peter paul rubens drawing attribution klaas muller 1234769375

Belgian art dealer Klaas Muller has identified a previously unattributed oil-on-paper study as a work by Flemish master Peter Paul Rubens, titled "Bearded old man, looking down to his left" (ca. 1609). Muller purchased the piece for under €100,000 at a lesser-known northern European auction house three years ago, where it was listed as an unknown artist from the "Flemish school." After recognizing the bearded figure as Saint Thomas from Rubens's "Apostolado Lerma" series at the Prado, Muller commissioned research from art historian Ben van Beneden, former director of Rubenshuis, who confirmed the work's exceptional quality and likely attribution to Rubens. The study also features a ghostly woman's face visible when turned upside down, reflecting Rubens's playful reuse of materials.

lucas museum of narrative art pilar tompkins rivas departs 1234765433

Pilar Tompkins Rivas, chief curator and deputy director of curatorial and collections at the Lucas Museum of Narrative Art in Los Angeles, has left her post, as first reported by the Los Angeles Times. Her departure is the latest in a series of leadership exits at the institution, which is set to open on September 22, 2026. The museum was founded by George Lucas and Mellody Hobson, and Rivas was one of six women of color appointed to high-ranking roles in 2020 by then director and CEO Sandra Jackson-Dumont, who left in February. The museum laid off 15 employees in May, and CEO duties are now held on an interim basis by Jim Gianopulos, while Lucas himself oversees curatorial content.

the phillips collection to deaccession georgia okeeffe arthur dove georges seurat 1234761918

The Phillips Collection in Washington, D.C., is proceeding with plans to auction major works by Georgia O'Keeffe, Arthur Dove, and Georges Seurat at Sotheby's on November 20, despite sharp backlash from former curators, members of the Phillips family, and the museum's non-governing members body. The works—including O'Keeffe's *Large Dark Red Leaves on White* (estimate $6–8 million), Seurat's conté crayon drawing ($3–5 million), and Dove's *Rose and Locust Stump* ($1.2–1.8 million)—are considered central to founder Duncan Phillips's vision. Director and CEO Jonathan Binstock argues the proceeds will fund a permanently restricted endowment for commissioning new work by living artists, acquisitions, and collection care, aligning with Duncan Phillips's belief in supporting contemporary practitioners.

aspen air festival 2025 1234749067

The inaugural AIR festival took place in Aspen as part of Aspen Art Week, featuring a mix of talks, performances, and a closed-door retreat for artists, writers, scientists, and theorists. Highlights included a pack of panting huskies, a psychoanalysis talk in a psychedelic chapel, an artist conversing with his AI doppelganger, and a whispery musical performance on a museum rooftop. The festival kicked off with a film by Apichatpong Weerasethakul accompanied by composer Rafiq Bhatia, followed by discussions on dreaming and catastrophe, and site-responsive works by Jota Mombaça and Paul Chan.

morning links july 23 2025 1234748160

Sotheby's Upper East Side headquarters at 1334 York Avenue faces financial uncertainty after its tenant, Weill Cornell Medicine, scaled back plans for a research center due to federal healthcare budget cuts. The National Institutes of Health funding freeze has reduced Weill Cornell's projected grants from over $300 million in 2024 to $130 million this year, leading to potential layoffs and halted construction. S&P Global estimates the building has lost nearly half its value since 2020, now worth $443 million, and has assigned Sotheby's a speculative B- credit rating amid declining global art sales. Separately, Italy's culture minister Alessandro Giuli demanded historian Ernesto Galli della Loggia resign from the Council of National Committees after he criticized the government's cultural policies, sparking a public feud. Art Basel Miami Beach announced 285 exhibitors for its 2025 edition, and a UK report showed only one percent of artworks with deferred export licenses were acquired by museums in 2024-25, a sharp decline from previous years.

