The Annunciation, signed on page of book at left “Vos”, oil on canvas, 44-3/4 x 60 in.; 20th century parcel gilt and painted panel frame, 54-1/4 x 70 in.
Lot 975 / Estimate: $100,000 – $150,000 / September 14, 2019
With its exquisitely detailed biblical scene, this important Maerten de Vos painting represents a tradition of early to mid sixteenth-century Dutch art. Its rich and elaborate depiction of the Annunciation within a lady’s public and private rooms conveys the ideals and values of both material and spiritual wealth. This elegant domestic setting for the Annunciation is, in a way, a vital precursor to the Dutch Golden Age of painting and its explosion of genre paintings, portraits, still lifes, and landscapes in the seventeenth century.
In this composition, de Vos not only speaks of the Annunciation, as described in Luke 1: 26-38, in which Archangel Gabriel appears to the Virgin Mary, but he narrates the life of Christ, including the coming of the Messiah, and the ultimate act of salvation. The Ten Commandments, depicted by the dual tablets, represent the Old Covenant that is fulfilled by the coming of Christ and the establishment of the New Covenant. Salvation, the cleansing of sin, is found represented in the ewer, bowl, and towel. The lapis blue robe symbolizes the Virgin and the red undertunic, the blood of Christ, or the Crucifixion. Perhaps the most beautiful device is found in the very delicate rendering of the dove woven within the lace of the veil over Mary’s heart. This detail reminds the viewer of the presence of the Holy Spirit and the point of conception.
An engraving by Hendrik Goltzius of the Annunciation, circa 1579, is thought to be a possible reference to this painting. In her description of the engraving, Dr. Susan Anderson, then the Interim Mellon Coordinator of College Programs at Amherst College, states,”[a] youthful Goltzius produced this reproductive engraving after a design by the sixteenth-century artist Marten de Vos for the Antwerp publishing house Aux Quatre Vents. A similar painting by de Vos survives, although the drawing that likely served as the print’s model does not. Presuming that Goltzius was given liberty to revise his source, he reversed the painting’s overall composition but varied the figures so that their right and left hands remain consistent: Gabriel, for example, enters from the right in the painting and the left in the print, but in both he gestures heavenward with his right hand and holds a lily – the symbol of the Virgin – with his left. Goltzius could have reproduced the painting in the same orientation, but reversing it with altered elements allowed him to imbue the scene with a greater vitality, especially in the twisting body of the Virgin.”
Hendrik Goltzius (Dutch, 1558–1617), The Annunciation, engraving Photo courtesy of the RKD, Netherlands
This painting by Maerten de Vos is an extraordinary example of a sixteenth century Flemish art. It marks an important moment in Northern European religious art, skillfully illustrating both the peace and beauty of the Annunciation, as well as the approaching sacrifice of Christ. More broadly, de Vos’ painting marks a significant moment in Dutch history and European religious tradition, capturing on canvas a period of prosperity, burgeoning ideals, and conflict that together would foretell of independence and the Dutch Reformation.
This alphabet sampler, undated, signed just “Mary,” has animal and floral motifs, including a pair of rabbits under three trees flanked by a pair of birds, 23 by 16½ inches
MOUNT KISCO, N.Y. — A hallmark of the monthly Red Carpet auctions at The Benefit Shop Foundation Inc., is the diversity of goods on offer, ranging from Midcentury Modern to antiquities. Buyers, especially Americana aficionados, will be pleased to discover a trove of schoolgirl samplers at the next scheduled auction, on Wednesday, Aug. 14. Bid absentee or live online through LiveAuctioneers.
Schoolgirl samplers were an important part of almost every young girl’s education in America in the 1800s and 1900s, teaching skills in the needle arts that one day would be used to run a household. Most common were alphabet samplers, which contained rows of letters and numbers, with the quality of the stitching indicative of the girl’s sewing prowess.
Many collectors gravitate to highly elaborate pictorial samplers on which buildings, trees, landscapes, animals and people were wrought onto the sampler via silk thread. Samplers also encompassed religious themes, with many girls stitching expressions of piety and virtue, such as The Lord’s Prayer or Bible verses, accompanied by images. All these categories will be well represented in the August auction.
“Samplers are wonderful and highly collected examples of folk art. Once highly prized as proof of a young girl’s mastery of the needle arts, today they are nostalgic, visually striking and graphic and are part of the renewed interest in early women’s history,” said Pam Stone, owner and founder of The Benefit Shop Foundation. “We were thrilled beyond belief to receive a donation of over 100 fine samplers, which we will be offering over several months.” The offering this month is but a small sampling (pun intended) of a large single-owner collection of samplers to be auctioned in the months to come.
