARE STILL UNSURE EXACTLY HOW THE CARPET AND THE CANOPY WERE ARRANGED TOGETHER, OTSEA SAID. THE CANOPY HAD NOT BEEN SEEN FOR MORE THAN 100 YEARS UNTIL IT WAS INCLUDED IN AN EXHIBIT AT THE VICTORIA & ALBERT MUSEUM IN LONDON LAST YEAR. AT THE TIME THE CANOPY WAS CREATED THE NOMINALLY SOVEREIGN STATE OF BARODA WAS AMONG THE MOST PROSPEROUS IN BRITISH INDIA, WITH MUCH OF ITS INCOME COMING FROM COTTON, RICE AND SUGAR. BARODA STATE, WHICH WAS FOUNDED IN 1721, EXISTED UNTIL IT WAS INCORPORATED INTO NEWLY INDEPENDENT INDIA IN 1947.

BONHAMS TO SELL BROOCH THAT ONCE BELONGED TO QUEEN VICTORIA

2011-03-09T02:26:00.003-05:00

A GOLD, ENAMEL AND GARNET BODICE BROOCH FROM 1830 THAT BELONGED TO QUEEN VICTORIA WILL BE OFFERED IN THE JEWELERY SALE, TAKING PLACE ON 6.APRIL AT BONHAMS KNIGHTSBRIDGE. THE FINELY DETAILED BROOCH IS EMBELLISHED WITH GREEN AND RED ENAMEL, SET WITH CABOCHON GARNETS THAT SUSPEND AN ELONGATED DROP OF A SIMILAR DESIGN. IT IS ESTIMATED TO SELL FOR £600 – 800. THE BROOCH ORIGINALLY BELONGED TO VICTORIA, DUCHESS OF KENT, WHO ON HER DEATH BED IN 1861 (THE SAME YEAR AS THE DEATH OF PRINCE ALBERT) LEFT HER JEWELRY TO HER DAUGHTER, QUEEN VICTORIA. QUEEN VICTORIA SUBSEQUENTLY GAVE THE BROOCH TO HER THIRD DAUGHTER HELENA, PRINCESS CHRISTIAN OF SCHLESWIG-HOLSTEIN, AS A PRESENT ON HER 24th BIRTHDAY IN 1870. THE REVERSE OF THE BROOCH HAS A SIMPLE, YET VERY PERSONAL ENGRAVING: 'BELONGED TO DEAR GRANDMAMMA V. FROM MAMA V.R. TO HELENA 25th MAY 1870'. ALTHOUGH PRINCESS HELENA MARRIED THE GERMAN PRINCE CHRISTIAN OF SCHLESWIG-HOLSTEIN IN 1866, THEY REMAINED IN BRITAIN CLOSE TO THE QUEEN, WHO LIKED TO HAVE HER DAUGHTERS NEARBY. HELENA WAS CONSIDERED THE MOST ACTIVE MEMBER OF THE ROYAL FAMILY, CARRYING OUT AN EXTENSIVE PROGRAM OF ROYAL ENGAGEMENTS. SHE WAS ALSO AN ACTIVE PATRON OF CHARITIES, AND WAS ONE OF THE FOUNDING MEMBERS OF THE RED CROSS. SHE WAS ALSO FOUNDING PRESIDENT OF THE ROYAL SCHOOL OF NEEDLEWORK, AND PRESIDENT OF THE ROYAL BRITISH NURSES' ASSOCIATION.

GUERLAIN SHALIMAR PARFUM INITIAL

2011-03-08T03:35:00.002-05:00

FRENCH PARFUMEUR GUERLAIN HAS RECENTLY RELEASED A NEW FRAGRANCE DERIVED FROM THEIR CLASSIC SHALIMAR FRAGRANCE. THE SHALIMAR PARFUM INITIAL IS COMPOSED OF GREEN NOTES, FLOWERS, CITRUSES, WOODY ACCORDS WITH A SMALL TOUCH OF BERGAMOT AND ORANGE FOR A FRESHER TONE. THE BOTTLE IS CAREFULLY DECORATED WITH A BLUE STOPPER AND TASSEL WITH THE LIQUID OF THE FLACON COLOURED IN PINK. THE FRAGRANCE IS EXCLUSIVELY AVAILABLE FROM GUERLAIN IN FORTY, SIXTY AND ONE HUNDRED MILLILITER BOTTLES.

HERMES ARCEAU POCKET PROMENADE DE LONGCHAMP

2011-03-08T02:44:00.003-05:00

THE ARCEAU WRISTWATCH IMAGINED IN 1978 BY HENRI D'ORIGNY LENDS ITSELF IDEALLY TO A POCKET-WATCH VERSION. ITS ASYMMETRICAL ATTACHMENT AND ITS LUGS NATURALLY INVITE A CORD-STRAP FIXED TO THE ARCH LIKE STIRRUP LEATHER TO A STIRRUP, THUS EVOKING THE SADDLE AND HARNESS MAKING ORIGINS OF HERMES. WHETHER IN A TROUSER OR JACKET POCKET, THE MANNER OF WEARING THE ARCEAU POCKET FURTHER ACCENTUATES THE INNATE CLASSIC CHIC OF THE ORIGINAL WATCH DESIGN. THE ARCEAU POCKET PROMENADE DE LONGCHAMP INTRODUCES A NEW DIAL THAT IS A TRUE WORK OF ART SCULPTURE FROM A BLOCK OF NATURAL MOTHER OF PEARL. IT DEPICTS AN EQUESTRIAN SCENE USING A RELIEF MODELING TECHNIQUE: THE CARRIAGE, HORSES AND PROTAGONISTS ARE THEMSELVES ENGRAVED ON TWO SUPERIMPOSED GOLD PLATES. THE PERSPECTIVE LINES, THE VARIOUS PLANES AND THE DEPTH OF FIELD, UNDERSCORED BY THE THIRD DIMENSION OF THE CREATION, INSTILL A DISTINCT SENSE OF LIFE AND MOVEMENT. THE MOTIF EVOKES THE CENTRAL DETAIL OF THE PROMENADE DE LONGCHAMP SILK CARRE DESIGNED BY PHILIPPE LEDOUX IN 1965. THE WHITE GOLD 43.2mm CASE AND SHIMMERING GREY-BLUE MOTHER OF PEARL DIAL RADIATE A SENSE OF DIAPHANOUS HARMONY THAT MAKES A STRIKING CONTRAST WITH THE CORD-STRAP AND POUCH IN MATT HAVANA ALLIGATOR LEATHER.

LVMH TO ACQUIRE BULGARI

2011-03-08T02:21:00.003-05:00

FRENCH LUXURY GROUP LVMH HAS AGREED TO BUY ROME BASED LUXURY JEWELER BULGARI SPA IN A CASH AND SHARES DEAL WORTH 4.3 BILLION EUROS. THE DEAL WILL SEE BULGARI'S FOUNDING FAMILY BECOME THE SECOND LARGEST FAMILY SHAREHOLDERS IN LVHM BEHIND THAT OF CHIEF EXECUTIVE BERNARD ARNAULT. LVHM ALSO ANNOUNCED A TENDER OFFER OF 12.25 EUROS PER SHARE TO ACQUIRE THE REMAINING SHARES OF BULGARI, A 61 PERCENT PREMIUM OVER WHERE THEY WERE TRADING BEFORE THE ANNOUNCEMENT.

HARRY WINSTON PREMIER BIJOU

2011-03-07T01:56:00.003-05:00

HARRY WINSTON HAS RECENTLY RELEASED A STUNNING NEW ELEGANT WATCH FOR WOMEN AS PART OF THEIR LATEST COLLECTION. THE PREMIER BIJOU HAS BEEN REINTERPRETED AND MASTER CRAFTED TO FOCUS ON THE NATURE OF HARRY WINSTON'S DESIGN AND THE CONSTANT CREATIVITY INVOLVED WITH ITS GEMSTONE EXPERTISE. THE WATCH HAS THREE HUNDRED AND SEVENTY ONE DIAMONDS WHICH WEIGH A TOTAL OF TWO POINT FOUR CARATS WITH A DIAL CONSISTING OF SMALL UNIQUE DIAMONDS BECOMING LARGER AS THE CENTER IS REACHED

KIRSTEN DUNST NEW SPOKESMODEL FOR BULGARI MON JASMIN NOIR

2011-03-05T02:52:00.004-05:00

ITALIAN LUXURY JEWELRY DESIGNER HAS RECENTLY RELEASED STUNNING NEW IMAGES FOR ITS NEW FRAGRANCE, MON JASMIN NOIR, A FLANKER TO THE 2008 PERFUME JASMIN NOIR. ACTRESS KIRSTEN DUNST CAN SEEN COVERED WITH CAREFULLY PLACED SILKEN FABRIC, HOLDING A GIANT FLACON OF THE FRAGRANCE AND SITTING NEXT TO A REAL LION. MON JASMIN NOIR, WHICH FEATURES NOTES OF LILY OF THE VALLEY, SAMBAC JASMINE, MUSKY NOUGATINE AND VIBRANT WOOD, IS NOW EXCLUSIVELY AVAILABLE AT NORDSTROM BEFORE BEING RELEASED INTERNATIONALLY NEXT MONTH.