rare basquiat sothebys contemporary auctions in new york 1234739897

Sotheby's will auction a rediscovered early Jean-Michel Basquiat painting from 1981, unseen for 36 years, with a $10–15 million estimate at its Contemporary Evening Auction in New York this May. The sale also features major works from three tightly held private collections: the estate of Barbara Gladstone, the Roy Lichtenstein Foundation, and Daniella Luxembourg's 'Im Spazio' group, alongside top lots by Lucio Fontana, Robert Rauschenberg, Frank Stella, and Ed Ruscha. The Modern Evening Auction includes a Pablo Picasso musketeer portrait and a Georgia O'Keeffe painting, with combined estimates for both sales reaching up to $525.2 million.

rijksmuseum sculpture garden 2737060

The Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam has announced an $11.5 million permanent sculpture garden, funded by a €60 million donation from the Don Quixote Foundation. Designed by Foster + Partners and landscape architect Piet Blanckaert, the garden will transform three areas of the museum grounds into a permanent display of Modern and contemporary sculpture, featuring works by Alberto Giacometti, Louise Bourgeois, Alexander Calder, Henry Moore, and Roni Horn. Three existing pavilions will be converted into exhibition spaces, and the garden is slated to open later this year, pending local council approval.

rediscovered rubens brafa art fair 2736003

Belgian art dealer Klaas Muller purchased a painting at an online auction three years ago, identified only as a study by an unknown artist of the Flemish school. After research, he discovered the work is likely a rediscovered study by Peter Paul Rubens (circa 1609), featuring a hidden second image of a woman's face visible when the painting is turned upside down. The work will debut at the BRAFA art fair in Brussels, where Muller serves as chairman.

georges lemmen record auction 2647919

Belgian Neo-Impressionist Georges Lemmen's painting *Jeune femme faisant du crochet (Julie Lemmen)* (1890) sold for $698,500 at Sotheby's New York on May 14, shattering its $50,000–$70,000 estimate and more than doubling the artist's previous auction record. The Pointillist portrait of the artist's sister, Julie Fréderique Lemmen, had been in a private Florida collection since 1960 and was consigned through Sotheby's online portal. The sale drew over a dozen bidders, including a museum, two dealers, and five private collectors, and was backed by an irrevocable bid.

5 essential works rene magritte 2637456

René Magritte, the iconic Belgian Surrealist, remains a dominant force in the art market and popular culture. In November 2024, his painting *L’empire des Lumières* (1954) sold for a record $121.2 million at Christie’s in New York, followed by *La reconnaissance infinite* (1933) fetching £10.3 million ($13.7 million) at Christie’s in London in March 2025. Magritte also topped Artnet News’ 2025 Intelligence Report as the best-selling Impressionist & Modern artist, with over $312 million in sales. The article highlights five essential works, including *The False Mirror* (1928) and *The Lovers* (1928), both held by the Museum of Modern Art in New York, and *The Treachery of Images* (1929), exploring their surrealist themes and enduring appeal.

are trophy lots losing their luster 2645621

New York's marquee spring auctions in May 2025 tested the theory that strong supply drives demand, but results were mixed. Alberto Giacometti's *Grande tête mince* (1955), estimated at $70 million, failed to sell at Sotheby's, while Christie's withdrew a $30 million Andy Warhol electric-chair painting. The top lot of the week was Piet Mondrian's *Composition with Large Red Plane, Bluish Gray, Yellow, Black and Blue* (1922), which fetched $47.6 million from the collection of late Barnes & Noble founder Len Riggio. However, Christie's pre-sold 93% of that collection's value to third-party backers, and the house fell $26 million short of its guaranteed amount. Sotheby's avoided financial risk on the Giacometti by not guaranteeing it, still earning $34.4 million in buyer's premiums. A new record for a living woman artist was set when Marlene Dumas's *Miss January* (1997) sold for $13.6 million at Christie's, though adjusted for inflation it fell short of Jenny Saville's 2018 record.

georgia okeeffe herman miller furniture 2639652

Herman Miller has launched the New Mexico Collection, a limited-edition furniture line inspired by Georgia O'Keeffe's desert home in Abiquiú, New Mexico. Created in collaboration with the Georgia O'Keeffe Museum, the collection includes the Eames Wire Chair Low Base (300 pieces, $1,995) and the Girard Snake Table (100 pieces, $895), both drawing on O'Keeffe's friendship with textile designer and architect Alexander Girard. The chair reimagines a prototype gifted to O'Keeffe by Charles and Ray Eames, while the table is based on a never-produced Girard design from the 1950s.

