Most famous image of JMW Turner not a self-portrait, says expert

Dr James Hamilton, a leading Turner expert, has claimed that the most famous portrait of JMW Turner—long believed to be a self-portrait and featured on the UK £20 banknote—is actually by the painter John Opie. Hamilton argues that the work, dated around 1799, was mistakenly included in the Turner Bequest after the artist's death in 1851, when his studio was in disarray and the attribution was never properly verified. He points to stylistic evidence, including Opie's characteristic use of dramatic light and shadow, and calls on Tate Britain to reattribute the painting.

Portrait looted by Nazis found in home of Dutch SS leader’s family

An artwork looted by the Nazis from the renowned Goudstikker collection has resurfaced in the home of descendants of Hendrik Seyffardt, a notorious Dutch SS collaborator. The painting, *Portrait of a Young Girl* by Toon Kelder, was discovered by art detective Arthur Brand after a family member contacted him, revealing that the piece had hung for decades in the home of Seyffardt’s granddaughter. Brand traced the painting to a 1940 auction where part of the looted Goudstikker collection was sold, and lawyers for the Goudstikker heirs have confirmed the work was stolen and called for its return.

Archibald prize 2026: Richard Lewer’s portrait of artist Iluwanti Ken wins $100,000

Richard Lewer has won the 2026 Archibald Prize, Australia's most prestigious portraiture award, for his portrait of Pitjantjatjara elder, traditional healer, and senior artist Iluwanti Ken. The $100,000 prize was announced at the Art Gallery of New South Wales, with the judging panel selecting the work unanimously from 59 finalists. Lewer, a six-time Archibald finalist, painted Ken life-size against a yellow ochre background, capturing her quiet authority and role as a working artist. The Wynne Prize for landscape painting was also awarded to Gaypalani Waṉambi for *The Waṉambi tree*.

The Devil Wears Prada 2 to Lenny Henry: your complete entertainment guide to the week ahead

The Guardian's weekly entertainment guide highlights two major art exhibitions opening in May 2025: 'Aleksandra Kasuba' at Tate St Ives (2 May to 4 October) and 'Zurbarán' at the National Gallery, London (2 May to 23 August). The Kasuba show is the first UK presentation of the Lithuanian American artist's proto-immersive 'spatial environments,' featuring early paintings, mosaics, and installations focused on utopian social harmony. The Zurbarán exhibition presents a blockbuster survey of the 17th-century Spanish Baroque master, known for his intense religious subjects and dramatic chiaroscuro.

Simply divine: the extraordinary supernatural visions of Francisco de Zurbarán

Francisco de Zurbarán, one of the three great Spanish 17th-century painters alongside Velázquez and Murillo, is finally receiving his first solo exhibition in the UK at the National Gallery in London. The show highlights his distinctive style of religious painting, characterized by stark chiaroscuro, sculptural realism, and a meditative stillness that makes the immaterial seem tangible. Works such as his crucified Christ and The Apparition of Saint Peter to Saint Peter Nolasco exemplify his ability to depict visions and inner spirituality, often commissioned by powerful religious foundations in Seville during the Counter-Reformation.

After three years, investigations and now a $4.4m lawsuit, Australia’s most controversial art exhibition finally opens

The National Gallery of Australia has finally opened 'Ngura Puḻka – Epic Country,' a landmark exhibition of 30 large-scale paintings by Indigenous artists from the Aṉangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara (APY) Lands. The show’s debut comes after a three-year delay caused by explosive allegations in the media suggesting that white studio assistants had improperly intervened in the creation of the artworks. These claims sparked multiple independent investigations, a $4.4 million defamation lawsuit, and a previous last-minute cancellation of the exhibition in 2023.

‘It was a way of processing violences I’ve survived’: how iconoclastic musician Arca beat burnout with frenzied painting

The acclaimed Venezuelan electronic musician Arca, born Alejandra Ghersi, is transitioning into the visual arts with her first institutional exhibition at the Institute of Contemporary Arts (ICA) in London. Titled "Angels," the body of work consists of visceral, heavily textured paintings created using a chaotic mix of oils, acrylics, melted plastic, and latex. Ghersi turned to the physical medium as a therapeutic response to professional burnout, using the permanent nature of painting to process personal trauma and reconnect with the raw creative enthusiasm she felt before her music career became a global profession.

