The National Portrait Gallery in London is facing scrutiny for putting on an exhibition centered on the photographic work of a donor whose family contributed £40 million (approx. $50 million) to a recent large-scale renovation that ended in 2023. The exhibition is centered on the photography of Zoë Law, who had donated to the institution through a family foundation in the past. The show, titled “Legends,” features close to a hundred black-and-white portraits of prominent figures in art, fashion, and pop culture, including an image of British musicians Noel Gallagher and Princess Julia, both of which the museum acquired to…
Author: ANGadmin
A Russian military officer and three Russian-appointed officials from occupied Crimea illegally removed more than 33,000 historical artifacts and artworks from two museums in the Ukrainian city Kherson in the fall of 2022, the Kyiv Independent reported Thursday, calling it the largest museum theft in Europe since World War II. The looting was carried out while Russian forces were fleeing a Ukrainian counteroffensive. A journalist working for the Kyiv Independent posed as a Russian television producer and investigator to identify local collaborators who helped Russian troops with the looting. Through the investigation, it was discovered that Russian officer and head of…
For the first time in the Louvre’s 232-year history, the museum is staging an exhibition dedicated entirely to fashion. Titled “Louvre Couture,” the exhibition—which opens today and runs through July 21st—brings together nearly 100 silhouettes and accessories from 45 fashion houses and designers. The show represents a bid to usher the museum into the modern era and invite a younger and broader audience to discover its wonders. For “Louvre Couture,” the museum worked closely with fashion houses and other institutions, such as the foundations for Saint Laurent and Alaïa. Curated by Olivier Gabet, the museum’s director of the department of…
Suits had a very respectable nine season run on the USA Network all through the 2010s. Then a funny thing happened. A few years ago, long after the series’ conclusion, old episodes of the legal drama suddenly got very popular on streaming. Encouraged by Suits’ online fandom, Universal decided to produce a spinoff from franchise creator Aaron Korsh, with Suits star Gabriel Macht supposedly returning in some sort of recurring role.In the trailer for the new series, at least, Macht’s only seen in a photograph, establishing that his Harvey Specter used to be buddies with Stephen Amell’s Ted Black, the spinoff’s central character. Where the original Suits took place in New York, Suits LA takes…
Have you ever looked at the sheer number of Sherlock Holmes television adaptations? The number is truly staggering, but when you consider the enduring popularity of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s canon, it’s not exactly surprising. The Holmes stories have been in the public domain as of January 1, 2023, but television studios have been churning them out for decades before that.So, what makes Sherlock Holmes so TV-friendly, given that he and his adventures were conceived before TV was even invented? It’s simple enough: Doyle’s stories follow a formula that works for television—short mysteries in single acts, able to be condensed…
Touching on the topic of Victorian revival—basically, jewelry that has a Victorian look but was made well after the Victorian era—I shared some thoughts on garnets in fine and faux jewelry in another Worthpoint feature. Bohemian garnets were mined and hand-cut in an area of what is now the Czech Republic. Imitations of those Victorian gems were later produced using garnet-colored glass, making that a great place to start when learning about Victorian revival styles. Florenza is a personal favorite when it comes to costume jewelry of this type made during the 1950s and ‘60s. There are many other Victorian…
Sotheby’s has confirmed that it will accept cryptocurrency payments for its auction in Saudi Arabia next month. The two-day sale, entitled “Origins” will be the first-ever international commercial auction to take place in the Kingdom. It is set to feature 119 lots by a number of Western and Arab artists including René Magritte and Louay Kayali, as well as luxury items and sports memorabilia, including a Michael Jordan jersey.In a statement, the auction house confirmed to Artsy that it will accept cryptocurrency payments across the “entirety of the sale” through a “payment processor” that supports several cryptocurrencies including Bitcoin and…
I will be writing blogs again, but only occasionally. What can I tell you about the Tiffany Studios lamp market that you don’t already know? It’s booming! Following are a few results from various auctions over the last few months. Fontaine’s, Pittsfield, MA, held a Fine & Decorative Arts auction on September 28, 2024. The sale was a fabulous success, grossing approximately $6.5 million, including buyer’s premium. You can click the various links to see the complete sale results. Tiffany 22″ diameter Nasturtium table lamp, Fontaine’s lot #45 Lot #45 was a beautiful 22″ diameter Nasturtium table lamp. The shade…
Jo Baer, a groundbreaking artist who pushed the boundaries of painting throughout her six-decade career, died on January 21st at the age of 95. Her death was announced by her representing gallery, Pace.In the 1960s and 1970s, Baer was a crucial voice in New York’s Minimalist art scene. Her groundbreaking hard-edge paintings were included in many landmark exhibitions of the time. In particular, her work was included in “Systemic Painting” at the Guggenheim Museum in 1966, a significant survey of painters in the burgeoning Geometric Abstraction movement. “Jo Baer was a visionary painter who made a name for herself in…
Today’s Jewelry Collection Story comes from Kim of @estatejewelrymama – I remember the first time I came across Kim’s Instagram page. She had a date ring in one of her photos and at the time, I collected date rings. Not too many people offered them or even cared about them, but Kim had one in her personal collection! It was an instant follow for and have been following ever since (it has been probably ten years strong). I’m excited to share her personal collection story with you all: “I have been collecting jewelry since I was 5 years old. I…
