Christie's New York
10 A.M., June 3, 2015
Sale 3747
Lot 32, "Laocoon," by Alessandro Allori, oil on panel, 28 5/8 by 22 1/4 inches
By
Carter B. Horsley
The June
3, 2015
auction of Old Masters at Christie's New York is
highlighted
by numerous excellent works including
a very
fine Laocoon by Alessandro Allori, an excellent Boschesque
scene, a wonderful small portrait by El Greco, a lovely Madonna and
Child by Pasqualino Veneziano, and very good wooded landscape by Jan
Brueghel, a depiction of Veronica's Veil by Francisco de Zurbaran, a
nice Bible scene by Francesco Solimena.
The sale total was $6,877,625 with 78.4 percent of the offered lots selling.
The most impressive work is Lot 32, "Laocoon," an oil on panel by Alessandro Allori (1535-1607). It measures 28 5/8 by 22 1/4 inches. It depicts the famous statue that was discovered in 1506 in Rome. It has an estmate of $200,000 to $300,000. It sold for $197,000.
The sale total was $6,877,625 with 78.4 percent of the offered lots selling.
The most impressive work is Lot 32, "Laocoon," an oil on panel by Alessandro Allori (1535-1607). It measures 28 5/8 by 22 1/4 inches. It depicts the famous statue that was discovered in 1506 in Rome. It has an estmate of $200,000 to $300,000. It sold for $197,000.
Lot 3, "Saint Christopher Carrying the Christ Child through a sinful world," by a Follower of Hieronymous Bosch, oil on panel, 24 1/4 by 37 inches
Lot
3 is an excellent work by a follower of Hieronymous Bosch of
"Saint Christopher Carrying the Christ Child through a sinful world.,"
An oil on panel, it measures 24 1/4 by 37 inches.
Small detail of Lot 3
It has a modest estimate of $80,000 to $120,000. It sold for $100,000.
Small detail of Lot 3
It has a modest estimate of $80,000 to $120,000. It sold for $100,000.
Lot 19, "Saint Maurice," by Domenikos Theotokopoulos (El Greco), oil on canvas, a fragment, 10 by 7 1/4 inches
Lot
19 is a very fine fragment of an oil on canvas by Domenikos
Theotopoulos (El Greco) of Saint Maurice. It measures 10 by 7
1/4
inches. It has been widely published and is closely related
to a
detail of Jorge Manuel's "The Martyrdom of Saint Maurice" at the Museum
of Fine Arts in Houston. This detail is quite small in relation to the
large painting in the Escorial in Spain by El Greco of the martyrdom.
Manuel was El Greco's son. It has a modest estimate
of
$300,000 to $500,000.
It sold for $1,085,000.
Lot 21, "Veronica's Veil," by Francisco de Zurbaran, oil on canvas, 40 by 32 3/4 inches
Lot 21, "Veronica's Veil," by Francisco de Zurbaran, oil on canvas, 40 by 32 3/4 inches
Lot 21 is a fine
"Veronica's Veil" oil on canvas by Francisco de Zurbaran (1598-1664).
It measures 40 by 32 3/4 inches. The catalogue
notes that Zurbaran painted a dozen autograph versions. It
has an estimate of $120,000 to $180,000. It sold for $137,000.
Lot 17, "The Madonna and Child," by Pasqualino Veneziano, oil and tempera on panel transferred to another panel, 31 1/4 by 24 1/2 inches
Lot
17 is a very lovely Madonna and Child scene by Pasqualino Veneziano
(1490-before 1504). An oil and tempera on panel transferred
to
another panel, it measures 31 1/4 by 24 1/2 inches. It was
restituted to the heirs of Jacques Goudstikker in 2006. It
has
been widely published. The catalogue notes that the work is
based
on a popular composition by Giovanni Bellini. It has a modest
estimate of $40,000 to $50,000.
It sold for $50,000.
Lot 16, "The Madonna and Christ," attributed to Alvise Vivarini, tempera and oil on panel, 26 1/2 by 20 inches
Another
painting restituted to the heirsof Jacob Goudstikker is Lot 16, "The
Madonna and Christ," which is attributed to Alvise Vivarini
(1442/53-1503-5). A tempera and oilon panel, it measures 26
1/2
by 20 inches. It has been widely published. It has
an
estimate of $30,000 to $50,000. It
sold for $35,000.
Lot 18, "A wooded landscape with travelers on a path," by Jan Brueghel I, oil on panel, 17 7/8 by 35 inches
Lot
18 is a superb landscape with travelers by Jan Brueghel I, the son of
Pieter Brueghel I. An oil on panel, it measures 17 7/8 by 35
inches and there is a version at the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
Detail of Lot 18
This lot has an
estimate of $350,000 to $450,000. It
sold for $1,013,000.
Lot 40, "Noli me tangere," by Francesco Solimena, oil on copper, 13 3/4 by 18 inches
Lot
40 is an excellent small oil on copper by Francesco Solimena
(1657-1747) entitled "Noli me Tangere." It measures 13 3/4 by
18
inches. The catalogue entry notes that "this exquisite
masterpiece in minature is a major rediscovery and an important
addition to the large corpus of works by Francisco Solima, the leading
Neapolitan painter of the first half of the 18th Century. It is the
cover illustration for this auction's catalogue and has an
estimate of $150,000 to $250,000. It
sold for $353,000.
Lot 91, "A tronie: the head and shoulders of an old bearded man," by Jan Lievens, oil on canvas, 24 5/8 by 20 1/4 inches
Lot 91, "A tronie: the head and shoulders of an old bearded man," by Jan Lievens, oil on canvas, 24 5/8 by 20 1/4 inches
Lot 91 is a very
Rembrantesque and impressive tronie, "the head and shoulders of an old
bearded man," by Jan Lievens (1607-1674). An oil on canvas,
it measures 24 5/8 by 20 1/4 inches. It has an estimate of
$80,000 to $120,000. It
sold for $125,000.
Lot 27, "An Italianate landscape with shepherds and shepherdesses resting on a path," by Nicolaes Berchem, oil on canvas, 52 by 70 inches
Lot 27 is a
large and impressive pastoral scene by Nicolaes Berchem (1620-1683)
entitled "An Italianate landscape with shepherds and shepherdesses
resting on a path." An oil on canvas, it measures 52 by 70
inches. It was once in the collection of the Earl of
Jersey at Osterley Park in London, a country house
designed by Robert Adam. It has an estimate of $150,000 to
$250,000. It
failed to sell.
Lot 48, "Girl with a Birdcage," by Fragonard, oil on canvas, 38 3/4 by 35 3/4 inches
Lot 48 is a
charming oval oil on canvas by Fragonard (1732-1806) entitled "Girl
with a Birdcage." It measures 38 3/4 by 35 3/4 inches.
It has an estimate of $200,000 to $300,000. It failed to sell.
See The City Review article on Selected Renaissance and Mannerist Works of Art Assembled by Fabrizio Moretti January 29, 2015 auction at Christie's New York
See The City Review article on Master Paintings Part I at Sotheby's New York January 29, 2015 with great John Constable study of Salisbury Cathedral, an excellent Circle of Rogier van der Weyden and fine works by Lorenzo Pasinelli, Hubert Robert and Giovanni Tiepolo
See The City Review article on The Abbott Guggenheim Collection A New York Kunstkammer auction of Renaissance and Baroque bronzes at Christie's New York January 27, 2015
See The City Review article on Renaissance paintings auction at Christie's New York January 28, 2015 with a great Bronzino and very good works by Bassano, studio of Botticelli, circle of Cranach and Jacopo Del Sellaio