Remembering German artist Georg Baselitz: 1938-2026 | Christie's
Christie’s
Christie’s examines Remembering German artist Georg Baselitz: 1938-2026 and its significance for artists, collectors, institutions, or the art market.
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April 2026 Market Intelligence
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48 headlines14 artists having major museum moments in 2026 | Christie’s
Christie’s
Christie’s examines 14 artists having major museum moments in 2026 and its significance for artists, collectors, institutions, or the art market.
German painter Georg Baselitz dies at 88
The Art Newspaper
Georg Baselitz, the German painter and sculptor known for turning his figurative subjects upside down, died on April 30 at the age of 88. He was described as one of the most consequential German painters of the post-war era.
Cellist Robert Cohen traded the ‘Bonjour’ Strad for his musical soulmate, ‘The Ex-Roser’ Tecchler
stringsmagazine.com
The article discusses cellist Robert Cohen, who originally owned and played the 1692 ‘Bonjour’ Stradivari cello and later acquired the 300-year-old ‘ex-Roser’ Tecchler. It covers Cohen’s background, career, and the significance of the transition from the Stradivari to the Tecchler, including details about how and when he purchased the Tecchler at Sotheby’s in London in November 1991.
Masterpieces from the Private Collection of S.I. Newhouse | Christie’s
Christie’s
Christie’s examines Masterpieces from the Private Collection of S.I. Newhouse and its significance for artists, collectors, institutions, or the art market.
New Jersey father and daughter admit selling more than 200 forged artworks
Fortune
Erwin Bankowski, 50, and Karolina Bankowska, 26, pleaded guilty in federal court to a scheme that defrauded New York auction houses and galleries of at least 2 million dollars by selling more than 200 counterfeit works. Prosecutors said the forgeries, made in Poland, were falsely attributed to artists including Banksy, Andy Warhol, Andrew Wyeth, Richard Mayhew, Raimonds Staprans, and Fritz Scholder.
Berlin Phil principal plays world’s most expensive viola
slippedisc.com
Norman Lebrecht reports that a rare Antonio Stradivarius viola, one of only ten made, has been placed on loan with Amihai Grosz, principal viola of the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra. The instrument, dated around 1719 and nicknamed the ‘Macdonald’ viola, was sold in a private deal through the Stretton Society; the price was not disclosed but is said to be well above the £23 million record paid for last year’s 1715 ‘Baron Knoop’ Stradivarius violin.
A c.1719 Macdonald Stradivari viola sells privately for a reported record above 23 million dollars
The Strad
The Strad reported that the c.1719 Macdonald viola by Antonio Stradivari was bought in a private sale by the Berlin-based non-profit Stretton Society, at what it described as the highest price ever paid for a stringed instrument, exceeding the 23 million dollars paid for the 1715 Baron Knoop Stradivari violin in 2025. The sale was completed in late 2025 and the exact figure was not disclosed.
Corde da un milione di dollari: i violini di Antonio Stradivari
barnebys.it
Barnebys Magazine discusses Antonio Stradivari, renowned luthier responsible for over 1,000 violins and string instruments now held by major institutions and sold at auctions for millions. The article notes Stradivari’s origin in Cremona and his era of craftsmanship, highlighting the 1719 Stradivarius viola Macdonald and historical context.
Manhattan jury awards 102 million dollars over unauthorized Robert Indiana works
Artlyst
A Manhattan federal jury awarded more than 102 million dollars in damages to the Morgan Art Foundation, Robert Indiana's former business partner, on April 23. The jury found publisher Michael McKenzie liable for making and selling unauthorized works based on Robert Indiana's iconic LOVE motif, in a case that may end a long running dispute over the late Pop artist's legacy.
Stradivari didn’t antique his instruments. Why is the practice so common in the violin‑making world today?
stringsmagazine.com
The article discusses the antiqueing practice in violin making, citing examples and quotes from makers like Joseph Curtin and David Burgess. It explains that antiquing simulates age and wear to create a visual effect, which can influence perceptions of value, with some viewing it as a compromise between new and old instruments.