CHRISTIE'S TO SELL 10.09 CARAT FANCY VIVID DIAMOND

2011-03-04T02:16:00.004-05:00

PERHAPS NO GREATER PHENOMENON HAS ELECTRIFIED THE GLOBAL JEWELRY MARKET IN THE PAST FEW YEARS THAN THE SKYROCKETING PRICES ACHIEVED FOR LARGE PINK DIAMONDS AT AUCTION. IN THE LAST 15 MONTHS, FOUR PINK DIAMONDS HAVE FETCHED MORE THAN 41 MILLION PER CARAT AT AUCTION, CHRISTIE'S LEADING THE WAY WITH THE VIVID PINK, A 5 CARAT CUSHION-CUT DIAMOND THAT SOLD FOR MORE THAN $2.1 MILLION PER CARAT AT CHRISTIE'S HONG KONG IN DECEMBER 2009, A RECORD PRICE PER CARAT FOR ANY DIAMOND SOLD AT AUCTION. NOW, CHRISTIE'S IS PLEASED TO ANNOUNCE IT WILL OFFER A 10.09 CARAT FANCY VIVID PURPLISH-PINK DIAMOND AS THE HIGHLIGHT OF ITS 12.APRIL MAGNIFICENT JEWELS SALE IN NEW YORK. THE EXCEPTIONAL DIAMOND, WITH ITS HIGHLY DESIRABLE CUSHION CUT, IS ESTIMATED AT $12-15 MILLION. 'COLLECTOR DEMAND FOR LARGE COLOURED DIAMONDS HAS NEVER BEEN STRONGER, ESPECIALLY WHERE PINK DIAMONDS OF THIS SIZE AND QUALITY ARE CONCERNED. FEWER THAN 10% OF ALL PINK DIAMONDS MINED WEIGH MORE THAN 0.20 CARATS, AND EVEN FEWER EXHIBIT THE EXCEPTIONAL COLOUR SATURATION AND BRILLIANCE OF THIS EXCEPTIONAL GEM. IN ALL MY YEARS AT CHRISTIE'S, I HAVE NEVER SEEN SUCH A VIVID COLOUR IN A STONE OF THIS SIZE', SAID RAHUL KADAKIA, HEAD OF JEWELRY AT CHRISTIE'S NEW YORK. 'AT CHRISTIE'S NEW YORK THIS PAST DECEMBER, JEWELRY COLLECTORS COMPETED FOR A 6.89 CARAT FANCY VIVID PURPLISH-PINK DIAMOND, WHICH ULTIMATELY SOLD FOR $6.9 MILLION OF $1 MILLION PER CARAT. THIS LARGER STONE, WITH ITS RICHER, DEEPER HUE OF PINK AND ELECTRIFYING PURPLE TONE IS POSITIONED TO BECOME ONE OF THIS SEASON'S TOP SELLING DIAMONDS.'

GUINNESS TO OPEN FIRST US RETAIL SHOP IN LAS VEGAS

2011-03-03T02:18:00.002-05:00

THE FIRST OFFICIAL GUINNESS STORE IN THE US WILL HAVE ITS GRAND OPENING INSIDE THE SHOPPES AT MANDALAY PLACE ON THE LAS VEGAS STRIP ON ST PATRICK'S DAY, 17.MARCH. IT WILL FEATURE THE LARGEST SELECTION OF GUINNESS MERCHANDISE LOCATED IN A SINGLE VENUE OUTSIDE OF IRELAND. HOME TO A WIDE RANGE OF GUINNESS MERCHANDISE, INCLUDING UNIQUE LAS VEGAS PRODUCTS, THE 1,500sqft GUINNESS STORE LAS VEGAS WILL FEATURE ITEMS RANGING FROM PINT GLASSES TO CLOTHING; ACCESSORIES TO GIFTS, WHICH CELEBRATE MORE THAN 250 YEARS OF THE DRINKS BRAND. EXCLUSIVE LAS VEGAS-THEMED MERCHANDISE WILL INCLUDE MEN'S CLOTHING, WOMEN'S CLOTHING, PINT GLASSES, HATS AND ACCESSORIES. SEVERAL OF THE CLOTHING ITEMS FOR MEN AND WOMEN WILL BE PART OF THE NEW 'GUINNESS ON THE STRIP' CLOTHING LINE. VISITORS TO THE STORE CAN LEARN ABOUT THE BREWING PROCESS AND THE BRAND THROUGH VISUAL EXHIBITION. ANOTHER INTERACTIVE ELEMENT WILL BE A UNIQUE TOUCHSCREEN THROUGH WHICH VISITORS CAN LEARN ABOUT THE HISTORY OF THE BREWERY AND EVEN SEE IF ONE OF THEIR ANCESTORS WORKED THERE.

LOUIS VUITTON MONOGRAM REVELATION KEEPALL

2011-03-02T01:41:00.002-05:00

LOUIS VUITTON HAS RECENTLY RELEASED A STUNNING BAG IN COLLABORATION WITH EDUN A CLOTHING HOUSE WHICH FOCUSES ON ENCOURAGING TRADE IN AFRICA. THE LOUIS VUITTON MONOGRAM REVELATION KEEPALL FEATURES A VIBRANT BROWN COLOUR WITH A DEBOSSED MONOGRAM AS ITS MAIN THEME INSPIRED BY THE BEAUTY AND ELEGANCE FROM AFRICA. THE BAG INCLUDES A FAIR TRADE HAND CRAFTED MASAI INSPIRED BAG CHARM WITH A UNIQUE PLAQUE STATING 'EVERY JOURNEY BEGAN IN AFRICA'.

HISTORIC DOCUMENT DISCOVERED IN NEW ZEALAND STATUE

2011-03-02T01:26:00.003-05:00

THE NEW ZEALAND EARTHQUAKE HAS EXPOSED POTENTIALLY HISTORIC DOCUMENT HIDDEN INSIDE A 19th CENTURY STATUE THAT TOPPLED IN THE RECENT DISASTER. CHRISTCHURCH MAJOR BOB PARKER SAID TUESDAY THAT A HANDWRITTEN PARCHMENT IN A BOTTLE AND A SEALED COPPER CYLINDER BELIEVED TO CONTAIN DOCUMENTS WERE DISCOVERED INSIDE THE STATUE OF THE CITY'S FOUNDER. THE STATUE IS IN THE CITY'S MAIN SQUARE NEAR ITS HISTORIC CATHEDRAL. IT FELL DURING THE 22.FEBRUARY EARTHQUAKE THAT KILLED AT LEST 155 PEOPLE. MUSEUM EXPERTS WERE EXAMINING THE ITEMS. THEY APPEARED TO CONTAIN A MESSAGE FROM THE CITY'S FOUNDERS EXPRESSING THEIR VISION FOR IT. PARKER SAID: 'IT SEEMS ALMOST PROVIDENTIAL THAT THEY HAVE COME TO LIGHT NOW TO PROVIDE THE INSPIRATION WE NEED IN THIS MOST DIFFICULT TIME.'