The Paradoxical Delights of South America’s Biggest Art Fair

The 22nd edition of SP-Arte has opened at the Oscar Niemeyer Pavilion in São Paulo, featuring 180 exhibitors. As Latin America’s largest art fair, the event continues to serve as a critical bridge for 'South-South' artistic relationships, drawing international curators like the Met’s Brinda Kumar. Despite a slightly smaller footprint than previous years, the fair showcases a robust selection of Brazilian talent alongside international galleries navigating the country's complex market.

artist estates 2723252

The article examines the growing role of artist estates in the art market, particularly for smaller and emerging galleries. While mega-galleries like Hauser & Wirth have long profited from managing blue-chip estates, a new wave of smaller galleries is now turning to overlooked and under-researched artists who died without established legacies. These galleries invest in building archives, cultivating institutional relationships, and reintroducing artists to contemporary audiences, often at more accessible price points with significant room for growth. Examples include Gunia Nowik Gallery working with the estate of Polish artist Krzysztof Jung and Gianni Manhattan representing Estonian sculptor Anu Põder.

What Does Damien Hirst Have to Do With This Giant McDonald’s Ball Pit in Milan?

An installation called "POOL. Ti sblocco un ricordo" was on view during Milan Design Week, organized by Nicolas Ballario and presented as part of the Tortona Rocks offsite exhibitions. The centerpiece is a giant swimming pool-shaped pit filled with hundreds of thousands of colorful balls, celebrating McDonald's 40th anniversary in Italy. The installation claims to be "informed by" Damien Hirst's "Spot Paintings" and also features a work from Vedovamazzei's "Early Works" series, which imagines how famous artists might have drawn as children. Other elements include vitrines of Happy Meal toys, a Ronald McDonald replica, and nostalgic McDonald's memorabilia.

Giant Golden Toilet Sculpture Appears Near Lincoln Memorial in D.C.: ‘A Throne Fit for a King’

An anonymous artist collective known as the Secret Handshake has installed a 10-foot-tall golden toilet sculpture titled 'A Throne Fit for a King' near the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C. The work is a satirical monument to former President Donald Trump's controversial renovation of the White House's Lincoln Bathroom, which he outfitted with gold fixtures during a government shutdown.

south koreas art loving ex first lady arrested queer art in crisis beloved barbie designers killed in car crash morning links for august 14 2025 1234749363

Former South Korean first lady Kim Keon Hee was arrested on charges of stock price manipulation and election interference. Known for organizing exhibitions featuring artists like Andy Warhol and Mark Rothko, she joins her husband, former President Yoon Suk Yeol, in detention, marking the first time a former presidential couple in South Korea has been detained simultaneously. Separately, the article reports on the cancelation of queer art exhibitions at US museums, including Amy Sherald's Smithsonian show, amid Trump administration directives. It also covers the tragic death of Italian designers Mario Paglino and Gianni Grossi, celebrated for transforming Barbie dolls into high-value art pieces, who died in a car crash.

the art market has lost its grip on price 2653663

Former Sotheby's rainmaker Brooke Lampley, now a director at Gagosian, discusses the art market's loss of control over pricing, citing a failed $70 million Alberto Giacometti bust at auction as a symptom of deeper market confidence issues. The article traces the evolution of art pricing from opaque, dealer-driven norms to a data-rich system enabled by Artnet's Price Database in 1989, which fueled a price spiral and attracted speculators. Now, in 2025, the market faces a correction with auction sales down 27.3 percent to $10.2 billion, and buyers are pausing as traditional pricing signals become scrambled.

