Fine Art Blog

Category: Art Styles

  • Impressionist and Modern Art auction at Christie’s Fine Art Auction House (London)

    On 18th of June a sale of ‘Impressionist and Modern Art’ at Christie’s Art Auction House, London, reached a landmark total for value of art sold: £121,127,200/ $239,952,983 / €178,056,984, beating the all time total for an auction sale in Europe. I think the total is incredible & shows how strong the top end of the World’s art market remains & the demand for the French impressionist Claude Monet’s work. (see below)

    Some interesting stats as well; buyers by country (by lot) were:
    Europe (excluding UK) 56%, United Kingdom (UK) 22%, Americas 21%, Asia 1%.

    ‘Waterloo Bridge, temps couvert, 1904′ by Claude Monet:

    Waterloo Bridge, temps couvert by artist Claude Monet

    ‘Waterloo Bridge, temps couvert, 1904′ by Claude Monet (1840-1926) was the top lot of the evening was which sold for £17,940,000/ $35,539,140 / €26,497,380, the second highest price reached for a Monet in £ Sterling at an auction & the highest ever Dollar $ price.

    The evening’s auctioneer Jussi Pylkkänen, who is also President of Christie’s Europe, stated:

    “This evening’s sale at Christie’s was a landmark event in the history of the art market, realising the highest total for any auction ever held in Europe. The international art market congregated at Christie’s saleroom in London this evening as an ever increasing international group of collectors fought for the exceptional selection of works. The top work of the sale was bought by a private American collector, with 6 of the other top 10 works were won by private European collectors.

    ‘Les arceaux de roses, Giverny (Les arceaux fleuris), 1913’ by Claude Monet:

    Les arceaux de roses, Giverny (Les arceaux fleuris) by artist Claude Monet

    The above painting: ‘Les arceaux de roses, Giverny (Les arceaux fleuris)’ by Claude Monet was lot 11. Painted in 1913, this oil on canvas is 32 ¼’’ x 37’’ inches in size and was estimated at £9,000,000 – 12,000,000. In the end it sold for a staggering: £8,980,000/ $17,789,380/ €13,263,460.

    Olivier Camu, International Director and Head of Impressionist and Modern Art at Christie’s, London stated:

    “Today’s results reflect the continuing confidence and depth of the art market, with thirty works selling for over £1 million and forty-six works over $1 million. The results underlines Christie’s position as the world’s leading art business as we continue to present the best works of art and to invest in the new markets of Russia, Asia and the Middle East, as well as the traditional markets of Europe and North America. We look forward to tomorrow’s Impressionist & Modern Art Day Sales as well as to Wednesday’s Evening Sale of Post War & Contemporary Art.”

    Further reading/images:

    http://www.christies.com/features/jun07/7404/overview.asp
    http://www.christies.com/features/jun07/7404/gallery/overview.asp

    thank you

    Russell

  • Irish landscape artist Philip Gray

    I have been studying the limited editions of newly published Irish artist Philip Gray, who is now considered to be one of Ireland’s most celebrated living artists.

    These are dramatic and powerful images that have a resonance all of their own, unlike other limited editions that have come before.

    Reverie I by artist Philip Gray

    While established UK (published) landscape artists, such as Lawrence Coulson, have their own style of landscape painting that they are known and loved for, Philip Gray is taking that ‘style’ and departing on his own artistic path.

    Most of his current paintings display a movement, within the sea or sky, showing dramatic colour changes that really make the picture come to life & evolve infront of your eyes.

    It maybe that the colours (often very deep ones) & the combination of colours that he paints with, in themselves, are key elements in creating his own distinct style. Personally I find this sort of work very appealing.

    World Of Light III by artist Philip Gray

    Philip was recently voted Up & Coming Published Artist 2007 in May this year
    at The Art & Framing Industry Awards. Please see my other post: The Art & Framing Industry Awards – 2007

    Therefore he must be appealing to quite a broad spectrum of art buyers.

    thank you

    Russell

  • Pop Art Portraits at the National Portrait Gallery

    ‘Pop Art Portraits’ at the National Portrait Gallery (Wolfson & Ground Floor Galleries)
    11th October 2007 to – 20th January 2008

    Starting in October 2007 British and American artists of the Pop Art era will have their work on display side by side at ‘Pop Art Portraits’ at the National Portrait Gallery in London. This is sure to be an exciting and well attended display, with works including UK artists David Hockney, Peter Blake & Richard Hamilton and from the USA: Andy Warhol, Jasper Johns, Ray Johnson & Richard Hamilton and art portraits featuring Elvis, John F Kennedy & Marilyn Monroe to name but a few.

    Marilyn Monroe, Orange by artist Andy Warhol

    In the first in a series of exhibitions on Pop portraits -The National Portrait Gallery will see a lay ‘chapel’ in honour of Marilyn Monroe, created. This will bring comparisons to a 1960’s New York art exhibition that took place a few years after her death, where she was celebrated as the patron saint of celebrity culture.

    Infact the exhibition will contain 16 pieces which were actually part of a 1967 display in New York where UK and US artists jointly showed their works in honour of the Hollywood Idol.

    Oedipus (Elvis Johnson #1) by artist Ray Johnson

    Sandy Nairne, the NPG director, said that this era was significant in the history of portraiture, blazing a trail for the cutting edge artists of today, such as Sam Taylor.

    The NPG curator, Paul Moorhouse, has spent almost 5 years gathering pieces for the exhibition. But with work such as Richard Hamilton’s: a portrait of John F Kennedy as an astronaut with the quote “together let us touch the stars” from his famous speech, nearby to his portrait of Hugh Gaitskell, showing Hamilton’s anger at his commitment of the Labour party to nuclear weapons, Paul Moorhouse states:

    “It will be a double-edged exhibition….Nobody could say that pop art was just one long party.”

    artist Richard Hamilton in his Oxfordshire studio (2003), with his paintings (right) The Sainsbury Wing, 1999-2000 and Bathroom fig 2.1, 1999-2000.

    Further reading:
    ‘Pop Art Portraits’ at the National Portrait Gallery

    thank you

    Russell

  • Steve Townsend New Release – ‘Jasper’ Springer Spaniel

    Steven Townsend one of the UK’s premier painters of Dog Art has produced another fantastic image which has just been released. ‘Jasper’ is the stunning image of a Springer Spaniel in the water at dusk.

    Jasper by artist Steven Townsend

    The detail on this picture has to be seen to be believed: the water and the reflection of the dog, the reflection of the foreground in the water is truly mind blowing, I guess that’s why many people mistake his work to be photographs.

    Once again it appears the many hours Steven has put into his art work has paid off. It will be interesting to hear people’s comments on this picture, from artists and customers alike. I think this is easily the best painting I’ve seen of his of a Springer Spaniel.

    thank you

    Russell