Sotheby's New York
10 A.M., January 25, 2017
Sale 9603
Lot 9, "Apollo Driving the Chariot of the Sun," by Lelio Orsi, pen and brown ink heightened with white on paper washed light brown, 9 5/8 by 13 inches
By Carter B. Horsley
The
January 25, 2017 auction of Old Master Drawings at Sotheby's New York
is highlighted by several excelent works by Lelio Orsi, Turner,
Francois Boucher, Benjamin West, Il Guercino, Ingres,
Gainsborough and John Ruskin.
Lot 9 is a very fine drawing by Lelio Orsi (1511-1587) of "Apollo Driving the Chariot of the Sun." The pen and brown ink heightened with white on paper washed light brown measures 9 5/8 by13 inches.
The catalogue provides the following commentary:
"This previously unknown drawing is related to the lost fresco decoration once embellishing the Torre dell'Orologio in the Piazza del Duomo in the city of Reggio Emilia....In the 1987 catalogue of the exhibition devoted to Lelio Orsi it was proposed that the project was initially intended to include representations of the four seasons, one on each side of the tower, but this scheme was never realized." The entry notes that a museum in that city has a work by an anonymous 17th Century artist showing the fresco in place. It added that "no fewer than 10" preparatory drawings for the fresco exist.
The lot has a modest estimate of $50,000 to $70,000. It sold for $312,500 including the buyer's premium as do all results mentioned in this article.
The sale total was $4,534,750 with only 62 percent of the 158 offered lots selling.
Lot 82, "Switzerland, possibly Lake Thun," by Joseph Mallord William Turner, watercolor and pen and ink over traces of pencil, 9 7/8 by 14 1/4 inches
Lot 83, "Switzerland, Lake Thun, Looking Towards the Nissen and Stockhorn," by Joseph Mallord William Turner, watercolor over pencil, 9 7/8 by 14 3/8 inches
Lot 90, "Two Angels Singing," by Benjamin West, watercolor, pen and brown ink, 17 by 11 5/8 inches
Lot 86, "Juno Asking Aeolus to Release the Winds," by Francois Boucher, pen with black ink and brown wash, 8 7/8 by 13 1/2 inches
Lot 88, "Two children beside a basin of water," by Francois Boucher, red. black and white chalk with gray wash on blue-gray paper, 9 5/8 by 12 1/4 inches
Lot 89, "Study of a seated young female nude extending her hands to her right foot," by Francois Boucher, red, black and white chalk, with graphite and touches of blue chalk on buff paper, 12 by 8 7/8 inches
Lot 40, "Three Putti," by Il Guercino, red chalk, 7 7/16 by 5 15/16 inches
Lot 47, "King David," by Il Guercino, pen and brown ink, 10 1/2 by 7 1/4 inches
Lot 38, "Cariactures: peasants in a crowd, in profile to the right," by Il Guercino, pen and brown ink, 4 1/2 by 9 3/8 inches
Lot 92, "Wooded landscape with cattle and goats," by Thomas Gainsborough, black and white chalk on buff-colored paper, 9 by 11 1/2 inches
Lot 121, "Jupiter and Thetis," by Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres, watercolor heightened with white over traces of graphite, 11 1/8 by 9 1/4 inches
Lot 49, "Two Putti in Flight," by Ubaldo Gandolfo, pen and brown ink and wash, 6 3/8 by 6 1/8 inches
Lot 8, "The Virgin and Child with Saints Thomas and Anthony Abbot," by Il Nosadella, pen and brown ink and wash over traces of black chalk, 12 5/8 by 8 7/8 inches
Lot 17, "Juno," by Palma Il Giovane, pen, and brown ink and wash, heightened with white, over black chalk, 11 3/4 by 5 1/4 inches
Lot 97, "Study of Peasants at Alcala de Guadaira, Spain," by David Roberts, waterolor over pencil, 7 1/2 by 6 3/4 inches
Lot 107, "Study of a Sprig of a Myrtle Tree," by John Ruskin, watercolor over pencil, heightened with pen and brown ink and white, 5 5/8 by 7 1/2 inches
Lot 9 is a very fine drawing by Lelio Orsi (1511-1587) of "Apollo Driving the Chariot of the Sun." The pen and brown ink heightened with white on paper washed light brown measures 9 5/8 by13 inches.
The catalogue provides the following commentary:
"This previously unknown drawing is related to the lost fresco decoration once embellishing the Torre dell'Orologio in the Piazza del Duomo in the city of Reggio Emilia....In the 1987 catalogue of the exhibition devoted to Lelio Orsi it was proposed that the project was initially intended to include representations of the four seasons, one on each side of the tower, but this scheme was never realized." The entry notes that a museum in that city has a work by an anonymous 17th Century artist showing the fresco in place. It added that "no fewer than 10" preparatory drawings for the fresco exist.
