Sotheby's New York
May 26, 2016
Sale 9515
Lot 34, "An Angel, Head and Shoulders," by Botticelli, oil on panel transfered to canvas, laid down on panel, a fragment, 16 by 12 1/8 inches
By Carter B. Horsley
The Master Paintings auction at Sotheby's New York May 26, 2016 is highlighted by a Botticelli portrait of an angel, a beautiful Madonna and Child by Bartolomeo Veneto, a very good Madonna and Child by Giannicola di Paolo, a nice interior scene by Gabriel Metsu, a good portrait of a man by The Master of Santo Spirito, a very good Madonna and Child by Scheggia, and an exellent Holy Family by Giovanni Francesco Tura.
Lot 34 is a lovely small work by Botticelli (1445-1530) depicting "An Angel, Head and Shoulders," an oil on panel transferred to canvas and laid down on panel. It measures 16 by 12 1/8 inches. It is the back cover illustration of the auction's catalogue.
The catalogue entry notes that it is "a rare discovery" and states that "this delightfully engaging depiction of an angel is a new addition to the corpus of Sandro Botticelli, one of the greatest painters of the Italian Renaissance. The painting...marks a significant moment in Botticelli's late career when he was begining to experiment with the medium of oil....This fragment once formed part of a tondo, most likely depicting the same composition as the Madonna and Child with Saint John the Bapist and an Angel, executed by members of Borrticeli's workshop, in the National Gallery, London."
The lot has a modest estimate of $300,000 to $500,000. It sold for $1,090,000 including the buyer's premium as do all results mentioned in this article.
The sale total was $4,841,875 with only 47.1 percent of the offered 102 lots selling.
Lot 12, "The Baptism of Christ," by studio of Botticelli, tempera on panel, 63 1/2 by 52 1/4 inches
Lot 12
is a very fine tempera on panel of The Baptism of Christ that the
catalogue states is by the Studio of Botticelli. It measures 63
1/2 by 52 1/4 inches. It has been widely published. It has
an estimate of $400,000 to $500,000. It sold for $466,000.
Lot 1, "The Madonna and Child in a Landscape," by Giannicola di Paolo, oil on panel, 24 1/4 by 18 1/2 inches
Lot 1
is a lovely oil on panel of "The Madonna and Child in a Landscape" by
Giannicola di Paolo (active 1484-1544). It measures 24 1/4 by 18
1/2 inches. The artist was a member of the workshop of Perugino
and is work is closely related to Perugino's "Madonna and Child" at the
Museo di Capidomente in Naples. It has an estimate of $60,000 to
$80,000. It failed to sell.
Lot 31, "Portrait of a boy," by Agnolo di Domenicao del Mazziere, oil on panel, 16 1/4 by 12 3/8 inches
Lot 31
is a very good "portrait of a boy" oil on panel by Agnolo di Dominenico
del Massaiere, formerly know as The Master of Santo Spirito
(1466-1513). It measures 16 1/4 by 12 3/8 inches. The
artist did three altarpieces in the church of Santo Spirito in
Florence. It has a modest estimate of $60,000 to $80,000. It failed to sell.
Lot 6, "The Madonna and Child, seated behind a ledge, a river landscape and a town beyond," by Bartolomeo Veneto, oil on panel, 18 1/4 by 14 1/2 inches
Lot 6
is a very lovely Madonna and Child by Bartolomeo Veneto
(1502-1531). An oil on panel, it measures 18 1/4 by 14 1/2
inches. This is a previously unpublished work and is based on a
design by Giovanni Bellini painted for the sacristry of Sanita Maria in
Trastavere, Rome. It has an estimate of $50,000 to $70,000.
It sold for $55,000.
Lot 9, "The Holy Family," by Giovanni Francesco Tura, oil on panel, 19 1/2 by 15 3/8 inches
Lot 9
is an excellent oil on panel of the Holy Family by Giovanni Francesco
Tura (first half of 16th Century). It has an estimate of $60,000 to
$80,000. It sold for $118,750.
Lot 28, "The Madonna and Child with a Host of Musical Angels," by Scheggia, tempera on panel with gold ground, 58 1/4 by 50 1/2 inches
Lot 28
is a very impressive tempera on panel with gold ground by Giovanni di
Ser Giovanni Guida, called Scheggia entitled "The Madonna and Child
with a Host of Musical Angels. It measures 58 1/4 by 50 1/2
inches. The catalogue entry notes that "like many of the artist's
earliest works, it shows the influence of his older brother, Massacio,
but also of Fra Angelico. He was given the nickname "Scheggia,"
which means "splinter," because of his slight stature.
Detail of Lot 28
It has
an estimate of $100,000 to $150,000. It sold for $112,500.
