arthipstory

Cornelius Gurlitt, the 81-year-old son of Hitler’s favorite art dealer, died yesterday. More than 121 framed and 1,000 unframed pieces were discovered in a Munich apartment in 2012 and taken by Bavarian authorities. Since their discovery, Gurlitt had been cooperating with the government to research and return the work to their rightful owners’ heirs. 

With the news of Gurlitt’s death, it also surfaced the Museum of Fine Arts Bern in Switzerland was named the sole heir in his will. A 60 Minutes article reported the story, along with the tricky situation with moral obligation against German laws, in early April. At the time, the will was a secret and doctors were not giving leads about its details.

Salon critics are the worst. “Cezanne is nothing but a lamentable failure,” one wrote, “perhaps he has ideas, but he is incapable of expressing them. He seems not to know even the first principles of his craft.”

“Card Players” is the most expensive painting ever sold at auction for a cool, lamentable $250 million.

“Las Meninas” is one of the most regarded works in Western painting, but let’s give credit where it’s due, shall we? Velazquez is responsible for creating the most choreographed selfie. Sorry, Ellen.

Rembrandt’s “Night Watch” was cut in the 1970s by a school teacher. It was probably during one of those class trips where everyone’s wearing paint-splattered AMSTERDAM sweatshirts and shutter shades. 

The sheet music in Caravaggio’s “Lute Player” is identifiable and legible. We’re talking a legit connection between music and art. Centuries before Drake.