Featured Lot: Metello Motelli, “Iris”

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December 7, 2016

bscreen-shot-2016-12-06-at-10-11-28-am — Metello Motelli, “Iris,” 1873, marble, 70 7/8 in. (c) Sotheby’s 2016

In this ongoing series for Fine Art Today, we take a longer look at the history and features of a soon-to-be-available artwork of note. This week: Metello Motelli, “Iris.”

Highlighting Sotheby’s December 14 “19th and 20th Century Sculpture” sale is one of the most important Italian Romantic sculptures to come to auction in recent years. The sweeping sculpture, titled “Iris,” displays the messenger of the Greek Olympian gods emanating from foliage as she raises her veil in an arch above her head. As Sotheby’s correctly suggests, “[the work] epitomizes the ambitious imagination and technical virtuosity of Lombard marble carvers in the second half of the nineteenth century.”

Metello Motelli, “Iris,” 1873, marble, 70 7/8 in. (c) Sotheby’s 2016

The subject was an ideal one for the Italian Romantic Metello Motelli (active 1851-1894). “With the goddess Iris” Sotheby’s reports, “Motelli chose a mythological subject whose allegorical evocation of nature embodied the Romantic ideal. Appearing as the messenger of the Gods in Homer’s Iliad, Iris also functioned as a personification of the rainbow and was thought to travel land and sea at the speed of wind.”

Metello Motelli, “Iris (detail),” 1873, marble, 70 7/8 in. (c) Sotheby’s 2016

Motelli’s version of Iris captures many of those qualities with beautiful precision and skill. In a sweeping diagonal composition, the viewer can sense the subject’s movement, as if she’s been caught by Motelli in the midst of her travels. The framing arch of Iris’ veil — found above her head — perhaps alludes to her personification of the rainbow. Sotheby’s adds, “In a gravity-defying tour-de-force, the goddess — personified as a graceful young girl — is seemingly lifted by a torrent of foliage and cloth, which, leaning forward, she suspends above her head as a billowing veil. The purity of the marble enhances the woman’s lithe, sensuous form, while the sculptor’s extraordinary skill is shown in the naturalistic detail of the base, whose wealth of flora and fauna is carved with vigorous finesse. A sculpture that benefits from viewing in the round, the marble exhibits an elegant S-curve in its side view, while its reverse reveals the goddesses’ long, stream-like tresses, which merge into the wave that suspends and supports her figure.”

Auction estimates for the brilliant sculpture are expected to be between $150,000 and $220,000. To learn more, visit Sotheby’s.

This article was featured in Fine Art Today, a weekly e-newsletter from Fine Art Connoisseur magazine. To start receiving Fine Art Today for free, click here.

Featured Artwork: Mary Lambeth, TWS, APAS

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Andrew Webster

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December 5, 2016

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fa_lambeth — “Blanket Shadow” by Mary Lambeth

“Blanket Shadow”

Watercolor

22 1/2 x 30 in.

Watercolor

$3,500

About the Artist:

Mary Lambeth received a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Painting from Arizona State University, and a Master of Art Education from Texas Tech University. She is a former adjunct professor of the Lone Star College System in Houston where she taught Art History and Appreciation. She now lives and works as an artist and teaches yoga in Midland.

A sixth generation Texan, Mary is currently working on a series of Texas Native Wildflowers in several mediums, primarily watercolor – finding inspiration from the spring show of color along Texas highways. She is a signature member of the Texas Watercolor Society and the American Plains Artists Society, and also an Associate Member of the American Watercolor Society. Ever observant of plants, Mary is also a certified Texas Master Naturalist and former garden club president, and has held numerous board positions with the Midland Arts Association and the Houston Women’s Caucus for Art.

She has had multiple one person shows, most recently at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center in Austin, TX, and her work has received numerous awards and recognitions. This featured piece was the 2016 “Watercolor” award recipient at the Stars of Texas Juried Art Exhibition, Brownwood, TX, Warren Taylor, NWS, judge.

Contact Mary at:

432-770-5800

[email protected]

www.marylambeth.com

Featured Artwork: Paula Swain presented by the Grand Canyon Celebration of Art

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Andrew Webster

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December 2, 2016

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fa_gca — “Capitol Reef Trail” by Paula Swain

“Capitol Reef Trail”

oil on canvas

30 x 30 in.

