PRUNIER LOVE 2011 YVES SAINT LAURENT CAVIAR

IN HONOUR OF THE ICONIC FASHION LEGEND YVES SAINT LAURENT, MAISON PRUNIER HAS RECENTLY RELEASED THE 2011 OF THEIR LOVE EDITION CAVIAR. THE NAME DERIVES FROM THE SEASONS GREETINGS SENT BY YVES SAINT LAURENT TO HIS FRIENDS AND FAMILY, EACH FEATURING EXQUISITE LETTERS IN SPECIAL WRITING. THE CAVIAR USED IS OF THE ST JAMES VARIETY WHICH WAS FIRST INTRODUCED IN 1932 AT THE OPENING OF THE PRUNIER RESTAURANT ON ST JAMES STREET LONDON FOR HIGH-RANKING GUESTS.

DE BEERS ATEA COLLECTION

DEBEERS HAS RECENTLY RELEASED A STUNNING NEW COLLECTION INSPIRED BY THE THEME OF NATURE AND THE EXQUISITE SHAPE OF CIRCLES. THE COLLECTION FEATURES THE LEGENDARY ATEA LARGE PENDENT AND THE ATEA SMALL PENDENT WITH TURNING DIAMONDS FOR A TOTAL WEIGHT OF 2.45 CARATS AND 1 CARAT RESPECTIVELY. THE COLLECTION IS COMPLETED BY THE ATEA BRACELET, THE ATEA RING, BROOCH AND SLEEPER EARRINGS INSPIRED BY A NEW DAY AND IS EXCLUSIVELY AVAILABLE FROM DE BEERS WORLDWIDE.

MISSONI TO OPEN HOTEL IN KUWAIT

THE REZIDOR HOTEL GROUP ALONG WITH LUXURY ITALIAN FASHION HOUSE MISSONI HAS ANNOUNCED THE OFFICIAL OPENING OF HOTEL MISSONI KUWAIT, ON 1.MARCH.2011. THE BRAND FAMOUS FOR ITS LUXURIOUS STRIPED TEXTILES AND LA DOLCE VITA STYLE ALREADY HAS A HOTEL IN EDINBURGH, SCOTLAND. THE MISSONI KUWAIT IS PART OF THE SYMPHONY CENTRE, A BOUTIQUE EMPORIUM LOCATED IN THE CAPITAL'S SHOPPING DISTRICT. FOR THE HOTEL DESIGN CREATIVE DIRECTOR ROSITA MISSONI COMBINES VIBRANT PATTERNS AND BOLD COLOURS WITH TURQUOISE, GREEN AND GOLD ACCENTS APPROPRIATE FOR A HOTEL FACING THE SEA. THERE ARE A TOTAL OF 169 ROOMS AS WELL AS MEETING SPACE, A GYM, STEAM ROOM, SAUNA AND A POOL DECK OVERLOOKING THE CITY. DINING OPTIONS INCLUDE THE ITALIAN RESTAURANT CUCINA; LUNA RESTAURANT, LOCATED ON THE 18th FLOOR, WHICH SERVES A FUSION OF ARABIC-ORIENTAL AND MEDITERRANEAN CUISINE; CHOCO CAFE OFFERING PASTRIES, CHOCOLATE AND A SELECTION OF SMALL PLATES AND THE POOL BAR SERVING CONTINENTAL CUISINE. ROOMS HAVE BANG & OLUFSEN TELEVISIONS AND MIRRORS IN THE BATHROOM THAT CONVERT INTO TELEVISIONS. CHECK-IN IS DONE VIA iPAD. THE HOTEL ALSO WILL HAVE A 1,500 SQUARE METER LUXURY SIX SENSES SPA, OPENING LATER IN THE YEAR.

