Jane and Kito de Boer realized their love for Indian culture once they started living in the country. They focused on art because it was a component of the culture that they could carry with them internationally. The de Boers eventually acquired one of the largest and most varied private collections of Indian art, including pieces from the late 19th century to the present day. The upcoming Christie’s auction features lots from their collection, includes 150 works of South Asian Modern and contemporary art.
A selection of 70 Indian court paintings, photographs, and contemporary works are available at the event. This includes an untitled self-portrait by Ganesh Pyne. The ink, watercolor, and pastel on paper piece was executed in 1981. It is signed and dated in Bengali. The auction also features a photograph by Raghu Rai. Titled Evening Prayer, Jama Masjid, the photo belongs to an edition of ten gelatin silver prints from 1985. Works by several other Indian artists are also on sale. Visit Christie’s to browse the entire catalog or to place a bid.
The Khasa Malla kingdom, ruled by the Malla family of Nepal, can be traced back to the 11th century. Although the existence of the Khasa Malla kingdom was long known to historians, its artworks were discovered only during the mid-20th century. The first Khasa Malla artwork was found by researcher Ian Alsop. While studying a distinctive gilt bronze sculpture of a goddess, Alsop found the mention of the Khasa Malla kingdom in its inscriptions. The Khasa Malla sculptures took inspiration from their neighboring artworks of West Tibet and Newars of Kathmandu. The upcoming Bonhams auction presents a gilt bronze sculpture of the Khasa Malla Maitreya. The Lalitasana seated figurine of the Future Buddha dates back to the 13th or 14th century.
Another highlight is an early 1900s turquoise and gold Mooneater or Cheppu brooch. The ruby and carnelian brooch was a popular piece of Tibetan jewelry. The pin has gold filigree work on the bottom, a carved kirtimukha face, and a finial on top. The concentric lotus discs signify the potential to achieve enlightenment. The talisman kirtimukha is known to protect one wearing the Cheppu. Also offered are paintings illustrating scenes from the Bhagavata Purana and the Kalpa Sutra manuscripts. One highlight is a Darbar scene with Sansar Chand of Kangra and Jai Singh Kanhaiya. The early 19th-century opaque watercolor and gold on paper piece is attributed to Bassia or Shiba. The typical Darbar scene includes a converging diagonal arrangement originating from Mughal artworks. The Indian, Himalayan, & Southeast Asian Art auction also features copper, black stone, terracotta, and wood figurines. Interested collectors can explore the full listings and register to bid online on Bonhams.
Artist Rafael Francisco Salas is known for his depictions of life in rural Wisconsin. His influences are taken from American tradition and rural surroundings. He believes his work “speaks to an indignant desire for a dream continually just beyond reach.” One of the highlighted lots in the upcoming Museum of Wisconsin Art auction, presented by the Museum of Wisconsin Art, is an oil on canvas piece titled Coda by Salas. In the painting, a group of country musicians gathers at a clearing in the woods to make music. The artist’s fascination with country music serves as a recurring subject for his paintings.
Offered lots include work from Brooklyn-based artist Shane McAdams. One available piece, titled Curly Maple, was painted from the ink of ball-point pens on the slab of a Wisconsin tree. McAdams is considered among the leading artists pushing the boundaries of abstraction with ballpoint pen ink. Included in the listings is Peter Poplaski’s ink on Bristol board piece titled Wisconsin Funnies and an untitled set of 1996 drawings by Rosemary Ollison. To view the complete catalog and register to bid online, visit Bidsquare.
American contemporary artist Beth Lipman’s works address themes associated with materiality and temporality. Referencing the work of 16th and 17th-century European painters, she combines traditional glass-working techniques with conceptual themes. One of the highlighted lots in the upcoming Museum of Wisconsin Art Silent Auction, presented by the Museum of Wisconsin Art, is Lipman’s glasswork piece titled Cluster. Completed in 2020, it shows wine glasses mounded in disarray and glued in place.
Also represented in the sale is the work of American artist Tom Uttech. He was introduced to photography in the summer of 1968 after a trip to Quetico Provincial Park. Inspired by the park, Uttech would make annual trips to photograph the region for the next decade. Between 1972 and 1983, Uttech changed his method of photography by seeking the late afternoon forest light in Pangishimo Giesess, near Cache Lake. In the available 1983 piece, the artist captured the dappled light of Pangishimo Giesess in black and white. A decorative glass vase from Jeremy Popelka is also available. To view the complete catalog and register to bid online, visit Bidsquare.
The artistic duo Christo and Jeanne-Claude were best known for their large scale works, wrapping buildings and landscapes in lengths of fabric. Among their most famous works was The Pont Neuf Wrapped, which was staged on Paris’ oldest bridge. After a decade of negotiation, Christo and Jeanne-Claude finally got permission to install the piece in September of 1985. The duo covered the bridge in honey-colored fabric, the same color as “Paris Stone” for 14 days. In an interview with Le Figaro in 1985, Christo said, “I wanted to transform it, to make an architectural object, an object of inspiration for artists… ephemeral like my dream.” The upcoming Skinner event presents an original sketch for The Pont Neuf Wrapped.