About the Artist:

Paula Swain is one of the 26 artists who participated in this year’s Grand Canyon Celebration of Art, which took place at the South Rim of Grand Canyon September 10-17, 2016. Now in its 8th year, the plein air event features artists painting at various locations around and in the Canyon. The exhibit and sale of their work at Kolb Studio on the South Rim will continue through January 16, 2017. The exhibit is open daily, and is free and open to the public.

For this year’s Celebration of Art, honoring the 100 year anniversary of the National Park Service, the artists were encouraged to submit a studio painting of any of the national parks. Swain chose to submit a painting of Capitol Reef National Park. She often travels from her home in Salt Lake City to paint the magnificent national parks in Utah.

Of the day Swain painted “Capitol Reef Trail’ she explains: “The incredible morning spent at Capitol Reef was peaceful, silent, and still. The colors of the sunrise changed, moment by moment, seeming to come in waves. I knew then that my goal was communicate the thrill of the sparkling light touching the edges of the sheer, ancient walls, with the glowing colors of reflected light within the shadows. My greatest delight is to share with the viewer this deep, exuberant joy.”

For more information and more photos of Paula’s work please visit:

https://www.grandcanyon.org/arts-and-culture/2017-celebration-art

or contact Kathy Duley at [email protected] or 480.277.0458.

Featured Artwork: Jason Drake

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Andrew Webster

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December 1, 2016

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fa_drake — "The End of Summer" by Jason Drake

“The End of Summer”

Egg tempera on gessoed panel

20 x 30 in.

Available at the C.M. Russell Museum exhibition and sale, March 16-18, 2017

About the Artist:

Jason Drake was born in 1955 and demonstrated an artistic ability from early childhood. But little boys also want to fly airplanes and the world of math and science lured him down the path to an engineering degree and a career as a military pilot. But he never forgot the artistic passion he cultivated while drawing and painting as a boy.

Following his military years, Jason worked as a graphic designer, creating marketing materials for print and the web. He learned the impact of visual communication and the power of a finely-tuned composition. Clean lines and simple lighting are as much a reflection of his personality as they are a mainstay in his work.

But he never abandoned his passion to be an artist. As a young man, he was influenced by the work of great illustrators like Norman Rockwell, NC Wyeth, and Howard Pyle. Later his attention turned to masters like Sargent, Winslow Homer, and Andrew Wyeth and he decided that the lasting impact of fine art painting was the fulfillment of his dreams. Always learning, Jason continues to develop his skills through workshops, books, videos, lessons with other artists, and putting miles on his brush.

Paintings in oil have comprised most of Jason’s body of work but a recent focus on egg tempera has produced his most exciting pieces yet. Seeing numerous Andrew Wyeth exhibits drew him toward the medium and its unique ability to render light through layers of color. Egg tempera has now become a mainstay in his repertoire.

Jason believes that his art should lift you up, elevate your perspective and help you hold onto things that have meaning.

Gallery owner Tim Miller wrote, “The depth and emotion of his American realism paintings captures the attention of every client who enters the gallery and he’s quickly become a sought after name amongst our patrons. Jason’s work is as stimulating as it is mature, as beautiful as it is timeless.”

Egg tempera master Koo Schadler observed that Jason’s work is “beautiful and accomplished; his tonal sense is excellent.”

Living in the Appalachian Mountains near Boone, North Carolina, he paints the wonder of nature that surrounds him and finds beauty in ordinary things and close friends. He is committed to producing works that reflect the glory of God and the dignity of Man.

To view more of Jason’s work, go to www.jasondrake.com.

Drawing in the Age of Rembrandt

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Andrew Webster

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December 1, 2016

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mdex-77-slideshow — Michiel van Musscher, “An Artist in His Studio with His Drawings,” 1665, oil on panel, (c) The Princely Collections, Liechtenstein 2016

The National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C., is currently showing a remarkable display of Dutch landscapes, still life, and scenes of daily life through the lens of more than 90 drawings and 27 paintings. Who can you expect to see?

Among the Golden Age masters on view currently at the National Gallery of Art are Aelbert Cuyp, Pieter Jansz Saenredam, Michiel van Musscher, and — of course — Rembrandt van Rijn. On view through January 2, “Drawings for Paintings in the Age of Rembrandt” is an entertaining exploration of the drawing process in the Netherlands during its period of greatest cultural achievement.

Michiel van Musscher, “An Artist in His Studio with His Drawings,” 1665, oil on panel, (c) The Princely Collections, Liechtenstein 2016

Artworks in the show include more than 90 drawings coupled with 27 paintings. In addition to the drawing process, the show also delves into the ways in which Dutch artists worked from life — using drawing as a means for composition, figural studies, construction drawings, and simple everyday observations. Via the museum, “It also examines the underdrawings artists made on their panel and canvas supports before painting their scenes.”

