LOUVRE ACQUIRES 17th CENTURY PAINTING 'SAINT PETER'S DENIAL'

THE FRENCH MINISTRY OF CULTURE AND THE LOUVRE HAVE ACQUIRED THE PAINTING 'SAINT PETER'S DENIAL', BY FRENCH PAINTER ANTOINE OR LOUIS LE NAIN, ATTRIBUTED TO THE 17th CENTURY LORRAINE SCHOOL. THE PAINTING IS THE MUSEUM'S LATEST ACQUISITION AND WAS PURCHASED BY A PRIVATE PATRONAGE FOR $16,560,000. THE PAINTING 'WAS FOUND IN AN ATTIC IN LUNEVILLE' AND SOLD AT AUCTION IN NANCY ON 19.MARCH.2000. ESTIMATED AT 200,000 FRANCS, IT WAS ACQUIRED BY THE PARISIAN DEALER CHARLES BAILLY FOR 9.2 MILLION FRANCS. THE PAINTING WAS DENIED AN EXPORT PERMIT AND WAS ACQUIRED BY THE INSURANCE COMPANY AXA.
THE THREE LE NAIN BROTHERS WERE PAINTERS IN 17th CENTURY FRANCE; ANTOINE LE NAIN (c.1599-1648), LOUIS LE NAIN (c.1593-1648), AND MATHIEU LE NAIN (1607-1677). THE THREE WERE BORN IN LAON, AND BY 1630, ALL THREE LIVED IN PARIS. BECAUSE OF THE REMARKABLE SIMILARITY OF THEIR STYLES OF PAINTING AND THE DIFFICULTY OF DISTINGUISHING WORKS BY EACH BROTHER (THEY SIGNED THEIR PAINTINGS ONLY WITH THEIR SURNAME, AND MANY HAVE BEEN COLLABORATIONS), THEY ARE COMMONLY REFERRED TO AS A SINGLE ENTITY, LE NAIN. LOUIS IS USUALLY CREDITED WITH THE BEST KNOWN OF THEIR PAINTINGS, A SERIES OF SCENES DEPICTING PEASANT LIFE. THE LE NAIN PAINTINGS HAD A REVIVAL IN THE 1840s AND, THANKS TO THE EXERTIONS OF CHAMPFLEURY, MADE THEIR APPEARANCE ON THE WALLS OF THE LOUVRE IN 1848. CHAMPFLEURY WAS A FRIEND OF REALIST PAINTER GUSTAVE COURBET, A THEORIST OF REALISM AND WRITER ON FRENCH POPULAR ARTS. THE 'NAIVE' QUALITY OF THESE WORKS, WITH THEIR STATIC POSES, 'AWKWARD' COMPOSITIONS AND PEASANT SUBJECTS WERE ADMIRED AND MAY WELL HAVE EXERCISED SOME INFLUENCE ON MANY 19th CENTURY ARTISTS, NOTABLY COURBET HIMSELF.

PRINCE WILLIAM IS AWARDED HIS WINGS AS A HELICOPTER PILOT

PRINCE WILLIAM HAS BEEN AWARDED HIS WINGS AS A FULLY-FLEDGED HELICOPTER PILOT WITH HIS GIRLFRIEND KATE MIDDLETON BY HIS SIDE. FLT LT WILLIAM WALES WAS PRESENTED WITH HIS FLYING BADGE DURING A GRADUATION CEREMONY AT RAF SHAWBURY IN SHROPSHIRE BY THE PRINCE OF WALES, IN HIS CAPACITY AS AIR CHIEF MARSHAL, AND THE DUCHESS OF CORNWALL. MIDDLETON LOOKED ON PROUDLY AND APPLAUDED DURING THE 30 MINUTE CEREMONY. PRINCE WILLIAM SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETED A YEAR LONG ADVANCED ROTARY TRAINING AT RAF SHAWBURY AFTER TRAINING ON TWIN-ENGINED GRIFFINS TO BECOME A FULL-TIME PILOT WITH THE ROYAL AIR FORCE'S SEARCH AND RESCUE FORCE (SARF). THE MILITARY OF DEFENSE SAID HE PASSED WITH 'FLYING COLOURS'. HE IS DUE TO BEGIN A SEARCH AND RESCUE CONVERSION COURSE AT RAF VALLEY IN ANGLESEY IN WALES WHERE HE WILL BE TAUGHT TO FLY SEA KING HELICOPTERS AFTER HE RETURNS FROM HIS FIRST OFFICIAL OVERSEAS TRIP REPRESENTING THE QUEEN TO NEW ZEALAND AND AUSTRALIA. THE 27 YEAR OLD WILL LEARN TO MANEUVER THE AIRCRAFT WITH PINPOINT ACCURACY, ENABLING HIM TO RESCUE STRICKEN MOUNTAINEERS OR EXHAUSTED SWIMMERS IN TREACHEROUS CONDITIONS. PRINCE WILLIAM IS EXPECTED TO SERVE IN THE FALKLANDS THIS YEAR AS PART OF HIS TRAINING, FOLLOWING IN THE FOOTSTEPS OF THE DUKE OF YORK WHO SERVED AS A HELICOPTER PILOT IN THE WAR IN THE SOUTH ATLANTIC IN 1982. HE WILL BECOME AN OPERATIONAL PILOT IN 2011 AND UNDERTAKE A THREE-YEAR SEARCH AND RESCUE TOUR OF DUTY. HE WAS GRANTED PROVISIONAL WINGS IN 2007 AFTER COMPLETING A BESPOKE COURSE DESIGNED TO INTRODUCE HIM TO THE RAF AND FLYING. PRINCE HARRY, WHO IS ALSO TRAINING TO BE A HELICOPTER PILOT BUT WITH THE ARMY AIR CORPS, IS EXPECTED TO WIN HIS WINGS IN MAY.

