old masters

When we think of Leonardo da Vinci’s most notable works, it would be easy to assume the women behind the Mona Lisa or Lady with an Ermine were his muses. One may therefore be surprised to discover…

A fascinating thing about our eyes is their ability to deceive us. From how our visual system and brain perceive an image in front of us, the…

Categorized as an Old Master within the canon of art history, Sir Peter Paul Rubens' work is characterized by a high concentration of color, movement, and form. Surpassing visual dynamism, many of…
As of this month at Colnaghi, audiences will have the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to experience rare and newly discovered masterworks by some of the greatest artists of the Italian Renaissance,…
Thursday morning, Portrait of a Young Man Holding a Roundel by Sandro Botticelli broke the record for sales of Old Masters at Sotheby’s when it sold for $92.2 million, in the first marquee sale…
Hester Diamond was a fearless and visionary collector whose inquisitive nature and bold, distinct point of view is evident throughout her collection. It is in the expressive paintings and sculpture…
For the first time in forty-five years, the Royal Collection is being rehung in a new location.

Pieter Brueghel the Younger’s ‘The Payment of Tithes’ is a satirical caricature of the legal profession. In this episode of Anatomy of an Artwork, discover what it tells us about Brueghel’s…

Formally trained as a classic painter, British artist Hugo Wilson borrows images and techniques from Old Masters to create dramatic new works.
Vermeer and his contemporaries layered their paintings of domestic life with different meanings and interpretations. In this video, art critic Alastair Sooke and our specialist Maja Markovic take a…
Painted in 1996, David Hockney's "30 Sunflowers" is a bold and luscious still life of contemporary times. In this episode of Sotheby's Expert Voices, discover how Hockney was inspired to paint "…
What do we mean when we call an artwork a MASTERPIECE? Who decides which art becomes one? And what artists make them?
The William Blake Gallery is only the second-ever gallery devoted to the artwork of the radical, visionary printmaker from the Romantic period, William Blake (1757-1827).

TEFAF Maastricht is widely regarded as the world’s premier fair for fine art, antiques and design. Featuring over 275 prestigious dealers from 20 countries, TEFAF Maastricht is a showcase for the…

Our exhibition explores the art historical influences behind Dolce&Gabbana’s Alta Moda, Alta Gioielleria and Alta Sartoria collections.