Rembrandt van Rijn, “Old Man Seated,” 1631, chalk on paper, (c) National Gallery of Art 2016

After its tenure in Washington, D.C., the exhibition travels to the Fondation Custodia in Paris, France, from February 3 through May 7, 2017. To learn more, visit The National Gallery of Art.

Rembrandt van Rijn, “Joseph Telling His Dreams,” 1633, grisaille, (c) Rijksmuseum 2016

This article was featured in Fine Art Today, a weekly e-newsletter from Fine Art Connoisseur magazine. To start receiving Fine Art Today for free, click here.

My Long Island

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Andrew Webster

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December 1, 2016

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lcache_4100112645 — Doug Zider, “Sunset at the Heading,” oil, (c) Doug Zider

Molloy College’s Frank & Gertrude Kaiser Art Gallery is currently embellishing its walls with a stunning display of landscape brilliance via the works of Doug Zider through December 16.

For any connoisseur or collector who adores landscapes and seascapes of the Eastern Seaboard, Molloy College’s Kaiser Art Gallery is a great fit. Through December 16, the gallery is hosting a wonderful solo exhibition of paintings and prints by artist Doug Zider — a self-described islander and boater who delights in capturing an ever-changing natural source of beauty.

Doug Zider, “Marsh of Tides,” oil, (c) Doug Zider

To learn more, visit Molloy College.

This article was featured in Fine Art Today, a weekly e-newsletter from Fine Art Connoisseur magazine. To start receiving Fine Art Today for free, click here.

Representational Highlights from Miami

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Andrew Webster

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December 1, 2016

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jlimg_3818 — Luciano Ventrone, “Rito Romano,” 2012, oil on canvas, 60 x 70 cm. (c) Image courtesy Violeta De la Serna

Now that you can successfully navigate Miami Art Week 2016, we’ve taken the opportunity to compile a short list of superb gallery exhibitions featuring some of the most outstanding representational arts.

Part of the robust draw to Miami Art Week is the event’s magnitude, offering the widest variety of art techniques, styles, and so much more. With our readers in mind, we’ve decided to compile a short list of representational exhibitions that have earned a can’t-miss stamp from Fine Art Today. During the fair’s first day, Fine Art Connoisseur regional sales manager Violeta de la Serna, a Miami native and herself an art and design collector, walked the entirety of Art Miami and CONTEXT in just over 4 hours! We’re lucky to have her!

Tomás Sánchez, “Basura de colores bajola tormenta,” 1991, acrylic on canvas, 43 x 59 in. (c) Image courtesy Violeta De la Serna

Within Art Miami, noteworthy were Gallery Andreas Binder and Marina Gisich Gallery. Gallery Andreas Binder is showing the amazing works by Yigel Ozeri, who creates breathtaking figurative works in oil. Several of his works are executed in monochrome, enhancing both the sculptural quality of his figures and photographic impressions.

Alonsa Guevara, “Fernanda’s Offering,” 2016, oil on canvas, 36 in. (c) Image courtesy Violeta De la Serna

Marina Gisich Gallery, hailing from St. Petersburg, Russia, is featuring the works of Kerim Ragimov, an accomplished portraitist. De la Serna also reports Art Miami visitors should stop at Gallery Henoch, where the works of Robert Jackson and Sally Fame Cochrane are sure to delight.

Kerim Ragimov, “Human Project: Fear Fair #42,” 2015, ink on paper, 16 x 9 1/2 in. (c) Image courtesy Violeta De la Serna

For lovers of exquisite still life, Jorge M. Sori Fine Art will be a hot destination for you. Featuring the works of Latin American masters, the esteemed gallery will host a joint exhibition of Tomás Sànchez and Renato Meziat. In addition, the gallery is celebrating its 25th anniversary.

Ana Mercedes Hoyos, “La bara del premio,” oil on canvas, 39.3 x 39.3 in. (c) Image courtesy Violeta De la Serna

Yigal Ozeri, “Untitled (Olya),” 2014, oil on canvas, 12 x 18 in. (c) Image courtesy Violeta De la Serna

If you have an eye for tightly rendered realism, stop over at booth D403, where New York’s Bernarducci Meisel Gallery will be showcasing the works of supremely talented cityscape painters Richard Estes, Raphaella Spence, and many others. Lyons Wier Gallery of New York will also be presenting works by artists Cayce Zavaglia and James Rieck. Zavaglia’s work will contrast sharply from those at Bernarducci Meisel: large figurative acrylics that include highly abstract and expressive lines that activate the surface. Also in contrast are the works of James Rieck, whose works present a more illustrative style.