sfmoma pastry plagiarism 504596

Bay Area pastry chef Caitlin Freeman has accused the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (SFMOMA) of copying her art-themed cakes after the museum replaced her Blue Bottle café with a new vendor, McCalls Catering. Freeman, who operated the café on SFMOMA's fifth floor from 2009, created pastries inspired by artworks by Andy Warhol, Jeff Koons, and Roy Lichtenstein, including a signature Piet Mondrian cake, and published a cookbook titled *Modern Art Desserts* in 2013. After SFMOMA's renovation, the contract was awarded to McCalls Catering, which Freeman claims is now producing similar desserts.

phillips nets lean 52 million in new york led by basquiat that david bowie bought for 93000 2644336

Phillips’s Modern and contemporary art evening sale in New York totaled $52 million, a sharp decline from $86.3 million last year. Four lots were withdrawn before the sale, including works by Pablo Picasso and Jasper Johns, and five lots failed to sell, yielding an 86% sell-through rate (78% including withdrawals). The hammer total of $41.8 million fell below the pre-sale low estimate of $52.3 million. Notable sales included a Basquiat piece once owned by David Bowie, which sold for $6.59 million (Bowie bought it in 1995 for $93,400), and a Kiki Kogelnik painting that set a new artist record at $356,000. Five auction records were set overall, including for Ilana Savdie, Olga de Amaral, Grace Hartigan, and James Turrell.

art calvin tompkins new yorker dies

Calvin Tomkins, the longtime New Yorker writer known for his intimate profiles of modern and contemporary artists, has died at age 100 in his home in Middletown, Rhode Island. Over more than six decades, Tomkins profiled giants of the art world including Marcel Duchamp, Robert Rauschenberg, Jasper Johns, John Cage, Georgia O'Keeffe, Kerry James Marshall, and Rashid Johnson, beginning with a 1959 assignment on Duchamp that launched his career. He continued writing sweeping profiles as recently as 2024.

Art Movements: Dozens Laid Off at Artnet and Artsy

Digital art giants Artnet and Artsy have implemented significant layoffs following their recent merger under the investment firm Beowolff Capital. The cuts, which occurred on April 16, impacted dozens of employees across both organizations, including senior editorial staff such as Sarah Cascone and Eileen Kinsella. The restructuring follows a reported 12% revenue decline for Artnet in early 2025 and involves the shutdown of Artnet's German entity as the two companies consolidate into a single team led by CEO Jeffrey Yin.

A Venise, trois maîtres redéfinissent la nature morte

The article announces an exhibition titled "Picasso, Morandi, Parmiggiani – Still lifes" at the Istituzione Fondazione Bevilacqua La Masa in Venice, running from May 7 to July 25, 2026. The show brings together three masters—Pablo Picasso, Giorgio Morandi, and Claudio Parmiggiani—to redefine the still-life genre through a curated dialogue of their works across six rooms. The exhibition is co-organized by Tornabuoni Art, the Musée national Picasso-Paris, and the Fondazione Musei Civici di Venezia, with Cécile Debray, president of the Musée national Picasso-Paris, serving as curator. A fully illustrated catalogue accompanies the show.

"A Radical Change": Art Brussels Reinvents Itself for Its Collectors

« Un changement radical » : Art Brussels se réinvente pour ses collectionneurs

Art Brussels, the Belgian art fair, is implementing a significant strategic overhaul for its 42nd edition. The fair is reducing its size by 18%, featuring 136 galleries, and consolidating into a more compact layout to prioritize visitor experience and quality over quantity. It is introducing a new artistic advisory desk to guide collectors and launching a curated section for monumental works.

Cosima von Bonin’s sculptures star in Loewe’s fall/winter 2026 runway show.

Cosima von Bonin’s sculptures star in Loewe’s fall/winter 2026 runway show.