Also showcased is a bronze piece by the prominent French sculptor and animalier Isidore Jules Bonheur. After studying painting, Bonheur discontinued working in oil in favor of sculpture and became widely recognized for his small bronze statues of horses, cattle, sheep, and dogs. Titled The Steeplechase, the available piece shows two jumpers. Interested collectors can view the full listings and register to bid online on Bidsquare.
The word hana in Japanese means flowers. Hana Matsumi is the flower festival observed to celebrate Buddha’s birthday in countries such as Japan and Korea. The celebration falls during springtime when flowers like cherry blossoms are in bloom. Many people take time off of work to relax and enjoy the fleeting beauty. Eight volumes of the book Hana-No-Matsuri are offered in the upcoming Japanese and Korean Works of Art auction, presented by Hindman. The collection, sewn in gold silk pictorial binding, is from the private collection of Baron Morimasa Takei (1842-1926) and contains 1,000 black and white plates with 7,500 subjects. According to the auction house, the complete set is a rare find.
Kannon, the Buddhist goddess of mercy, is worshipped as a deity who helps people in distress. Her iconic mystery smile is also a reason behind her popularity. A giltwood figure of Kannon is available in the auction. She is shown seated on a lotus base, dressed in voluminous robes and jewelry backed by a mandala. Also offered in the sale are Japanese netsuke carved miniature sculptures made of ivory or wood. Netsuke were practical items designed to fasten objects from a kimono when pockets were lacking. The sale also offers a selection of tsuba, the handguard of a Japanese sword, with animal and leafy vine decorations. Visit Bidsquare to view all the lots and bid online.
One of the most famous photographers of America, Ansel Adams, once said, “You don’t take a photograph, you make it.” Adams believed the technique of capturing a photograph is in itself a fine art. This belief would later help throw light on the significance of conserving wilderness areas such as Yosemite Valley and several other national parks. In the upcoming Fine Prints & Photographs auction, Adams’ black and white photograph titled Clearing Winter Storm is available for bidding. According to the artist, this photograph was taken after a winter storm passed in Yosemite. Like most of Adams’ work, the picture emphasizes beauty and tonality.
Through the auction, Skinner has also brought together works from prominent artists such as Salvador Dalí, Pablo Picasso, Marc Chagall, and Joan Miró. Among them, Dalí’s The Portfolio Imaginations & Objects of the Future is particularly featured. The portfolio includes colored lithographs with drypoint and collage on paper. For more information, visit Bidsquare.
Founded by Constantine Sotirios Boulgaris in 1884, Bvlgari is one of Italy’s oldest jewelry houses. Since its inception, the brand drew inspiration from both the Roman and Greek periods and the Italian Renaissance. In the mid-1950s, Bvlgari introduced a jewelry line using a wide range of color combinations and gemstones, whether cabochon or calibré-cut. Inspired by cupolas of Roman landscapes, the cabochon became a hallmark of the brand. A Bvlgari brooch is leading the catalog of the upcoming sale, offered by Kodner Galleries. This piece is made of 18-karat yellow gold with an oval cabochon star sapphire in the center, surrounded by alternating Ceylon sapphires and Burma rubies.
Several pieces of furniture will also be presented at this event. Highlighted among them is a Cityscape credenza from Paul Evans. An American furniture designer, sculptor, and artist, Evans was known for his contributions to the American Craft Movement. Inspired by the Manhattan skyline, the Cityscape credenza features a hand laid patchwork of chrome and brass. Fine art collectors can find two spray paintings after the style of Bansky. To view the complete catalog and register to bid, visit Bidsquare.
John Piper was known for his landscape scenes of ruins, painted in the style of the 19th-century English Romantics. Piper’s wartime works became widely recognized after World War II. The artist worked on a series of street scenes that showed the destruction of iconic British churches, monuments, and buildings due to German bombs. He also worked with lighter subjects, including flora and fauna. The upcoming Olympia Auctions event presents Sunflowers & Hostas, a floral still life painting by Piper from 1986.
Another featured lot is a watercolor painting by Albert Goodwin. His artistry was recognized at an early age by his master Ford Madox Brown. He believed that Goodwin would become “one of the greatest landscape painters of the age.” Goodwin was later acclaimed for his watercolor paintings. Many of his works show the influences of Turner and the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood. The auction also offers an oil painting by English artist Serge Ivanoff. His portraits were collected by the likes of Paul Valéry, Eleanor Roosevelt, and Pope Pius XI. The featured painting is a portrait of two young boys with a teddy bear. Interested collectors can explore the full listings and register to bid online on Olympia Auctions.
Lawrence Graff’s passion for diamonds paved the way for a career as a gemologist. Graff was self-taught and apprenticed at the famed Hatton Garden in London. In 1960, he founded his eponymous jewelry label at 21 years old. The company soon earned global recognition for its fine jewelry and rare gems, most of them sourced from mines in the sub-Saharan regions of Africa. A diamond and sapphire bracelet by the British label is available in the upcoming Christie’s auction. The piece is made with 18-karat white gold and features 64 round diamonds and 32 round sapphires.
Another noteworthy piece of jewelry featured in the auction is a necklace designed by Prince Dimitri for Assael. The ornament, designed as a bib, is set in 18-karat yellow gold. It features golden cultured pearls, cabochon moonstones, tourmaline, and diamonds. Jewels by Cartier, Van Cleef and Arpels, Tiffany’s, and other luxury brands and designers are available as well. Visit Christie’s to view the entire catalog or to place a bid online.