Luciano Ventrone, “Rito Romano,” 2012, oil on canvas, 60 x 70 cm. (c) Image courtesy Violeta De la Serna

Miami-based gallery Waltman Ortega Fine Art will also host a tantalizing show in booth A115. Among the artists included in its stable this year are François Bard and Cesar Santos.

Elisa Anfuso, (c) Image courtesy Violeta De la Serna

CONTEXT also produced a wealth of outstanding exhibitions. Number 1 on your list should be booths 123 and 314, where Elisa Anfuso with Liquid Art System out of Positano, Italy, has a fantastic program on view. Among the notable highlights are works by renowned artist Matteo Pugliese along with Umberto Ciceri, Peter Demetz, Riccardo Evangelisti, Marco Grassi, Kim In Tae, Livia Marin, Andrea Pakanowski, Antonio Sannino, Matthias Verginer, Willy Verginer, and Seo Young Deok.

Matteo Pugliese, (c) Image courtesy Violeta De la Serna

If you’re heading over to Art Basel Miami Beach, we recommend checking out Sayer Gomez’s “The Painting Thief in Ultramarine”, which is on view at Rodolf Janssen.

Robert Jackson, “52,” 2016, oil on linen, 60 x 30 in. (c) Image courtesy Violeta De la Serna

This article was featured in Fine Art Today, a weekly e-newsletter from Fine Art Connoisseur magazine. To start receiving Fine Art Today for free, click here.

Your Guide to Miami Art Week 2016

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Fine Art Today

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December 1, 2016

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Art Miami 2015 — Image (c) Ken Hayden Photography 2015

by Jeffrey Carlson

Led by Art Basel, drawing upwards of 70,000 visitors, and alongside a handful of critically acclaimed smaller fairs, Miami Art Week has a lot to see — too much, in fact. That is, unless you have the inside scoop.

Each year in early December the center of the art world shifts to sunny Miami: Ten major art fairs and countless gallery exhibitions opening this weekend and continuing through December 4, 2016 will make this the place to be for serious and casual collectors. With the help of Fine Art Connoisseur regional sales manager Violeta de la Serna, a Miami native and herself an art and design collector, we have compiled a list of helpful points for navigating the hullabaloo that is Miami Art Week.

1. Have a plan for getting around. With a lot of drivers on the road and significant construction underway, traffic in Miami can be hazardous even aside from the 500,000 excitable art lovers who arrive in early December. Each major fair has a complimentary shuttle bus schedule that connects related fairs as well as some major hotels. There are also VIP-service private cars (nice ones, like Audi, Fiat, and BMW) available. The now widely popular Uber ride service will also be another good option for attendees.

2. Pick and choose. Like any great encyclopedic museum, Miami Art Week has too much to take in all at once. Unlike great museums, though, most would agree that there are portions of this massive event that can be missed without regret. Every attendee should look at the profile for each fair and assess how well its general aesthetic aligns with their own. The Big 10 (Art Basel, Art Miami and its sister fair Context, SCOPE, DesignMiami, Red Dot, NADA, Ink, PULSE, SELECT) are a good place to start, but what else will you prioritize?

3. Abide by art fair etiquette. Miami Art Week is a destination for many a serious art lover and collector — as well as many who attend just for the spectacle. In the past, the viewing experience at the fair has left something to be desired, with earnest admirers stuck in line behind teeming masses. For the sake of all, those who attend should act respectfully, limiting time standing in front of artworks, allowing others a chance at the best viewing points, refraining from monopolizing a gallery representative’s time, and keeping voices at a reasonable level to allow others an impactful experience with the art on display. And of course: Never use flash photography or touch the art.

4. You’re important, but so are lots of other folks. A VIP showing can be just as crowded and difficult for art viewing as a normal show day. Even if you’ve merited an invitation to a VIP night, be prepared to wait your turn for a decent look at the art. On the bright side, it’s a chance to cultivate patience and courtesy.

5. Explore Wynwood. Across Biscayne Bay from South Beach and the Art Basel buzz, Wynwood is a vibrant neighborhood that features respected exhibitors and some alternative art-viewing spaces like Wynwood Walls, a “street museum” of edgy urban murals. Foodies, you will have plenty to feast on here, but you’d best make reservations (or be prepared to charm your host/hostess).

