A complete review of all legends and mysteries of the legendary Italian painter.
There is no artist more legendary than Leonardo. In the whole History of Art, no other name has created more discussions, debates and studies than the genius born in Vinci in 1452. Painter, sculptor, architect, scientific and investigator, the figure of Leonardo has generated multiple legends, myths, and rumours about his possible homosexuality, about his membership to vast numbers of lodges and sects, strange stories about his stay in Verrocchio’s workshop, or his allegedly weird relationship with many of his models, form a large list of Leonardesque Mythology in which the huge success of “The da Vinci Code” is only his most recent example. Read more »
What is Art and what is not? At the time of considering a discipline as Art or as no-Art, we have to admit that a perfect and unquestionable definition of Art does not exist. This lack of definition makes the debate about the consideration of disciplines such as the Architecture or Design as Art or no-Art still open.
I strongly believe that the automobile design can be considered as Art. But it’s obvious that this “artistic discipline” is not free , but conditional on many factors beyond the artistic creation. For example, in Architecture, we have to consider factors like stability, durability, functionality or even the economy. And the automobile design is clearly conditional on many other factors like security, economy or comfort. However, from time to time automobile designers create some masterpieces that deserve to be considered as “rolling Art”. Let’s showcase 10 of them, the list of “the 10 Most Beautiful Automobiles of the World”: Read more »
Exploring the less knownperiod - but also one of the most important - in the life of the most important artist of the twentieth century: Pablo Picasso’s stay in A Coruña (1891-1895).
Rightly or wrongly, all the studies on the life and art of Pablo Picasso (1881-1973) tend to divide it into stages or periods, perhaps in an attempt to make more understandable and accessible his vast career. So much has been written about his origins in Malaga, on his training as an artist in the same city, his hard Read more »
A view of Grand Palais during the auction by Christie’s Monday, Feb. 23, 2009
PARIS - Two rare bronze sculptures that disappeared from China nearly 150 years ago — and demanded back by Beijing — sold for millions Wednesday as an auction of art works owned by the late fashion designer Yves Saint Laurent concluded with dazzling sales of nearly $500 million.
The collection of Saint Laurent and his partner, Pierre Berge, broke several world records in a three-day “sale of the century” that amassed more than $484 million (euro373 million), said the organizer, Christie’s. Read more »
Mardi Gras is the granddaddy of all New Orleans festivals, and its been there in one form or another, as long as the city itself. Volumes could be written about its history, and almost any New Orleans native you encounter will have his or her own version of Mardi Gras tales.
What you will find here is a thumbnail sketch of Mardi Gras- its background and history as well as a quick rundown on present-day krewes, parades and balls. I have also included a few recipe ideas and ways you can celebrate Mardi Gras Read more »
$86,281,000 at Sotheby’s New York, May 14th 2008
The most important Bacon in private hands was the undisputed star of Sotheby’s $362 million sale of contemporary Art, and the most expensive piece of Art of the year Read more »
Considering the spectacular prices paid in recent times for the works by the greatest names of the history of Art, it’s not very surprising that these masterworks have turning into appreciated loots for any Art robber. The vast majority of the most famous Art thefts -from the Gioconda in 1911 to the very recent theft of Edvard Munch’s “The scream” in Oslo- are now solved, but nevertheless there are still a considerable number of stolen masterworks whose whereabouts are still unknown. Here are some interesting examples.
"Storm at the sea of Galilee"
CASE 1: FOR A (LARGE) FISTFUL OF DOLLARS …
If you want to become rich thanks to the Art, but you lack of artistic talent, and neither you nor your family own a rich collection of Impressionist and Modern Art, you still have a last possibility: find the 12 masterworks stolen from the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum in Boston in 1990, and then you’ll be ready to claim the $5 MILLION reward. The stolen works included Read more »
Lucio Fontana (1899-1968) Concetto spaziale of 1961. Estimated at ÂŁ5-7 million ($7,650,000-10,700,000)
LONDON.- Sotheby’s announced that it will offer for sale the recently rediscovered, museum-quality painting Concetto spaziale of 1961, by Italy’s foremost Contemporary artist Lucio Fontana** (1899-1968). From the artist’s celebrated Venezia Series, Concetto spaziale is completely fresh to the market and has been hidden from public view for almost 50 years. The oil on canvas will be included in the London Contemporary Art Evening auction on Thursday, February 5, 2009 and is estimated at £5-7 million ($7,650,000-10,700,000).
Commenting on this masterwork, Cheyenne Westphal, Chairman Contemporary Art Europe and Oliver Barker, Senior International Specialist, Contemporary Art, said: “We are thrilled to be offering for sale such a remarkable work by Italy’s most important Contemporary artist, Read more »
Thanks to this joint initiative between Google and the Museo del Prado, masterpieces from this Spanish Museum’s collection will be the first to be available for study and appreciation from every corner of the globe through their presence as giga-pixel images. Through its involvement with this project the Prado aims to be a pioneer in the possibilities offered by the new technologies for the dissemination and promotion of the artistic heritage. These spectacular images of its works, which are only available on Google Earth, will allow scholars and art lovers to appreciate from close up the most minute details and motifs represented, the lines and brushstrokes of each artist, the under-drawing, craquelure of the varnish and many other aspects difficult to see at first hand.
There are a lot of lists in Internet talking about “the 10 most expensive paintings ever sold”, or something like that. But unfortunately, most of these lists are incorrect, often being obsoletes, often ignoring the private sales and talking only about those pictures sold at auction. Here I tried to create a list as exact and complete as possible, and I’ll try to keep it actualized. At the end of the list I’ve added a few works whose price has not being confirmed despite the rumours about exorbitant sums
1. JACKSON POLLOCK: “Number 5, 1948″, 1948
$140 million
Private sale, 2006. Seller: David Geffen. Buyer: David MartĂnez (claimed) Read more »