GENTLEMEN PREFER BLONDES STAR JANE RUSSELL DIED AT 89

2011-03-01T02:49:00.003-05:00

GENTLEMEN PREFER BLONDES STAR JANE RUSSELL HAS DIED AT AGE 89. RUSSELL WAS DISCOVERED BY HOWARD HUGHES AND WENT ON TO BECOME ONE OF THE MOST ICONIC STARS OF THE 1940s AND '50s. HER DAUGHTER IN LAW ETTA WATERFIELD SAID THE ACTRESS DIED MONDAY AT HER HOME IN SANTA MARIA OF A RESPIRATORY-RELATED ILLNESS. SHE ALWAYS SAID 'I'M GOING TO DIE IN THE SADDLE, I'M NOT GOING TO SIT AT HOME AND BECOME AN OLD WOMAN', WATERFIELD SAID. 'AND THAT'S HOW SHE DIED, SHE DIED IN THE SADDLE.' HUGHES, THE ECCENTRIC BILLIONAIRE, CAST RUSSELL IN HIS SEXY, AND CONTROVERSIAL, 1941 WESTERN 'THE OUTLAW', ABOUT BILLY THE KID. THE MOVIE WAS INITIALLY SUBJECT TO STRICT CENSORSHIP LAW BECAUSE OF THE AMPLE CLEAVAGE DISPLAYED BY RUSSELL, BORN ERNESTINE JANE GERALDINE RUSSELL IN JUNE 1921 IN MINNESOTA. WHEN IT WAS RELEASED TWO YEARS LATER IT TURNED HER INTO AN OVERNIGHT STAR. 'THE OUTLAW', ALTHOUGH IT ESTABLISHED HER REPUTATION, WAS BESET WITH TROUBLE FROM THE BEGINNING. DIRECTOR HOWARD HAWKS, ONE OF HOLLYWOOD'S MOST EMINENT AND AUTOCRATIC FILMMAKERS, RANKLED UNDER PRODUCER HUGHES' CONSTANT SUGGESTIONS AND FINALLY WALKED OUT. 'HUGHES DIRECTED THE WHOLE PICTURE, FOR NINE BLOODY MONTHS!', RUSSELL SAID IN 1999. THE FILM'S RAMBLING, FICTIONAL PLOT FEATURED RUSSELL AS A FRIEND OF BILLY THE KID AS HE TUSSLES WITH DOC HOLLIDAY AND SHERIFF PAT GARRETT. THE LOS ANGELES TIMES CALLED IT 'ONE OF THE WEIRDEST WESTERN PICTURES THAT EVER UNREELED BEFORE THE PUBLIC'. WITH HER SULTRY LOOK AND GLOWING SEXUALITY, RUSSELL HAD ALREADY GAINED A LARGE FOLLOWING. THE HUGHES PUBLICITY MILL HAD SENT OUT PHOTOS OF THE BEAUTY IN LOW0CUT COSTUMES AND SWIM SUITS, AND SHE BECAME AN INSTANT PINUP FOR WORLD WAR II SOLDIERS. BUT HUGHES BOUGHT THE AILING RKO STUDIOS IN 1948, AND DEVOTED SPECIAL CARE TO HIS NO.1 STAR, USING HIS ENGINEERING SKILLS TO DESIGN A SPECIAL BRASSIERE (SHE SAID SHE NEVER WORE IT). THAT YEAR SHE MADE HER MOST SUCCESSFUL FILM, A LOAN OUT TO PARAMOUNT FOR 'THE PALEFACE'. BUT AT RKO SHE WAS CAST IN A SERIES OF POTBOILERS SUCH AS 'HIS KIND OF WOMAN', 'DOUBLE DYNAMITE', 'THE LAS VEGAS STORY' AND 'MACAU'. HUGHES REWARDED HER WITH A UNIQUE 20 YEAR CONTRACT PAYING $1,000 A WEEK, THEN HE SOLD RKO AND QUIT MAKING MOVIES. RUSSELL CONTINUED RECEIVING THE WEEKLY FEE, BUT NEVER MADE ANOTHER FILM FOR HUGHES. HER ONLY OTHER NOTABLE FILM WAS GENTLEMEN PREFER BLONDES', A 1953 MUSICAL BASED ON THE NOVEL BY ANITA LOOS. SHE AND MARILYN MONROE TEAMED UP TO SING 'TWO LITTLE GIRLS FROM LITTLE ROCK' AND 'SEEK ROMANCE IN PARIS'. SHE FOLLOWED THAT UP WITH THE 1954 MUSICAL 'THE FRENCH LINE', WHICH LIKE GENTLEMEN PREFER BLONDES HAS HER CAVORTING ON AN OCEAN LINER. IN 1955, SHE MADE THE SEQUEL GENTLEMEN MARRY BRUNETTES (WITHOUT MONROE) AND STARRED IN SEVERAL WESTERNS SUCH AS 'THE TALL MAN' AND FOXFIRE'. BUT BY THE 1960s, HER FILM CAREER HAD FADED. 'WHY DID I QUIT MOVIES', SHE REMARKED IN 1999, 'BECAUSE I WAS GETTING TOO OLD! YOU COULDN'T GO ON ACTING IN THOSE YEARS IF YOU WERE AN ACTRESS OVER 30.' ALTHOUGH HER LOOK AND HER HOURGLASS FIGURE MADE HER THE SUBJECT OF NUMEROUS NIGHTCLUB JOKES, UNLIKE MONROE, RITA HAYWORTH AND OTHER PINUP QUEENS OF THE ERA, RUSSELL WAS UNTOUCHED BY SCANDAL IN HER PERSONAL LIFE. RUSSELL REMAINED ACTIVE THROUGHOUT HER LIFE, STAYING BUSY IN HER CHURCH AND WITH CHARITABLE ORGANIZATION UNTIL HER HEALTH BEGAN TO DECLINE JUST A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO. IN RECENT YEARS FANS COULD SEE THE HOLLYWOOD LEGEND SINGING AT A HOTEL BAR NEAR HER SANTA MARIA HOME. RUSSELL ADOPTED THREE CHILDREN WHO SURVIVE HER ALONG WITH HER SIX GRANDCHILDREN AND TEN GREAT-GRANDCHILDREN. RUSSELL'S HAND AND FOOT PRINTS ARE IMMORTALIZED ON THE FORECOURT OF HOLLYWOOD'S LEGENDARY GRAUMAN'S CHINESE THEATER. SHE ALSO HAS A STAR ON THE HOLLYWOOD WALK OF FAME.

BONHAMS TO SELL RARE 17th CENTURY MUGHAL PORTRAIT

2011-02-28T02:53:00.003-05:00

THE LARGEST KNOWN MUGHAL PAINTING IS TO BE OFFERED AT BONHAMS, LONDON, ON 5.APRIL FOR AN ESTIMATED PRICE OF UPWARDS OF £1 MILLION. IT IS IN THE STYLE OF A EUROPEAN PORTRAIT OF THE EARLY 17th CENTURY. THE PORTRAIT WHICH WILL LEAD A SALE OF WORKS OF INDIAN AND ISLAMIC ART IS A UNIQUE PAINTING OF THE MUGHAL EMPEROR JAHANGIR WHO RULED INDIA 1605-27 AND IS ATTRIBUTED TO THE MUGHAL ARTIST ABUL HASAN, NADIR AL-ZAMAN OR 'WONDER OF THE AGE'. PREVIOUSLY SHOWN IN THE NATIONAL PORTRAIT GALLERY IN AN EXHIBITION ON THE INDIAN PORTRAIT IN 2010, THE EMPEROR IS SHOWN ON A GOLD DECORATED THRONE HOLDING A GLOBE, WEARING ELABORATE ROBES AND JEWELRY. THE SURROUNDING PERSIAN INSCRIPTION STATE IT WAS PAINTED AT MENDU IN THE AH1026/AD1617. ALICE BAILEY, HEAD OF ISLAMIC AND INDIAN ART AT BONHAMS SAID: 'THIS IS ONE OF THE RAREST AND MOST DESIRABLE 17th CENTURY PAINTINGS EVER TO COME TO AUCTION. THERE IS NO OTHER WORK OF ITS KIND AND ITS IMPORTANCE CANNOT BE UNDERESTIMATED. THE EXTRAORDINARY DETAIL AND COMPLEXITY OF THE PAINTING BOTH FASCINATE AND BEWITCH THE VIEWER.'

