Vasari Art Codex

gavel restitution schedule Oct 30, 2025 visibility 2 link 2 artists

mfa boston david drake vessels restitution 1234759453

The Museum of Fine Arts, Boston has restituted two large-scale ceramic vessels by David Drake, an enslaved potter, to his known descendants. The works—a "Poem Jar" and a "Signed Jar," both from 1857—were acquired by the museum in 1997 and 2011 respectively. On October 16, the MFA deaccessioned the jars and transferred ownership to Drake's descendants via the Dave the Potter Legacy Trust. The museum then repurchased the "Poem Jar," which re-entered the collection on October 23, while the "Signed Jar" remains with the family on long-term loan to the museum. The decision followed discussions prompted by the exhibition "Hear Me Now: The Black Potters of Old Edgefield, South Carolina," co-organized with the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

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article news schedule Oct 14, 2025 visibility 3 link 2 artists

british museum tudor heart henry viii 1234756993

The British Museum has launched a high-profile fundraising campaign to acquire the Tudor Heart, a 24-karat gold pendant from the early reign of Henry VIII, decorated with a rose and pomegranate tree and engraved with the letters 'H' and 'K' for Henry and his wife Katherine of Aragon. Found by amateur metal detectorist Charlie Clarke in Warwickshire in 2019, the piece is described by curator Rachel King as a unique surviving example of Tudor 'bling' previously known only from inventories and paintings by Hans Holbein the Younger. The museum needs to raise £3.5 million (about $4.6 million) by early next year, with support from actor Damian Lewis and historian Mary Beard, and will host its first British Museum Ball on October 18 as part of the effort.

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article news schedule Oct 14, 2025 visibility 4 link 2 artists

british museum tudor heart henry viii 1234756993

The British Museum has launched a high-profile fundraising campaign to acquire the Tudor Heart, a 24-karat gold pendant from the early reign of Henry VIII. Discovered by amateur metal detectorist Charlie Clarke in Warwickshire in 2019, the pendant features a rose and pomegranate tree—symbols of Henry VIII and Katherine of Aragon—along with engraved letters 'H' and 'K'. The museum, supported by actor Damian Lewis and historian Mary Beard, aims to raise £3.5 million (about $4.6 million) by early next year to prevent the piece from entering a private collection. The campaign includes a public appeal and the first British Museum Ball on October 18.

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article news schedule Oct 14, 2025 visibility 2 link 2 artists

british museum tudor heart henry viii 1234756993

The British Museum has launched a high-profile fundraising campaign to acquire the Tudor Heart, a gold pendant from the early reign of Henry VIII, discovered by amateur metal detectorist Charlie Clarke in Warwickshire in 2019. The museum needs to raise £3.5 million ($4.6 million) by early next year to secure the piece, which features symbols of Henry VIII and Katherine of Aragon and is described as the only surviving Tudor jewelry of its kind. Actor Damian Lewis and historian Mary Beard are supporting the appeal, and the museum will host its first British Museum Ball on October 18 to further fundraising efforts.

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museum exhibitions schedule Oct 8, 2025 visibility 2 link 4 artists

met divine egypt review ancient art blockbuster 1234755807

The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York is opening a new exhibition, "Divine Egypt," on October 12, 2025, featuring over 210 ancient Egyptian artifacts, including strange and surreal works like a snake with a woman's head and a scarab-shaped block of quartz diorite. Curated by Diana Craig Patch with research associate Brendan Hainline, the show focuses on approximately 25 of the 1,500 gods worshipped in ancient Egypt, presenting objects non-chronologically to highlight how divine iconographies were remixed and subverted across dynasties. Most works come from the Met's own collection, with none on loan from Egypt.

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museum exhibitions schedule Oct 8, 2025 link 2 artists

met divine egypt review ancient art blockbuster 1234755807

The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York is set to open "Divine Egypt" on October 12, 2025, the museum's first large-scale exhibition of ancient Egyptian art since 2012. The show features 210 objects, including strange and surreal works such as a limestone block with carved ears, a snake with a woman's head, and a giant quartz diorite scarab representing the god Khepri. Curated by Diana Craig Patch with research associate Brendan Hainline, the exhibition focuses on about 25 of the 1,500 gods worshipped in ancient Egypt, presenting them in nonchronological mini-sections that highlight how divine iconographies were remixed and subverted over time. Most works come from the Met's own collection, with none on loan from Egypt.

