Monthly archive
43 headlines
Source-linked reporting
hyperallergic.com
The Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Basil and Elise Goulandris Foundation are named in a lawsuit regarding Vincent van Gogh's 1889 Olive Picking, allegedly looted by the Nazis, with heirs seeking restitution or the painting’s value and damages over $75,000.
kvraudio.com
Virharmonic opened pre-orders for the Prim Cello plugin. The Prim series emphasizes legato and bowing techniques with a virtual performer approach, built on the Virtual Performer tech used in the Bohemian and Instant series. It features solo, second solo, trio and chamber modes and is designed for ease of play with MIDI editing possible.
Christie’s
Christie’s reports on Christie's Hong Kong Chinese Paintings Ni Zan's River Pavilion, Mountain Colours Achieves HK$160M/US$20.7M. Its source account states that hong Kong – On 28 October 2025, Christie's Hong Kong held its Fine Chinese Classical Paintings and Calligraphy auction.
internationalartacquisitions.com
Paris proves its place - International Art Acquisitions reports on Art Basel Paris 2025, noting strong attendance and resilience of the global art market. The piece covers major high-value sales including Gerhard Richter Abstraktes Bild (1987) at $23 million, Amedeo Modigliani Jeune fille aux macarons (1918) near $10 million, Mehretu painting (2007) at $11.5 million, and Georg Baselitz Cowboy (2024) at $4 million, among others.
news.artnet.com
Pablo Picasso’s Buste de femme au chapeau à fleurs (Dora Maar) (1943) sold for €32 million ($37.2 million) at Hôtel Drouot, above its €8 million presale estimate. The work had been unseen in public for eight decades and was previously known only from a Brassaï photograph and a reproductions in Christian Zervos’s catalogue raisonné.
www-s1.npr.org
Picasso portrait of muse Dora Maar, titled Bust of a Woman with a Flowered Hat, was auctioned for 32,012,397 euros (about $37 million) at the Drouot auction house in Paris, including buyer fees. The painting, from Picasso's early Blue Period and part of the Woman in a Hat series, had remained in the family collection since 1944.
Christie’s
Christie’s examines The Prince & Princess Sadruddin Aga Khan collection and its significance for artists, collectors, institutions, or the art market.
malaymail.com
Yves Klein’s blue monochrome California (IKB 71) sold for €18.4 million (RM90 million) at Christie’s in Paris, the highest price ever paid for a Klein painting in France. The work is a four-metre by two-metre blue monochrome and is titled California (IKB 71).
sothebys.com
Amedeo Modigliani’s Elvire en buste sold for €27 million ($31.3 million) at Sotheby’s Paris, setting a new record for a Modigliani painting sold in France. The sale helped anchor a record Paris week totaling €89.7 million across Modernités and Surrealism and Its Legacy, with another Modigliani, Raymond, selling for €10.6 million.
artnews.com
The painting California (IKB 71) by Yves Klein, the largest format he made in International Klein Blue (IKB), sold at Christie’s Paris for €18.4 million ($21.4 million), a new auction record for Klein in France. The work was offered as the cover lot in the Avant-garde(s) including Thinking Italian sale, with a reported estimate of €16 million to €25 million.
Christie’s
Christie’s examines Hockney’s first double portrait comes to auction and its significance for artists, collectors, institutions, or the art market.
Phillips
Phillips details IMPORTANT 20TH-CENTURY FRENCH DESIGN TO LEAD PHILLIPS’ LONDON AUCTION, including the artists, works, estimates, and sale context documented in the release.
theviolinchannel.com
The Violin Channel reports that violinist VC Artist Christian Li has been granted long-term use of the 1699 Crespi Stradivari violin, loaned by its owner Dr David Li AM through Beare’s International Violin Society. The instrument is part of David Li’s collection and Li’s loan is facilitated by J & A Beare’s Society.
Phillips
Phillips details PHILLIPS’ OCTOBER EDITIONS & WORKS ON PAPER SALES TOTAL $6.8 MILLION, including the artists, works, estimates, and sale context documented in the release.
ca.news.yahoo.com
The article discusses Timothy Chooi, a University of Ottawa violin professor, who has use of a 1714 Stradivarius known as the Dolphin, valued up to about 30 million USD. It notes the instrument was crafted by Antonio Stradivari in 1714, its history with Jascha Heifetz, and its acquisition by Nippon Foundation, with recent market comparisons including a 23 million USD sale and a potential value near 30 million CAD.
theartnewspaper.com
Peter Doig’s Ski Jacket (1994) sold for £14.2m at Christie’s, exceeding its £6m-£8m estimate. The evening sale, part of Frieze week, had a total of £106.9m, within expectations and about 30% higher than last year’s comparable sale. The coverage notes a mixed picture with strong performances offset by lower estimates and price corrections in other works.