Among alphabet samplers is a Pennsylvania Amish sampler wrought by Katie Stoltzfus dated February 1, 1911, 25¾ by 18¼ inches
Among notable alphabet samplers is a fine Pennsylvania Amish sampler wrought by Katie Stoltzfus, dated February 1, 1911, and featuring letters in varying colors and sizes along with a border of floral motifs running across the bottom. It measures about 25¾ by 18¼ inches.
While many samplers in the auction are signed by the girls who wrought them, often with their age and the year in which they were made, many more are unsigned, but that does little to detract from their appeal. An alphabet sampler (shown at top of page), undated and signed only “Mary,” with some illegible letters features alphabet letters along with a plethora of animal and floral motifs, includes a pair of rabbits under three trees and is flanked by a pair of birds.
Encompassing a stitched alphabet as well as pictorial elements is a linen and silk sampler of 18 by 13 inches, inscribed “Wrought by Betsey Ann Kenney, under the tuition of Clarinda Streeter in the year 1824. Preston, Chenango, N. York.”
Another fine example is an early 1800s alphabet sampler, signed “Sarah Short,” who was possibly born circa 1804. Besides colorful alphabet letters, the sampler depicts a pair of birds on pedestals and a bouquet of flowers along with a paper stencil of a side-profile portrait along its bottom border. It measures 8 by 11 inches.
This unsigned pictorial sampler depicting The Last Supper, with Jesus and the Apostles embroidered in multicolored tones, measures 18 by 22¼ inches
An interesting example of religious samplers in this auction is an unsigned pictorial sampler depicting The Last Supper, with Jesus and the Apostles embroidered in multicolored tones, about 18 by 22¼ inches.
Rounding out the group of samplers in this auction is a very colorful and ornate sampler inscribed, “Love wasn’t put in your heart to stay, Love isn’t love til you give it away.” A colorful floral border surrounds a large vase filled with flowers on the sampler, which measures 19½ by 23½ inches.
The monthly Red Carpet sales feature choice collections of antique, Midcentury Modern, brand furnishings, sterling silver, china, crystal, jewelry and fine art. With a mission of “to donate, to discover and to do good,” the foundation is a registered 501(c)3 non-profit and auction proceeds support community organizations. Consignors get a tax deduction, buyers get quality goods — often at a great price — and local non-profits get much-needed funds.
OMAHA, Neb.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Proxibid, the most trusted way to connect buyers and sellers of highly valued items, will provide live online bidding for the Silverstone Auctions Silverstone Classic Sale taking place Saturday, July 27 and Sunday, July 28 in The Wing building at Silverstone Circuit, Northamptonshire, NN12 8TN, U.K. Collectors from across the globe can bid on collector cars and automobilia from the comfort of their home or office via Proxibid. Prebidding for the Silverstone Classic Sale is already available at www.proxibid.com/silverstone.
With 130 classic and modern sports cars as well as automobilia, the Silverstone Classic Sale brings two fabulous days of auctions to collector car fans everywhere. Collector Car aficionados and new collectors alike will find the cars of their dreams when they bid in this auction.
This auction features several left-hand-drive vehicles up for bid and perfect for collectors
Lot 220: 1954 Mercedes-Benz 300SL Gullwing – Delivered to the U.S. in 1954, this left-hand-drive vehicle was imported to the U.K. in 1998. With just 57,000 miles, the gearbox and brakes have been recently overhauled.
Lot 227: 1994 Lancia Delta HF Integrale “Bianco Perlato” – This special edition “Evoluzione 2 Bianco Perlato” is 1 of 365. This left-hand-drive vehicle was imported to the U.K. in 1998. Between September 2014 and June 2016 more than £10,000 was invested in the car.
Lot 245: 1996 Ferrari F355 Spider – This left-hand-drive vehicle with 26,000 miles is finished in Rosso Corsa and Nero with the desirable 6-speed manual gearbox.
Lot 247: 2006 McLaren-Mercedes SLR – With just 16,500 miles, this left-hand-drive vehicle has formed part of our vendor’s private collection since 2016.
Lot 450: 1972 Porsche 911 2.4S – This left-hand-drive vehicle has only 16,604 miles and features a Sepia Brown exterior with black interior.
“The Silverstone Classic Sale features a beautiful lineup of vehicles sure to capture the attention of even the most sophisticated collectors,” said Guy Lees-Milne, General Manager of Silverstone Auctions. “Because we know not every bidder can attend the auction in person, we are proud to partner with Proxibid to provide bidders with a secure online buying experience, from anywhere in the world with an internet connection.”
Online bidders can rest assured their transactions are secure when they bid live on Proxibid. Proxibid offers the industry’s most comprehensive risk management system, designed specifically to manage high dollar transactions like the collector cars and automobilia available in this auction. Proxibid’s robust online bidding platform is powered by enterprise-class technology and infrastructure trusted by the world’s largest auction companies, and boasts a 99.9+ percent uptime, making it the safest place to buy highly valued items.