JOHNSON MEADE PAINTING ON ROAD TO AUTHENTICATION

RETIRED ARMY SENIOR SERGEANT, VICTOR HAZON HALL SAYS THAT HE HAS FOUND A SIGNED PAINTING WORTH MILLIONS OF DOLLARS AT A LOCAL FLEA MARKET. HE BLAMES CORRUPTION WITHIN THE ART WORLD FOR THE FACT THAT ART GALLERIES FAMILIAR WITH THE WORK OF THE ARTIST, MARTIN JOHNSON MEADE, REFUSE TO AUTHENTICATE THE FIND. HE HAS SUBMITTED THE PAINTING TO A WELL KNOWN ART RESTORATION AND CONSERVATION CENTER IN ATLANTA, GA, WHO CONFIRMED THAT IT IS AN ORIGINAL OIL PAINTING AND THAT SEVERAL FEATURES OF THE WORK ARE CONSISTENT WITH WORKS KNOWN TO HAVE BEEN CREATED BY JOHNSON HEADE. THE PAINTING IN QUESTION IS THE EPITOME OF PRE-RAPHAEL WORKS AND SHOWS THE INFLUENCE OF JOHN RUSKIN THROUGHOUT. IT IS UNQUESTIONABLY A MASTERPIECE WITH HISTORICAL CONNECTION TO THE AUDUBON SOCIETY'S 'THE SEASIDE FINCH'. HALL SAYS THAT THIS MAY BE THE GREATEST OF ALL JOHNSON HEADE'S WORKS, YET IT IS STAGNATED BY A FICKLE AUTHENTICATION SYSTEM WITH NO OBJECTIVITY. THE WORK IS SIGNED AND THERE IS A COMPARATIVE SIGNATURE CIRCA 1900 AVAILABLE. HE SAYS THAT A FEW LARGE GALLERIES HAVE ASKED HIM TO SEND ALL HIS RESEARCH SUPPORTING THE POSITION THAT THE WORK IS JOHNSON MEADE'S. HOWEVER, ONCE THEY RECEIVED HIS RESEARCH, THEY COULD NOT BE REACHED. HE BELIEVES THEY ARE PRACTICING A BIT OF DECEPTION IN THE HOPE THAT THIS WORK WILL BE PUT ON THE MARKET AGAIN AT SOME FUTURE DATE AT A BARGAIN PRICE. MANY PEOPLE DREAM OF FINDING TREASURE AND WORK TOWARD THAT GOAL. IT IS QUITE DISAPPOINTING WHEN ONCE ACTUALLY FINDS A TREASURE, ONLY TO BE STIFLED BY THE CORRUPTION OF A TROUBLED ART WORLD WITH MANY PROBLEMS. 'THIS IS AN AMERICAN DISGRACE AND CERTAINLY NOT THE AMERICAN WAY. THERE WAS A TIME IN THIS COUNTRY WHEN VIRTUE WAS BETTER THAN GOLD, BUT IT NOW APPEARS TO BE ABOUT EGOS AND GREED', HALL SAID IN AN INTERVIEW. HALL PLANS TO CONTINUE PUBLISHING ARTICLES AND KEEPING THE PRESS INFORMED ABOUT THE STATUS FOR THE STUNNING JOHNSON HEADE MASTERPIECE, POSSIBLY HIS GREATEST WORK OF A NOW EXTINCT SPECIES THAT NOW SEEMS TO BE CAUGHT IN A WEB OF SILENCE. HALL, AS WELL AS MANY HE HAS SPOKEN WITH ON THIS TOPIC, IS UNDER THE IMPRESSION THAT 'DEALING WITH OLD MASTERS IN THE ART WORLD IS A WORLD FOR SPECIAL PEOPLE IN AMERICA'.

CHRISTIE'S FAILS TO SELL GAUGUIN PAINTING

A PAINTING BY PAUL GAUGUIN, BILLED AS THE TOP LOT AT CHRISTIE'S AUCTION OF MODERN AND IMPRESSIONIST WORKS IN LONDON, FAILED TO FIND A BUYER ON WEDNESDAY. THE TRIBUTE TO THE ARTIST'S FRIEND VINCENT VAN GOGH, IN THE FORM OF A STILL LIFE WITH SUNFLOWERS CALLED 'NATURE MORTE A L'ESPERANCE', HAD BEEN EXPECTED TO FETCH UP TO $16 MILLION. OVERALL, THE AUCTION RAISED $99.6 MILLION, ACCORDING THE AUCTION HOUSE'S WEBSITE, TOWARD THE LOWER END OF THE EXPECTED $130.4 MILLION. THE TOP LOT OF THE NIGHT WAS PIERRE BONNARD'S 'TERRASSE A VERNON' WHICH SOLD FOR $11.6 MILLION, WELL ABOVE EXPECTATIONS OF $6.4 MILLION.

METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OF ART PRESENTS CEZANNE'S CARD PLAYERS