The lot has a modest estimate of $50,000 to $70,000. It sold for $312,500 including the buyer's premium as do all results mentioned in this article.
The sale total was $4,534,750 with only 62 percent of the 158 offered lots selling.
Lot 82, "Switzerland, possibly Lake Thun," by Joseph Mallord William Turner, watercolor and pen and ink over traces of pencil, 9 7/8 by 14 1/4 inches
Lot 82 is a good watercolor
and pen and ink over traces of pencil of "Switzerland, possibly Lake
Thun" by Joseph Mallord William Turner (1775-1851). It measures 9
7/8 by 14 1/4 inches. It has an estimate of $150,000 to
$250,000. It sold for $756.500.
Lot 83, "Switzerland, Lake Thun, Looking Towards the Nissen and Stockhorn," by Joseph Mallord William Turner, watercolor over pencil, 9 7/8 by 14 3/8 inches
Lot 83 is another watercolor
of Lake Thun in Switzerland by Turner. It measures 9 7/8 by 14
3/8 inches. It has an estimate of $140,000 to $180,000. It sold for $612,500.
Lot 90, "Two Angels Singing," by Benjamin West, watercolor, pen and brown ink, 17 by 11 5/8 inches
Lot 90 is a lovely watercolor,
pen and brown ink of "Two Angels Singing" by Benjamin West
(1738-1820). It measures 17 by 11 5/8 inches. It has a modest
estimate of $7,000 to $10,000. It
sold for $18,750.
Lot 86, "Juno Asking Aeolus to Release the Winds," by Francois Boucher, pen with black ink and brown wash, 8 7/8 by 13 1/2 inches
Lot 86 is an exceppent pen and
black in and brown wash drawing by Francois Boucher (1703-1770)
entitled "Juno Asking Aeolus to Release the Winds." The drawing
depict's the opening to Virgil's Aeneid.
It measures 8 7/8 by 13 1/2 inches. It was exhibited in 2003-4 at The
Frick Collection in New York and The Kimbell Art Museum in Fort Worth.
It has an estimate of $35,000 to $45,000. It sold for $87,500.
Lot 88, "Two children beside a basin of water," by Francois Boucher, red. black and white chalk with gray wash on blue-gray paper, 9 5/8 by 12 1/4 inches
Lot 88 is a charming drawing
by Boucher of "Two children beside a basin of water. The red,
black and white chalk with gray wash on blue-gray paper measures 9 5/8
by 12 1/4 inches. It has an estimate of $30,000 to $40,000.
It failed to sell.
Lot 89, "Study of a seated young female nude extending her hands to her right foot," by Francois Boucher, red, black and white chalk, with graphite and touches of blue chalk on buff paper, 12 by 8 7/8 inches
Lot 89 is a classic nude by
Boucher. It is a red, black and while chalk drawing with graphite
and touches of blue chalk on buff paper that measures 12 by 8 7/8
inches.
The catalogue provides the following commentary:
"Nowhere do we see more clearly the sensuality so integral to Boucher's art and the Rococco taste of the time than here in this drawing," adding that the "nude is among the most beautiful of Boucher's female figure studies and shows the artist's skill of striking the perfect balance between sensuality and vulnerability."
The lot has an estimate of $30,000 to $40,000. It sold for $75,000.
The catalogue provides the following commentary:
"Nowhere do we see more clearly the sensuality so integral to Boucher's art and the Rococco taste of the time than here in this drawing," adding that the "nude is among the most beautiful of Boucher's female figure studies and shows the artist's skill of striking the perfect balance between sensuality and vulnerability."
The lot has an estimate of $30,000 to $40,000. It sold for $75,000.
Lot 40, "Three Putti," by Il Guercino, red chalk, 7 7/16 by 5 15/16 inches
Lot 40 is a lovely red chalk
drawing of "Three Putti" by Giovanni Francesco Barbieri, called Il
Guercino. It measures 7 7/16 by 5 15/16 inches. It has an
estimate of $14,000 to $18,000.
It sold for $16,250.
Lot 47, "King David," by Il Guercino, pen and brown ink, 10 1/2 by 7 1/4 inches
Lot 47 is a long pen and brown
ink drawing of "King David," by Il Guercino. It measures 10 1/2
by 7 1/4 inches. It has an estimate of $15,000 to $20,000. It sold for $18,750.
Lot 38, "Cariactures: peasants in a crowd, in profile to the right," by Il Guercino, pen and brown ink, 4 1/2 by 9 3/8 inches
Lot 38 is a nice group of pen and brown
ink cariactures of peasants by Giovanni Francesco Barbieri, called Il
Guercino. It measures 4 1/2 by 9 3/8 inches. It has an estimate
of $18,000 to $22,000.