Charles Loupot, Nicolas, 1933 ($72,000) Poster Auctions International
New York, NY – July 2, 2019 — Poster Auctions International’s second sale of the year finished at $1,300,000 in sales. Auction LXXVIII on June 23 elicited enthusiasm for uncommon and little-known works by masters of Art Deco and Art Nouveau.
Charles Loupot sparked a frenzy of bidding for his never-before-seen designs. “Nicolas,” from 1933, secured the highest bid at auction: $72,000 (all figures include sales premiums). The Art Deco master’s interpretation of Nectar, the wine deliveryman for the Nicolas firm, has appropriately become an advertising icon—but this particular poster is the only known copy of the design with letters. Loupot also stunned poster lovers with two of his earliest and previously unknown lithographs: “Parfums Naturels / Parrot” and “Parfums Naturels / Butterflies,” both from 1916, sold for $3,840 and $5,520, respectively. The artist also caused a stir with the divine “Au Louvre” from 1923; this variant, without letters, was won for $15,600.
Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, May Milton, 1895 ($31,200) Poster Auctions International
This auction included a very notable Art Deco design: Guillermo Laborde’s 1930 “1er Campeonato Mundial Football / Uruguay,” which promoted the first ever FIFA World Cup in Montevideo. The charming design combined with the historical significance of this work made for a very desirable collector’s item. The poster exceeded its estimate of $2,500-$3,000 with a winning bid of $8,400.
Luciano Achille Mauzan inspired further ardor for uncommon works of the 1920s and 1930s. This auction featured two of his never-before-seen posters for French perfume—and his image of a flirtatious lady leaning over a dramatically oversized rose spurred competitive bidding. “Brixia / Crème et Poudre à la Rose,” from ca. 1924, also surpassed its estimate of $7,000-$9,000 for a total of $13,200.
Alphonse Mucha, La Dame aux Camelias, 1896 ($28,800) Poster Auctions International
Similarly, Marcello Dudovich proved his prowess with early 20th century lithographs, especially his large-scale works. His theatrical still life, “Marca Zenit / G. B. Borsalino,” from 1911, was swept away for $14,400; the intoxicating “Cordial Campari,” from 1914, earned a grand $21,600.
Of course, Art Nouveau posters continued to persuade bidders as well. In our bicycle section, William H. Bradley gained notable bids for his 1895 “Victor Bicycles,” which topped out at $9,600. Edward Penfield’s “Orient Cycles,” from ca. 1895, also inspired awe, and was won for $16,800. Other impressive transportation sales include E. Schreiber’s “Mercedes” from 1912 ($22,800), George Picard’s “Salon de l’Automobile” from 1906 ($13,200), and Charles Léonce Brossé’s “Meeting d’Aviation / Nice” from 1910 ($16,800).
As always, Alphonse Mucha’s lush decorative works were in high demand, and in particular, his impressive theatre designs for Sarah Bernhardt were quite coveted. His celestial “La Dame aux Camelias,” from 1896, was won for $28,800, followed closely by his 1899 “Hamlet” which fetched $24,000. And his beloved “Moët & Chandon” from 1899 proved its lasting desirability with a winning bid of $26,400.
The Belle Epoque prevailed with Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, whose iconic 1896 design, “Troupe de Mlle Églantine,” can-canned away to the tune of $31,200. The same amount was pledged to his sensitive 1895 portrait, “May Belfort”—and Belfort’s partner, the English dancer May Milton, transfixed collectors in Toulouse-Lautrec’s 1895 portrayal. This variant of “May Milton” included a banjo-playing clown as a remarque and was signed and numbered from an edition of 25 copies, earning a $48,000 winning bid.
Modern and contemporary posters also had their share of the limelight. A very rare French promotion for “King-Kong,” from 1942, encouraged an $18,000 win. The whimsy of Keith Haring delighted as ever; his 1985 poster, “New York is Book Country,” sold for $1,920, and the infectious energy of his 1984 “Keith Haring at Tony Shafrazi Gallery” earned $1,440.
Poster Auctions International’s next sale will be held in New York on October 27, 2019. Consignments are accepted until August 1, 2019.
Poster Auctions International, 26 W. 17th Street, New York, NY 10011
Medieval art—which includes a wide variety of art and architecture—refers to a period also known as the Middle Ages, which roughly spanned from the fall of the Roman Empire in 476 A.D. to the early stages of the Renaissance in the 14th century. Work produced during this era emerged from the artistic heritage of the Roman Empire and the iconographic style of the early Christian church, fused with the “barbarian” culture of Northern Europe.