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museum exhibitions schedule Nov 26, 2025 visibility 4 link 24 artists, 7 galleries

Private galleries bring immersive Art Week experience

Private galleries and pop-ups are collaborating with venues and brands to bring immersive experiences during Miami Art Week 2025. Highlights include the launch of CONTRA, a private events platform, with a VIP grand opening at Wyncatcher in Wynwood featuring DJ sets and an installation by Daniel Allen Cohen. The NFL returns with an expanded Artist Replay experience, including debut artworks from active player Marco Wilson and legend Martellus Bennett. Opera Gallery Miami presents “In Dialogue with Color: Mid-20th Century to Now” with works by Roy Lichtenstein, Yayoi Kusama, and others. London-based SLAWN debuts “Heroes, Villains, and Violence” at The Art of Hip Hop, while artists Amanda Linares and Lee Pivnik install site-specific works for the City of Miami Beach’s “No Vacancy 2025” program at hotels.

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trending_up market schedule Mar 27, 2026 visibility 11 link 1 artist, 1 gallery

This ‘Star Wars’ C-3PO Head Just Netted $1 Million at Auction

An original C-3PO head prop from the 1980 film *The Empire Strikes Back* sold for $1 million at a Propstore auction in Los Angeles. The piece, the only original head remaining on the collector's market, features functional lighting eyes and was created from molds of actor Anthony Daniels. It exceeded its high estimate of $700,000.

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trending_up market schedule Feb 19, 2026 visibility 3 link 2 artists, 1 gallery

oscar wilde auction bonhams 2736613

Bonhams recently concluded a highly successful auction of the Jeremy Mason collection, featuring over 500 items related to the life and legacy of Oscar Wilde. The sale, which coincided with the 125th anniversary of the author's death, achieved a total of £1.6 million ($2.1 million). Highlighting the event were iconic 1882 cabinet card portraits by Napoleon Sarony and a poignant 1900 deathbed photograph by Gilbert Maurice, which fetched £279,800 ($376,250), far exceeding its estimates.

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article news schedule Feb 5, 2026 visibility 2 link 1 artist

philadelphia art museum rebranding 2743304

The Philadelphia Museum of Art is reversing its controversial rebranding decision, abandoning the name "Philadelphia Art Museum" and the acronym "PhAM" after widespread backlash. The museum will retain its new griffin logo but restore the original name, Philadelphia Museum of Art, across all platforms. The rebrand, developed with Brooklyn design studio Gretel at a cost of $1 million, was rolled out less than four months ago but met with public mockery and internal turmoil. The reversal follows the firing of CEO Sasha Suda, who filed a lawsuit over her ouster, and the appointment of Daniel Weiss, former CEO of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, as her successor. Chief marketing officer Paul Dien also resigned amid the fallout. The board voted unanimously to undo the name change after a survey commissioned by an interdisciplinary task force.

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person people schedule Jan 9, 2026 visibility 2 link 5 artists

katya kazakina front page award 2735282

Artnet News senior reporter and columnist Katya Kazakina has won the Newswomen’s Club of New York’s 2025 Front Page Award for specialized reporting in arts and entertainment for the second consecutive year. The award recognizes her July story “Keeping Up With the Clients: The Art World Lifestyle Can Be Dangerously Alluring,” which investigated how dealers and advisors overextend themselves financially and legally to maintain social ties with wealthy patrons. The piece grew out of her earlier scoop on dueling lawsuits between ultra-high-end art advisors Barbara Guggenheim and Abigail Asher.

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article news schedule Nov 17, 2025 visibility 2 link 4 artists

layoffs metropolitan museum art 1900013

New York's Metropolitan Museum of Art has laid off 79 employees and furloughed 181 additional workers, citing a $150 million deficit exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. An additional 93 staff members accepted early retirement offers. The cuts, which follow 81 layoffs in April, reduce the museum's workforce from about 2,000 to roughly 1,600—a 20 percent reduction. Director Max Hollein and CEO Daniel H. Weiss announced the measures in an email, noting that staff salaries account for 65 percent of the annual budget. The museum has also implemented hiring freezes, pay cuts for top executives, and drawn on its $3.6 billion endowment. The Met remains closed pending state approval, aiming for an August 29 reopening with reduced hours.