These Ghosts. Clémentine Bruno  by Michela Ceruti

Clémentine Bruno’s artistic practice explores the tension between presence and absence, treating the canvas as a site of temporal layers rather than a flat surface for representation. Her work emphasizes the preparatory stages of painting—the laying of gesso and the construction of supports—allowing images to emerge reluctantly through processes of sanding, veiling, and partial erasure. Recent exhibitions, such as "Educational Complex" at Tonus and "Vision of Fading" at Mendes Wood DM, highlight her interest in how institutional structures and memory maps dictate what is retained and what is forgotten.

Open Letter on the Imminent Departure of the Gelman Collection from Mexico

An open letter signed by hundreds of Mexican artists and cultural figures warns that the core of the renowned Gelman Collection, including eleven Frida Kahlo paintings declared national monuments, is at risk of permanent export from Mexico. The letter alleges that Banco Santander's new Faro Santander museum, through an agreement with collector Marcelo Zambrano, is misinterpreting Mexico's strict heritage laws to justify a "dynamic" but effectively permanent display abroad, which would violate the legal prohibition on the permanent export of Kahlo's work.

art lauren quin young artist

Pace Gallery announced representation of Los Angeles-based painter Lauren Quin in August 2024, following a solo show of her manic, neon-tinged abstractions at its downtown offshoot 125 Newbury. Quin, age 33, is slated for a solo exhibition at Pace's Los Angeles outpost opening in January. In an interview, she discusses her creative process, the struggle behind works like "Cub Cross," and her dream of building a sauna gallery in her backyard.

art auction new york record breaking

Gustav Klimt's *Portrait of Elisabeth Lederer* (1914-16) sold for $236.4 million at Sotheby's on November 18, becoming the second-most expensive painting ever sold at auction and the most expensive work ever sold by the house. The sale was part of New York's marquee November auctions, which generated over $2 billion in a single week—more than 50 percent above last year's total—driven by high-profile estates including that of cosmetics heir Leonard A. Lauder. Other notable sales included Mark Rothko's *No. 31 (Yellow Stripe)* for $62.2 million at Christie's, Marc Chagall's *Le songe du Roi David* for $26.5 million, and Frida Kahlo's *El sueño (La cama)* for $55 million, setting a new record for the artist and the highest sum for a work by a female artist at auction. Phillips also sold a juvenile Triceratops skeleton named CERA for $5.4 million.

art robert rauschenberg centennial

Robert Rauschenberg's centenary is being celebrated with a sprawling, interdisciplinary series of events that began this fall and will continue into 2026. At least eight major institutional exhibitions of his work are mounted worldwide, alongside a book of his writings published by Yale University Press and a national tour by the Trisha Brown Dance Company and the Merce Cunningham Trust featuring Rauschenberg's sets and costumes. Cultured magazine invited artists across disciplines to reflect on his legacy, with contributions from Jeff Koons and RJ Messineo, among others.

about last week an orbit through the highs and sighs of new yorks art fair multiverse

Writer and critic Domenick Ammirati chronicles a whirlwind week in New York during Frieze Week, visiting art fairs, exhibitions, and social events. Highlights include Jeff Koons' Hulk sculptures at Gagosian's Frieze booth, discovering painter Karol Palczak at Emalin gallery, and attending the group painting show "R U Still Painting???" curated by the collective FALCON in a raw Midtown office space. Ammirati notes a subdued, less intoxicated atmosphere compared to previous years, reflecting a broader unease in the art world.

Painter Celeste Dupuy-Spencer dies at 46.

The American painter Celeste Dupuy-Spencer has passed away at the age of 46 at her home in Los Angeles. Her gallery, Jeffrey Deitch, confirmed the news of her death but did not specify a cause. The announcement comes just weeks before a scheduled solo exhibition of her recent work, which is still set to open at the gallery’s Los Angeles location on April 17.

Sara Shamma on Representing Syria at the 61st Venice Biennale

Sara Shamma will represent Syria at the 61st Venice Biennale (2026) with a large-scale immersive installation titled *The Tower Tomb of Palmyra*. The 15-meter-high multisensory work combines painting, architecture, light, sound, and scent, inspired by the ancient funerary towers of Palmyra that were destroyed during the Syrian War. Shamma describes the piece as a reflection on loss, resilience, and cultural memory, and notes its resonance with the Biennale's theme, *In Minor Keys*, curated by Koyo Kouoh.