What developed over the course of these ten centuries yielded a diverse range of artistic styles and periods, some of which include the early Christian and Byzantine, Anglo-Saxon and Viking, Romanesque, and Gothic. Grand monuments and architectural masterpieces such as the Hagia Sophia in Constantinople, celebrated mosaics in Ravenna, and illuminated manuscripts like the Lindisfarne Gospels all emerged from the medieval period. Because the period produced a high volume of art bearing historical significance, it remains a rich area of study for scholars and collectors, and is viewed as an enormous achievement that later influenced the development of modern genres of Western art.
The history of medieval art is expansive and covers a wide range of centuries and genres. Medieval art was prominent in European regions, the Middle East and North Africa, and some of the most precious examples of art from the Middle Ages can be found in churches, cathedrals, and other religious doctrines. Also prominent was the use of valuable materials such as gold for objects in churches, personal jewelry, backgrounds for mosaics, and applied as gold leaf in manuscripts.
Though the Middle Ages neither begin nor end neatly at any particular date, art historians generally classify medieval art into the following periods: Early Medieval Art, Romanesque Art, and Gothic Art.
Early Medieval Art
Mosaics on the floor of The Torcello Cathedral in Venice, Italy.
Art from this period was created between the fourth century and 1050 A.D. During this time, the Catholic Church and wealthy oligarchs commissioned projects for specific social and religious rituals. Many of the oldest examples of Christian art survive in the Roman catacombs or burial crypts beneath the city. Artists were commissioned for works featuring Biblical tales and classical themes for churches, while interiors were elaborately decorated with Roman mosaics, ornate paintings, and marble incrustations.
A large part of the art created during this time was also related to Byzantine work of the Eastern Mediterranean. It included a variety of media including glass mosaic, wall painting, metalwork, and carved relief in precious materials. Byzantine art was conservative in nature, primarily featuring religious subject matter, and much of it was characterized by a lack of realism. Paintings in particular were flat with little to no shadows or hint of three-dimensionality, and the subjects were typically more serious and somber.
Romanesque art took shape in the eleventh century, initially developing in France then spreading to Spain, England, Flanders, Germany, Italy, and other regions. As the first style to spread across Europe, it symbolized the growing wealth of European cities and the power of church monasteries.
Romanesque buildings were characterized by semi-circular arches, thick stone walls, and durable construction. Sculptures were also prevalent during this time, where stone was used to represent biblical subject matter and church doctrines. Other significant media during this period include stained glass and the continued tradition of illuminated manuscripts.
Late medieval art includes Gothic art, which originated in the 12th century with the rebuilding of the Abbey Church in Saint-Denis, France. Gothic architecture offered revolutionary structural advancements such as ribbed vaults, flying buttresses, and decorative pinnacles all contributing to taller, lighter building designs.
Similarly, Gothic sculpture borrowed motifs from the architecture of the period since it was primarily used to decorate exteriors of cathedrals and other religious buildings. Figures depicted in Gothic sculpture became more realistic and closely related to medieval cathedrals. Paintings also became more lifelike, and with the rise of cities, foundation of universities, increase in trade, and creation of a new class who could afford to commission works, artists started to explore more secular themes and non-religious subject matter.
Famous Examples of Medieval Art
From religious paintings to gospels and exuberant architectural structures, there is much to be collected and studied from the Middle Ages. The subsequent socio-political currents throughout the world during this time led to an evolution of various genres and forms of art. Below are some notable examples.
Hagia Sophia
Hagia Sophia in Istanbul, Turkey.
Built in 537 AD at the beginning of the medieval period under the direction of Byzantine emperor Justinian I, the Hagia Sophia epitomizes Byzantine architecture. Though originally built as a Greek Orthodox Christian cathedral, it was repurposed as a mosque after the Turkish conquest of Constantinople in 1453, and today stands as a museum in Istanbul, Turkey. At the time it was built, it was the world’s tallest building, known for its iconic, massive dome.
The Lindisfarne Gospels is an illuminated manuscript and one of the finest examples of Insular art, which combines Mediterranean, Anglo-Saxon, and Celtic elements. Assumed to have been produced around 715 A.D. by Northumbrian monk Eadfridth, the work consists of the four Christian gospels—Matthew, Luke, Mark, and John. The text is copied from St. Jerome’s Latin translation of the Christian Bible, also known as the Vulgate.
Palatine Chapel
Byzantine mosaics at The Palatine Chapel in Sicily.
The Palatine Chapel was completed in 804 A.D. as the remaining component of Charlemagne’s Palace of Aachen in present-day Germany. Though the palace itself no longer exists, it now acts as the central part of the Aachen Cathedral. The building is a dome chapel, considered an exemplary vision of Carolingian architecture—relating to the Frankish dynasty that ruled in western Europe from 750 to 987—due to its intricately designed core.