Rare Stradivarius violin linked to Nazi theft found in France
anews25.com
The Joachim-Ma Stradivarius, a 1714 Stradivari violin once owned by Joseph Joachim, is reported found in France after being looted by the Nazis. The instrument is valued at about $10 million and its recovery raises restitution questions.
Rare violin in France may trace back to Nazi wartime theft
dailysabah.com
Agence France-Presse reports a 1714 Stradivarius violin displayed in Boston may have been stolen by the Nazis from a Warsaw museum in 1944 and later linked to a possible Lauterbach/Lautenschlager instrument; the investigation centers on its provenance through Colmar, France and prior owners, with scientists and luthiers weighing its authenticity.
Sotheby's Unveils The Saul and Ellyn Dennison Collection, coming to New York this May | Press Release
Sotheby’s
Sotheby’s reports on Sotheby's Unveils The Saul and Ellyn Dennison Collection, coming to New York this May | Press Release. Its source account states that sotheby's Unveils The Saul and Ellyn Dennison Collection, coming to New York this May | Press Release | Sotheby’s.
Suspected Nazi looted Stradivarius reappears in France, says expert
france24.com
The article discusses a suspected Nazi-looted Stradivarius violin, possibly the Lauterbach, with expert Pascale Bernheim evaluating its origin. It mentions violins by luthiers Nicolo Amati, Antonio Guarneri, and Antonio Stradivari, a 1719 Stradivarius, and prior ownership by Henryk Grohman; Le Parisien and Les Dernieres nouvelles d'Alsace are cited. The violin was last seen in France in the early 1990s and may have been stolen from a Warsaw museum in 1944.
Explore the new David Geffen Galleries at LACMA | Christie's
Christie’s
Christie’s examines Explore the new David Geffen Galleries at LACMA and its significance for artists, collectors, institutions, or the art market.
Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center honors luthier Samuel Zygmuntowicz
theviolinchannel.com
The Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center will honor luthier Samuel Zygmuntowicz at its 2026 Spring Gala on May 19, 2026 at Alice Tully Hall. The event features CMS artists performing on instruments made by Zygmuntowicz, with participants including Wu Han, Orion Weiss, James Thompson, Chad Hoopes, Bella Hristova, Richard Lin, Matthew Lipman, and David Finckel who owns two of Zygmuntowicz’s cellos.
Claude Lalanne mirror ensemble sets a design auction record at Sotheby's
Artforum
A unique ensemble of fifteen custom mirrors made by Claude Lalanne for Yves Saint Laurent and Pierre Berge's Salon de Musique between 1974 and 1985 sold at Sotheby's for 33.5 million dollars, setting a new auction record for the artist. The bronze and copper mirrors were reported as the most valuable design work to sell at auction.
Marian Goodman’s personal collection of Gerhard Richters | Christie’s
Christie’s
Christie’s examines Marian Goodman’s personal collection of Gerhard Richters and its significance for artists, collectors, institutions, or the art market.
Claude Lalanne apple sculpture sets a record at Christie's Paris spring sales
HENI News
Christie's held five sales in Paris on April 15 to 16 that totalled 92.3 million dollars. Claude Lalanne's La Pomme de New York sold for 7.1 million dollars with fees and set an auction record for the artist, while a Paul Cezanne portrait of Madame Cezanne made 4.66 million dollars and a 1890 Vincent van Gogh sketch fetched 1.43 million dollars.
Miracle on stage: how a 1.3 million violin survived a conductor’s mishap
en.tenbizt.com
Elina Vähälä, the soloist, witnessed a priceless 1780 Guadagnini violin survive a mishap during a performance conducted by Matthew Halls at Lahti Concert Hall, with the instrument valued at about £1 million (≈$1.5 million). The violin was repaired by a Helsinki luthier without affecting its value.