wincountry.com
Milan Berckmans reports for Reuters that a 300-year-old Stradivari violin valued at about $16 million will be featured at a Brussels concert by Armenian violinist Sergey Khachatryan with the Belgian National Opera, using a instrument made circa 1724 by Antonio Stradivari. The instrument, nicknamed the Kiesewetter, is loaned by a benefactor of the Stretton Society and has been played by notable violinists such as Augustin Hadelich and Maxim Vengerov.
europesays.com
Peter Doig’s Ski Jacket (1994) sold for £14,270,000 ($19,064,720) at Christie’s 20th/21st Century London Evening Sale in London, with Doig’s Country Rock (1998-1999) selling for £9,210,000 ($12,304,560). Other notable results included a work by Domenico Gnoli at £977,000 and René Magritte at £762,990; total evening sale value was £106,925,400 ($142,852,000).
codex.vasari.art
David Zwirner gallery will officially represent Yoshitomo Nara, with a first solo show planned in New York. The deal was brokered through Nara’s international agent Joe Baptista and Equivalence Art Agency; Baptista was formerly at Pace Gallery. Nara’s past representation included Blum Gallery, which closed earlier this year. Pace Gallery’s Marc Glimcher commented on the development. Nara’s auction record is $25 million, and his career includes surveys at OCMA, Guggenheim Bilbao, Hayward Gallery, and LACMA, highlighting his status in the blue-chip market.
artnews.com
Peter Doig’s 1994 painting Ski Jacket sold for £14 million (about $19 million) at Christie’s London, setting a strong tone in the 20th/21st Century Evening Sale which totaled $142.9 million across 61 lots. The sale reflects a significant year-over-year gain and a high sell-through rate of 90 percent by value; Paula Rego’s 1995 Dancing Ostriches triptych also set a new record at £3.4 million ($4.6 million).
codex.vasari.art
Christie’s announces a two-part auction titled Beyond Ordinary – Then. Now. Next. with 106 lots from the Zabludowicz Collection, scheduled for June 2026 in London, including a live auction and an online session with an estimated total of about £15 million. Notable artists include Philip Guston, Damien Hirst and Richard Prince; Guston’s Mirror Head is estimated up to £5.5 million and Hirst’s I Love You is highlighted as a significant work from the period of his Turner Prize win.
news.artnet.com
Peter Doig’s Ski Jacket (1994) sold for £12 million (£14.3 million with fees) at Christie’s London, achieving about $19.2 million including fees. The event, Christie’s 20th/21st Century: London Evening Sale, reported total sales after fees of £106.9 million ($142.8 million) and 55 lots sold from 61 offered, with Doig as the top seller and several notable flops including works by Pablo Picasso and Gerhard Richter.
news.justcollecting.com
Albert Einstein’s 1894 Zunterer violin, nicknamed Lina, sold at Dominic Winter Auctions in Gloucestershire for £860,000 hammer, totaling over £1 million with fees. The instrument was associated with Einstein’s life, given to Max von Laue, then Margarete Hommrich’s descendants put it up for sale; the sale sets a record for an Einstein violin and for a non-Stradivarius instrument not linked to a concert performer.
cambridgeindependent.co.uk
Albert Einstein’s violin, authenticated by Trinity College fellow Dr Paul Wingfield, fetched £860,000 at auction, significantly above the estimate. The instrument, inscribed with the name Lina, was authenticated by Wingfield who helped at the Cirencester sale on 8 October; the violin relates to Wingfield’s musical drama Einstein’s Violin.
press.christies.com
Peter Doig's Ski Jacket led the sale at £14,270,000 / $19,064,720 / €16,381,960 as part of Christie's 20th/21st Century: London Evening Sale which totaled £106,925,400 / $142,852,334 / €122,750,359, 30% higher year on year; Paula Rego, Suzanne Valadon, Annie Morris and Esben Weile Kjær achieved world auction records. The Ole Faarup Collection lots totaled £27,318,500 / $36,497,516 / €31,361,683, and buyers were 56% from EMEA, 28% from Americas, 16% from APAC.
codex.vasari.art
George Condo is represented jointly by Sprüth Magers and Skarstedt, ending his six-year relationship with Hauser & Wirth. Condo has previously shown with Sprüth Magers since 1984 and was represented by Skarstedt from 2004 to 2019; recent market activity includes over $6 million in auction sales and a retrospective at the Musée d’Art Moderne de Paris. Auction records show a peak of $6.8 million and living-artist sales totaling $39.2 million at auction in 2024.
antiquesandthearts.com
The article reports Kodner Galleries’ auction of a rare circa 1737 Antonio Stradivari violin, known as “The McKay,” made in Cremona, Italy. The violin was sold by absentee bid for $2,750,000 including buyer’s premium.