Codex Aureus of St. Emmeram
The Adoration of the Lamb from the Codex Aureus of St. Emmeram.
Another notable example of illuminated manuscripts is that of the Codex Aureus of St. Emmeram. It was produced for the Holy Roman Emperor Charles II (the Bald) at his Carolingian Palace School in the 9th century. Richly decorated with gold lettering and highly colorful illustrations, it is one of the few surviving treasured bindings from the period.
Notre-Dame de Paris
Notre-Dame Cathedral prior to the fire in 2019.
Perhaps the most famous of Gothic cathedrals, the Notre-Dame’s construction began in 1160 under the Bishop Marice de Sully and has undergone many changes since. With its use of the ribbed vault and flying buttress, complete with stained glass windows and iconic sculptural elements, the church is vastly different from the Romanesque style that preceded it. It has suffered damage and deterioration in the centuries that have passed since its original construction, most recently in 2019 when a fire broke out during a restoration campaign and destroyed the 19th century spire. Plans and funds to rebuild are already underway.
At the beginning of the Middle Ages, it was very expensive to commission a work of art or architecture, which made it accessible only to large institutions, like the Church, or the wealthiest of patrons. As time went on, however, a considerable number of pieces could be found in small villages. The period as a whole lacked the knowledge and resources necessary to preserve older works, and the Renaissance and Baroque periods that followed did little to help. For these reasons, many works from the era were lost entirely, and much of the surviving work suffers a high rate of wear and tear.
Though the Renaissance period that followed reverted to the values of classical art, the 19th century saw a renewed interest and understanding of medieval art, highlighting its vast achievements in fine art and architecture. This was due in large part to a relatively new academic field of study—art history—which concentrated heavily on medieval art, and worked hard to date surviving works and analyze the development of many of the styles that came out of the era. Now, it is heavily collected by museums and private collectors, and many modern artists are inspired by the anti-realist and expressive elements that formulated from the medieval time period.
Installation view of “Christian Dior: Designer of Dreams,” on view at the V&A, London through September 1, 2019.Estimated Reading Time
As a pioneer of the industry, Christian Dior was one of the first in the fashion business to engineer lucrative license agreements for accessories and cosmetics such as stockings, lipstick, and perfume. These items cemented the designer as a household name across Europe and are on view — along with a plethora of haute couture — in “Christian Dior: Designer of Dreams,” at the Victoria & Albert Museum in London through September 1, 2019.
Spanning eleven rooms in the museum’s Sainsbury Gallery, it is the largest exhibition on the fashion house ever held in the United Kingdom and the biggest fashion exhibition at the V&A since “Alexander McQueen: Savage Beauty” in 2015. After just six weeks on view, “Christian Dior: Designer of Dreams” had been seen by over 120,000 visitors.
Naturally, the popularity of Dior himself is a major factor in the overwhelming success of the show, but the success of the exhibition is by no means an anomaly. In fact, it’s only the latest in a string of wildly successful fashion exhibitions. “The V&A has a history of staging revelatory fashion exhibitions, and there is always a hugely engaged audience for these,” states Tristram Hunt, V&A Director. Indeed, the success of the category at the V&A — and other institutions worldwide — has cemented it as a staple of museum exhibition schedules.
So what’s behind fashion’s growing appeal as fine art? Here, our editors take a look at the recent rise in interest and demand for fashion — both in museum galleries and on the auction block.
Fashion in Museum Exhibitions
Beyond the recent acclaim of the Dior show, there have been many other standout performances by fashion exhibitions at the V&A, including “Frida Kahlo: Making Her Self Up,” the museum’s most popular exhibition in 2018, and “Balenciaga: Shaping Fashion.” In 2015, the museum hosted the London leg of “Alexander McQueen: Savage Beauty,” the first retrospective of the designer’s work presented in Europe. It quickly became the V&A’s most-visited exhibition. Over the course of its 21-week run, it was seen by a staggering 493,043 people.
Similarly, “Alexander McQueen: Savage Beauty” landed on the list of the top ten most visited exhibitions at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. The McQueen show attracted 661,509 visitors in New York, foretelling future curatorial successes from the museum’s Costume Institute. It remained in the museum’s top ten most popular shows until February 2018, when it was surpassed by “Michelangelo: Divine Draftsman and Designer.”
Further demonstrating the public’s thirst for fashion as fine art: Thirty percent of the Met’s top ten most-visited exhibitions are devoted to fashion. They include:
“Manus x Machina: Fashion in an Age of Technology;”
“China: Through the Looking Glass;” and
“Heavenly Bodies: Fashion and the Catholic Imagination.”