Many torn between blaming conductor or soloist after antique violin valued in millions is destroyed on stage
boredpanda.com
The article discusses a moment when British conductor Matthew Halls struck a priceless 18th‑century violin by Giovanni Battista Guadagnini owned by soloist Elina Vähälä, causing it to fall. The instrument is described as being worth millions and the piece notes public debate over who is at fault and the violin’s condition after the incident.
A 1719 Stradivarius stolen from a Warsaw museum in 1939 is identified in a French museum
Slippedisc
Pascale Bernheim, founder of the Music and Despoilation group, identified a violin played at the Unterlinden Museum in Colmar, France, as a 1719 Stradivarius stolen from a Warsaw museum in 1939, part of the collection of Polish industrialist Henryk Grohman. The instrument was performed on in Colmar by violinist Emmanuel Coppey, and investigations into its wartime loss are proceeding. No sale price is stated.
Violin Society of America issues missing notice for 1920 Alfredo Contino violin and c 1790 François Xavier Tourte bow
news-usa.today
The Violin Society of America issued a missing notice on April 21, 2026, for a 1920 Alfredo Contino violin and a circa 1790 François Xavier Tourte bow reported stolen from an Albany, Georgia residence in July 2020. The story notes the broader impact on the preservation of irreplaceable stringed instruments and the efforts to recover them, highlighting the Contino violin as part of the Naples school lineage and Tourte’s bow as a foundational innovation in bow making.
Two rediscovered Monet landscapes lead Sotheby's Paris spring sale
HENI News
Sotheby's reported that its Paris sales totalled 54.4 million dollars, more than a third of it from two long-unseen Claude Monet landscapes. Vetheuil, effet du matin (1901) sold for 12.01 million dollars and Les Iles de Port-Villez (1883) fetched 7.6 million dollars, both with fees, leading the evening sale on April 16.
A Monet painting sold for $12 million at auction in Paris
robbreport.com
The Monet work Vétheuil, effet du matin, painted in 1901, sold for $12.1 million (10.2 million euros) at Sotheby’s in Paris, setting a new record for Monet sold at auction in France. The sale also included Les Îles de Port-Villez, which hammered down for $7.6 million (6.5 million euros) after a lengthy bidding battle.
Guadagnini violin of soloist Elina Vahala survives being knocked flying during a Bruch concerto
Slippedisc
Slippedisc reports that violinist Elina Vahala's Giovanni Battista Guadagnini violin flew from her hands during a performance of the Bruch violin concerto with Sinfonia Lahti under conductor Matthew Halls, when Halls' gesture struck the instrument after the final chord of a section. The violin flipped in the air before Vahala blocked its impact with her foot and it sustained only a reopened seam that was reglued, with no cracks. Slippedisc gives no value; a corroborating The Strad report identifies it as a 1780 Guadagnini valued at about 1 million pounds.
Banksy Picasso screenprint leads Phillips London modern and contemporary sale
HENI News
Phillips held its Modern and Contemporary Art auction in London on April 16, with the sale totalling 4.46 million dollars (3.29 million pounds), meeting the pre-sale estimate. A Banksy work titled Picasso (2009) took the top price at 349,800 dollars, and sculptures by Banksy and Antony Gormley were among the lots that sold above their low estimate.
Phillips Reveals Early Highlights from the May Modern & Contemporary Art Marquee Sales
Phillips
Christie’s examines PHILLIPS REVEALS EARLY HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE MAY MODERN & CONTEMPORARY ART MARQUEE SALES and its significance for artists, collectors, institutions, or the art market.
New Modigliani catalogue authenticates 100 oils and removes 15 works
The Art Newspaper
Marc Restellini published a six-volume catalogue raisonné of Amedeo Modigliani's oil paintings after nearly 30 years of research. The project authenticates 100 additional works, removes 15 for insufficient evidence or lack of access, and lists 421 oils plus three addenda.