Christie’s
Christie’s examines A guide to the Pop-influenced Japanese artist Yoshitomo Nara and its significance for artists, collectors, institutions, or the art market.
classicfm.com
Albert Einstein’s first violin, known as Lina, sold for £860,000 at Dominic Winter Auctioneers in Cirencester after being hidden from the Nazis. The instrument, a 1894 Anton Zunterer violin, was associated with Einstein before he fled Germany; prior ownership traces through Max von Laue and Margarete Hommrich before auction.
artwalkway.com
An 1894 German violin by Anton Zunterer of Munich, known as the Lina, sold for £860,000 at Dominic Winter Auctioneers in Gloucestershire, with total purchase price exceeding £1 million including buyer’s commission. The instrument was owned and played by Albert Einstein, who gifted it to Max von Laue in 1932 before later passing through Margarete Hommrich’s family.
The Art Newspaper
Frieze will take over Abu Dhabi Art and launch its first Middle East fair in November 2026 through a partnership with the Abu Dhabi Department of Culture and Tourism. The expansion gives Frieze eight fairs and places it in direct regional competition with Art Basel's planned Doha edition.
The Art Newspaper
Sotheby's will offer Jean-Michel Basquiat's 1981 Crowns (Peso Neto), made in Annina Nosei's gallery basement and included in his first solo show. The work has never appeared at auction and carries a $35 million to $40 million estimate.
Phillips
Phillips details PHILLIPS’ OCTOBER PHOTOGRAPHS AUCTIONS TOTAL $8.5 MILLION, including the artists, works, estimates, and sale context documented in the release.
timescolonist.com
The Nippon Music Foundation loaned Victoria-born Timothy Chooi the 1714 Dolphin Stradivarius, valued at about US$6 million, with speculation it could exceed US$10 million at auction. Chooi is an Ottawa-based, Victoria-raised musician, and the instrument is among the world’s most valuable violins.
Phillips
Phillips details PHILLIPS REVEALS HIGHLIGHTS FROM OCTOBER EDITIONS & WORKS ON PAPER AUCTIONS, including the artists, works, estimates, and sale context documented in the release.
trin.cam.ac.uk
The 1894 violin once owned by Albert Einstein, authenticated by Trinity Fellow Dr Paul Wingfield, sold for £860,000 at auction. The instrument, inscribed with the name Lina, had been tied to Einstein through Wingfield’s work on Einstein’s Violin, a musical drama inspired by the scientist’s life as a violinist.
press.christies.com
Henri Matisse: Lines of Connection, an online sale of works on paper from The Pierre and Tana Matisse Foundation, concluded the morning of October 8, 2025 realizing more than $2.5 million with proceeds benefiting charities across New York. The top lot was Deux têtes, which realized $304,800, followed by Nu au chapeau (La robe jaune) at $127,000, Autoportrait at $107,950, and Les Glaïeuls at $95,250. Other notable results included Etude de branche at $24,130, Etude d'ornements pour les Lettres Portugaises at $27,940, and Les trois modeles at $57,150.
cam.ac.uk
Albert Einstein’s violin has been identified by Dr Paul Wingfield, composer of a musical drama about Einstein’s life as a violinist. The instrument, an 1894 German violin, is expected to be auctioned by Dominic Winter Auctioneers in Cirencester on 8 October 2025.
The Art Newspaper
Pablo Picasso's Buste de Femme hammered at HK$196.75 million, setting an Asia record for the artist. The result led a Christie's Hong Kong evening sale that made $72.6 million, down 46 percent from the comparable auction a year earlier.
The Art Newspaper
Almine Rech closed its Mayfair gallery and placed the UK company into voluntary liquidation. Companies House filings put the branch's deficit at £6.3 million, although £6 million relates to intercompany and shareholder loans.
noorroyalgallery.com
The article discusses Hong Kong autumn sales across Christie’s, Phillips, and Sotheby’s, highlighting blue-chip strength from artists such as Pablo Picasso, Yayoi Kusama, Yoshitomo Nara, and Marc Chagall, and slower demand for ultra-contemporary works. It provides auction results including Christie’s Salvo piece, Picasso and Zeng Fanzhi figures, Phillips' sale totals, and notable results like Yoshitomo Nara – Pinky and Javer Calleja’s underperforming lots.
antiquesandartireland.com
Peter Doig’s Ski Jacket (1994) sold for €16,381,960 at Christie’s London evening sale, achieving the highest Frieze Week total in London in seven years. Notable records include Paula Rego, Suzanne Valadon, Annie Morris and Esben Weile Kjær, with works by Peter Doig, Lucian Freud, Gerhard Richter, and Cezanne also selling for multi‑million amounts.
thevermilion.com
The article discusses an exhibition at Palazzo Madama – Civic Museum of Ancient Art of Turin marking the 270th anniversary of Count Ignazio Alessandro Cozio di Salabue, born in Casale Monferrato on March 14, 1755. Curated by Giovanni Accornero and Duane Rosengard, the show is organized with the Association Il Salabue and aims to illuminate Cozio as a pivotal Piedmontese figure in the history of violin making and luthier knowledge.