George Stubbs (1724-1806), Tygers at Play
oil on canvas, 101.5 by 127cm; 40 by 50 in.
(est. £4-6 million)
Sandro Botticelli (1445-1510)
Study for a seated St. Joseph, his head resting on his right hand
129 by 124 mm
(est. £1-1.5 million)
Stubbs’ ‘Tygers at Play’, Botticelli drawing at Sotheby’s Sotheby’s London sales of Old Master and British paintings and drawings on 9 July 2014 will include ‘Tygers at Play’, one of George Stubbs’ most celebrated works, and the only Botticelli drawing to appear on the market in 100 years.]]>
May 30th, 2014, source: Sotheby’s
George Stubbs’ big cat painting
Painted circa 1770-75, ‘Tygers at Play’ ranks among George Stubbs’ most popular subjects, reproduced in numerous prints. The painting itself, however, has rarely been seen in public, having been exhibited only four times since its original appearance at the Royal Academy of Arts in London. Testament to the artist’s exceptional eye for capturing the animal form, this admirably preserved work boasts impeccable provenance, having been sold only once since it was commissioned from the English painter. It remained in the possession of a single family until 1962, when it was acquired by the present owners. Coming from a distinguished British aristocratic collection, ‘Tygers at Play’ will be offered with an estimate of £4-6 million.
Renaissance and Baroque masterworks from the Barbara Piasecka Johnson Estate
Over the course of 30 years, Barbara Piasecka Johnson (1937-2013) – art connoisseur, philanthropist and wife of the late John Seward Johnson, heir to the Johnson and Johnson medical and pharmaceutical firm – assembled one of the most remarkable collections of Old Master paintings, drawings and works of art in recent times. On 9 July 2014, Sotheby’s London Evening sale of Old Master and British Paintings will present a group of nine Renaissance and Baroque masterworks from her Estate, led by three remarkably rare Florentine drawings.
An undeniable highlight of this group is the only drawing by Sandro Botticelli (1445-1510) in private hands. Dating fromthe end of the Quattrocento, “Study for a Seated St. Joseph,his head resting on his right hand” is also the only sheet by thegreat Renaissance Master to have come to auction since the19th century and the only drawing which can be clearly linkedwith one of Botticelli’s painted compositions.(est. £1-1.5 million)
Many works in the Barbara Piasecka Johnson collection explored the profound significance of the spiritual aspects of the greatest works of art. This is emphatically demonstrated in the monumental “Sacrifice of Isaac” by Bartolomeo Cavarozzi (1587-1625), one of the most accomplished followers of Caravaggio. Rivalling Caravaggio’s commitment to realism and use of dramatic contrasts of light and shade, the painting depicts a crucial episode in the Old and New Testaments, in which the Angel of God stops Abraham from sacrificing his only son, Isaac (est. £3-5 million)
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El Greco and Canaletto lead old masters auctions in London (news, July 2013)
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