Local Collections Shine at Sarasota Art Museum's Latest Exhibition

Sarasota Art Museum (SAM) has opened a new exhibition titled "Something Borrowed, Something New," featuring works from private collectors across Southwest Florida. The show includes pieces by renowned artists such as Chuck Close, KAWS, Richard Serra, Yoko Ono, Ai Weiwei, and Louise Bourgeois, spanning paintings, prints, sculptures, and mixed media from the 20th and 21st centuries. The exhibition was inspired by a museum trip program, during which executive director Virginia Shearer noticed that local collectors owned significant works by artists featured in major institutions like the Renwick Gallery and Glenstone.

Roberto Bernardi | The Unknown Event (2025) | Available for Sale

Roberto Bernardi | L'evento sconosciuto (2025) | Available for Sale

Italian hyperrealist artist Roberto Bernardi has listed a new oil on canvas painting titled "L'evento sconosciuto" (2025) for sale through GALERIE VON&VON. The work, priced at €14,400, is being featured in conjunction with his upcoming exhibition "Unfolding," scheduled to run from April 16 to June 20, 2026. Bernardi, known for his meticulous attention to detail and photorealistic style, has a long-standing presence in the international art market and museum circuit.

WTF Is an “A-Corp”?

Hyperallergic's daily newsletter announces that Noah Fischer's comic "Prospect Heights Ghost Story" won a 2026 New York Press Club Award, thanks to collaboration with the Economic Hardship Project (EHRP). The edition also covers anti-Trump guerrilla protest art in Washington, D.C., including an arcade game titled "Operation Epic Furious: Strait to Hell" that satirizes the White House's foreign policy. Other stories include Ridgewood, Queens emerging as a new art hotspot, a feature on Francisco de Zurbarán's religious paintings, and Paddy Johnson's guide to what an "Artist Corporation" (A-Corp) is and whether artists should start one. The newsletter also reports that the Belgian Pavilion at the Venice Biennale closed on May 8 as part of cultural workers' strike for Palestine, and that nearly half of the artists in the international exhibition plus 22 national pavilions withdrew from awards consideration in solidarity with the jury's resignation.

Fair Warning Bets Big on a Banksy That Could Realize $18 Million

Fair Warning, the members-only online sales platform founded by former Christie's rainmaker Loïc Gouzer, is staging a rare live auction on May 20 at Tiffany & Co.'s flagship store in New York. The centerpiece is Banksy's *Girl and Balloon on Found Landscape* (2012), a work from the artist's 'Crude Oils' series that has never been publicly exhibited. Consigned by a private collector, the painting carries an ambitious estimate of $13 million–$18 million, one of the highest ever for a Banksy. Gouzer argues that Banksy is among the most consequential artists of our time, comparing his trajectory to Jean-Michel Basquiat, and sees this sale as a landmark moment for the artist's market.

Private Sales Are Surging as Auction Houses Lean into Exclusive, Experience-Led Selling

Sotheby's and Christie's are increasingly turning to private, invitation-only sales to move high-value artworks, bypassing the traditional auction model. Sotheby's recent "The Apartment" exhibition in London, featuring works by David Hockney, George Condo, and Jean-Michel Basquiat, sold half its $40 million inventory before the public even saw it. Christie's reported that its three most expensive paintings sold in 2025 were all private transactions, with the house trading $1.5 billion privately last year—nearly a quarter of its global sales.

Sotheby’s Paris Notches a $41 M. Modern and Contemporary Sale, Led by a $12 M. Monet Unseen for a Century

Sotheby’s Paris achieved a landmark result for its modern and contemporary art sale, totaling €35 million ($41 million) and surpassing its high estimate. The auction was headlined by two Claude Monet paintings that had been hidden from public view for roughly a century, including 'Vétheuil, effet du matin' (1901), which sold for €10.2 million ($12.1 million), setting a record for the artist at auction in France.

