Deux ventes chez Sotheby's Paris
Sotheby's Paris is holding two sales in June 2026: a live auction on June 9 and an online sale running through June 10. The live sale features two notable 17th-century French paintings with unusually low estimates: a portrait of Sister Angélique Arnauld by Philippe de Champaigne (estimated €60,000–80,000), a previously unseen autograph replica of a work in the Louvre, and a portrait of Nicolas de Brisacier by Nicolas Mignard. The Champaigne portrait is particularly significant due to the sitter's role as abbess of Port-Royal and the artist's connection to Jansenism.
These sales matter because they highlight the continued strength of the Old Master market in Paris, even as auction houses increasingly blend live and online formats. The low estimates on high-quality, historically important works suggest potential bargains for collectors, while the provenance of the Champaigne painting—from a private Belgian collection—underscores the ongoing discovery of significant works outside public institutions. The article also reflects the business model of art journalism, as the full analysis is behind a paywall.