phillips tests lichtenstein market vandalized painting priced 20 million

Phillips New York is offering Roy Lichtenstein's 1994 painting *Nudes in Mirror* with a $20 million estimate this fall, despite—or perhaps because of—its history of vandalism. The work, from the Rush Family Collection, was slashed by a mentally unstable woman while on loan to the Kunsthaus Bregenz in Austria in 2005, leaving four 12-inch gashes that have since been expertly restored. Phillips is openly embracing the attack as part of the painting's mythology, detailing the incident in its catalogue and comparing it to other famous acts of art vandalism.

Tefaf New York wishlist: a Tiffany window and an Egyptian goddess with a nose job

The article highlights three standout artworks being offered at Tefaf New York. A Tiffany Studios stained-glass window, "Birches and Irises" (around 1915), designed by Agnes Northrop, is priced at $1.25 million through Macklowe Gallery. An Egyptian goddess bust from 570-526 BC, rediscovered at a regional auction in England and later authenticated after scientific study, is offered for £1.5 million by David Aaron. A painting by Cecily Brown, "Functor Hideaway" (2008), is listed at $3.9 million by Berggruen Gallery, coinciding with her current exhibition at London's Serpentine Gallery.

sam gilliam foundation david kordansky gallery sued over disavowed drape painting

Drax Fine Art, LLC has filed a lawsuit against David Kordansky Gallery, the Sam Gilliam Foundation, and the late artist's widow Annie Gawlak, alleging they conspired to disavow and defame an authentic Sam Gilliam drape painting from 1972. Drax claims the work was acquired from Carl Solway Gallery in Cincinnati, installed in an architectural firm's lobby, and later purchased by Drax. The plaintiff seeks $6 million in damages, accusing the defendants of blocking an auction sale by claiming restoration efforts constituted irreparable damage. The defendants call the claims "absolutely frivolous," asserting the unsigned, undated piece does not conform to Gilliam's practice and may be a studio remnant.

getty luis de morales christ painting restoration

The Getty Museum in Los Angeles has acquired and restored Luis de Morales's "Christ Carrying the Cross" (c. 1565), a 16th-century Spanish Renaissance painting. The work, which had been covered in discolored varnish and enlarged with wooden strips, was carefully conserved by Getty conservator Kari Rayner, who removed non-original paint to reveal the artist's original composition. The painting first appeared at auction in 2021 at Nagel Auktionen, initially attributed to Morales's studio with a €10,000 estimate, but later sold for €1.2 million before the Getty acquired it from the Daniel Katz Gallery.

A Bodybuilder’s 3,300-Year-Old Egyptian Stele Heads to TEFAF

A 3,300-year-old Egyptian stele once owned by bodybuilding pioneer Ben Weider is set to be a highlight at TEFAF New York this May. The limestone carving, which depicts Pharaoh Thutmose IV, was gifted to Weider in 1964 and recently surfaced at a Montreal auction before being acquired by the London-based gallery David Aaron. Alongside the stele, the gallery will present a 2,500-year-old greywacke bust of a goddess, which was recently authenticated after being dismissed as a fake due to its pristine condition and 18th-century restorations.

palazzo dario monet sale

Palazzo Dario, a historic Gothic palace on Venice's Grand Canal built in 1486 by diplomat Giovanni Dario, is now listed for sale through Christie's International Real Estate following a structural restoration. The 10,000-square-foot property features four levels, marble staircases, Murano chandeliers, and a Moorish fountain, with its asking price available upon request. The palace has changed hands through noble families, countesses, and financiers over centuries, and was famously painted by Claude Monet in 1908 and sketched by John Ruskin.

Arnaldo Pomodoro | Arnaldo Pomodoro - Untitled for Art and Research (Ca… (2003) | For Sale

Arnaldo Pomodoro's 2003 etching "Untitled for Art and Research (Ca…" is being offered for sale. The work is an artist's proof on wove paper, signed and annotated p.a., one of only 15 proofs aside from the regular edition of 150. It was created to support the "Art and Research" event in Milan, sponsored by the Mario Negri Pharmacological Research Institute, and published by Art 3, Alberto Serighelli. The piece is framed under UV Plexiglass and measures 12.75 x 12.5 x 1.5 inches framed.