These Artists Dominated Auction Sales in 2025

The article presents a data-driven analysis of the top-performing artists at auction in 2025, highlighting specific works and their record-breaking sales. J.M.W. Turner re-entered the top ranks with a $11.9 million sale, while Jean-Michel Basquiat dominated the contemporary category with a $48.3 million result for his painting 'Crowns (Peso Neto)'. Other notable sales included works by René Magritte, David Hockney, and the ultra-contemporary artist Matthew Wong.

david hockney serpentine north 2753359

David Hockney has unveiled a major exhibition at London’s Serpentine North, featuring the UK debut of his nearly 300-foot-long iPad frieze, 'A Year in Normandie'. The exhibition also showcases ten brand-new paintings from 2025, including intimate portraits of his inner circle and a series of abstract compositions that playfully reference the styles of Mark Rothko and Gerhard Richter.

works by auerbach chadwick and hepworth to spearhead christies modern british and irish art sale in london 1234777016

Christie’s London has announced its Modern British and Irish Art sale scheduled for March 18, featuring a curated selection of 26 works. The auction is led by Frank Auerbach’s "Christmas Tree at Mornington Crescent," estimated at up to £2 million, alongside significant sculptures by Lynn Chadwick and Barbara Hepworth. Other notable entries include a monumental bronze by Chadwick titled "Back to Venice" and a 1986 painting by Bridget Riley.

450 million newhouse trove heads to christies led by 100 million pollock 2750035

Christie’s has secured a prestigious collection of 35 to 40 artworks from the estate of the late media mogul S.I. Newhouse, valued at approximately $450 million. Scheduled for the May auction season, the selection is headlined by Jackson Pollock’s drip painting 'Number 7' (1948) and Constantin Brancusi’s bronze sculpture 'Danaïde' (1913), both estimated at around $100 million. The consignment marks the fourth time Christie’s has handled material from the Newhouse estate, which has previously set records for artists like Jeff Koons.

christies newhouse consignment pollock picasso brancusi masterworks 1234776047

Christie’s New York is set to headline its May marquee sales with a prestigious consignment from the collection of the late media magnate S.I. Newhouse. The offering features approximately 40 masterworks valued at an estimated $450 million, including Jackson Pollock’s drip painting "Number 7" (1948) and Constantin Brancusi’s bronze sculpture "Danaïde" (1913). Both works carry estimates of approximately $100 million, figures that would shatter the existing auction records for both artists if realized.

sbi art auction modern legacy bloom now 2749779

SBI Art Auction is set to host a major two-day auction event in Tokyo this March, coinciding with Art Fair Tokyo. The first sale, "Modern Legacy," features a prestigious single-owner Japanese collection including masterpieces by Léonard Tsuguharu Foujita, Edvard Munch, and Egon Schiele. The second sale, "Bloom Now," focuses on contemporary and Pop art, highlighting works by Roy Lichtenstein and Takeda Teppei, with the combined events carrying a low estimate of JPY 1.25 billion ($7.9 million).

four major works by bacon freud and kossoff from lewis collection to hit auction block at sothebys london in march 1234773387

Sotheby's London will auction four major works from the Lewis Collection in its March 4 Modern and Contemporary evening sale. The highlights include a 1972 self-portrait by Francis Bacon, two portraits by Lucian Freud, and a rare swimming pool scene by Leon Kossoff, all representing the School of London movement.

artist turns celebrity fad diets into old master style still lifes 30201

Photographer Dan Bannino has created a series titled "Still Diet," in which he photographs bizarre celebrity fad diets in the style of Old Master still life paintings. The series features diets associated with figures such as Gwyneth Paltrow, Charles Saatchi, Beyoncé Knowles, Henry VIII, and others, using carefully arranged food items and props to mimic classical compositions.

blink 182 banksy sale 2609802

A Banksy painting from his 2005 'Crude Oils' exhibition sold for £4.3 million ($5.5 million) at Sotheby’s Modern and Contemporary Evening Auction in London. The work, *Crude Oil (Vettriano)*, came from the collection of Mark Hoppus, co-founder of the pop-punk band Blink-182, who acquired it in 2011. The painting reimagines Jack Vettriano’s *The Singing Butler*, replacing the idyllic beach scene with environmental pollution, including hazmat-suited workers and a sinking container ship. The sale occurred shortly after Vettriano’s death at age 73.