LONDON'S NATURAL HISTORY MUSEUM PRESENTS THE CORA SUN-DROP DIAMOND

2011-02-26T03:21:00.004-05:00

THE CORA SUN-DROP DIAMOND IS AMONG THE MOST STUNNING DIAMONDS IN THE WORLD, SO RARE THAT IT IS ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO TRULY DETERMINE IT VALUE. WHICH IS WHY NO ONE HAS EVER TRIED. NO WONDER MODEL JERRY HALL WAS BEDAZZLED BY THE GEM TODAY AS IT ARRIVED AT LONDON'S NATURAL HISTORY MUSEUM WHERE IT IS TO BE DISPLAYED IN 'THE VAULT'. AT 100 CARATS, THE CORA SUN-DROP IS ROUGHLY THE SIZE OF A WOMAN'S THUMB AND IS THE LARGEST VIVID YELLOW PEAR-SHAPED DIAMOND KNOWN IN THE WORLD. IT HAS BEEN LENT TO THE MUSEUM BY LEADING US DIAMOND MANUFACTURER CORA INTERNATIONAL FOR DISPLAY TO VISITORS FOR A LIMITED TIME FROM TOMORROW. THE UNUSUAL YELLOW COLOURED GEM STEMS FROM THE VERY SMALL PERCENTAGE OF NITROGEN WITHIN THE CARBON STRUCTURE OF THE STONE. DIAMONDS WITH A STRONG SATURATED COLOUR REPRESENT ONLY A TINY PERCENTAGE OF ALL NATURAL DIAMONDS, AND WHEN IT'S MORE THAN 100 CARATS, IT TAKES ON A HISTORIC SIGNIFICANCE AS SO FEW VERY FEW EXIST. THE DIAMOND WILL BE IN GOOD COMPANY. 'THE VAULT' IS A PERMANENT GALLERY AT THE NATURAL MUSEUM DEDICATED TO SOME OF MOTHER NATURE'S MOST RARE, UNIQUE AND VALUABLE TREASURES THROUGH ITS COLLECTION OF THE FINEST GEMS, CRYSTALS, METALS AND METEORITES FROM AROUND THE WORLD. THESE INCLUDE THE DEVONSHIRE EMERALD, THE AURORA PYRAMID OF HOPE - A WORLD CLASS COLLECTION OF 296 NATURALLY COLOURED DIAMONDS - HERON-ALLEN'S CURSED AMETHYST AND THE NAKHALA, AN EXTREMELY RARE MARTIAN METEORITE.

RIJKSMUSEUM ACQUIRES 16th CENTURY TERRACOTTA SCULPTURE

2011-02-26T02:56:00.002-05:00

THE RIJKSMUSEUM HAS RECENTLY ACQUIRED A TERRACOTTA SCULPTURE BY THE ITALIAN MASTER TOMMASO PORLEZZA DELLA PORTA. THE 22.5cm SCULPTURE DEPICTS THE OLD TESTAMENT PROPHET BALAAM AND WAS PRODUCED SOMETIME BETWEEN 1575 AND 1578. ONE OF THE MOST BEAUTIFUL 16th CENTURY ITALIAN TERRACOTTA SCULPTURES STILL REMAINING, IT WAS THE MODEL FOR A SCULPTURE IN LORETO, ONE OF ITALY'S MAJOR PILGRIMAGE SITES THAT IS VISITED BY MILLIONS OF PILGRIMS EACH YEAR. THE SMALL TERRACOTTA SCULPTURE WAS THE SCALE MODEL FOR A LIFE-SIZED MARBLE SCULPTURE THAT WAS CREATED FOR SANTA CASA IN LORETO. THIS 'SACRED HOUSE' IS A SHRINE THAT WAS BUILT IN THE 16th CENTURY AROUND THE REMAINS OF WHAT HAD BEEN CONSIDERED MARY'S BIRTHPLACE SINCE THE MIDDLE AGES. TRADITION HAS IT THAT THE HOUSE WAS MIRACULOUSLY BROUGHT FROM NAZARETH TO LORETO BY ANGELS. LORETO WAS THE MAJOR PAPAL CONSTRUCTION AND SCULPTURE PROJECT OF THE 16th CENTURY. DURING THE 16th CENTURY, MANY PROMINENT ARTISTS, INCLUDING TOMMASO DELLA PORTA FROM ROME WHO WAS THE CREATOR OF THE STUNNING SCULPTURE, WERE COMMISSIONED BY THE VATICAN TO PRODUCE WORKS TO ADORN THE SANTA CASA. THE POSE AND STYLE OF THE SCULPTURE ARE TYPICAL OF THE WORK OF THE GREAT MICHELANGELO, SO IT IS NO COINCIDENCE THAT IT WAS LONG ATTRIBUTED TO THE FAMOUS SCULPTURE. THE RIJKSMUSEUM HAS WORKED ON ACQUIRING THE PIECE FOR THE LAST THREE YEARS, SINCE SENIOR CURATOR OF SCULPTURE FRITS SCHOLTEN SAW IT AT AN ART DEALER'S IN LONDON. AT THE TIME THE SCULPTURE WAS RESERVED FOR AN AMERICAN MUSEUM. HOWEVER, THE FINANCIAL CRISIS MEANT THAT THE MUSEUM WAS UNABLE TO RAISE THE NECESSARY FUNDS TO PURCHASE IT. ON HEARING THAT THE LOUVRE WAS ALSO INTERESTED IN THE PROPHET BALAAM, THE RIJKSMUSEUM THEN STEPPED UP ITS ACQUISITION EFFORTS AND WITH THE SUPPORT OF PRIVATE DONATIONS, MANAGED TO SECURE THE ACQUISITION AT THE LAST MOMENT.

BONHAMS TO SELL THREE IMAGES OF ALEXANDER THE GREAT

2011-02-25T03:48:00.003-05:00

BONHAMS NEXT SALE OF ANTIQUITIES ON 13.APRIL INCLUDES THREE POWERFUL IMAGES OS ALEXANDER THE GREAT, A 2000 YEAR OLD RING BEARING HIS IMAGE AND TWO STUNNING SCULPTED HEADS FROM THE SAME ERA. MADELEINE PERRIDGE, HEAD OF ANTIQUITIES AT BONHAMS SAID; 'ALEXANDER THE GREAT SEEN AS THE GREATEST GENERAL AND RULER IN HISTORY. AFTER HIS DEATH HE WAS TREATED AS A DEMI-GOD, HIS IMAGE WAS EVERYWHERE AND HIS LEGENDARY EXPLOITS A POWERFUL PART OF GREEK AND ROMAN CULTURE. THE ROMAN EMPERORS EVEN ADOPTED HIM AS AN IDEAL AND REPRESENTED THEMSELVES IN HIS GUISE, A RING USED BY THE EMPEROR AUGUSTUS WAS ACTUALLY ADORNED WITH THE FIGURE OF ALEXANDER, POSSIBLY MUCH LIKE THE ONE WE ARE SELLING. THE THREE WORKS OF ART UP FOR AUCTION ARE PROOF OF THE POWER OF HIS IMAGE AND LEGEND THROUGHOUT THE HELLENISTIC AND ROMAN PERIODS, ENDURING EVEN IN THE PRESENT DAY.' THE FIRST SCULPTED HEAD OF ALEXANDER THE GREAT IS ROMAN FROM THE ANTONINE DYNASTY, CIRCA AD 138-161, IT IS OVER-LIFESIZE. HE IS DEPICTED WITH DISTINCTIVE WAVY HAIR FALLING AT HIS FURROWED BROW AND THE NAPE OF HIS NECK, HIS BROWS CARVED IN RELIEF WITH NOTCHED DETAILS, THE LIDDED EYES WITH INCISED IRISES AND DRILLED PUPILS, HIS SHAPELY LIPS ABOVE A STRONG CHIN. IT STANDS 12½in HIGH, AND IS ESTIMATED TO SELL FOR £150,000-200,000. THE SECOND ALEXANDER IN THE SALE IS ONCE AGAIN A ROMAN MARBLE HEAD OF ALEXANDER HELIOS CIRCA 1st CENTURY BC-AD. THE THICK WAVY HAIR SECURED WITH A FILLET WITH TWO LINES OF DRILL HOLES FOR INSERTION OF A RADIATE HEADDRESS, THE HEAD TILTED SLIGHTLY TO THE RIGHT, WITH SEEP-SET ALMOND-SHAPED EYES AND FULL LIPS, 7¾in HIGH. IT IS ESTIMATED TO SELL FOR £7,000-9,000. THE PIECE WAS ACQUIRED BY JOHN PETER DEERING, AN EMINENT ARCHITECT AND ROYAL ACADEMICIAN OF THE EARLY 19th CENTURY, PROBABLY ON A TRIP TO POMPEII CIRCA 1817. HE ALSO CO-WROTE WITH SIR WILLIAM GELL, AND ACCOUNT OF HIS TRIP TO POMPEII: 'THE TOPOGRAPHY, EDIFICES AND ORNAMENTS OF POMPEII'. THE THIRD ALEXANDER-LINKED OBJECT IN THE SALE IS A HELLENISTIC GOLD AND CARNELIAN INTAGLIO RING OF ALEXANDER THE GREAT CIRCA 2nd-1st CENTURY BC. A FLAT CIRCULAR STONE ENGRAVED WITH THE PROFILE HEAD OF ALEXANDER THE GREAT IN THE GUISE OF HERAKLES WEARING A LION'S SKIN, THE JAW PULLED UP OVER HIS HEAD WITH THE PAWS TIED AT THE NECK, SET IN THE ORIGINAL GOLD RING, THE HOOP FLARING AT THE BEZEL, IT IS ESTIMATED TO SELL FOR £40,000-50,000.