Lot 49, "An Officer Playing Court to a Young Woman," by Gabriel Metsu, oil on canvas, 16 by 14 inches
Lot
49 is an oil on canvas by Gabriel Metsu (1629-166) entitled "An Officer
Playing Court to a Young Woman." It measures 16 by 14
inches. It is property from the collectionof J. E. Safra
and it is known as the Rothschild Metsu. It has been widely
published. It was once owned by Baron Anselm Salomon Rothschild
in Vienna by 1866 and descended in his family until 1999. It had
been confiscated in 1938 and restituted to the Rothchilds in
1947. It has an estimate of $6,000,000 to $8,000,000. It was withdrawn.
Lot 87, "Figures under a Bridge," by Hubert Robert, oil on canvas, 70 by 42 3/4 inches
Lot 87
is a large and impressive oil on canvas by Hubert Robert (1733-1808)
entitled "Figures under a Bridge." It measures 70 by 42 3/4
inches. It has an estimate of $80,000 to $120,000. It sold for $125,000.
Lot 78, "Sketch of Man in Armor," by French school 19th Century, oil on board, 26 7/8 by 13 1/4 inches
Lot 78, "Sketch of Man in Armor," by French school 19th Century, oil on board, 26 7/8 by 13 1/4 inches
Lot 78 is a dashing "sketch of
Man in Armor" by French school 19th Century. It is an oil on
board that measures 26 7/8 by 13 1/4 inches. It has an estimate
of $6,000 to $8,000. It sold for
$8,750.
Lot 74, "An Allegory of Sculpture," by Tuscan School 17th Century, oil on canvas, 38 by 28 inches
Lot 74, "An Allegory of Sculpture," by Tuscan School 17th Century, oil on canvas, 38 by 28 inches
Lot 74 is a good "Allegory of
Sculpture" oil on canvas by Tuscan School 17th Century. It
measures 38 by 28 inches. It has an estimate of $30,000 to
$40,000. It failed to sell.
See The
City Review article on the Old
Masters auction at Christie's New York in the Spring of 2016 with
an El Greco
and work works by Bellini and Duccio
See The City Review article on the Old Masters auction at Sotheby's New York in the Spring of 2015
See The City Review article on the Old Masters auction at Christie's New York in the Spring of 2015 with works by Brueghel and Allori
Renaissance Paintings auction at Christie's New York January 29, 2014 with the very spectacular Rothschild Prayerbook, a great Pontormo, a great Circle of Leonardo da Vinci, a great Lucas Cranach, a marvelous Laocoon by Alessandro Allori, a very nice small Gerard David and a wonderful Adriaen Eisenbradt
Important Old Master Paintings auction at Sotheby's New York January 30, 2014 with fine works by El Greco, Pieter Brueghel the Younger and Fragonard
Old Master Paintings Part I auction at Christie's New York January 29, 2014 with great works by Ter Borch and Sir William Beechey and Ferdinand Bol
The Courts of Europe Renaissance to Rococo at Sotheby's New York January 30, 2014 with a three-sided view portrait of a gyrfalcon, a great Benjamin West and a fine Willem van Tetrode
See The City Review article on the Old Masters auction at Sotheby's New York in the Spring of 2015
See The City Review article on the Old Masters auction at Christie's New York in the Spring of 2015 with works by Brueghel and Allori
Renaissance Paintings auction at Christie's New York January 29, 2014 with the very spectacular Rothschild Prayerbook, a great Pontormo, a great Circle of Leonardo da Vinci, a great Lucas Cranach, a marvelous Laocoon by Alessandro Allori, a very nice small Gerard David and a wonderful Adriaen Eisenbradt
Important Old Master Paintings auction at Sotheby's New York January 30, 2014 with fine works by El Greco, Pieter Brueghel the Younger and Fragonard
Old Master Paintings Part I auction at Christie's New York January 29, 2014 with great works by Ter Borch and Sir William Beechey and Ferdinand Bol
The Courts of Europe Renaissance to Rococo at Sotheby's New York January 30, 2014 with a three-sided view portrait of a gyrfalcon, a great Benjamin West and a fine Willem van Tetrode
- Old Master Drawings auction at Sotheby's New York January 29, 2014 with several works by Giovanni Domenico Tiepolo
See The City Review article on the Important Old Masters Auction at Christie's New York Winter 2013
See The City Review article on the Renaissance auction at Christie's New York Winter 2013
See The City Review article on Old Master Drawings auction at Christie's Winter 2013
See
The
City Review article on the
Important Old Masters auction at Sotheby's New York Winter 2012
See
The
City Review article on the
Important Old Masters auction at Sotheby's Winter 2011
See The City Review article on the Important Old Masters auction at Sotheby's Winter 2010
See The City Review article on the Important Old Masters auction at Sotheby's Winter 2009