Tefaf New York wish list: objects and treasures to suit every collector’s taste

Tefaf New York presents a curated wish list of objects and treasures catering to diverse collector tastes. Highlights include Lee Bontecou's monumental mixed-media sculpture 'Untitled (1980-2001)' shown by Ortuzar and Marc Selwyn Fine Art, a rare René Magritte collage from 1926 offered by Di Donna Galleries, an ancient Egyptian bronze Osiris statue from David Aaron, and an Aboriginal painting by Mantua Nangala from Salon 94. Each piece is accompanied by price estimates and provenance details, reflecting the fair's focus on high-quality, historically significant works.

hauser wirth to open sicily location in historic palazzo

Hauser & Wirth has announced plans to open its first Italian location in Palermo, Sicily, housed in the historic Palazzo Forcella De Seta. The gallery purchased roughly 20,000 square feet of the neo-Gothic palace, which previously served as a venue for Manifesta 12 in 2018 and was once home to Galleria Mediterranea, the city’s first private art gallery. The deal closed in November, but the local government and Italy’s Ministry of Culture retain a 60-day right of public pre-emption due to the building’s status as a historic monument. If that right is not exercised, work could begin in 2026, with completion expected by 2030.

A Rosso for the Metropolitan

Un Rosso pour le Metropolitan

The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York has acquired a painting by Rosso Fiorentino, a master of Italian and French Mannerism, after restoration revealed an earlier overpaint that had obscured the composition. The work, a Virgin and Child, now shows Saint John the Evangelist in the foreground at right, confirming it as an original by the artist.

Two Hubert Robert paintings from Madame Geoffrin offered to the museum by the Friends of the Louvre

Deux Hubert Robert de Madame Geoffrin offerts au musée par les Amis du Louvre

Two paintings by Hubert Robert, once owned by Madame Geoffrin, were acquired by the Musée du Louvre through a preemptive purchase at Christie’s Paris on March 25. The works sold for €1,950,000 hammer (€2,439,000 with fees) and are being donated to the museum by the Société des Amis du Louvre. The paintings, described as 18th-century snapshots, were part of the historic Veil-Picard collection and will undergo restoration before being displayed.

A historic section of the Eiffel Tower's original staircase is set to go up for auction

Un tronçon historique de l’escalier d’origine de la tour Eiffel s’apprête à s’envoler aux enchères

The auction house Artcurial is set to auction a 2.75-meter-tall section of the original spiral staircase from the Eiffel Tower on May 21. This specific segment, consisting of fourteen riveted steel steps, was part of the structure connecting the second and third floors until it was dismantled in 1983 to make way for modern elevators. Estimated between €120,000 and €150,000, the piece holds significant historical value as it is the inaugural 'Lot No. 1' from the original 1983 dispersal sale.

ronald perelmans 410m trial finally begins

Billionaire collector Ronald Perelman's $410 million insurance trial has finally begun after seven years of litigation, over 1,500 court filings, and a 2018 fire at his East Hampton estate. The dispute centers on five paintings by Cy Twombly, Ed Ruscha, and Andy Warhol that survived the fire but were exposed to smoke and sprinklers. Perelman claims the works lost their market appeal—their "oomph"—while insurers at Lloyd's of London dispute any detectable damage and allege Perelman quietly tried to sell some of the pieces. The trial has also revealed that Perelman sold over 70 works from his collection after a margin call from Deutsche Bank, with some contested paintings used as collateral.

Newly attributed Turner painting, last sold for £500, goes under the hammer at Sotheby's with £300,000 estimate

A painting attributed to JMW Turner, titled *The Rising Squall, Hot Wells, from St Vincent’s Rock, Bristol*, is set to be auctioned at Sotheby’s London on 2 July with an estimate of £200,000–£300,000. The work was sold last year at Dreweatts Donnington Priory for just £524.80, then catalogued as a follower of Julius Caesar Ibbetson. After a collector purchased it and arranged restoration, Turner’s signature was uncovered, and leading Turner scholars unanimously endorsed the attribution. The painting, made in 1792 when Turner was 17, depicts Hot Wells House in Bristol and was exhibited at the Royal Academy in 1793.

AstaGuru: An Eminent Digital Auction for the Elite

AstaGuru, an Indian online auction house founded in 2008, has established itself as a leading digital platform for modern and contemporary art, antiques, sports memorabilia, fine silverware, and writing instruments. The company achieved a world record with a ₹17.75 crore bid for a Tyeb Mehta painting in 2017 and boasts a 93% lot sale ratio, auctioning works by notable artists such as Ramkinkar Baij, Krishen Khanna, and Nandalal Bose. Led by directors Tushar Sethi and Vickram Sethi, the platform offers secure bidding, physical previews in Mumbai, and services including consultation, restoration, and valuation.