LENA HORNE COLLECTION SELLS FOR $316,000 AT AUCTION

2011-02-25T02:35:00.003-05:00

AN AUCTION OF 200 ITEMS THAT ONCE FILLED THE HOME OF JAZZ SINGER AND ACTRESS LENA HORNE SOLD WEDNESDAY FOR $316,000, MORE THAN DOUBLE THE HIGHEST PRE-SALE ESTIMATE. THE LATE STAR'S BELONGINGS FROM HER MANHATTAN APARTMENT WERE AUCTIONED AT DOYLE NEW YORK. THEY EPITOMIZED HER SOPHISTICATED TASTE: FRENCH-STYLE FURNISHING, ELEGANT COSTUMES, JEWELRY AND FINE ART. A SEQUINED CARDIGAN EVENING COAT SOLD FOR 41,125, WHILE A SMALL LOUIS VUITTON TRUNK WITH STICKERS INSCRIBED LENA HORNE HAYTON SOLD FOR $20,000, FAR ABOVE ITS PRE-SALE ESTIMATE OF $500 TO $700. AND A SOFT LEATHER VANITY CASE INSCRIBED LH WAS ESTIMATED AT $200 TO $400 SOLD FOR $6,250. HORNE'S FAVORITE DESIGNER WAS GIORGIO DI SANT ANGELO, AND A REVERSIBLE MINK COAT BY THE ITALIAN CREATOR WAS ESTIMATED AT $300 TO $500, BUT SOLD FOR $8,125. A CHANEL FIVE-STRAND CHOKER OF GOLD-TONE METAL AND FAUX BAROQUE PEARLS HAD A $1,000 TO $1,200 PRE-SALE ESTIMATE. IT SOLD FOR $2,000. THE AUCTION HOUSE SAID THE ESTIMATES WERE BASED ON CURRENT MARKET VALUES, BUT THE CELEBRITY PROVENANCE WAS THE 'X FACTOR' THAT WOULD DETERMINE THE PRICE AT AUCTION. THE HIGHEST PRICED ITEM IN THE SALE WAS A COLOURFUL PAINTING BY AFRICAN AMERICAN ARTIST AND MURALIST CHARLES ALSTON, WHICH WAS ESTIMATED TO BRING $30,000 TO $50,000, BUT IT ONLY BROUGHT IN $20,000. HORNE'S REFINED TASTE EXTENDED TO THE FURNISHINGS IN HER UPPER EAST SIDE HOME. A ROCOCO-STYLE GILT-METAL AND GLASS 12 LIGHT CHANDELIER ESTIMATED AT $1,500 TO $2,500 SOLD FOR $4,375. HORNE, WHO WAS ALSO A DANCER AND CIVIL RIGHTS ACTIVIST, DIED LAST MAY AT THE AGE OF 92. SHE APPEARED ON SCREEN, STAGE, ON RECORDS AND IN NIGHTCLUBS AND CONCERT HALLS. HER SIGNATURE SONG WAS 'STORMY WEATHER', BUT HER VOCAL RANGE EXTENDED FROM THE BLUES AND JAZZ TO SUCH RODGERS AND HART CLASSICS AS 'THE LADY IS A TRAMP' AND 'BEWITCHED, BOTHERED AND BEWILDERED'. A STRIKING FIGURE, HORNE WAS THE SUBJECT OF SOME OF THE ARTWORKS IN HER COLLECTION INCLUDING A 1959 PORTRAIT BY GEOFFREY HOLDER THAT SOLD FOR $10,625 AND A BRONZE SCULPTURE BY PETER LAMBDA THAT BROUGHT $5,938. THE COLLECTION ALSO INCLUDED BOOKS, PHOTOGRAPHS, AMONG THEM A GROUP OF BOOKS AUTOGRAPHED BY LANGSTON HUGHES, WHICH SOLD FOR $5,000, AND A SELECTION OF CONTACT SHEETS BY RICHARD AVEDON TAKEN DURING A PHOTO SHOOT WITH HORNE.

MOUAWAD'S $3.8 MILLION 1001 NIGHTS DIAMOND PURSE

2011-02-24T02:36:00.003-05:00

THE HOUSE OF MOUAWAD HAS RECENTLY RELEASED THE STUNNING MOUAWAD 1001 NIGHTS DIAMOND PURSE, THE WORLD'S MOST EXPENSIVE HANDBAG, VALUED AT A STAGGERING $3.8 MILLION. THE DAZZLING CREATION WAS DESIGNED BY ROBERT MOUAWAD AND HANDCRAFTED BY 10 ARTISANS IN OVER 8,800 HOURS. THE HEART-SHAPED PURSE INCORPORATES 18 CARAT GOLD AND 4,517 DIAMONDS, 105 YELLOW, 56 PINK AND 4,356 COLOURLESS, WITH A TOTAL WEIGHT OF 381.92 CARATS. THE PURSE WAS ON DISPLAY AT THE DOHA JEWELRY AND WATCH EXHIBITION OVER THE RECENT WEEKEND, AS OF YET THERE HAS BEEN NO CONFIRMATION IF ANYONE HAS PURCHASED IT. THE HANDBAG IS THE SECOND RECORD-BREAKING ATTEMPT FROM THE HOUSE OF MOUAWAD, WHICH WAS FOUNDED IN 1890. IN 2003, GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS CERTIFIED, 'THE VERY SEXY FANTASY BRA', WHICH WAS PRODUCED IN COLLABORATION WITH VICTORIA'S SECRET, AS THE MOST EXPENSIVE BRA EVER MADE WITH A VALUE OF $1 MILLION.

HOME MOVIE OF PRESIDENT KENNEDY DONATED TO SIXTH FLOOR MUSEUM

2011-02-23T03:31:00.003-05:00

THE RICE HOTEL IN HOUSTON WAS THE SECOND TRIP OF A PLANNED FIVE-CITY TEXAS VISIT THAT WAS TO HAVE FINISHED AT A FUND-RAISER DINNER IN AUSTIN. THE KENNEDY ASSASSINATION HAPPENED IN DALLAS THE NEXT DAY. SHORTLY BEFORE 9pm IN THE HOTEL'S GRAND BALLROOM, PRESIDENT KENNEDY SPOKE TO A GROUP OF SEVERAL HUNDRED FROM THE LEAGUE OF UNITED LATIN AMERICAN CITIZENS (LULAC). HE THEN INTRODUCED FIRST LADY JACQUELINE KENNEDY WHO SPOKE, WITHOUT NOTES, IN SPANISH. THE ROOM ERUPTED IN CHEERS OF 'OLE'. AT THE TIME, ROY BOTELLO SERVED AS THE LULAC SCHOLARSHIP CORPORATION COMMITTEE CHAIRMAN. AS ONE OF THE TOP OFFICIALS OF THE HOST COMMITTEE, BOTELLO HAD CLOSE ACCESS TO THE KENNEDYS THAT EVENING. HE BROUGHT AMONG HIS HOME MOVIE CAMERA AND CAPTURED SILENT COLOUR FILM OF THE KENNEDY ARRIVAL, WELCOMING DIGNITARIES, A MARIACHI BAND AND BOTH KENNEDYS ADDRESSING THE CROWD. 'RAY BOTELLO SHOWED HIS HOME MOVIE FOR THE FIRST TIME PUBLICLY LAST YEAR AND HAS GENEROUSLY DONATED THE ORIGINAL FILM TO THE MUSEUM FOR EDUCATION AND PRESERVATION', SAID GARY MACK, CURATOR AT THE SIXTH FLOOR MUSEUM AT DEALEY PLAZA. 'WE COMMISSIONED A NEW FILM-TO-VIDEO TRANSFER THAT SIGNIFICANTLY IMPROVES THESE HISTORIC IMAGES.' THE MUSEUM IS COMMITTED TO FINDING AND PRESERVING HOME MOVIES, PHOTOGRAPHS AND NEWS COVERAGE OF EVENTS RELATED TO JFK's 21-22.NOVEMBER.1963 TRIP TO TEXES AND HIS ASSASSINATION AND TO MAKING THESE MATERIALS ACCESSIBLE TO THE PUBLIC THROUGH EXHIBITION, PROGRAMS AND RESEARCH OPPORTUNITIES.

