Art News

This weekend Heritage Auctions’ Americana and Political Auction saw the sale of a rare piece of American history. Celebrating the recent civil disobedience of the Sons of Liberty protesting the Tea Act, "Liberty Triumphant: Or the Downfall of Oppression," is a rare engraving attributed to the Philadelphia and New York engraver Henry Dawkins, published in late 1773 or early 1774.

Discover the amazing life story of Daniel Cordier, a French Resistance fighter whose cover as an art dealer during World War 2 developed into a life-long passion for collecting. Featuring nearly 400 works from the post-war period by artists such as Jean Dubuffet, Simon Hantai and Jean Dewasne, Sotheby's upcoming sale Alias Daniel Cordier will take place in Paris on September 27 and online from September 24 to October 1.

Known for his satirical watercolors with biting social commentary, Thomas  Rowlandson’s popular works were widely circulated as prints in the Edwardian Era. The setting for the Rowlandson watercolor offered at auction by Bonhams of London on July 4, is Bath.

In this Episode of Masterworks: Rewind, Sotheby's revisits one of the most iconic pieces of art ever to be auctioned - Edvard Munch's The Scream.

At their August 17th World and Ancient Coins Platinum Night, Heritage Auctions offered the legendary “First Dollar of the New World.” According to mint records, the coin is one of eight reales struck by assayer Francisco del Rincón for the Spanish in 1538. Of the eight recorded, only three known examples of the coin exist today. Minted in Mexico City, the coin sunk aboard the shipwreck of the "Golden Fleece" in 1550.

In Chinese culture, the Ruyi Scepter has a long history not only as a congratulatory gift, but also as a symbol of authority. In China, the term Ruyi is a homophone for “As you wish” or “As you desire,” making the gift of a Ruyi Scepter a way to convey wishes for good luck or congratulations, often for auspicious birthdays or significant promotions. On September 7, Freeman’s will host its autumn Asian Arts auction.

Patriarchs of the Grove by William Wendt (1865-1946), leads Bonhams' California and Western Painting Auction, August 7th, in Los Angeles. Estimated at $250,000-350,000, Patriarchs of the Grove is one of Wendt’s most coveted canvases.

Bonhams offered a number of high-quality furnishings, accessories, and art for their Home and Interiors Auction this morning. The total sale was £747,950, or $983,239 USD. Sets of silver candelabra from the Painted Hall in Greenwich were a highlight of the Auction. Commissioned in 1939, bearing the monogram of reigning monarch George VI, the meticulously cleaned and restored candelabra add elegance and grandeur to their surroundings.

A dedicated exhibition at Christie’s in London explores themes of religion, faith and divinity in post-war and contemporary art. Themes of religion, faith and divinity have pervaded art throughout the centuries. Sacred Noise, a dedicated exhibition of 30 works at Christie’s in London on show until 21 July, charts the reinterpretation and subversion of these themes in the 20th century.

Phillips Auction House has a new exhibition this summer that brings together fashion, art, culture, and charity. Curated by Elizabeth Semmelhack, Senior Curator at the Bata Shoe Museum in Toronto, Tongue + Chic features shoes designed by some of today’s most important artists, including KAWS, Kehinde Wiley, Jenny Holzer, Damien Hirst and Takashi Murakami. Borrowed from private collections and museums, the objects on display show that shoes are a blank canvas with unlimited potential for expression.