The Myth of Sandokan on Display in Monza Between History and Imagination. The Curators Speak

Il mito di Sandokan in mostra a Monza tra storia e immaginario. Parola ai curatori

A new exhibition titled "Sandokan. La Tigre ruggisce ancora" has opened at the Reggia di Monza, exploring the enduring myth of the fictional pirate Sandokan, who first appeared in Italian serialized fiction in 1883. Curated by Francesco Aquilanti and Loretta Paderni, the show brings together ethnographic materials, costumes from the 1970s television series, weapons, books, illustrations, and archival items, including the original Dayak collection donated by Sir Charles Brooke to the King of Italy. The exhibition traces Sandokan's evolution across literature, comics, film, and television, presenting him as a layered, ambivalent hero—both ruthless pirate and justice fighter—whose story remains relevant today.

Sotheby’s Summer Sale Gathers $433.1M, Thanks To Rothko Painting

Sotheby’s summer contemporary auction in New York raised $433.1 million, far exceeding the $186.1 million from its comparable sale last year. The highlight was the $85.8 million sale of Mark Rothko’s *Brown and Blacks in Reds* (1957) from the estate of late dealer Robert Mnuchin and his wife Adriana, whose 11 blue-chip works fetched $166.3 million against a $130 million estimate. Other top lots included Jean-Michel Basquiat’s *Museum Security (Broadway Meltdown)* at $52.7 million and Willem de Kooning’s *Untitled III* at $26 million.

Inspiring Connections

An exhibition titled "Jean F. Watson: An Artistic Legacy" at the City of Edinburgh showcases over 40 historical and contemporary Scottish artworks acquired through the Jean F. Watson Bequest Fund. Featured artists include Arthur Melville, JD Fergusson, Anne Redpath, Joan Eardley, Eduardo Paolozzi, Elizabeth Blackadder, Alison Watt, and Leena Nammari, among others. Highlights include Fergusson's "The Blue Hat, Closerie des Lilas," Blackadder's "Irises," and a pandemic-inspired installation by Virginia Hutchison. The display spans drawing, painting, printmaking, photography, and sculpture across 250 years.

A Collection Built Through Exchange. “Gifts of Friendship” at the Muzeum Sztuki in Łódź.

The Muzeum Sztuki in Łódź is opening an exhibition titled "Gifts of Friendship" on 15 May, featuring nearly 150 works donated to the museum between 2024 and 2026 by some 80 artists from dozens of countries. The exhibition, curated by Barbara Piwowarska, traces the museum's origins to the 1920s when avant-garde artists like Władysław Strzemiński and Katarzyna Kobro built the International Collection of Modern Art through artist-to-artist gifts, bypassing market logic. The current show responds to the institution's recent crisis by turning again to the artistic community for support, resulting in a wave of donations that reaffirm the museum's founding ethos.

City College art faculty showcase their work in the Kondos Gallery

Sacramento City College's Kondos Gallery has opened its spring faculty exhibition, “The Other Half; SCC Art Faculty,” featuring works by five full-time art professors in painting, printmaking, mixed media, ceramics, and sculpture. A reception was held on April 30, 2026, attended by librarian Antonio López and others. The gallery, originally opened in the 1930s, was renamed after noted California artist Gregory Kondos, who served as its director in the mid-1970s until his retirement in 1982.

Two exhibitions; one shared dialogue: Weyburn Art Gallery

The Weyburn Art Gallery in Saskatchewan is presenting a dual exhibition running through the end of June, featuring two complementary shows. The first, 'Omentum: A look into the Indigenous Experience of the 21st Century- Exhibition Series, 2019' by Nehiyawak-Métis artist John Brady McDonald, comprises ten paintings that address themes such as Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, cultural appropriation, residential school legacies, and the murder of Colten Boushie. Each painting was personally named by an influential Indigenous figure, including Isaac Murdoch, Rosanna Deerchild, and Dr. Evan Adams. The second exhibition draws from the City of Weyburn’s Permanent Collection, showcasing works by Indigenous artists Michael Lonechild, Ken Lonechild, and Mike Keepness, which explore identity, place, and memory.

Art Leven First Nations And Australian Fine Art Auction Opens This Week - Scoop

Art Leven, a Sydney-based gallery focused on First Nations art, is opening its First Nations and Australian Fine Art Auction and Exhibition, headlined by the private collection of the late Dame Marie Bashir AD CVO and Sir Nicholas Shehadie AC OBE. The exhibition runs from 15–19 May 2026 at Art Leven's new Woolloomooloo gallery, with the live auction on 19 May at Artspace. The sale includes approximately 115 artworks, with 79 from the Bashir-Shehadie collection, featuring works by Balang John Mawurndjul AM, Arthur Boyd, Emily Kame Kngwarreye, Albert Namatjira, and others. The collection reflects decades of travel to remote art centres and close relationships with artists, supported by archival material like handwritten notes and early catalogues.

