Vasari Art Codex

trending_up market schedule Apr 6, 2026 visibility 23 link 5 artists, 6 galleries

Overdue payments to artists, landlords and workers at a popular gallery reflect pressures squeezing the dealer sector

The Hole, a prominent gallery with locations in New York and Los Angeles, is facing significant financial distress characterized by shuttered spaces and mounting legal disputes. Following a period of rapid expansion fueled by the 2021–2023 art market boom, the gallery has permanently closed its West Hollywood location and is currently facing multiple lawsuits from Manhattan landlords alleging over $180,000 in unpaid rent and taxes. Founder Kathy Grayson attributes the crisis to a sharp decline in sales starting in late 2023, which has left the gallery struggling to pay artists, staff, and creditors.

newspaper The Art Newspaper open_in_new Read original

trending_up market schedule Mar 6, 2026 visibility 6 link 1 artist, 1 gallery

christies unveils new rostrum designed jony ive apple former chief design office 1234775975

Christie’s has unveiled a new auctioneer’s rostrum designed by Jony Ive and his design collective, LoveFrom. The sleek, oak-wood platform replaces the traditional design originally created by Thomas Chippendale in the 18th century, which had been the standard for the auction house for over 260 years. Crafted from French oak, the new rostrum features a contemporary rounded aesthetic and was engineered specifically to enhance the acoustic resonance of the auctioneer's gavel.

newspaper ARTnews open_in_new Read original

trending_up market schedule Mar 9, 2026 visibility 6 link 2 artists, 5 galleries

Show me the money: UK gallery and auction house accounts reveal reality of a tough market

Recent financial filings from UK-based art businesses reveal a stark downturn in the art market, highlighted by the sudden liquidation of Stephen Friedman Gallery. The gallery's collapse followed expensive expansion projects in London and New York, compounded by a £1.7m loss in 2023 and a significant debt of £11.4m to creditors. Other major players, including Thaddaeus Ropac, reported substantial revenue drops, with Ropac’s turnover falling from £49.6m to £36.4m as the industry grapples with rising overheads and economic volatility.

newspaper The Art Newspaper open_in_new Read original

trending_up market schedule Jan 30, 2026 visibility 5 link 4 artists, 1 gallery

apple steve jobs memorabilia auction 2735336

A major auction of Apple memorabilia and personal items belonging to Steve Jobs realized $8.1 million. The top lot was the first check ever issued by Apple, signed by founders Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak in 1976, which sold for $2.4 million. Other significant items included an early Apple-1 prototype board and personal effects from Jobs's childhood home, including his bedroom desk and a collection of bowties.

newspaper Artnet News open_in_new Read original

trending_up market schedule Nov 25, 2025 visibility 6 link 1 artist

goddard tiffany window heads to auction 2640386

A Tiffany Studios stained-glass window, the Goddard Memorial Window, sold for $4.2 million at Christie's Design Sale on June 12, 2025, exceeding its high estimate of $3 million. Commissioned in 1909 by Mary Edith Jenckes Goddard for St. Luke's Episcopal Church in East Greenwich, Rhode Island, the window features a pastoral landscape with an apple blossom tree, symbolic of youth. The sale follows a surge in the Tiffany window market, including a record $12.4 million sale at Sotheby's in November 2024 and recent acquisitions by the Metropolitan Museum of Art and Crystal Bridges Museum.

newspaper Artnet News open_in_new Read original

trending_up market schedule May 30, 2025 visibility 1 link 5 artists, 4 galleries

Augmented reality enjoys growing appeal as a tool for the art trade

Augmented reality (AR) headsets like the Apple Vision Pro and Meta Quest II are gaining traction as tools for the art trade, according to experts interviewed in this article. Gallerists Will Shott and Hal Bromm see potential for virtual tours, studio visits, and previewing artworks in situ, while adviser India Price notes that seeing works at scale in one's own space could boost buyer confidence. However, Martin Murphy of Ringling College of Art and Design argues that practical barriers—such as device personalization and generational divides—may limit adoption among traditional collectors.

newspaper The Art Newspaper open_in_new Read original

trending_up market schedule Jan 23, 2026 visibility 5 link 6 artists

apple contract constitution christies sale 2720751

Christie's auction "We the People: America at 250" on January 23, 2026, achieved $35.5 million in total sales, doubling its presale estimate. The top lot was a draft of the U.S. Constitution annotated by founding father Rufus King, which sold for $7.3 million. Other highlights included a signed Emancipation Proclamation ($6.7 million), a 1776 Declaration of Independence copy ($5.6 million), and the Apple Computer Company Partnership Agreement from 1976, signed by Steve Jobs, Steve Wozniak, and Ronald Wayne, which fetched $2.5 million. A Gilbert Stuart portrait of George Washington (ca. 1804) realized $2.8 million, setting a new auction record for the Athenaeum type.

newspaper Artnet News open_in_new Read original

trending_up market schedule Dec 19, 2025 visibility 4 link 5 artists

george washington dollar portrait gilbert stuart auction 2731865

Christie’s is launching its largest-ever Americana Week in January, featuring a George Washington portrait by Gilbert Stuart that inspired the dollar bill. The painting, commissioned by James Madison, is expected to fetch between $500,000 and $1 million. The auction includes 700 lots across nine sales, with highlights such as a signed Emancipation Proclamation and the contract that created Apple. The portrait, a Vaughn-type from 1795, was consigned by Clarkson University and has a provenance tracing back to Madison, confirmed by a 19th-century catalog and a note from Madison’s secretary.

newspaper Artnet News open_in_new Read original