German artist Cosima von Bonin’s large-scale, fabric-based sculptures were integrated directly into Loewe’s fall/winter 2026 runway show during Paris Fashion Week. Creative director Jonathan Anderson placed her oversized, characteristically enigmatic soft sculptures—including a giant lobster and a crumpled cigarette—amidst the models, transforming the presentation into a moving exhibition. This collaboration continues Anderson’s practice of merging high art with high fashion on the runway.

post fair 2026 santa monica exhibitors 1234766203

Post-Fair will return to Santa Monica from February 26–28 for its second edition, bringing 30 galleries and 31 total exhibitors to the Art Deco former post office that helped define its identity. Founded by Los Angeles dealer Chris Sharp, the fair debuted last year as a low-cost alternative to Los Angeles's expensive fair scene, offering single-artist presentations at a flat fee. This year's edition expands internationally with new participants from Europe and Asia, including Edouard Montassut (Paris), Lovay Fine Arts (Geneva), MISAKO&ROSEN (Tokyo), and P21 (Seoul), alongside additions like Anton Kern (New York), Eli Kerr (Montreal), and White Columns.

Beverly Buchanan’s Anti-Monuments

Beverly Buchanan's outdoor sculptures, such as 'Marsh Ruins' (1981) and 'Unity Stones' (1983), are quietly eroding in landscapes across Georgia, Florida, and North Carolina. These anti-monuments, made from tabby concrete and stone, blend into their surroundings while subtly referencing the region's layered histories, including Indigenous shell middens, plantation ruins, and the 1803 slave revolt on St. Simons Island. Buchanan, who died in 2015, is now receiving renewed attention: her work will be featured at the Venice Biennale this spring, and a touring retrospective is currently at Frac Lorraine in Metz, following a posthumous show at the Brooklyn Museum in 2016–17.

justin sun responds david geffen counter response giacometti 2642004

Hong Kong crypto entrepreneur and art collector Justin Sun has filed a new 100-page legal response in his ongoing lawsuit against megacollector David Geffen over Alberto Giacometti's sculpture *Le Nez* (1949/1965). Sun claims his employee Xiong Zihan Sydney stole the $78.4 million artwork—which he bought at Sotheby's New York in 2021—and sold it to Geffen without his knowledge. Geffen counters that Sun is experiencing "seller's remorse" and that the lawsuit is a sham. Sun's latest filing alleges that Geffen paid $2 million "under the table" to dealers David and Cole Tunkl to secure the piece, and reveals that Xiong has been detained in China since February at the Dezhou Detention Center.

Hyperallergic’s Guide to the 2026 Venice Biennale

Hyperallergic has published its guide to the 2026 Venice Biennale, detailing what to see and do at this year's edition. The guide covers the three main categories of the Biennale—the Giardini with 29 permanent national pavilions, the Arsenale with temporary rented spaces, and collateral events across the city. Key developments include the return of Russia to its permanent Giardini pavilion and Israel's participation with a new contractual stipulation preventing its artist from closing the pavilion, after Ruth Patir's protest in 2024. South Africa withdrew following the cancellation of Gabrielle Goliath's video installation 'Elegy,' which mourns victims of Israel's genocide in Gaza and will now be shown at a historic church. The United States will be represented by Alma Allen after Barbara Chase-Riboud stepped down, and Qatar is set to become the first country in decades to build a new pavilion in the Giardini.

At the ‘art world Olympics,’ Team USA is chaotic

The US Pavilion at the 2026 Venice Biennale, often called the 'art world Olympics,' is mired in controversy and delays under the Trump administration. Curator Jeffrey Uslip insists the process has been smooth and artistically autonomous, but the selection of sculptor Alma Allen and commissioner Jenni Parido—a former pet supply shop owner with a new nonprofit—has raised eyebrows. The usual vetting process by the National Endowment for the Arts was disrupted, new language banning diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts was added to applications, and a government shutdown left only six months to fundraise and plan the exhibition, which coincides with the US's 250th anniversary.