Biggs Museum spotlights the art and influence of Elizabeth Catlett

The Biggs Museum of American Art is presenting "The Art of Elizabeth Catlett from the Collection of Samella Lewis," on view through June 21, 2026. The exhibition features Catlett's prints and sculptures, drawn from the collection of her former student and lifelong friend Samella Lewis, and also includes works by Lewis and Catlett's husband, Francisco Mora. Catlett, who studied with Grant Wood and worked with the Taller de Gráfica Popular in Mexico City, focused her art on the lives of Black women, addressing themes of identity, equity, labor, family, and freedom.

Deux sculptures de la Roldana préemptées par l'Espagne

Spain has preempted two polychrome terracotta sculptures by Luisa Roldán, known as La Roldana, at an Abalarte auction on December 5, 2025. The works, *La Fuite en Égypte* and *L’Éducation de la Vierge*, each sold for €335,500 including fees. *La Fuite en Égypte* has been acquired by the Museo del Prado in Madrid, while *L’Éducation de la Vierge* has gone to the Museo Nacional de Escultura in Valladolid.

HARRY CHÁVEZ: DONDE MUERDE EL MITO

Harry Chávez: Donde muerde el mito was the first presentation of Peruvian artist Harry Chávez's work at the Museo de Arte de Lima (MALI), held as part of the MALI Colecciones. Intervenciones contemporáneas program. The exhibition recently won the Premio Luces 2026 from El Comercio in the best exhibition category, a public-vote award reflecting its impact. The show explores symbolic conflicts between serpent and feline in Andean and Amazonian mythology, featuring works like 'Salto mortal' and 'Nacimiento del dragón' that depict cosmic struggles and hybrid transformations.

Jorge Nava | Untitled (2022) | Art & Prints

This article presents Jorge Nava's 2022 painting "Untitled," an oil-on-linen work measuring 180 × 180 cm, offered by Arma Gallery in Madrid. Nava, a Spanish artist born in Gijón in 1980, studied at the University of the Basque Country and Kunsthochschule Berlin Weissensee under Professor Katherina Grosse. His career includes participation in international fairs such as ARCO, CIRCA in Puerto Rico, Scope Art Fair in New York, and Photo Miami Art Basel, as well as exhibitions at Alzueta Gallery and the Barjola Museum. His work belongs to collections including the María Cristina Masaveu Peterson Foundation and private collections across Europe and North America.

Hubert Robert & Fragonard. Le sentiment de la nature

The Musée d'art et d'archéologie in Valence, France, is presenting an exhibition titled "Hubert Robert & Fragonard. Le sentiment de la nature" from March 7 to June 21, 2026. The show traces the artistic friendship between Hubert Robert and Jean-Honoré Fragonard, who met as young French artists sketching in the ruins of Rome under the guidance of Charles-Joseph Natoire. It features works from the museum's renowned collection of sanguine drawings, notably those from the foundational bequest of Julien Victor Veyrenc (1835-1836), and includes new attributions proposed by curator Sarah Catala, a graduate conservator from the Institut National du Patrimoine.

The Long-Awaited Reopening of the Musée Bonnat

La réouverture attendue du Musée Bonnat

After fifteen years of closure, the Musée Bonnat (now renamed Bonnat-Helleu) in Bayonne, France, has finally reopened. The closure was initially due to structural problems, including collapsing skylights and leaks, and even before that, much of the collection had been inaccessible. The renovated museum now features a new extension built from a former school, housing the public reception area, an exhibition space, a courtyard with a café terrace, and storage. The galleries display the museum's full holdings, including Rubens sketches, terracottas from the Paul Cailleux collection, and works by Léon Bonnat himself.

A Gauguin Portrait for Budapest

Un portrait de Gauguin pour Budapest

The Szépművészeti Múzeum (Museum of Fine Arts) in Budapest has acquired a portrait by Paul Gauguin. The painting was part of the collection of André and Françoise Kostolany, which was recently dispersed at auction by De Baecque & Associés in Versailles. The sale saw strong results, particularly for Hungarian paintings from the late 19th and early 20th centuries, with works by József Rippl-Rónai fetching high prices.

Sharjah Biennial 17 Assembles 109 Artists Across a Restless Global Landscape.