6. When something strikes you, act on it. The wide range of quality exhibitors who gather at the fair tends to draw collectors out of their normally conservative shells, inciting a “feeding frenzy” on the best pieces. “Last year I lost two works of art by mere minutes,” says de la Serna. Her advice? Peruse the offerings online beforehand, and have a mind for what you’re seriously interested in acquiring. Never fully commit before seeing and considering a work face-to-face, but if its presence on the wall or pedestal still captivates you, act quickly. Be willing and ready to put down a deposit on preview night, and don’t be afraid to negotiate the terms of the deposit or the full acquisition price. Finally: Take risks! Invest in emerging artists and works that speak profoundly to you.

This article was featured in Fine Art Today, a weekly e-newsletter from Fine Art Connoisseur magazine. To start receiving Fine Art Today for free, click here.

Freeman’s to Offer Fresh-to-Market Masterpieces

By

Andrew Webster

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December 1, 2016

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Works by many of America’s most notable and iconic artists highlight a major sale at Freeman’s in Philadelphia on December 4. Get the inside scoop here!

A carefully curated selection of fresh-to-market American paintings, drawings, and sculptures heads to the auction block via Freeman’s on December 4 as part of the institution’s “American Art & Pennsylvania Impressionists” sale. Many of the artworks come from private collections and estates and are making their auction debut.

Jessie Willcox Smith, “The Goblins Fell Back a Little When He Began, and made Horrible Grimaces All Through the Rhyme,” mixed media, 22 x 16 in. (c) Freeman’s 2016

N.C. Wyeth, “The Departure of the Rose,” oil on canvas, 40 1/2 x 30 in. (c) Freeman’s 2016

Included in the sale are some of the most prized artists in American history, including Western master Frederic Remington along with N.C. and Andrew Wyeth, Edward Willis Redfield, and Fern Isabel Coppedge. Other artist highlights include Jessie Willcox Smith, Elizabeth Shippen Green, Thomas Hart Benton, James Abbott McNeill Whistler, Childe Hassam, Grant Wood, Thomas Moran, and Arthur Meltzer.

To view the full catalogue and to learn more, visit Freeman’s.

This article was featured in Fine Art Today, a weekly e-newsletter from Fine Art Connoisseur magazine. To start receiving Fine Art Today for free, click here.

The Golden Age: Recent Acquisitions

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Andrew Webster

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December 1, 2016

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When we hear the words “Golden Age,” our ears perk, and yours should, too. Featuring a stunning array of Flemish paintings from the 16th and 17th centuries, this gallery in Geneva, Switzerland, is a major destination for art collectors and connoisseurs this winter. What’s the buzz?

De Jonckheere has a long-established international reputation as master paintings specialists, and they’re pleased to present a blockbuster exhibition showcasing the gallery’s latest acquisitions from some of the biggest names in the Flemish art history pantheon. The exhibition is also a celebration of the gallery’s 40th anniversary, and it will also be opening a new location in front of the Grimaldi Forum in Monaco in May 2017. Along with Geneva, the gallery also has a location in Paris, France.

Gijsbrechts Leytens, “Winter landscape animated with villagers,” oil, 48 x 74 cm. (c) De Jonckheere Gallery 2016

Via the gallery press release, “For this exhibition, De Jonckheere brings together the latest acquisitions of the gallery: an ensemble of unseen works created by the followers and emulators of the painter Hieronymus Bosch among which include the Master of Half-Lengths, Corneille de Lyon, Jan Mandijn, the Master of Holy Blood, Lucas Cranach the younger, Pieter Huys, Maerten Van Cleve, Hans Bol, Pieter Brueghel the younger, Jan Brueghel the elder, Abel Grimmer, Frans Francken the younger, Gijsbrechts Leytens, Isaac Soreau, David Teniers, Jan Van Kessel the elder and Francesco Guardi.”

Maerten van Cleve, “The wedding dance outside,” 1570, oil, 94.3 x 122.3 cm. (c) De Jonckheere Gallery 2016

“The Golden Age: Recent Acquisitions” opened on November 30 and will remain on view at the gallery’s Geneva location through January 27, 2017. To learn more, visit De Jonckheere Gallery.

Jan Brueghel the Elder, “Landscape with travelers on a country road,” 1611, oil on copper, 20.3 x 31.8 cm. (c) De Jonckheere Gallery 2016

This article was featured in Fine Art Today, a weekly e-newsletter from Fine Art Connoisseur magazine. To start receiving Fine Art Today for free, click here.

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