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article news schedule Nov 17, 2025 visibility 2 link 4 artists

layoffs metropolitan museum art 1900013

New York's Metropolitan Museum of Art has laid off 79 employees and furloughed 181 workers, with 93 staff members taking early retirement, citing a $150 million deficit exacerbated by the pandemic. The museum's director Max Hollein and CEO Daniel H. Weiss announced the cuts in an email, noting that salaries comprise 65% of the annual budget. This is the second round of layoffs since April, when 81 employees lost their jobs, and the museum has also implemented pay reductions for top executives and frozen hiring. The workforce has shrunk by about 20%, from 2,000 to 1,600 staff, with 48% of those laid off being people of color. The Met aims to reopen on August 29 with reduced hours, pending government approval.

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trending_up market schedule Apr 23, 2026 visibility 9 link 4 artists, 8 galleries

Art Basel's solution to PDF pre-sales? Ask galleries to reserve works until opening day

Art Basel has announced a new initiative called Basel Exclusive for its flagship Swiss fair in June 2025, asking participating galleries to withhold their most important or expensive works from all pre-fair previews, online viewing rooms, and publicity. Instead, these "marquee works" will be unveiled for the first time during the First Choice VIP preview on 16 June. The initiative aims to restore a sense of surprise and urgency, countering the trend of galleries pre-selling works to clients before the fair opens. Around 170 galleries have already signed up, including major names like Gagosian, David Zwirner, Hauser & Wirth, Pace Gallery, and Sadie Coles HQ.

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article news schedule Apr 10, 2026 visibility 9 link 2 artists

A View From the Easel

Artist Katya Granova discusses her creative practice within her studio at the Spinnerei, a massive former yarn factory in Leipzig, Germany. Granova details her daily routine, which is dictated by natural light and a soundtrack of rock and metal music, and explains how the industrial scale of the space allows her to create large-format works that blend painting with physical movement akin to dance.

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museum exhibitions schedule Apr 8, 2026 visibility 10 link 1 artist, 3 galleries

Art Cologne heads to the beach with revived Mallorca edition

Art Cologne is reviving its satellite fair in Mallorca nearly two decades after a short-lived first attempt in 2007. Scheduled for April 9–12 at the Palau de Congressos de Palma, the new edition features 88 galleries, with a significant emphasis on Spanish and local Balearic participants rather than just German exports. Director Daniel Hug notes that the island’s cultural ecosystem has matured significantly, bolstered by a new generation of young galleries and a growing reputation as a luxury destination.

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article policy schedule Mar 17, 2026 visibility 10 link 4 artists

DePaul Art Museum Advisory Board Calls on University to Save the Institution, Expressing ‘Anger, Frustration, and Deep Sadness’ Over Abrupt Closure

The advisory board of Chicago's DePaul Art Museum has sent a strongly worded letter to DePaul University leadership, condemning the decision to permanently close the 40-year-old museum on June 30. The letter, signed by board chair Scott J. Hunter and members including artists Brendan Fernandes and former Expo Chicago head Tony Karman, expresses "anger, frustration, and deep sadness" over the abrupt closure and the university's unilateral plans for the museum's 4,000-object collection.

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article news schedule Mar 16, 2026 visibility 17 link 2 artists

Artists and Art Professionals Denounce Mexico’s Handling of Resurfaced Art Collection: ‘An Institutional Blunder’

Over 200 Mexican artists and art professionals signed an open letter accusing the government and the National Institute of Fine Arts and Literature (INBAL) of an 'institutional blunder' for allowing the resurfaced Gelman collection—approximately 300 works including pieces by Frida Kahlo and other major Mexican artists—to be exported to Spain. The collection, now held by Banco Santander's foundation, is classified as Mexican artistic monuments, which typically restricts foreign export to one or two years.