Nazi-looted painting discovered in home of Dutch SS commander's heirs

Art detective Arthur Brand announced the discovery of a Nazi-looted painting, *Portrait of a Young Girl* by Toon Kelder, in the home of the heirs of Hendrik Seyffardt, a notorious Dutch SS commander. The painting was part of the more than 1,100 works plundered from Amsterdam art dealer Jacques Goudstikker by German occupiers. An anonymous heir, who changed his family name, contacted Brand after learning of his ancestry, expressing shame and demanding the painting be returned to the rightful Jewish owners. The current owner, a relative, claims ignorance of its provenance and says the family is discussing restitution.

A Landmark Benjamin Franklin Collection Is Hitting the Auction Block

A landmark collection of Benjamin Franklin memorabilia assembled by sports and entertainment mogul Jay Snider is heading to Sotheby’s New York on June 24. The collection includes over 150 items—books, broadsides, letters, and manuscripts—tracing Franklin’s career from printer to scientist to diplomat. Highlights include a 1758 letter to Joseph Galloway (estimated $70,000–$100,000), a 1778 letter from George Washington introducing the Marquis de Lafayette (which sold for over $1 million in January), and a bound volume of Franklin’s electrical experiments ($75,000–$125,000). The full catalogue is valued at $3 million to $4.5 million, and 40 artifacts will be displayed at the Library Company of Philadelphia from May 5 to 7.

Billionaire Collector Ken Griffin Buys Second Rare Constitution Printing

Billionaire collector Ken Griffin has quietly acquired a second rare first printing of the US Constitution, known as the Van Sinderen copy, through a private deal after it was pulled from a planned Sotheby’s auction in 2022. Griffin, who previously paid $43.2 million at Sotheby’s in 2021 for another copy, now holds the only two copies of the 1787 document still in private hands. The newly acquired document will go on public display starting May 27 at the South Street Seaport Museum in New York, headlining an exhibition titled “The Promise of Liberty” that includes other foundational texts.

A Grandmother’s Keepsake Turns Out to Be an Imperial Chinese Robe Worth Thousands

A collection of Chinese antiques, including an Imperial robe from the 19th century, was discovered in a chest in London after being kept as family mementos for decades. The items were acquired by Nan Brake, a British translator living in Beijing during the 1950s, who purchased them on excursions around the city. The collection, which features Ming dynasty paintings, Qing dynasty embroidered robes, and jade ornaments, will be auctioned by Roseberys on May 12 with an estimated total value of £40,000 ($54,100). The standout piece is a turquoise silk Imperial robe embroidered with nine five-clawed dragons, likely made for a male member of the emperor's family.

Shelley’s hair to Schindler’s list: the most fascinating objects in the State Library of NSW – in pictures

The State Library of NSW is celebrating its 200th anniversary with a new exhibition featuring 200 objects from its collection of 6 million items. Lead curator Elise Edmonds and her team selected highlights including a lock of Mary Shelley's hair, the smallest book in the library's collection (measuring 6mm by 6mm), bread wrappers from the 1960s, a colonial sketchbook from 1817, a Dharawal Indigenous language wordlist, Australia's oldest surviving political cartoon from 1808, and a contemporary artwork by Wiradjuri artist Karla Dickens. The objects span literature, colonial history, Indigenous culture, sport, and everyday life.

What Does the Future Hold for Female Collectors? We Got a Sneak Peek.

CULTURED Editor-in-Chief Sarah Harrelson hosted a panel discussion at Christie’s Rockefeller Center with collectors Tiffany Zabludowicz, Sophia Cohen, and Victoria Rogers, exploring the evolving role of women in the art market. The event coincided with Christie’s Marquee Week sales, which included a record-breaking $1.1 billion night, and featured works from the collections of legendary female patrons such as Agnes Gund, Marian Goodman, Lorinda de Roulet, and Marilyn Arison. Guests viewed masterpieces on display and received remarks from Christie’s Senior Vice President Isabella Lauria, who is leading the 21st Century Sale on May 20.

How a Remote California Artists’ Retreat Inspired Vhernier’s Latest Ring Collection

Italian jewelry maison Vhernier has collaborated with artist Pae White to create a 10-design limited-edition ring collection inspired by White's childhood memories of Sea Ranch, a remote artists' retreat in Sonoma County, California. The collection translates the architecture of crustaceans and abalone into precious materials, using sapphires, diamonds, and rock crystal set in white or rose gold, with only two versions of each design produced.

fashion bottega veneta peter fraser venice

Photographer Peter Fraser has collaborated with Bottega Veneta on a new series of 27 photographs exploring Venice, capturing both its iconic landmarks—canals, marble floors, Byzantine façades—and its overlooked details like construction cranes, discarded plaster casts, and beached boats. The images are juxtaposed with Bottega Veneta's intrecciato bags from Louise Trotter's first collection, nodding to the fashion house's long history in the Veneto region. In an interview, Fraser discusses his approach to photographing a city burdened by its own legacy, emphasizing the need to distance himself from preconceptions and to shoot based on feeling rather than appearance.