BONHAMS TO SELL RARE PAINTING OF WW2 BOMB STORE BY DAVID BOMBERG

2011-02-23T02:39:00.003-05:00

A POWERFUL PAINTING OF A STAFFORDSHIRE BOMB STORE BY THE ARTIST DAVID BOMBERG WILL BE OFFERED BY BONHAMS, LONDON, IN THE 20th CENTURY BRITISH ART SALE ON 9.MARCH. THE STUNNING PAINTING IS ESTIMATED TO SELL FOR £80,000 – 120,000. AS WORLD WAR II BROKE OUT IN EUROPE, BOMBERG FELT A PRESSING NEED TO CONTRIBUTE IN SOME WAY AND REPEATEDLY SUGGESTED THAT ARTISTS BE EMPLOYED TO DEPICT AND DOCUMENT THE HISTORIC EVENTS. TO HIS SATISFACTION, IN 1939 IT WAS ANNOUNCED THAT A WAR ARTIST'S ADVISORY COMMITTEE (WACC) WAS SET UP FOR EXACTLY THAT PURPOSE. FOLLOWING ALMOST FOUR YEARS OF INACTIVITY AND ALMOST 300 APPLICATIONS FOR TEACHING POSTS, BOMBERG'S REQUEST TO PARTICIPATE IN THE CAUSE WAS FINALLY ACCEPTED. IN 1943, HE WAS SENT TO BURTON ON TRENT IN STAFFORDSHIRE WHERE HE SPENT TWO WEEKS, NINETY FEET BELOW GROUND IN LONG DISUSED GYPSUM MINES. HERE, ALMOST TEN THOUSAND TONS OF BOMBS WERE STORED IN ANTICIPATION OF FUTURE AIR RAIDS ON GERMAN CITIES. BOMBERG WORK FEVERISHLY AND WHEN HE RAN OUT OF CANVAS, HE WORKED ON GREASEPROOF PAPER. OWING TO CENSORSHIP AND SECRECY, ALL HIS SKETCHES HAD TO BE STORED AT THE DEPOT OVERNIGHT AND HE COULD NOT DISCUSS THE PROJECT WITH ANYONE. THERE IS SPONTANEITY TO THE SURFACE, IN BOMBERG'S ANIMATED STROKES AND DASHES OF COLOUR. UNLIKE MANY OF HIS BOMB STORE WORKS, THIS IS SOMEWHAT 'EASY TO READ', PERHAPS A NOD TO THE WACC's PREFERENCE FOR CLARITY IN WORKS BY COMMISSIONED ARTISTS. HOWEVER, THERE IS NO PROPAGANDA HERE AND THE ARTIST PORTRAYS THE CHAMBER AND RACKS OF BOMBS IN A WAY THAT THE VIEWER IS IN NO UNCERTAIN TERMS OF ITS PURPOSE, TO HOLD INSTRUMENTS OF WAR. BOMBERG HAD BEEN NERVOUS WHILST IN THE STORES AND JUSTIFIABLY SO, AS JUST A YEAR LATER ON 27.NOVEMBER.1944, THERE WAS A MASSIVE EXPLOSION THAT COULD BE FELT AS FAR AWAY AS ROME, KILLING 68 MEN AND 200 CATTLE. CAUSED BY SAFELY NEGLIGENCE, THE TERRIBLE ACCIDENT WAS COVERED UP FOR YEARS. NOT ONLY CAN THE PRESENT WORK BE SEEN AS A POWERFUL PAINTING BY BOMBERG EXECUTED IN DIFFICULT CONDITIONS, IT IS A HISTORICAL DOCUMENT OF A PLACE NOW DESTROYED AND A REVEALING INSIGHT INTO THE ATROCITIES OF WAR.

BONHAMS TO SELL NEWLY DISCOVERED SICKERT PAINTING

2011-02-22T03:22:00.002-05:00

A PREVIOUSLY UNKNOWN PAINTING BY WALTER SICKERT, ENTITLED THE BLIND SEA CAPTAIN, IN ONE OF THE HIGHLIGHTS OF THE 20th CENTURY BRITISH ART SALE AT BONHAM'S, NEW BOND STREET, LONDON ON 9.MARCH. THE PAINTING, WHICH IS ESTIMATED TO SELL FOR £40,000 – 60,000, IS FROM A PRIVATE COLLECTION, INHERITED BY THE VENDOR FROM HER GRANDFATHER. THE ART HISTORIAN WENDY BARON, WHO HAS DEVOTED HER LIFE TO STUDYING THE WORKS OF WALTER SICKERT, WAS ASTOUNDED TO FIND A PAINTING BY THE ARTIST THAT SHE HAD NEVER SEEN. SICKERT IS CONSIDERED A PROMINENT FIGURE IN THE TRANSITION FROM IMPRESSIONISM TO MODERNISM, AND AN IMPORTANT INFLUENCE ON DISTINCTIVELY BRITISH STYLES OF AVANT GARDE ART IN THE 20th CENTURY. NOTORIOUS FOR HIS PAINTINGS OF NUDES, FOUR OF THEM CONTROVERSIALLY ENTITLED, THE CAMDEN TOWN MURDER, AFTER A WELL PUBLICIZED AND GRUESOME MURDER OF A PROSTITUTE IN 1907, CERTAINLY GAINED SICKERT ATTENTION AND HE BECAME A PROMINENT MEMBER OF THE CAMDEN TOWN GROUP OF ARTISTS. THE BLIND SEA CAPTAIN IS FAR MORE SENTIMENTAL IN THEME, BUT IN THE OUTBREAK OF WORLD WAR ONE IT WOULD HAVE BEEN AN APPROPRIATE SUBJECT FOR SICKERT. THE PICTURE ITSELF IS THOUGHT TO HAVE BEEN PAINTED DURING THE SUMMER OF 1914 IN DIEPPE AND IS TYPICAL OF SICKERT'S PROFICIENCY AS A MASTER OF MOOD AND ALLUSION. WENDY BARON NOTES IN HER ARTICLE IN THE BONHAMS MAGAZINE, SICKERT HAS CREATED 'AN IMAGINARY GLIMPSE INTO THE LIVES OF A MAN BROKEN BY BLINDNESS WHO, BUT FOR THE DEVOTION OF HIS OLD MOTHER OR WIFE, WOULD BE DESTINED FOR THE WORKHOUSE.' AN UNFINISHED SKETCH IN OIL ON CANVAS, DATED 1912, KNOWN AS THE OLD SOLDIER HAS BEEN EXTENSIVELY CATALOGED AND HAD PREVIOUSLY BEEN THOUGHT TO BE THE SUM OF SICKERT'S WORK ON THE SUBJECT. HOWEVER, BARON COMMENT: 'UNTIL THE BLIND SEA CAPTAIN EMERGED FROM A PRIVATE COLLECTION IN SCOTLAND A FEW MONTHS AGO, I HAD FOUND NOTHING DURING 58 YEARS SPENT STUDYING SICKERT'S PAINTINGS TO SUGGEST THAT HE EVER RETURNED TO THIS SUBJECT...ITS REDISCOVERY IS THUS ESPECIALLY EXCITING.'