EXPERTS RESTORE PART OF VENICE'S PALAZZO DUCALE

EXPERTS HAVE RESTORED PART OF VENICE'S PALAZZO DUCALE, CLEANING MARBLE FACADES AND UNCOVERING HIDDEN SHADES OF COLOUR AND GOLD. THE GOTHIC PALACE IN ST MARK'S SQUARE HOUSED THE CITY'S TOP OFFICIAL, THE DOGE, WHEN VENICE WAS THE CAPITAL OF AN INDEPENDENT AND POWERFUL REPUBLIC. THE MUSEUM THAT NOW PRESERVES THE PALACE SAID THURSDAY THAT EXPERTS HAD RESTORED THE FACADES OVERLOOKING AN INTERNAL COURTYARD AND THE ADJOINING CHURCH OF ST NICHOLAS. DURING THE WORK ON WHAT WAS THE DOGE'S PRIVATE CHURCH, WATER INFILTRATION WAS REPAIRED AND CLEANERS BROUGHT TO LIGHT TRACES OF GOLD PLATING, COLOURED MARBLE AND PAINT WHICH ORIGINALLY DECORATED THE WHOLE PALACE. THE RESTORATION BEGAN IN 2007 AND COST NEARLY $3.6 MILLION.

SOTHEBY'S TO SELL OLD MASTERS FROM LACMA COLLECTION

THE LOS ANGELES COUNTY MUSEUM OF ART (LACMA) IS SENDING A GROUP OF OLD MASTER PAINTINGS TO THE AUCTION BLOCK AT SOTHEBY'S ON 28.JANUARY, THE LATEST IN A SERIES OF WORKS THAT THE INSTITUTION HAS PRUNED FROM ITS MASSIVE COLLECTION OVER THE PAST TWO YEARS. 'IT MAY SEEM SHOCKING THAT I AM SELLING PAINTINGS, BUT I'M WILLING TO ACCEPT THE CRITICISM', SAID PATRICE MARANDEL, THE MUSEUM'S CHIEF CURATOR OF PAINTINGS, WHO HAS BEEN OVERSEEING THE SALES. HE NOTES THAT MOST OF THE WORKS THAT HE HAS MOVED TO SELL HAD SAT IN STORAGE IN RECENT YEARS BECAUSE THEY NO LONGER CONFORM WITH LACMA'S GOALS FOR ITS EXHIBITION PROGRAM. THE MUSEUM HAS ALSO BEEN ADDING TO ITS EUROPEAN PAINTINGS COLLECTION THROUGH PURCHASES AND DONATIONS. FOR EXAMPLE, LOS ANGELES COLLECTORS HANNAH AND EDWARD CARTER LEFT 34 PAINTINGS FROM THE 17th CENTURY TO THE MUSEUM, AND MARANDEL SAYS THAT HE IS STILL ON THE HUNT FOR MORE FLEMISH PAINTINGS. THIS MONTH, LACMA WILL REOPEN ITS GALLERIES FOR DUTCH, FLEMISH, SPANISH AND FRENCH PAINTINGS, WHICH HAVE BEEN CLOSED FOR NEARLY A YEAR FOR RENOVATIONS. THE MUSEUM ALSO PLANS TO REOPEN ITS ITALIAN BAROQUE ART GALLERY NEXT MONTH, WHICH WILL FEATURE ANTIQUITIES ALONGSIDE PAINTINGS AND SCULPTURES, PART OF AN EFFORT TO DISPLAY ART AS IT WOULD HAVE BEEN PORTRAYED IN ROMAN PALACES OF ENGLISH COUNTRY HOUSES.