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gavel restitution schedule Feb 9, 2026 visibility 2 link 4 artists

michaels lawsuit pose jordan nickel 1234772883

Chicago street artist Jordan Nickel, known as Pose, is embroiled in a legal dispute with the arts and crafts retail giant Michaels. The artist, through his attorney Jeff Gluck, alleges that Michaels used his artwork in advertisements for Ironlak spray paint without his permission. Michaels has responded by filing a preemptive lawsuit in Texas, seeking a court declaration that it did not infringe on any rights and asking for attorneys' fees, while also arguing that it believed it had permission through its supplier, AVT Paints.

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article news schedule Jan 10, 2026 visibility 4 link 1 artist

recovered picassos art theft trial nice 1234769368

Seven years after an undercover sting in Nice, France, recovered a cache of stolen artworks including several by Pablo Picasso, ten defendants are now on trial. The 2017 police operation, triggered by a tip from Belgium, involved officers posing as Swiss buyers who met a seller at a Nice hotel and were led to a house in Peillon filled with stolen pieces. Among the recovered works were Picasso's *Le vieux roi* and *Le clown*, along with other items traced to a burglary in Saint-Paul-de-Vence and an armed robbery in Èze. The trial consolidates earlier investigations into a suspected art theft and fencing network, with prosecutors alleging the Peillon property served as a storage and sales hub.

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museum exhibitions schedule Dec 19, 2025 visibility 4 link 20 artists

if emmett till lived exhibition mocp chicago sarah lewis 1234767619

The Museum of Contemporary Photography (MoCP) at Columbia College Chicago will host an exhibition titled “If Emmett Till Lived: Freedom on American Ground,” guest curated by Harvard professor Sarah Lewis. Opening September 3, the show draws from MoCP’s permanent collection and features 70 photographers—including Gordon Parks, Henri Cartier-Bresson, Dorothea Lange, and Carrie Mae Weems—to imagine the life Emmett Till might have lived had he not been lynched in 1955. The exhibition includes images of Chicago, the railways Till traveled, and milestones he missed, such as the Chicago Bulls phenomenon, Barack Obama’s election, and ongoing civil rights protests.

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trending_up market schedule Nov 21, 2025 visibility 5 link 16 artists

sothebys surrealism modern auction november 2025 new york 1234762778

On Thursday night, Sotheby’s concluded a week of evening sales with a three-part modern art auction that achieved $304.6 million, far exceeding its pre-sale estimate of $211.3–$289.3 million. The evening featured 13 works from the collection of Cindy and Jay Pritzker, which sold for $109.5 million, followed by the 'Exquisite Corpus' Surrealist sale from Selma Ertegun’s collection totaling $98 million, and a multiple-owner modern art auction that brought in $97 million. The standout was Frida Kahlo’s self-portrait *El sueño (La cama)* (1940), which sold for $55 million, setting records for Kahlo, a Latin American artist, and a female artist at auction. Vincent van Gogh’s *Piles de romans parisiens et roses dans une verre (Romans parisiens)* (1887) achieved $62.7 million after a seven-minute bidding war.

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article news schedule Nov 4, 2025 visibility 2 link 2 artists

norman rockwell family speaks out about department of homeland security misuse of artwork 1234760017

The descendants of Norman Rockwell have publicly condemned the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) for using reproductions of Rockwell's paintings on social media to promote anti-immigrant rhetoric. Since August, DHS posts on X, Instagram, and Facebook have featured Rockwell's works such as "Salute the Flag" (1971), "Working on the Statue of Liberty" (1946), and "And Daniel Boone Comes to Life on the Underwood Portable" (1923), overlaid with captions like "Protect our American way of life" and "Protect your homeland and defend your culture." The Rockwell family responded with an op-ed in USA Today, arguing that the artist would have been "devastated" by this misuse, and provided context about his later civil rights-themed works.

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trending_up market schedule Nov 3, 2025 visibility 3 link 4 artists

brian eno sells paintings 1234759619

Brian Eno, the renowned musician and artist, is selling a cache of paintings for £500 each (around $666) through his London gallery, Paul Stolper. The online sale begins November 12, following a two-day performance where Eno created over 400 works using stencils, spray paint, and found objects like dried pasta and wooden blocks. The paintings, measuring about 5 by 7 inches, are priced individually, with four-block assemblages available for £3,000. An exhibition accompanies the sale from November 14 through January 17 at Paul Stolper.