CHRISTIE'S TO SELL LOWRY PAINTING FOR ESTIMATED £3.5 MILLION

2011-02-21T02:04:00.004-05:00

HAVING NOT BEEN SEEN IN PUBLIC FOR ALMOST 20 YEARS, THE FOOTBALL MATCH, BY LAURENCE STEPHEN LOWRY, R.A. WILL BE OFFERED AT AUCTION ON 26.MAY IN CHRISTIE'S SALE OF 20th CENTURY BRITISH ART. AN EXCEPTIONALLY RARE DEPICTION OF ONE OF BRITAIN'S MOST POPULAR SPORTS, FOOTBALL, BY ONE OF THE COUNTRY'S MOST ICONIC BRITISH ARTISTS, THE PAINTING IS A MODERN MASTERPIECE. THE PROPERTY OF A PRIVATE COLLECTOR, THE FOOTBALL MATCH HAS AN ESTIMATE OF £3.5 MILLION TO £4 MILLION, SETTING A NEW BENCHMARK FOR THE ARTIST'S WORK AT AUCTION. REFLECTING THE INTERNATIONAL APPEAL OF LOWRY, THE FOOTBALL MATCH, WHICH WAS PAINTED IN 1949 AT THE HIGH POINT OF THE ARTIST'S CAREER, TOURED TO LONDON, AMERICA AND PARIS BEFORE ENTERING A PRIVATE COLLECTION IN 1950, WHERE IT REMAINED FOR OVER 40 YEARS. THE LARGE FORMAT CANVAS, MEASURING 28 x 36 INCHES, IS IN EXCELLENT ORIGINAL CONDITION. IT PROVIDES COLLECTORS, INSTITUTIONS AND DEALERS WITH A VERY RARE OPPORTUNITY AS IT COMBINES THE ARTIST'S HIGHLY SOUGHT AFTER INDUSTRIAL LANDSCAPE, PEPPERED WITH ROOFTOPS; CHIMNEYS FULL OF BILLOWING SMOKE; HOUSES AND STREETS SCENES WITH INCIDENTAL DOMESTIC MOMENTS, AND TEAMS THIS WITH MAGNETICALLY PULLING THE VIEWER OVER THE ROOFTOPS, THROUGH THE DEEP CROWDS GATHERED ON THE SIDE-LINES, THROUGH THE GOALPOST AND INTO THE MIDST OF THE FOOTBALL MATCH ITSELF, AND THEN BEYOND. LOWRY WAS A KEEN FOOTBALL SUPPORTER HIMSELF, HIS TEAM WAS MANCHESTER CITY. HE EXPLORED THE SUBJECT OF GOING TO, OR BEING AT A FOOTBALL MATCH, SEVERAL TIMES, BUT NO OTHER WORK PROVIDES THE ENGAGING PANORAMIC BIRDS-EYE VIEW DEEP IN TO THE ACTION ON THE PITCH, THROUGH SUCH EXTENSIVE CROWDS, WITH THE GREATER, HIGHLY DETAILED CONTEXT OF THE HOMES AND FACTORIES, FLANKING ALL FOUR SIDES OF THE PITCH, WHICH ARE CENTRAL TO THE LIVELIHOOD OF THE SUPPORTERS DEPICTED.

FACONNABLE LAUNCHES JEANS COLLECTION

2011-02-19T03:49:00.002-05:00

ICONIC LUXURY FRENCH FASHION LABEL FACONNABLE, BRON FROM A TAILOR'S ATELIER IN NICE IN THE 1950s, HAS ALWAYS BEEN THE FIRST CHOICE FOR FASHION FORWARD MEN'S DESIGN. NOW THE COMPANY, WHICH IS COMMITTED TO INNOVATION, QUALITY FABRICS, IMPECCABLE CUTS AND SINGULAR DETAILS, IS LAUNCHING A NEW LINE CALLED FACONNABLE JEANS, ADDING A CONTEMPORARY SPIN TO ITS PORTFOLIO. INSPIRED BY THE RELAXED LIFESTYLE OF THE COTE D'AZUR, FACONNABLE JEANS OFFERS THE BEST OF THE WORLD OF DENIM WHILE ADHERING TO THE PRINCIPLES OF FINE TAILORING THE BRAND IS KNOWN FOR. REFINED STITCHING; THE FINEST MATERIALS SUCH AS JAPANESE CHAMBRAY; AND CONTEMPORARY FITS DISTINGUISH THE NEW COLLECTION, WHILE PREWASHING AND HAND FINISHING GUARANTEE A SOFT FEEL AND UNIQUE PATINA. THE NEW COLLECTION ENCOMPASSES MORE THAN JUST JEANS TO ROUND OUT THE WARDROBE, INCLUDING KHAKIS, WASHED COTTON POLOS AND T-SHIRTS, AND VARIOUS STYLES OF JACKETS, ALONG WITH STYLISH ACCESSORIES SUCH AS POCKET SQUARES AND HANDMADE TIES, SHOES, BAGS, BELTS, SCARVES, CAPS AND BOXER SHORTS.

SMITHSONIAN'S COOPER-HEWITT PRESENTS 'SET IN STYLE: THE JEWELRY OF VAN CLEEF & ARPELS'

2011-02-19T02:41:00.004-05:00

SMITHSONIAN'S COOPER-HEWITT, NATIONAL DESIGN MUSEUM PRESENTS 'SET IN STYLE: THE JEWELRY OF VAN CLEEF & ARPELS'. THE EXHIBITION EXAMINES THE RENOWNED JEWELRY FIRM'S SIGNIFICANT HISTORICAL CONTRIBUTIONS TO JEWELRY DESIGN AND DESIGN INNOVATION, PARTICULARLY DURING THE 20th CENTURY. ORGANIZED BY SARAH COFFIN, CURATOR AND HEAD OF THE PRODUCT DESIGN AND DECORATIVE ART DEPARTMENT, THE EXHIBITION RUNS FROM 18.FEBRUARY THROUGH 5.JUNE. SINCE ITS OPENING ON THE PLACE VENDOME IN PARIS, VAN CLEEF & ARPELS HAS PLAYED A LEADING ROLE IN STYLE AND DESIGN INNOVATION. PIONEERING TECHNIQUES AND DESIGNS, COMBINED WITH AN ATTENTION TO CRAFTSMANSHIP, ARE AT THE CORE OF VAN CLEEF & ARPELS' JEWELRY AND SMALL PRECIOUS OBJECTS. THE EXHIBITION FEATURES MORE THAN 350 WORKS, INCLUDING JEWELS, TIMEPIECES, FASHION ACCESSORIES AND OBJECTS D'ART BY VAN CLEEF & ARPELS, DRAWN FROM NUMEROUS PRIVATE COLLECTIONS AND INSTITUTIONS, AS WELL AS THE VAN CLEEF & ARPELS' MUSEUM COLLECTION. THE OBJECTS, MANY OF WHICH WERE CREATED EXCLUSIVELY FOR AMERICAN CLIENTELE, ARE SUPPLEMENTED WITH DESIGN DRAWINGS, COMMISSION BOOKS, FABRICATION CARDS AND IMAGERY FROM THE FIRM'S ARCHIVES.
FOR MORE INFORMATION VISIT www.cooperhewitt.org

