On November 16, Bonhams hosts a tantalizing sale of prints and multiples, including impressions from the greatest 20th-century illusionist, M.C. Escher.

Known for his imaginative tessellations of birds, frogs, and lizards, and his impossible never-ending staircases and waterfalls, Dutch artist M.C. Escher (1898-1972) created some of the most popular images in modern art. The fascinating worlds Escher created in his drawings, lithographs, and woodcuts have proven to be timeless, appearing on the covers of albums and on the walls of countless teenagers’ bedrooms and college dormitories.

Bonhams is offering the chance to hang several of Escher’s originals in your home via its November 16 “Prints & Multiples” sale. Among the iconic images available are “Day and Night,” “Belvedere,” “Ascending and Descending,” and “Puddle.”

To learn more, visit Bonhams.

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.

Although it wasn’t until 1517 that Martin Luther (1483-1546) became the face of the Protestant Reformation by posting his Ninety-Five Theses on the doors of the Castle Church in Wittenberg, Germany, the roots of dissatisfaction with the Roman Catholic Church were deep-seated by then.  Luther’s action, at first seemingly rather benign, was the decisive axe-blow to a tree already beginning to fall.  Essentially it completed the collapse of medieval society and launched the modern age: by translating the Bible into contemporary German vernacular and disseminating his teachings through the newly invented printing press, Luther not only eroded Catholic authority, but also epitomized how the right tools, and strategic use of technology, could quickly spur irreversible change.

This is an excerpt from “In Minneapolis, Reconsidering Martin Luther”. Find the full article in the November / December 2016 Edition of Fine Art Connoisseur Magazine.

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Wrap yourself up in a soul-warming exhibition next month at the renowned Eleventh Street Arts in Long Island City, New York, featuring small works by big-name artists.
 
Opening November 17 at Long Island City’s Eleventh Street Arts is an outstanding group exhibition featuring small works. Presenting the works of 40 contemporary artists from the prestigious Water Street and Grand Central Ateliers, “Wrap Me Up” will showcase a diverse range of paintings, drawings, and sculptures.
 
All of the exhibited works measure under 12 inches in size. Among the artists included are Thomas Kegler, Edward Minoff, Emilie Lee, Mary Jane Ward, Lauren Sansaricq, and many others.
 
“Wrap me Up: Winter Small Works Show” will be keeping visitors cozy for some time, as the exhibition runs through January 20. To learn more, visit Eleventh Street Arts.
 
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.
 

These three words encapsulate the life, times, and reign of the powerful French leader Napoléon Bonaparte. Though he is best known for his military exploits, Napoléon was also a great patron and connoisseur of the arts, ushering in a new age of decorative and fine arts.

Although his love and adoration for art led to massive illegal appropriation on the part of the French, Napoléon Bonaparte was also a great patron of the arts in his home country, commissioning artists, designers, and architects as a method for promoting his claim to the throne.

A stunning array of objects from Napoléon’s reign are the subjects of an extraordinary exhibition in New Orleans at M.S. Rau Antiques. Opening November 5 and running through January 7, “Napoléon: General. Emperor. Legend” is a beautiful journey into art as political propaganda. Via the event webpage, “From a monumental masterwork of Napoléon before the Battle of Moscow by Joseph Franque and an original bronze death mask of Napoléon to one-of-a-kind Empire furniture and décor, the exhibition offers an intriguing glimpse into the intimate life and ultimate legacy of the soldier, statesman and ruler.”

To learn more, visit M.S. Rau Antiques.

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.

Only days remain before New York City plays host to a monumental fine art and antiques fair, featuring hundreds of exhibitors and delicious treasures that could be your next favorite acquisition.
 
Opening Wednesday, November 9 at New York City’s Pier 94 with a preview party is the New York Art, Antique & Jewelry Show. Held over a four-day period through November 13, the fair is part of an expansion by the Palm Beach Show Group. Taking place in the 100,000-plus-square-foot Pier 94, this year’s event will feature more than a billion dollars in treasures from over 100 national and international exhibitors.
 