Lot 33, "A Seated Man Holding a Staff," by Il Guercino, red chalk, 9 7/8 by 8 3/4 inches
Lot 33, "A Seated Man Holding a Staff," by Il Guercino, red chalk, 9 7/8 by 8 3/4 inches
Lot 33
is a fine red chalk
drawing by Giovanni Francesco Barbieri, called Il Guercino
(1591-1666). It is the cover illustration of the catalogue and is
entitled "A Seated Man Holding a Staff." It has an estimate of
$30,000 to $50,000. It failed
to sell.
Lot 92, "Wooded landscape with cattle and goats," by Thomas Gainsborough, black and white chalk on buff-colored paper, 9 by 11 1/2 inches
Lot 92 is a good black and
white chalk on buff-colored paper of a "wooded landscape with cattle
and goats" by Thomas Gainsborough (1727-1788). It measures 9 by
11 1/2 inches. It has an estimate of $50,000 to $70,000. It sold for $60,000.
Lot 121, "Jupiter and Thetis," by Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres, watercolor heightened with white over traces of graphite, 11 1/8 by 9 1/4 inches
Lot 121 is an important
watercolor by Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres (1780-1867) entitled
"Jupiter and Thetis" that the catalogue entry notes is an "important
compositional study for Ingres' iconic and monumental painting...now in
the Musee Granet.Aix-en-Provence."
"On its arrival in Paris," the entry continued, "Ingres' painting, with its extraordinary, stylized lighting, sensual yet unnatural anatomy and dramatic composition, caused a huge stir, and seriously unnerved the artist's former teacher, Jacques-Louis David, who on seeing the picture observed: "I no longer know how to paint."
The lot has an estimate of $20,000 to $30,000. It sold for $62,500.
"On its arrival in Paris," the entry continued, "Ingres' painting, with its extraordinary, stylized lighting, sensual yet unnatural anatomy and dramatic composition, caused a huge stir, and seriously unnerved the artist's former teacher, Jacques-Louis David, who on seeing the picture observed: "I no longer know how to paint."
The lot has an estimate of $20,000 to $30,000. It sold for $62,500.
Lot 49, "Two Putti in Flight," by Ubaldo Gandolfo, pen and brown ink and wash, 6 3/8 by 6 1/8 inches
Lot 49 is an excellent
circular pen and brown ink and wash drawing of "Two Putti in Flight" by
Ubaldo Gandolfi (1728-1781). It measures 6 3/8 by 6 1/8
inches. It has an estimate of $3,500 to $4,500. It sold for $7,500.
Lot 8, "The Virgin and Child with Saints Thomas and Anthony Abbot," by Il Nosadella, pen and brown ink and wash over traces of black chalk, 12 5/8 by 8 7/8 inches
Lot 8 is a beautiful and very
impressive drawing of "The Virgin and Child with Saints Thomas and
Anthony Abbot" by Giovanni Francesco Bezzi, called Il Nosadella.
The pen and brown ink and wash over traces of black chalk measures 12
5/8 by 8 7/8 inches. It has an estimate of $20,000 to
$25,000. It sold for $62,500.
Lot 17, "Juno," by Palma Il Giovane, pen, and brown ink and wash, heightened with white, over black chalk, 11 3/4 by 5 1/4 inches
Lot 17 is a very beautiful
drawing by Jacopo Negretti, called Palma Il Giovane, (1548-1628),
entitled "Juno." It is a pen and brown ink and wash heighted with
white over black chalk and measures 11 3/4 by 5 1/4 inches. It is a
study for his painting in the Palazzo Vendramin Calergi in
Venice. It has a modest estimate of $10,000 to $15,000. It sold for $25,000.
Lot 97, "Study of Peasants at Alcala de Guadaira, Spain," by David Roberts, waterolor over pencil, 7 1/2 by 6 3/4 inches
Lot 97 is a good watercolor
over pencil by David Roberts (1796-1864). It is entitled "Study
of Peasants at Alcala de Guadaira, Spain." It measures 7 1/2
by 6 3/4 inches. It has an estimate of $4,000 to
$6,000. It sold for $5,000.
Lot 107, "Study of a Sprig of a Myrtle Tree," by John Ruskin, watercolor over pencil, heightened with pen and brown ink and white, 5 5/8 by 7 1/2 inches
Lot 107 is a very fine "study
of a sprig of a myrtle tree" by John Ruskin (1819-1900). It is a
watercolor over pencil, heightened with pen and brown ink and white and
it measures 5 5/8 by 7 1/2 inches. It has an estimate of $10,000
to $15,000. It sold for $21,250.
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
See The City Review article on the Old Master Drawings auction at Sotheby's New York in the winter of 2015
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 Renaissance Paintings auction at Christie's New York Winter 2014
See The City Review article on the Important Old Masters auction at Sotheby's New York Winter 2014
See The City Review article on the Important Old Masters Auction at Sotheby's New York Winter 2013
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 Christie's
Winter 2010
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 2010