London Philharmonic musician, 79, recovers violin left on train
bbc.co.uk
Joseph Maher, a 79-year-old violinist with the London Philharmonic Orchestra, is reunited with his missing 20th century violin after it was left on a Thameslink train. The instrument, which includes two bows, one of which dates from his youth, was located by a staff member in Brighton and returned to him. Maher estimated a replacement violin would cost about £15,000.
Nazi-looted Jewish art returns decades later as families seek justice and lost history
ynetnews.com
Tamar Sebok/Paris reports on France leading efforts to trace and return stolen works from Holocaust-era looting, with some pieces recovered only in recent years. The article discusses complex restitution cases, missing records, disputed ownership, and long legal battles over losses.
The Great Unseen Collection Opens at Zwirner Gallery
artchainnews.com
The article discusses David Zwirner gallery opening The Great Unseen Collection, featuring works from Joel and Carole Bernstein’s private holdings, in Chelsea with pieces available for purchase. It notes the Bernstein collection’s quiet provenance and the sale-friendly presentation, contrasted with Christie’s and Sotheby’s May auction cycle. It also cites market data from 2025, including Gerhard Richter prices and the Art Basel and UBS Global Art Market Report, to contextualize the collection’s entry into the primary market.
Stefan and Alexander Hersh: father and son duo to perform Saint-Saëns at Symphony Parnassus Spring Concert 2026
symphonyparnassus.org
Stefan Hersh and Alexander Hersh, a father and son, are the soloists for Symphony Parnassus's Spring Concert on April 19, performing Saint-Saëns's La muse et le poète for violin, cello, and orchestra.
Liu Wei leads Poly Auction Hong Kong spring modern and contemporary sale
The Value
Poly Auction Hong Kong held its modern and contemporary art sale on 6 April, where 46 of 69 lots sold for a total of about HK$76.4 million (around US$9.8 million). Liu Wei's You Like Pork? led at HK$27.6 million (US$3.5 million), while Zao Wou-Ki's 15.07.67 sold for HK$12 million and Wu Dayu's Rhymes of Beijing Opera made HK$11.16 million.
Sotheby’s Hong Kong posts third straight gain
heni.com
Joan Mitchell, La Grande Vallée VII (1983) sold for $16.5m with fees at Sotheby’s Hong Kong, leading its evening sale on March 29 and setting a new auction record for a female artist in Asia. Kim Lim, Relief Sculpture (1995) sold for $229,000 with fees, establishing a new auction record for the artist. Sotheby’s Hong Kong’s modern and contemporary auctions in late March totaled about $89m with a B- performance on the HENI Auction Index.
How Irving Penn ‘changed the way people saw the world’ | Christie's
Christie’s
Christie’s examines How Irving Penn ‘changed the way people saw the world’ and its significance for artists, collectors, institutions, or the art market.
$25 million Modigliani goes to Jewish heir in landmark restitution case
news.artnet.com
A judge ruled that collector and dealer David Nahmad must return Amedeo Modigliani's Seated Man With a Cane (1918) to the heirs of Oscar Stettiner. Stettiner’s grandson, Philippe Maestracci, has pursued restitution for 17 years after the Nazi occupation forced Stettiner to flee Paris in 1939. The painting was valued at as much as $25 million and is currently owned by David Nahmad.
Phillips Announces Highlights from Spring Editions & Works on Paper Auctions
Phillips
Phillips details PHILLIPS ANNOUNCES HIGHLIGHTS FROM SPRING EDITIONS & WORKS ON PAPER AUCTIONS, including the artists, works, estimates, and sale context documented in the release.
Art Institute of Chicago receives its first Norman Rockwell painting
The Art Newspaper
The Art Institute of Chicago acquired The Dugout, its first painting by Norman Rockwell, as a gift from Bruce and Diana Rauner. The 1948 oil is Rockwell's largest and most elaborate study for one of his Saturday Evening Post covers.