THE LARGEST COLLECTION OF PAUL CEZANNE'S CARD PLAYER PAINTINGS TO EVER BE EXHIBITED TOGETHER OPENED RECENTLY AT THE METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OF ART, NEW YORK. IT INCLUDED THREE OF FIVE OF THE FRENCH MASTER'S FAMOUS SERIES DEPICTING PEASANTS OF THE AIX-EN-PROVENCE REGION IN A MONUMENTAL LIGHT RARELY USED TO PORTRAY THE WORKING CLASSES AT THE END OF THE 19th CENTURY. GARY TINTEROW, CHAIRMAN OF THE MUSEUM'S DEPARTMENT OF 19th CENTURY, MODERN AND CONTEMPORARY ART, DESCRIBED IT AS A LANDMARK EXHIBITION, THE FIRST DEVOTED TO THE SUBJECT. 'CREATED IN THE 1890s WHILE THE ARTIST WAS LIVING AT HIS FAMILY'S ESTATE OUTSIDE AIX-EN-PROVENCE, THESE IMAGES CAPTURE THE CHARACTER CEZANNE ADMIRED IN THE PEOPLE OF THE REGION', TINTEROW SAID. THE EXHIBITION, WHICH RUNS UNTIL 8.MAY, ALSO INCLUDES TWO DOZEN WORKS FROM THE MUSEUM'S PERMANENT COLLECTION OF EARLIER CARD PLAYING AND SMOKING SKETCHES, INCLUDING DUTCH AND FLEMISH ETCHINGS FROM THE 17th CENTURY, AND THE 19th CENTURY FRENCH PRINTS, OFTEN PORTRAYING BAWDY SCENES WITH A HEAVY DOSE OF MORALIZING. BUT WHILE AWARE OF AN INFLUENCE BY THESE WORKS, CEZANNE, 'DECIDED TO REINVENT THE SUBJECT BY PORTRAYING HIS CARD PLAYERS AS STOIC, MONUMENTAL FIGURES', TINTEROW SAID. ALONGSIDE THE CARD PLAYERS PAINTINGS A SERIES OF CEZANNE'S PREPARATORY SKETCHES AND OIL PAINTINGS ARE ON SHOW. THE EXHIBIT WAS PREVIOUSLY ON DISPLAY AT THE COURTAULD GALLERY IN LONDON. ACCORDING TO THE CURATOR OF THE LONDON EXHIBIT, A FOURTH PAINTING BELONGING TO THE BARNES FOUNDATION IN THE UNITED STATES CANNOT BE LOANED OUT AND THE FIFTH IS IN A PRIVATE COLLECTION WHICH DECLINED TO RELEASE IT FOR THE SHOW. THE PEASANTS OF AIX REPRESENTED TO CEZANNE SOMETHING TIMELESS AND UNCHANGING. HE ONCE SAID; 'I LOVE ABOVE ALL ELSE THE APPEARANCE OF PEOPLE WHO HAVE GROWN OLD WITHOUT BREAKING WITH OLD CUSTOMS.' THE PAINTER REMAINED IN THE REGION FOR MOST OF HIS LIFE, BETWEEN 1839 AND 1906. JUST FOUR YEARS BEFORE HIS DEATH HE SAID TO JULES BORELY, AN EARLY BIOGRAPHER OF THE PAINTER, 'I WAS BORN HERE; I'LL DIE HERE.'

PICASSO'S LA LECTURE SELLS FOR RECORD £25,241,250

TONIGHT, SOTHEBY'S IMPRESSIONIST & MODERN EVENING SALE WAS LED BY PABLO PICASSO'S ICONIC 1932 PAINTING OF MARIE-THERESE WALTER, LA LECTURE, WHICH SOLD TO A ROUND OF APPLAUSE FOR £25,241,250 /$40,711,612, MORE THAN DOUBLE THE LOW ESTIMATE OF £12 – 18 MILLION/$18.5-27.8 MILLION. FOLLOWING A HEATED BIDDING CONTEST THAT LASTED SIX MINUTES AMONG AT LEAST SEVEN BIDDERS, BOTH ON THE PHONE AND IN THE SALESROOM, THE WORK FINALLY SOLD TO AN ANONYMOUS BUYER BIDDING OVER THE TELEPHONE. ACHIEVING A STRONG TOTAL OF £68,834,400 / $111,023,004, WELL WITHIN THE PRE-SALE ESTIMATE OF £55,630,000 - 79,250,000, THE SALE WAS 84.5% SOLD BY VALUE. THE SALE OF LA LECTURE BROUGHT THE PAINTING TO EUROPE FOR THE FIRST TIME SINCE IT WAS PAINTED IN 1932. IT IS ONE OF A SERIES OF DEFINING WORKS IN THE ARTIST'S OEUVRE IN WHICH HE INTRODUCES HIS YOUNG LOVER MARIE-THERESE WALTER AS A RECOGNIZABLE FIGURE. THE COUPLE'S RELATIONSHIP WAS KEPT A WELL-GUARDED SECRET FOR MANY YEARS, BOTH ON THE ACCOUNT OF THE FACT THAT PICASSO WAS THEN STILL MARRIED TO OLGA AND BECAUSE OF MARIE-THERES'S AGE, SHE WAS 17 AT THE TIME THEIR RELATIONSHIP BEGAN. UNTIL THE PERIOD IN WHICH THE WORK WAS PAINTED, MARIE-THERESE ONLY EVER APPEARED IN PICASSO'S WORKS IN CODE, HER FEATURES OFTEN EMBEDDED IN THE BACKGROUND OF HIS PAINTINGS. BUT BY THE END OF 1931, PICASSO COULD NO LONGER REPRESS THE CREATIVE IMPULSE THAT HIS LOVER INSPIRED, AND OVER CHRISTMAS AND NEW YEAR 1931 AND '32, MARIE-THERESE EMERGED, FOR THE FIRST TIME, IN FULLY RECOGNIZABLE, LANGUOROUS FORM.