There was such demand for “Manus x Machina: Fashion in an Age of Technology” that it was extended for three weeks beyond its initial closing date. It eventually shuttered on September 5, 2016. The exhibition attracted 752,995 visitors during its run.
The year prior, “China: Through the Looking Glass” garnered a total of 815,992 visitors, and remained the most popular Costume Institute show until 2018, when a total of 1,659,647 visitors attended “Heavenly Bodies: Fashion and the Catholic Imagination” during its five-month run in 2018.
Not only did “Heavenly Bodies” surpass the popularity of the Costume Institute’s previous fashion exhibitions, but it also unseated the 1979 tour-de-force “Treasures of Tutankhamun” to become the most-visited exhibition in the Met’s history. The exhibition of relics from the eponymous Egyptian pharaoh attracted 1,360,957 visitors during its four-month run. It also surpassed the success of the Met’s brief display of Leonardo da Vinci’s iconic Mona Lisa in 1963, which was seen by over 1 million visitors in just three and a half weeks. What these numbers truly demonstrate is the ability of fashion exhibitions to compete with some of the world’s most sought-after attractions and biggest household names in art history.
Worldwide Success
The rise in fashion exhibitions extends well beyond New York and London. Other acclaimed fashion exhibitions in the last five years include:
Increasing focus on fashion as fine art is not isolated to institutions. In fact, more fashion and couture has been offered at auction in the past five years than ever. According to data from the Invaluable Price Archive, the number of designer clothing lots offered increased 160% between 2014 and 2018. During the same time period, the total hammer per lot increased by over 240%.
In today’s market, designers like Dior, Elsa Schiaparelli and McQueen are highly sought-after at auction. In December 2018, fashion auction house Kerry Taylor Auctions sold a rare piece of Schiaparelli couture from the Zodiac collection (Autumn-Winter 1938-1939) for £50,000. In the same sale, an Alexander McQueen tartan wool dress from the Widows of Culloden collection (Autumn-Winter 2006-7) sold for £26,000. An identical version of the McQueen dress was featured in “Savage Beauty” at the Met.
In September of 2018, a 1950s Christian Dior haute couture dress sold at auction for €10,660; almost four times its pre-sale estimate.
Supply and Demand
From the runway to gallery walls to the auction floor, the discipline of fashion as a medium of fine art has transcended arenas to contend with art history’s most acclaimed artists and makers. Recent auction results suggest that demand for couture is increasing in the secondary market as institutions accelerate the volume and scale of exhibitions devoted to fashion and textiles.
If the success of “Christian Dior: Designer of Dreams” is any indication, there is no slowing of this trend: all advance tickets to the show were sold out just three weeks after the exhibition opened, prompting the V&A to extend the show’s run by seven weeks. The show is scheduled to close on September 1, 2019.
Pioneering neurosurgeon Wilfred Trotter once exclaimed, “Knowledge comes from noticing resemblances and recurrences in the events that happen around us.” For creatives, his words still ring true. It’s important for artists to build a range of skills—both technical and otherwise—to grow and improve. Street photography is one such area in which success comes from mastering both the technical skill required to operate a camera, as well as soft skills; personal attributes like observation, compassion, and spontaneity.
Learning to observe people, places, and activities in the world can make us better storytellers, communicators, writers, and photographers. It is those traits that allow photographers to capture an emotive image that resonates deeply with audiences. Below, we explore some of the most critical traits of the world’s most successful street photographers, and how these non-technical skills can foster personal and professional growth.
Characteristics of Street Photographers
Photographers often seek to capture an image that resonates with an audience enough to evoke an emotion. According to landscape photographer Ansel Adams, “You don’t make a photograph just with a camera. You bring to the act of photography all the pictures you have seen, the books you have read, the music you have heard, the people you have loved.” Below, explore six critical characteristics.
Observation involves immersing ourselves in listening and looking, taking in sounds, sights, and smells in a careful, unbiased manner. It is a key attribute of any seasoned photographer; the difference between an average photo and one that speaks to an audience in a meaningful way. From nature to urban spaces to people and objects, there are many key takeaways that artists can find by observing surroundings. Taking note of direction of light, softness of shadows, and featured colors can lead to a successful finished product.
One way to practice the art of observation is to imagine your desired composition before you encounter it in real life. Take note of the details around you and develop an awareness of visual elements. The ability to visualize what your finished product—or goal—looks like can help guide you towards success in any endeavor.
The more you experience and find yourself in new situations, the better a street photographer you become. Unlike other artforms that require measured, choreographed techniques, street photography boils down to following your gut and just taking the picture. Whenever you see something that inspires you, whether it be a window, store sign, street corner, or alleyway, capture it without hesitation.
