A controversial painting, supposedly by Caravaggio (1571-1610), has been purchased by a mystery buyer just two days before it was due to be sold at auction. “Judith and Holofernes” was sold for an unknown price, although it was expected to fetch at least US$110 million (£86.5 million). Continue reading
It led one art historian to resign from a gallery advisory committee in outrage and now it could sell at auction for up to £140 million. Caravaggio is an artist who has always sparked controversy and now a painting said to be by his hand has the art world divided over its attribution. Continue reading
New evidence has emerged, which suggests a missing Nativity masterpiece by Caravaggio could soon be returning to Sicily. Theories abound as to the disappearance of ‘Nativity With Saints Lawrence and Francis’ (1609) from the Oratory of San Lorenzo in Palermo in 1969. The latest version of the story was announced by Rosy Bindi, president of Italy’s parliamentary Antimafia Commission earlier this year. According to investigators, testimony from a member of Sicilian criminal organisation, Cosa Nostra, indicates the stolen masterpiece was taken to an art dealer in Switzerland who sold it off in pieces. They have followed this lead to eastern Europe and now believe they can recover the Nativity soon. Continue reading
Anti-mafia investigators in Italy are closer than ever before to solving one of the world’s top 10 international art crimes. Continue reading
A stash of Renaissance sculptures has been discovered in the Pushkin Museum in Moscow, the Prussian Cultural Heritage Foundation has announced.
According to The Art Newspaper, the fifty-nine Italian sculptures include works by Donatello, Giovanni Pisano and Andrea del Verrochhio, and have been missing since the Second World War. Continue reading
Lessons learned from the case of Thwaytes v Sotheby’s
In 2006 Mr Thwaytes consigned a painting, the Cardsharps, to Sotheby’s for further investigation. Sotheby’s advised it was a good 17th Century copy of the original by Caravaggio and the painting was sold at auction for a hammer price of £42,000 to a leading Caravaggio scholar, Sir Denis Mahon, who later announced that he and others believed it to be by Caravaggio, and therefore worth far more. Continue reading
Boodle Hatfield LLP acted for Mr Thwaytes in his claim against fine art auctioneers Sotheby’s. Judgment was handed down on 16 January 2015 and you can read it in full here. Continue reading
