Late last week, it was announced that Francis Bacon’s portrait of Lucien Freud was going up for auction. The owner? Renowned children’s author Roald Dahl.
He bought the painting with the profits he made from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory in 1967. The work is projected to sell for $20 million.
So, a lot of Bacons.
Henri Matisse’s “The Window” is one of more than 1,700 works in the Detroit Institute of Art’s collection that, if private collectors get their way, may go up for auction at a high-end garage sale.
I’ve already watched the “Art of the Steal,” and I know it didn’t end well for the Barnes. Here’s hoping someone with 816 million lying around can buy the works and give them back to the DIA. And then call me.
Sometimes, after a long Tuesday, you just need to sit in the corner with a floral crown. Especially when you realize this work broke the record for the amount paid at auction at a cool $104 million dollars.
Pass the pipe, garçon.
Just what we need in the news: A found Gauguin. UGH.
Gauguin’s “Fruit on a Table or Still Life with a Small Dog” was recently rediscovered when an unassuming Italian paid an equivalent to $25 for the work at an auction back in the 70s.
The painting, which was unveiled by—of all things, the Italian CULTURE Ministry, earlier this week (the IRONY)—was stolen with another work. Together, they went to auction after chilling in a Lost and Found when the artworks were abandoned on a train post-theft.
I’m guessing they realized they had a Gauguin.
Degas’ “Girl of Fourteen Years” was exhibited in the sixth Impressionist show in 1881. Most critics hated it (some called her “heinous”), but the heirs cast many bronze pieces of her anyway. Haters gonna hate.
The wax original of this little lady was acquired by Paul Mellon, in between racing horses and being an absolute millionaire. How charitable it was, then, when he gave DC’s National Gallery sixty-some-odd castings and sculpture, the largest collection of Degas’ 3D works.
Now, hold your horses (sorry Mellon), here comes the best part! One of the castings (at least 28 were made) was sold at auction and purchased ON ACCIDENT by the owner of Auto Trader. You’re telling me that you own a search engine for cars and you buy the wrong artwork, for 19 MILLION dollars, on accident?!
Sheesh, must be nice.
Vincent van Gogh’s “Self Portrait as a Japanese Bonze” was sent to Paul Gauguin as an old-school evite to to join him in south of France to create an artistic community.
He had previously written to Emile Bernard that he was impressed with the tradition of Japanese artists exchanging artworks with each other and hoped the two chums would join him in Arles. I’m calling this the original bromance.
It was later auctioned off in 1939 after being labeled “degenerate” by the Nazis and confiscated. It now belongs to the Harvard Art Museum.
arthipstory 