FIDM MUSEUM & GALLERIES PRESENTS EXHIBITION ON OSCAR FASHIONS

2011-02-18T03:21:00.003-05:00

HELEN MIRREN'S ELIZABETHAN DRESS FROM 'THE TEMPEST' IS COVERED WITH GOLD AND SILVER ZIPPERS, ALL THE WAY UP TO ITS RUFFLED COLLAR. THE HAT THAT MADE JOHNNY DEPP THE MAD HATTER IN 'ALICE IN WONDERLAND' WAS CRAFTED FROM IMPORTED ITALIAN LEATHER WOVEN WITH GOLD THREADS, AND IT WAS SIZED TO FIT THE FLUFFY ORANGE WIG HE WORE BENEATH IT. THE COSTUMES FROM 'TRUE GRIT' WERE MADE NEW, THEN AGED TO LOOK MORE THAN 100 YEARS OLD, WHILE MUCH OF THE CLOTHING FROM 'THE KING'S SPEECH' WERE ORIGINAL PIECES FROM THE 1930s. FILM FANS AND FASHIONISTAS CAN GET AN UP-CLOSE LOOK AT THESE OSCAR-NOMINATED OUTFITS AND NEARLY 100 OTHER MOVIE COSTUMES AT L.A.'s FASHION INSTITUTE OF DESIGN & MERCHANDISING's 19th ANNUAL ART OF MOTION PICTURE COSTUME DESIGN EXHIBITION, ON VIEW NOW. THE FIDM MUSEUM & GALLERIES COLLECTS AND DISPLAYS MOVIE COSTUMES TO ALLOW FUTURE FASHION DESIGNERS AND THE PUBLIC TO SEE THE CREATIVITY AND CRAFTSMANSHIP BEHIND THE CLOTHING THAT MKES MEMORABLE CHARACTERS ON SCREEN, SAYS CURATOR AND FASHION HISTORIAN KEVIN JONES. OSCAR-NOMINATED COSTUME DESIGNER MARY ZOPHRES SPENT MONTHS RESEARCHING THE LOOK AND STYLE OF 1860s ARKANSAS, WHERE THE ADVENTURE OF 'TRUE GRIT' TAKES PLACE. ONCE SHE BECAME FLUENT IN THE ERA'S FASHIONS, SHE ORDERED MULTIPLE OUTFITS MADE FOR EACH CHARACTER, THEN HAD THE NEW CLOTHING AGED TO APPEAR ALMOST 140 YEARS OLD. HISTORICAL COSTUMES ARE MORE EXPENSIVE TO PRODUCE, ZOPHRES SAYS: 'THE EARLIER YOU GO, THE MORE MONEY IT COSTS.' PRODUCTION ON 'THE KING'S SPEECH' STARTED LESS THAN SIX WEEKS AFTER JENNY BEAVAN WAS HIRED TO DESIGN ITS COSTUMES, SO TO OUTFIT THE ROYAL 1930s DRAMA, SHE RENTED AS MANY ORIGINAL PIECES AS SHE COULD FROM A COSTUME HOUSE IN LONDON. WHAT SHE COULDN'T FIND, SHE MADE, INCLUDING THE SUITS WORN BY KING GEORGE VI (COLIN FIRTH) AND SEVERAL DRESSES WORN BY THE QUEEN MOTHER (HELEN BONHAM CARTER). FOR A PICTURE SET IN THE RECENT PAST, IT'S COMMON FOR COSTUMES TO USE A MIX OF RENTED ORIGINALS AND CUSTOM-MADE NEW PIECES, BEAVAN SAYS. THE FIDM EXHIBIT FEATURES FOUR OF OSCAR'S FIVE NOMINATED DESIGN NOMINEES, EVEN THOUGH IT WAS ASSEMBLED BEFORE ACADEMY AWARDS NOMINEES WERE ANNOUNCED. OTHER FEATURED COSTUMES INCLUDED SEVERAL DAZZLING OUTFITS WORN BY CHRISTINA AGUILERA IN 'BURLESQUE', LEONARDO DI CAPRIO AND ELLEN PAGE'S CLOTHES FROM 'INCEPTION' AND AN OUTFIT FOR EACH CHARACTER IN 'THE KIDS ARE ALL RIGHT'. SOME OF THE MOST EYE-CATCHING COSTUMES INCLUDE THOSE FROM 'PRINCE OF PERSIA: THE SANDS OF TIME' AND 'CLASH OF THE TITANS'.

CHRISTIE'S SELLS WARHOL SELF-PORTRAIT FOR $17 MILLION

2011-02-17T02:34:00.002-05:00

A SELF-PORTRAIT BY ANDY WARHOL HAS SOLD FOR $17 MILLION, DOUBLE ITS PRE-SALE ESTIMATE. CHRISTIE'S LONDON SAYS THE WORK HAS BEEN IN A PRIVATE COLLECTION SINCE 1974. IT IS ONE OF A SERIES OF 11 SELF-PORTRAITS WARHOL CREATED. THE IMAGE OF RED AND WHITE SILKSCREEN INK ON CANVAS SHOWS THE ARTIST WITH HIS HAND TO HIS MOUTH. IT WAS EXECUTED IN 1967, AT THE HEIGHT OF HIS CAREER AS THE MOST IMPORTANT FIGURE IN AMERICAN POP ART. CHRISTIE'S SAYS THE PORTRAIT WAS BOUGHT BY AN ANONYMOUS BIDDER IN ITS LONDON AUCTION ROOM WEDNESDAY. THE IMAGE OF WARHOL WITH HIS TO HIS MOUTH IS ONE OF THE MOST REPRESENTATIVE AND ICONIC IMAGES OF THE ARTIST. WARHOL FIRST USED THE IMAGE FOR A GROUP OF WORKS IN 1966 PAINTED IN A MUCH SMALLER, LIFE-SIZE SCALE. THE FOLLOWING YEAR HE USED THE SAME IMAGE IN PRODUCING 11 MONUMENTAL WORKS IN A LARGE-SCALE FORMAT OF SIX FOOT SQUARE, OF WHICH THE PRESENT EXAMPLE IS ONE. SIX WORKS FROM THE SERIES WERE EXHIBITED IN THE AMERICAN PAVILION AT THE 1967 INTERNATIONAL AND UNIVERSAL EXPOSITION IN MONTREAL WHICH WAS VISITED BY TENS OF MILLIONS OF PEOPLE, AND WHICH SAW THE PORTRAITS DOMINATE AN EXHIBITION INCLUDING WORKS BY JASPER JOHNS, ROY LICHTENSTEIN, BARNETT NEWMAN AND ROBERT RAUSCHENBERG. BY 1967 WARHOL HAD REACHED A POINT IN HIS CAREER WHEN HE WAS INTERNATIONALLY RECOGNIZED AS THE MOST IMPORTANT AND CONTROVERSIAL FIGURE IN AMERICAN POP ART . THE PRESENT SERIES OF SELF-PORTRAITS REPRESENT THE HIGH POINT OF HIS CAREER WHEN HE HAS ACHIEVED GREAT WEALTH AND FAME, AND WHEN AS A CELEBRITY HE BRASHLY AND CONFIDENTLY PRESENTED HIS OWN IMAGE IN A TRULY MONUMENTAL FASHION TO A GLOBAL AUDIENCE OF MILLION.

ST LOUIS ART MUSEUM TRIES TO PROTECT EGYPTIAN MASK FROM SEIZURE

2011-02-17T02:16:00.002-05:00

THE ST LOUIS ART MUSEUM HAS FILED A FEDERAL LAWSUIT TO TRY TO KEEP A 3,200 YEAR OLD MUMMY MASK THAT EGYPT WANTS RETURNED, CLAIMING IT WAS STOLEN NEARLY TWO DECADES AGO. THE MUSEUM CLAIMS THE EGYPTIAN GOVERNMENT IS TRYING TO SEIZE THE 20 INCH LONG FUNERAL MASK OF KA-NEFER-NEFER AND RETURN IT TO EGYPT. BUT THE MUSEUM SAYS IT HAS LEGAL RIGHTS TO THE MASK IT PURCHASED FROM A NEW YORK ART DEALER FOR $499,000 IN 1998. EGYPT OFFICIALS HAVE CLAIMED THE MASK WAS STOLEN IN THE EARLY 1990s FROM A STORAGE ROOM NEAR A PYRAMID. THE SUIT, FILED IN FEDERAL COURT IN ST LOUIS ON TUESDAY, CLAIMS THERE IS NO PROOF THE MASK WAS EVER STOLEN. IT ALSO CLAIMS THAT THE STATUE OF LIMITATIONS HAS EXPIRED FOR ANY SEIZURE.

JOHN-PAUL GAULTIER BEBE

2011-02-16T03:32:00.003-05:00

FRENCH DESIGNER, JEAN-PAUL GAULTIER HAS RECENTLY LAUNCHED A BABYWEAR COLLECTION, GAULTIER BEBE, FOR NEWBORN BABIES AND CHILDREN UP TO TWO YEARS. THIS ISN'T THE FIRST TIME GAULTIER HAS GONE IN THE CHILDREN DIRECTION, HE ALREADY HAS JUNIOR GAULTIER. GAULTIER BEBE WILL FOLLOW IN THE SAME DIRECTION WITH HIS SIGNATURE PALETTE OF RED, WHITE AND BLUE ON DENIM, TULLE SKIRTS AND BODYSUITS. THE FORMER ARTISTIC DIRECTOR OF WOMEN'S WEAR AT HERMES HAS BEEN KEEPING BUSY SINCE HE LEFT THE LUXURY LABEL. IN ADDITION TO THE NEW COLLECTION, IN 2010 HE LAUNCHED A RANGE OF LINGERIE WITH LA PERLE AND COLLABORATED WITH ROCHE BOBOIS ON HOME FURNISHINGS.