Relying on this intuition and shooting with your heart is often what results in a brilliantly captured image. Hungarian photographer André Kertész once summarized this thought beautifully, saying, “Seeing is not enough; you have to feel what you photograph.”
It’s easy for artists to overthink their work; often obsessing over the framing of a photograph’s composition and how the lighting looks. Putting all your energy into these technical elements can often limit your ability to spontaneously capture a quick, exciting moment.
American street photographer Garry Winogrand was known for capturing raw emotions without overthinking composition. Winogrand didn’t take time tweaking the camera’s settings, nor did he compose his images in advance. Instead, he shot instantaneously and impulsively, capturing subjects before they were ready for the camera. His body of work changed the world’s perception of street photography, and showcased the power of turning off the analytical side of your brain to capture something improvisational in nature—and demonstrating its ability to resonate as deeply as images captured with a carefully constructed composition.
One of the most interesting things about street photography is that there is no written rule about what constitutes a compelling street photograph; some may be dark, others blurry, soft, light, energetic. However, the most important aspect is that whatever the composition and focus may be, it taps into the emotions of the viewer, projecting what lies beneath the surface of the photograph.
One way to do so is to focus on the eyes of the subject, as direct eye contact can create a powerful connection. Another way is to capture the expressions, gestures, and feelings of the subject by shooting them in their natural habitats without predetermined staging. American photographer Alfred Eisenstaedt believed in this principle, stating, “It is more important to click with people than to click the shutter.”
Ultimately, you have to have a passion for your craft. Passion is the fuel that ultimately ignites success, giving you the motivation you need to reach personal and professional goals. Human nature often causes us to quickly lose interest, so it’s important for creatives to continue to feed their passions by engaging in tangential activities. For a street photographer, this may mean sketching, reading poetry, watching a documentary, or looking for inspiration in books.
Many associate street photography solely with portraiture, but there are many ways to capture an emotive scene beyond a sitter’s expression. Often, the best street photographers are those who eliminate all distractions and focus on the small details: a person’s hand, an expression, a piece of clothing, or a street sign. One image can hint at a latent narrative that could easily be overlooked.
Most Chinese art categories are represented including jade carvings, furniture, jewelry and paintings. However, the strength is really with works of art and porcelain, with many of these objects having solid provenances.
One of the highlights of the Stunning Arts Auction is lot 106, an oil painting of a young girl by Xu Yanzhou 徐彥洲 (1961- ). Xu is one of the leading ‘realist’ modernist painters in China, and has extensively showcased his artworks in the international art scene. Implementing a Western-style of painting, he is best known for depicting Chinese rural subject matter including farmers, young children, livestock and villages.
This painting was originally sold in 1993 at the Nancy Poole Gallery in Toronto and was later exhibited at Hong Kong’s Chinese University exhibition ‘Writing the Mind: Paintings by Xu Yanzhou’ in 2008. The current owner is Toronto’s prestigious Cowperthwaite Collection, and the painting has an auction estimate of CAD $15,000-$25,000.
Lot 227, a Chinese huanghuali 黃花梨 box, is another choice work at the Stunning Arts Auction. This box would have been used by scholars to store their valuable documents and it comes from an extremely important Vancouver collector.
It features the grace and simplicity that makes these types of scholar objects extremely desirable, and the entire surface maintains the immaculate graining associated with this rare species of hardwood. The top in particular is cut from a single piece of huanghuali and enhanced by natural ‘ghost face’ burls that are extremely sought after by collectors. This fine box carries an estimate of CAD $15,000-$20,000.
The Stunning Arts sale also features a wide selection of jade carvings of which lot 229 is one of the more interesting examples. Despite its smaller size, this cat group is especially well-carved and has an endearing quality.
Cats can symbolize longevity in Chinese culture, and in this case, the idea of long life is enhanced by the way both the adult cat and kitten are sharing a branch of sacred lingzi 靈芝fungus (the fungus of immortality). With a conservative estimate of CAD $3,000-$4,000, this carving was acquired by Toronto’s Maklaiheung Gallery from Sotheby’s New York back in 2000.
As mentioned earlier, the Stunning Arts sale features a wide selection of Chinese porcelain. One of the highlights is lot 59, a famille rose ‘quails’ jardinière. This jardinière is delicately decorated with two quails amongst florals and rockery. Quails symbolise peace and prosperity in Chinese culture, making this a perfect gift for someone who wants to carry these virtues.
With an estimate of $2,500-$3,500, the jardinière originated from the estate of Sear Hang Hwie Pao (1937-2009), one of Canada’s leading dealers of Chinese porcelain and works of art. His antique store, Pao & Moltke Ltd., was a fixture in Toronto’s trendy Yorkville area from the 1980’s to early 2000’s.