BONHAMS TO SELL DOWNING STREET SIGN

A HISTORIC SIGN BEARING THE NAME OF BRITAIN'S MOST EXCLUSIVE POLITICAL ADDRESS IS EXPECTED TO FETCH SEVERAL THOUSAND POUNDS WHEN IT GOES UNDER THE HAMMER AT AN UPCOMING AUCTION. THE 19th CENTURY CAST IRON DOWNING STREET SIGN WAS PREVIEWED RECENTLY AT BONHAMS AUCTIONEERS IN CENTRAL LONDON, AHEAD OF ITS SALE NEXT WEDNESDAY. WITH THE NEW GENERAL ELECTION FAST APPROACHING IT IS PERHAPS THE PERFECT GIFT FOR POLITICAL PUNDITS OR EVEN POLITICIANS KEEN TO HANG ON TO THE REMNANTS OF POWER. THE SIGN, WHICH FEATURES RAISED BLACK LETTERING ON A WHITE BACKGROUND, IS ESTIMATED TO SELL FOR BETWEEN £4,000 AND £6,000 AT THE AUCTION HOUSE IN NEW BOND STREET. THE SLICE OF BRITISH POLITICAL HISTORY WAS ONE OF A NUMBER OF ROAD SIGNS SOLD OFF IN THE 1980s BY THE WESTMINSTER CITY COUNCIL AND IS AMONG 702 LOTS WITHIN THE ANNUAL GENTLEMAN'S LIBRARY SALE. ANDREW CURRIE, SPOKESMAN FOR BONHAMS SAID: 'IT'S VERY RARE FOR A SIGN LIKE THIS TO COME TO MARKET, THERE AREN'T MANY THINGS LIKE THIS AROUND. WE ARE EXPECTING INTEREST FROM A LOT OF PEOPLE KEEN ON COLLECTING POLITICAL MEMORABILIA. IT IS OF COURSE THE PERFECT TIME IT TO COME ON SALE WITH THE GENERAL ELECTION DUE TO BE HELD IN THE NEXT FEW MONTHS. THIS SIGN IS KNOWN THROUGHOUT THE WORLD, EVERYONE KNOWS WHERE DOWNING STREET IS, SO WE ARE ANTICIPATING A LOT OF INTEREST.'

RALPH LAUREN OPENS NEW BOUTIQUES IN GSTAAD

ALREADY KNOWN AS ONE OF THE MOST EXCLUSIVE SKI RESORTS IN ALL OF SWITZERLAND, GSTAAD IS THE NEW HOME OF THE FIRST OF TWO NEW OPULENT BOUTIQUES FROM RALPH LAUREN. THE MOUNTAIN LODGE STORE IS DECORATED WITH NAVAJO RUGS, ANTIQUE FURNITURE AND UNIQUE ARTWORKS FROM AROUND THE WORLD, REFLECTING BOTH THE BRAND'S AMERICANA HERITAGE AND THE BOUTIQUE'S SWISS MOUNTAIN SURROUNDINGS. THE NEW STORE HIGHLIGHTS THE BRAND'S ICONIC COLLECTIONS; RALPH LAUREN COLLECTION, PURPLE LABEL, BLACK LABEL, BLUE LABEL, POLO AND RLX SKI, AS WELL AS THE THREE NEW RALPH LAUREN WATCH COLLECTIONS. THE SECOND GSTAAD RALPH LAUREN BOUTIQUE IS PLANNED FOR THE LOBBY OF THE HISTORIC GSTAAD PALACE HOTEL.

CRISTIANO RONALDO NEW ARMANI SPOKESMODEL

CRISTIANO RONALDO HAS SWAPPED HIS REAL MADRID UNIFORM FOR SOMETHING SKIMPIER IN THE NEW CAMPAIGN FOR EMPORIO ARMANI UNDERWEAR. THE REAL MADRID FOOTBALLER HAS REPLACED DAVID BECKHAM AS THE FACE, AND BODY, OF THE ITALIAN LUXURY FASHION BRAND. NEVER THE MODEST TYPE, RONALDO APPEARS TO HAVE EMBRACES HIS NEW MODELING CAREER WITH GUSTO, STRIKING A SERIES OF MOODY POSES AND SHOWING OFF A SIX-PACK WHICH WOULD MAKE ANYONE GREEN WITH ENVY. THE 24 YEAR OLD REPORTEDLY MAINTAINS HIS CHISELED ABS BY PERFORMING 3,000 SIT-UPS A DAY. GIORGIO ARMANI WAS FULL OF PRAISE FOR THE 'SEXY' SPORTSMAN. 'CRISTIANO IS A GREAT LOOKING YOUNG MAN WITH THE PERFECT PHYSIQUE OF AN ATHLETE. FOR ME, HE IS THE ESSENCE OF YOUTH, SPONTANEOUS, EXCITING AND A REAL MAVERICK. IT IS FOR HIS ENERGY THAT I HAVE CHOSEN CRISTIANO TO BECOME THE NEW FACE OF ARMANI JEANS AND EMPORIO ARMANI UNDERWEAR, FOR HIS YOUTHFUL, EXCITING, AND, YES, SEXY ATTITUDE'. IN THE AD FOR ARMANI JEANS, ALSO IN MOODY BLACK AND WHITE, RONALDO CAN BARELY KEEP THE JEANS ON. HE SAID: 'GIORGIO ARMANI IS A LEGEND IN THE FASHION WORLD AND I HAVE LONG BEEN A FAN OF HIS WORK. I AM VERY PLEASED WITH THE PICTURES WE HAVE DONE TOGETHER, THEY ARE CERTAINLY STRIKING AND ARE FULL OF ATTITUDE AND A SPIRIT I CAN RELATE TO.'