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museum exhibitions schedule Oct 20, 2025 visibility 2 link 18 artists

fata morgana nicola trussardi massimiliano gioni hilma af klint 1234756897

The Fondazione Nicola Trussardi has organized an exhibition titled "Fata Morgana" at Milan's Palazzo Morando, featuring 78 artists past and present who channel spiritual, occult, or mediumistic forces. Curated by Massimiliano Gioni, Daniel Birnbaum, and Martha Papini, the show includes works by historical figures such as Marcel Duchamp, Man Ray, and James Tilly Matthews, alongside contemporary artists like Marianna Simnett, Diego Marcon, Rosemarie Trockel, and Kerstin Brätsch. It also incorporates pieces by nuns, mediums, and psychiatric patients, drawing from collections like the Elmar R. Gruber Collection of Mediumistic Art.

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museum exhibitions schedule Oct 20, 2025 visibility 2 link 18 artists

fata morgana nicola trussardi massimiliano gioni hilma af klint 1234756897

"Fata Morgana," an exhibition organized by the Fondazione Nicola Trussardi at Palazzo Morando in Milan, presents works by 78 artists past and present who embody Marcel Duchamp's idea of the artist as a "mediumistic being." The show includes nuns, mediums, psychiatric patients, and contemporary stars like Marianna Simnett and Rosemarie Trockel, alongside avant-garde icons such as Man Ray and Duchamp himself. Curated by Massimiliano Gioni, Daniel Birnbaum, and Martha Papini, the exhibition explores creativity as compulsion, featuring drawings by James Tilly Matthews, séance photographs by Stanisława Popielska, and works by Madge Gill and Emma Jung, among others.

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article policy schedule Jan 15, 2026 visibility 2 link 6 artists, 1 gallery

Work by Edgar Degas among £59.7m haul of art donated to UK public collections in exchange for tax benefits

Works by Edgar Degas and Ben Nicholson are among the artworks donated to UK public collections through the government's Acceptance in Lieu (AIL) and Cultural Gifts Schemes (CGS) between April 2024 and March 2025. The total value of objects gifted reached £59.7 million, settling £39.3 million in tax. Degas's pastel *Ballet Dancers* (1888) was allocated to the National Gallery in London, settling £7.9 million in tax, while three paintings by Ben Nicholson went to Kettle's Yard in Cambridge and a fourth to Pallant House Gallery. Other donations include 73 photographs by Bill Brandt to Tate, a Vanessa Bell still life to the Charleston Trust, and works from the Radev Collection.

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article news schedule Apr 24, 2026 visibility 4 link 3 artists

The Tabloids Are Fouling Mayor Mamdani Over His Knicks Art. Here’s the Story

Artist Tom Sanford loaned his hand-painted wooden "Knicks Cutout" portraits of legendary New York Knicks players to New York City Hall at the invitation of Mayor Zohran Mamdani, intended to celebrate the team's playoff run. Tabloid media, including the New York Post and New York Times, framed the gesture as a "curse" on the team, suggesting fans blamed the mayor for the Knicks' losses. Sanford defends the artwork as a sincere, community-driven tribute rooted in New York street-corner cutout traditions, not a cheap stunt.

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article culture schedule Mar 17, 2026 visibility 8 link 2 artists

Is Math Art? Werner Herzog Says Yes

The Brooklyn Public Library hosted an overnight festival called "Night in the Library: The Philosophy of Mathematics" on Pi Day, March 14. The event featured a diverse program including tap dancing, textile workshops, talks by novelist Michael Cunningham and artist Molly Crabapple, and concerts, all aimed at exploring math's connections to broader culture. Filmmaker Werner Herzog delivered the keynote address, titled "Mathematics and the Sublime," in which he argued that mathematics is a new form of art, loaded with meaning and poetry.

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article culture schedule Feb 10, 2026 visibility 4 link 3 artists

olympics opening ceremony art references 2743971

The opening ceremony of the 2026 Milano Cortina Winter Olympics featured significant art-historical references, including a flame cauldron inspired by Leonardo da Vinci's knot drawings and performances that brought to life the marble sculptures of Antonio Canova. Dancers animated recreations of works like 'Psyche Revived by Cupid's Kiss,' and the ceremony included symbolic representations of Italian architectural landmarks like the Colosseum and Florence's Duomo.

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