 
Paintings line the walls of one gallery’s booth during the 2014 edition of the
New York Art, Antique & Jewelry Show, (c) 2016

Via the event website, “Boasting an enviable selection of more than 30,000 items, the show promises to draw tens of thousands of private collectors, museum curators, art advisors and interior designers who are eager to view and purchase the unique, the rare and the one-of-a-kind. Guests will have the opportunity to view and purchase fine art from across a broad spectrum of Old Masters, German Expressionist, 18th and 19th century European, American Regionalist, Modern and Contemporary artists.”
 
Many of the nation’s top galleries will be on hand during the event, showcasing the full spectrum of mediums, styles, techniques, and — of course — the infinite variety of creative expression. Tickets for all of the events are still available, including exclusive VIP options, which can be purchased here.
 
To learn more, visit the New York Art, Antique & Jewelry Show.
 
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.
 

Some critics have called Dulwich Picture Gallery’s current exhibition of landscapes by Andriaen van de Velde a “quiet and delightful rediscovery.” See what has the UK art world buzzing in this featured video.
 

 
To learn more, visit Dulwich Picture Gallery.
 
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 Rice Gallery of Fine Art is proud to play host to a magnetic solo exhibition of recent paintings by Aaron Norris, whose works emphasize the importance of taking a second look at and finding beauty in Midwest scenery.
 
He was raised outside of Garden City, Missouri, so it shouldn’t come as a surprise that painter Aaron Norris has a highly developed appreciation for Midwestern landscape. To the untrained eye, many of the scenes around Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Iowa, and the Dakotas might at first appear mundane, but a slight shift in perspective reveals uncanny beauty. Part of Norris’ artistic mission is to help illuminate the beauty through is splendid landscapes. And to be sure, Norris does this incredibly well.
 

Aaron Norris, “Lighted Stage,” oil, 24 x 48 in. (c) The Rice Gallery of Fine Art 2016

 
He writes, “I’ve always loved the look, smell, and sound of an unrestrained thunderstorm or the way a snow-front moves in and blocks out the horizon. I want my work to reflect the ambivalence of nature and the idea that, at any moment, a serene sky can turn violent if it wants to. I want to feel that energy when I’m painting. I want to feel exhausted after completing a piece of art. I want to create thoughtful, transcendent landscapes that are tangible and compelling to the viewer.”
 

Aaron Norris, “Dirt Road Oil Co.,” oil 38 x 26 in. (c) The Rice Gallery of Fine Art 2016

 
Norris’ recent works — now on display at the Rice Gallery of Fine Art in Overland Park, Kansas — achieve all this and more in a solo exhibition. On view through the end of November, Norris presents a number of stunning Midwestern vistas sure to evoke nostalgia, awe, and more in viewers.
 
To learn more, visit The Rice Gallery of Fine Art.
 
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.
 

Portrait artist Katherine Galbraith has taken advantage of an outstanding opportunity at the National Gallery of Art and others should, too.
 
Established in 1941, the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C., has hosted a tantalizing program for artists that allows them the opportunity to sketch and paint directly from the gallery walls. The Copyist Program “offers a unique opportunity for artists to study the techniques of old masters through intimate study in the galleries,” its website reports. “The museum’s trustees decided that a program should be established to allow artists to copy the museum’s masterpieces, not only for their own benefit but to help make these works available beyond the museum’s walls. Since the program’s inception, more than 8,000 permits have been issued to copy paintings in the Gallery.”
 
Artist Katherine Galbraith has been one of the artists to pass the test, and has greatly enjoyed her experiences with the art — and museum-goers. After passing an FBI background check and receiving her permit, Galbraith is allowed exclusive access to the gallery’s works — an invaluable experience for an artist.
 
To learn more about this program, visit the National Gallery of Art.
 
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.