Evening Sale
Sotheby's New York
January 25, 2017
Sale 9601
Lot 38, "Head of a Woman," by Orazio Gentileschi, oil on panel, 16 1/2 by 14 3/8 inches
The Master Paintings & Sculpture evening sale at Sotheby's New York January 25, 2017 is highlighted by a riveting and very beautiful head of a woman painting by Orazio Gentileeschi, two tondos by Botticelli, a figure of a young man by a follower of Botticelli, a study of a man on horseback by Rubens, and a delightful folly by Fragonard.
Lot 38 is the beautiful head of a woman oil on panel by Orazio Gentileschi (1563-1639) that was once in the collection of King Charles I of England and was included in the 2001-2 exhibition on Orazio and Artemsia Gentileschi at the Museo di Palazzo Venesia in Rome, the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York and the St. Louis Museum of Art. It measures 16 1/2 by 14 3/8 inches and has been widely published. Ir is property of a private collection and its proceeds in part will benefit the department of painting and sculpture at the Philadelphia Museum of Art.
The catalogue entry noted that an inventory of the King's collection described the painting "of a woeman with her left breast naked her right breast covered with a part of her Smock," adding that "the panel must have been reduced at some stage in its history, predominantly along the lower edge, perhaps by one of its previous owners who had an over-keen sense of decorum."
The quality of the painting rivals the luminous glory of some of Vermeer's finest works.
It has an estimate of $2,000,000 to $3,000,000. It sold for $1,812,500 including the buyer's premium as do all results mentioned in this article.
The sale total was $27,234.000 with 34 of the 55 offered lots selling, or only 61.8 percent.
Lot 20, "Flora," by William Drost, oil on canvas, 39 by 33 inches
Lot 20
is an impressive and lovely painting of "Flora" bearing her right
breast and holding some flowers by William Drost (1633-1659). An
oil on canvas, it measures 39 by 33 inches. The catalogue entry
states that this work is "considered one of Drost's very best pantings,
comparable to his undisputed masterpiece, the Bathesheba in the Louvre....It is
a remarkable synthesis of the artist's early training in Amsterdam
under Rembrandt and the more mature style he developed in Venice, when
he came under the direct spell of Titian, to whom the work is a clear
homage." This painting actually better than the Bathesheba as the
pose is more regal and lovely with the sitter fondles her tresses while
Bathesheba is more pensive and rather depressed. It is also
better than Titian's Flora at
the Uffizi that is more sedate and less elegant albeit with more lovely
blond tresses.
The lot has an estimate of $400,000 to $600,000. It sold for $4,625,000.
The lot has an estimate of $400,000 to $600,000. It sold for $4,625,000.
Lot 17, "Study of a horse with a rider," by Peter Paul Rubens, oil on canvas, 46 1/2 by 22 inches
Lot 17
is a "newly discovered work" by Peter Paul Rubens (1577-1640) that has
had a great deal of its background overpainting removed. The catalogue
entry noted that "until recently, the painting had been associated with
Sir Anthony Van Dyck. The catalogue reproduces how it looked
before the removal of the "overpainting" and the beige background was
very nicely filled with landscape features. The catalogue entry
shows the present composition as the central section of a study by
Rubens of the rider and horse in three different positions. The
study is in the Royal Collection Trust of Queen Elizabeth II. The
lot has an estimate of $1,200,000 to $1,500,000. It sold for $5,075,000, the auction's top
price.
Lot 7, "The Madonna and Child with Saint John The Baptist," by Botticelli and studio, tondo oil on canvas, 34 1/4 inches in diameter
Detail of Lot 7
Lot
7, "The Madonna and Child with Saint John the Baptist," by Alessandro
di Mariano Filippepi, called Botticelli, (1445-1510) and studio, is a
tondo oil on canvas that is 34 1/4 inches in diameter. It is one of several versions,
each with slight variations, according to the catalogue. One is
in the National Gallery of Scotland, which had been cut down into a
rectangular composition, one that was sold at Sotheby's in London in
2011, and one with the Moretti Gallery in Florence. The lot has
an estimate of $500,000 to $700,000. It sold for $792,500.
Detail of Lot 11, "The Madonna and Child enthroned with Saint John the Baptist and an angel," by Alessandro di Mariano Filipepi, called Botticelli, and studio, tempera tondo on panel, 34 3/8 inches in diameter
Lot 11
is an "impressive" tempera tondo on panel by Botticelli and studio that
is 34 3/8 inches in diameter and shows "The Madonna and Child Enthroned
with Saint John The Baptist and an angel." It has a modest
estimate of $600,000 to $800,000.
It sold for $792,500.
Lot 13, "Portrait of a Young man, bust length, in a red cap," by Florentine artist, close to Sandro Botticelli, circa 1480-85
Lot
13 is a Botticelliesque "Portrait of a Young Man, bust length, in a Red
Cap," tempera on panel, 16 3/4 by 10 1/4 inches, circa 1480-85.