New York court orders restitution of a Modigliani portrait to the heirs of a Jewish dealer, ending an 11 year fight
Shook, Hardy & Bacon Art Law Bulletin
A New York State Supreme Court ordered the restitution of Amedeo Modigliani's Seated Man with a Cane (1918) to the heirs of Oscar Stettiner, a Jewish art dealer who fled Paris in 1939, ending an 11 year court battle. The court found the work was unlawfully seized during the Nazi occupation and later sold without Stettiner's consent, and that the painting had been purchased at auction in 1996 by International Art Center, a holding company associated with dealer David Nahmad, on provenance the court characterized as flawed. No sale amount was stated.
2026 National Schadt String Competition for Violin winners chosen
lvpnews.com
Keila Wakao won first prize, Yebin Yoo won second prize, Juyeon Diana Lee won third prize and the audience prize. The event was the 26th National Schadt String Competition for Violin, held March 8 at Miller Symphony Hall in Allentown, hosted by the Allentown Symphony Association.
Joan Mitchell’s monumental diptych sets new auction record in Asia
sothebys.com
Joan Mitchell’s La Grande Vallée VII sold for HK$129 million (US$17 million) at Sotheby’s Hong Kong, setting an Asian auction record for the artist. The work, a large-scale piece from a series of 21 executed in 1983–84, is described as a summit of Mitchell’s late career with noted psychological complexity and painterly confidence.
After 11 years in court, heir reclaims a Modigliani looted by the Nazis
codex.vasari.art
A French court ordered the restitution of the 1918 Modigliani painting Seated Man with a Cane to the heir of its original Jewish owner. The work, looted by the Nazis in 1944 and later held by a holding company controlled by art dealer David Nahmad until it was auctioned in 1996, marks an 11-year legal battle and a victory for Holocaust restitution efforts.
Hong Kong auction houses signal market resilience with 164.9 million in marquee sales
artchainnews.com
Christie’s, Sotheby’s and Phillips in Hong Kong combined to $164.9 million in modern and contemporary evening sales, up 18 percent from 2025. Christie’s led with HK$655.7 million (about $83.8 million) in its 20th/21st Century Evening Sale, Sotheby’s followed with HK$548.4 million ($70.3 million), and Phillips contributed HK$88.5 million ($11.3 million). The results are framed as a sign of resilience and cautious optimism for the regional art market amid global uncertainties.
Madour charged: £150k violin stolen from Marquess Tavern in north London
northlondonnews.co.uk
Ahmed Sami Madour, 46, of no fixed address from Leytonstone, is charged with two counts of theft over the £150,000 antique Florence violin stolen from musician David Ibanez at the Marquess Tavern in Canonbury Street, Islington, on February 18, 2025. Madour was charged by the Metropolitan Police on January 19, 2026, appeared at Snaresbrook Crown Court, and his trial is scheduled for May 10, 2027; he has entered not guilty pleas and been released on unconditional bail.
Japan’s Munetsugu Angel Violin Competition names 2026 winners
theviolinchannel.com
Lee Jenny Hyeon-jeong won first prize of ¥2,000,000 (approx. $13,200 USD) at the 10th Munetsugu Angel Violin Competition in Munetsugu Hall, Japan. Second prize went to Choi Joo-ha and third prize to Im Hae-won, with additional prizes for Zou Meng and Qian Zhiyuan; top prize winners also receive instrument loans. The jury included Koichiro Harada, Salt Chaoyang Lin, Kimiko Nakazawa, Machie Oguri, and Sungsic Yang, chaired by Pierre Amoyal and Kazuki Sawa.
Anime Arrives at Christie's Innovative Sale Totals: $1,442,466
Christie’s
Christie’s reports on Anime Arrives at Christie's Innovative Sale Totals: $1,442,466. Its source account states that nEW YORK- The first Christie's auction focused on the popular Japanese art forms of anime, manga, and movie posters made a big statement today, soaring 407 percent times its low estimate, with 90 percent of the lots sold.