‘Neon graveyard’: Joe Lycett’s first major solo exhibition set for Birmingham

Comedian and artist Joe Lycett will present his first major solo exhibition, 'EVERY THING MUST GO', at Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery in July 2026. The show features paintings on themes of things 'no longer with us', including deceased celebrities, discontinued chocolate bars, extinct animals, and destroyed buildings, displayed in a salon-style arrangement. Lycett describes the exhibition as a 'neon graveyard' meant to overwhelm, delight, and confuse visitors. The works were created over the past twelve months and were inspired by objects from Birmingham's collection.

$450 Million Worth of Newhouse Trophies Come to Christie’s

Christie’s will hold a special evening sale in May featuring 16 artworks from the collection of the late Condé Nast chief S.I. Newhouse Jr., valued at a combined $450 million. The works are considered museum-quality trophies from one of the most significant private collections assembled in recent decades.

The Musée d’Ixelles at the Crossroads of Different Perspectives

Le Musée d’Ixelles à la croisée de différents regards

The Musée d’Ixelles in Brussels, closed for eight years for expansion and renovation, is nearing completion of its architectural transformation with a reopening scheduled for spring 2027 (March 19). Founded in 1892 in a former slaughterhouse, the museum has grown through successive donations and a continuous acquisition policy, now holding over 15,000 works spanning Belgian art from the 19th century to the contemporary period. Director and curator Claire Leblanc, who has led the institution since 2006, emphasizes a participatory approach that integrates diverse public perspectives, including a project called "Musée comme chez soi" during the closure where locals hosted artworks in their homes.

EFG LATIN AMERICA ART AWARD PRESENTS THE NOMINATED ARTIST AT SP ARTE 2026

The EFG Latin America Art Award, in partnership with ArtNexus, has named Brazilian artist Cristiano Lenhardt as the nominated artist at SP-Arte 2026. Lenhardt, represented by Fortes D'Aloia & Gabriel, was selected for his work *Lieoe* (2025), a mixed-media piece combining ceramic and embroidery on cotton that responds to the devastating floods in Rio Grande do Sul in May 2024. The selection was made with input from Fernando Oliva, curator of MASP, and Celia Sredni de Birbragher, director and editor of ArtNexus.

EFG LATIN AMERICA ART AWARD PRESENTA AL ARTISTA NOMINADO EN SP ARTE 2026

The EFG Latin America Art Award, in partnership with ArtNexus, has named Brazilian artist Cristiano Lenhardt as its nominee from SP-Arte 2026. Lenhardt, represented by Fortes D'Aloia & Gabriel, was selected for his work *Lieoe* (2025), a mixed-media piece combining ceramic, embroidery, and cotton fabric dyed by floodwaters from the Guaíba River. The work responds to the environmental tragedy of the May 2024 floods in Rio Grande do Sul, transforming trauma into a tactile, intuitive object. The nomination was made with input from Fernando Oliva, curator of MASP, and Celia Sredni de Birbragher, director of ArtNexus.

'Preserving the art of Utah culture': Utah-artist museum opens in Salt Lake City

A new art museum, the Salt Lake Art Museum, is opening in the historic B'nai Israel Temple in downtown Salt Lake City, dedicated to preserving and celebrating Utah culture through visual art. Founded by art historian Micah Christensen and led by executive director Chris Jensen, the museum is the first new art museum to open in the city in over 40 years. It has already begun programming, including an interactive 'Make Your Mark' installation and a Utah Master Series highlighting influential local artists such as Galina Perova, Stanley Wanlass, and Ben Hammond. Opening exhibitions will feature works by Albert Bierstadt, Pilar Pobil, and a show on Julia Reagan billboards, alongside a gallery on the temple's history.

Lake Flato Architects creates gallery for Marble Falls Arthouse

Texas-based Lake Flato Architects has completed the Marble Falls Arthouse, a 4,119-square-foot infill gallery in downtown Marble Falls, Texas, opened on April 25. The intimate venue, designed with a restrained palette of limestone and corrugated metal, houses the art collection of Mickey and Jeanne Klein and features a contemplative courtyard by Japanese gardener Sada Uchiyama. The ground floor hosts rotating exhibitions curated by Mickey Klein, beginning with 'Words Matter' featuring works by Mary C Sloane, Kenturah Davis, and Faith Ringgold.