The lot has considerable literature including references by Berenson,
Venturi and Fahy. The catalogue reproduces an infrared picture of the
painting that shows the top of a hand in the left bottom corner.
It has an estimate of $600,000 to $800,000. It was passed.
Lot 1, "The Fool's Ship," by a Follower of Hieronymous Bosch, oil on panel, 14 3/8 by 11 inches
Lot
1 is a small and simple oil on panel by a follower of Hieronymous
Bosch, circa 1545-50, entitled "The Fool's Ship." It measures 14
5/8 by 11 inches. The catalogue entry notes that this was painted
"only a few decades" after Bosch died. Bosch's version of the
same theme is in the Louvre. This lot was an estimate of $70,000
to $90,000. It sold for $384,500.
Lot 5, "Saint John the Evangelist," by Sano di Pietrok, tempera on panel with gold ground, 8 by 9 7/8 inches
Lot 5, "Saint John the Evangelist," is
a sweet small tempera on panel with gold ground by Sano di Pietro
(1405-1481). It measures 8 by 9 7/8 inches and was once owned by
Robert Lehman and exhibited at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New
York in 1954. It has an estimate of $150,000 to $200,000. It sold for
$225,000.
Lot 28, "Saint Veronica Holding the Veil," attributed to Domenikos Theotokopoulos, called El Greco, oil on canvas, 42 3/8 by 32 1/4 inches
Lot 28,
"Saint Veronicao Holding the Veil," has been attributed to El Greco
(1541-1614) and has been extensively published. An oil on canvas, it
measures 42 3/8 by 32 1/4 inches. It has an estimate of $400,000
to $600,000. It sold for
$672,500.
Lot 39, "Portrait of a woman, probably Ursula da Vezzo, sister-in-law of the artist, as Saint Catherine," by Simon Vouet, oil on canvas, 29 1/8 by 23 inches
Lot
39 is a strong "Portrait of a Woman, Probably Ursula da Vezzo,
sister-in-law of the artist, as Saint Catherine," by Simon Vouet
(1590-1649). An oil on canvas, it measures 29 1/8 by 23
inches. It has an estimate of $120,000 to $150,000. It sold for $150,000.
Lot 46, "Love as Folly," by Jean-Honore Fragonard, oil on oval canvas, 21 1/4 by 18 1/2 inches
Lot 46 is an irresistible oval canvas
by Jean-Honore Fragonard (1732-1806) entitled "Love as Folly." It
measures 21 1/4 by 18 1/2 inches. It has an estimate of $200,000 to
$300,000. It sold for $250,000.
Lot 48, "Venus and Adonis,' by Francois Boucher, oil on canvas, 28 5/8 by 50 1/4 inches
Lot 48 is a large oil on canvas by
Francois Boucher (1703-1770) entitled "Venus and Adonis." It
measures 28 5/7 by 50 1/4 inches. It has an estiate of $200,000
to $300,000. It sold for $492,500.
Lot 41, "A Woman Fishing and Other Figures by Roman Ruins," by Hubert Robert, oil on canvas, 24 3/4 by 31 1/8 inches, 1750
Lot 41, "Woman drawing water from a basin while a man contemplates a classical statue," by Hubert Robert, oil on canvas, 24 3/4 by 31 1/8 inches, 1750
Lot
41 is a large and very handsome pair of oils on canvas by Hubert Robert
(1733-1808) depicting figures in landscapes with Classical ruins. Each
painting measures 24 3/8 by 31 1/8 inches and they were painted in
1750. The lot has an estimate of $200,000 to $300,000. It sold for $212,500.
Lot 44, "Venice, View of the Cannaregio, looking towards the Grand Canal," by Michele Marieschi, oil on canvas, 22 1/4 by 34 inches
Lot 44 is a very bright and
dramatic Venetian scene by Michele Marieschi (1710-1743). It is a
view of the Cannaregio, looking towards the Grand Canal. An oil
on canvas, it measures 22 1/4 by 34 inches.
The catalogue entry provides the following commentary:
"This exceptionally executed and beautifully preserved canvas is a newly discovered picture by MIchele Marieschi, one of the greatest Venetian vendisti of the 18th Century. That it has hung and remained in the same family for over 100 years has no doubt contributed to its wonderful condition, and indeed explains the fact that it has remained unpublished."
The lot has an estimate of $700,000 to $900,000. It sold for $792,500.
The catalogue entry provides the following commentary:
"This exceptionally executed and beautifully preserved canvas is a newly discovered picture by MIchele Marieschi, one of the greatest Venetian vendisti of the 18th Century. That it has hung and remained in the same family for over 100 years has no doubt contributed to its wonderful condition, and indeed explains the fact that it has remained unpublished."
The lot has an estimate of $700,000 to $900,000. It sold for $792,500.
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