Another interesting piece of porcelain is lot 249, a pair of gilt decorated turquoise glazed planters. Dated to the Daoguang Period (1821-1850), the design and shape of these planters pay homage to Imperial examples of the 18th Century. The lotus blooms and scrolling vines are extremely well-painted in gold, and these types of wares would have adorned the home of a high ranking official or noble.
Lot 252, a blue and white bowl from the Kangxi Period (1662-1722), is another good example of Qing Dynasty porcelain. It comes from the estate of a former Canadian civil servant who was a collector of Chinese antiques mainly during the 1970’s and 80’s.
This bowl features a series of vignettes from the classic Yuan Dynasty Chinese novel ‘Romance of the Western Chamber’ 西廂記. The figures and scenes are painted especially well and this bowl would be of interest to both porcelain collectors and those interested in Chinese literature. This bowl has an auction estimate of CAD $5,000-$7,000.
Although, it’s always best to embrace change, as the colorful leaves of fall so elegantly remind us before gliding to the ground – there is also an undeniable comfort in noticing the things that happen to stay the same. Similar to the glee of knowing how an apple pie will soon be appearing on a kitchen counter or feeling that seasonal nudge to finish the novel that couldn’t compete with summer’s hype – there is an equal surge of anticipation when one returns to a seller in search of sensational antiques.
The salesroom at Pook & Pook was nearly full before the start of their first of two auctions on the weekend of September 14th-15th. Located in Chester County, Pennsylvania, Pook & Pook’s auction gallery stands adjacent to their offices, which are stationed in an old stone inn built in 1761 – a very befitting settlement for an auction house highly regarded for their Americana, International and Decorative Art consignments. Their recent September auctions offered nearly 650 lots, with a heavy lean toward their familiar field of early American furniture. Along with a packed house, our Bidsquare bidders also gathered in large numbers to click and grab the first line of top-tier Americana and Folk Art acorns to touch the auction floor this season at Pook & Pook.
Taking our number one spot that weekend, as well as Pook’s second place honor, was a Southern Hepplewhite mahogancy cellarette with unusual spiral shell inlay at the tops of its legs. “It generated so much interest that every phone was engaged to bid on it,” reports Pook to Antique and The Arts Weekly. Originally estimated at $2,000 – $3,000, Bidsquare took the prize for a competitive total of $18,750. That’s more than eight times its low estimate!
The highest win for a watercolor that weekend also went to Bidsquare for an impressive $12,500 – double its low estimate. This wonderful work on paper is flanked by a vibrant illustration of a gentleman in top hat with a long tailed coat and a woman in a long yellow dress with bonnet; just the right amount of whimsy to be found in the free-spirited, flatness of folk.
Lot 569, Ben Austrian, Oil on canvas of a hen with thirteen feeding chicks, ca. 1919; Sold for $13,750
Out of the eight paintings by Berks County artist, Ben Austrian, lot 569 was the strongest performer. The spritely scene of a mother hen feeding her newly hatched chicks achieved a result of $13,750, playfully pecking above its an estimate of $5,000 – $10,000.
If you’ve ever seen grainy photos of New York City parades with streams of paper floating everywhere, then you know what “ticker tape” is. But do you know anything about the machines that produce it?
The ticker tape machine was invented in 1867 by an engineer with the American Telegraph Co., Edward A. Calahan. His printing telegraph worked to get stock prices disseminated more quickly, and came to be known as a “stock ticker” due to its rhythmic ticking sound, and was quickly adopted by the New York Stock Exchange.
Within a few years, Thomas Edison, who’d spent his early working years as a telegraph operator was working for Gold and Stock Telegraph, a division of Western Union, and which owned the patents to the stock ticker. Using that knowledge, he began working independently on an improved version of the machine. Among his improvements: he developed the system of printing abbreviated company names as alphabetic symbols followed by the stock transaction information on long, narrow continuous-feed strips of paper.
Between 1871 and 1874 The NY Stock Exchange bought nearly 5,000 of Edison’s “Universal Stock Printer” machines, before buying the rights to the machine in order to manufacture them and sell stock quotation services to brokers. Offices up and down Wall Street kept tickers furiously generating tape when the stock market was open. Office workers quickly saw that throwing those long streams of tape out the windows was loads of fun during city celebrations, hence the term “ticker tape parade”. (1)
Fun Fact:5,438 tons of paper were thrown during the 1945 celebration of the end of WW II: the most in parade history. (2)
Want to own a piece of history? Take a look at lot 50 in our February 15th Estate Antiques, Fine & Decorative Arts Auction. Up for auction is an antique Thomas Edison Western Union ticker tape machine, Model 35-A, serial #11858. The machine sits on a cast iron base under a glass dome, and would make a most interesting focal point for any home- or traditional office. Pre-auction estimate: $2,000 – 4,000.
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