The Musee Matisse

Located in le Cateau-Cambrésis, the Musée Matisse houses the third largest collection of Henri Matisse’s work in France. Matisse was born and raised in le Cateau- Cambrésis, and it was here that he first began to explore his artistic potential.  While we often associate Matisse’s bold use of color and light with the warmth of southern France, he grew up painting scenes from his daily life in northern France.

The Musee Matisse

The Musée Matisse features works by Matisse and other artists associated with Matisse, relaying an all-encompassing impression of Matisse’s life and work. The museum’s collection began with 82 works donated by Matisse to the citizens of le Cateau-Cambrésis in 1952. Today, the collection has grown to include the personal collection of local artist Auguste Herbin, who created abstract and geometric art, and the collection of Alice Tériade, widow of Matisse’s art publisher. With further donations from the Matisse family, the Musée Matisse flourishes in its current location at the renovated 18th century Palais Fénelon.

The Musée Matisse is divided into three sections (Matisse, Herbin, and Tériade) – one for each major donor. As Art and Antiques writer Ivor Hughes states in “A Curatorial Collage,” “In each [section] you can see the master’s passion for color, drawing, poetry, beautiful models, and plasticity” (Hughes, “A Curatorial Collage,” 43). The museum displays a range of works by different artists in different styles and mediums, painting a picture of Matisse’s life and providing distinct points of contrast to his works.

Chapelle du Rosaire de Vence

Amongst the major works at the museum is a scale model of the Chapelle du Rosaire in Vence, a project that Matisse became involved in through association with his caretaker Monique Bourgeois.  After devotedly looking after Matisse for 3 years, Monique joined the Dominican covenant in Vence as Sister Jacques-Marie. She convinced Matisse to work on the new chapel for the covenant, and he proceeded to devote the last four years of his life to this monumental project.

Ten Dancers: Dancer on a Stool, c. 1925-6, Lithograph on chine colle

While we cannot always whisk away to le Cateau-Cambrésis, we can enjoy Matisse’s stunning artwork from the comfort of our own homes. Masterworks Fine Art currently has a range of original Matisse lithographs and etchings on display.
Dancer on a Stool from the series Ten Dancers is one of my personal favorite works, as Matisse perfectly captures the emotion and personality of his elegant subject. Executed in a loose drawing style, this marvelous work highlights Matisse’s use of line and value to convey a sense of depth and perspective.

We invite you to browse our Matisse inventory for further insight into Matisse’s skillful use of color and light.

Information derived from: Hughes, Ivor. “A Curatorial Collage.” Art & Antiques, May 2013, 42-47.

 

 

Picasso “Hibou Mat, 1955″

The introduction of craft into the world of Fine Art with a capital A is hardly a brand new concept. For centuries, the World’s Fairs have showcased visual culture from regions that didn’t fit into the standards of Western ideals, albeit the earlier results may have been not the most culturally sensitive. As the Modern era commenced, artists were able to transcend the conventions of painting and sculpture by re-imagining forms that had been past reserved to the purely decorative realm, namely Picasso creating a copious collection of hundreds of ceramic editions.

 

 A resurgence of the tapestry form in high art has prevailed since the mid-century. Keith Haring is exemplary of contemporary approach to this movement. The artist was famously known to seamlessly shift his roles as designer, activist, muralist, and museum-worthy artist, so seeing his iconic figurative works in tapestry form is surprisingly natural as seen in the graphic blue, orange and black Twins. Handmade of woven fiber, the piece has a textural body that is rich yet utilitarian. Tactile and corporeal, Twins embraces textile arts’ distinctive object quality, that is not unlike the experience of viewing the artist’s works on concrete walls.

Haring, Hand-woven Tapestry, Twins

While not necessarily a renaissance of sorts, this merge between the decorative and the art object for art’s sake seems to be experiencing a flourishing moment of recognition and appreciation.  ArtNews reports that Denver Art Museum is establishing textile galleries.  To mark the opening the museum has commenced a project “ Spun Adventures in Textiles” showcasing textile art throughout the location in a series of ten shows launching May 19th. The shows will feature everything from Navajo weaving, an exhibit on the history of denim, Chinese textiles, to contemporary approaches to the theme. While it is important to acknowledge the project’s inclusive acceptance of Textile Arts into the fine art museum, the contemporary and modern instances where there is a fusion of craft and high art is what produces the most exciting results.

Woodgate creating “No Rain, No Rainbows” from agustinawoodgate.com

 

A showpiece is Agustina Woodgate’s Tapestry. While beautifully ornate, the piece is made up of pieces of stuffed animal skin. A kallediscope of colors and  shapes, it would be difficult to guess the source material. When this context is analyzed, the work critiques not only the limits of painting, but the limits of conventional tapestries. Woodgate is able to engage the audience by creating a beautiful object from unconventional materials, an experience that she describes as sentimental. It has the same impact as an abstract expressionist painting, yet with the intricacy of precisely planned quilt. The layer of surprise unfolds as the viewer discovers the plushy fur, and the resulting feeling is entirely personal and expressive.

DELAUNAY, Projet de Tissue (Study for Fabric Damiers), No. 5112, 1925

Sonia Delaunay, Unique Gouache, “Projet de Tissue (Study for Fabric Damiers), No. 5112, 1925″: Artist, textile designer, and pioneer of mixing craft with art, Delaunay would draft paintings in preparation for the creation of her boldly graphic patterned fabrics.

It can be disheartening to think of a time when these stunning sectors of the arts had been dismissed as purely decorative, and this issue would perhaps require a further conversation about the problems with Western aesthetic values which have systematically denigrated the feminine and Non-European as inferior.That these regressive stigmas can be momentarily derailed through the collaboration and elevation of craft is worthy of celebration.

 

 Information Derived from:

Anderson, Lamar. “ART TALK: Blanket Statement” ARTnews May 2013.

‘Renoir Girl’ vs. The Baltimore Museum of Art for Renoir’s “On the Shore of the Seine”

Controversy has arisen surrounding the rightful owner of a unique original painting by Pierre-Auguste Renoir ’On the Shore of the Seine.” In an intriguing and somewhat unusual tale, a woman from Loudon County, Virginia claims to have purchased this work for $7 at a flea market. While Marcia ‘Martha’ Fuqua initially tried to remain anonymous, she has been forced to reveal her identity in court papers, as she attempts to fight for the painting, which she believes to be rightfully hers.

Pierre-Auguste Renoir, “On the Shore of the Seine”

While Fuqua insists that she purchased this work with no knowledge of its authenticity or value, there are always two sides to a story. In this case, the other party, The Baltimore Museum of Art, claims that this work was stolen from them in 1951.  With reports of stolen property, the FBI has intervened and the decision as to who owns “On the Shore of the Seine” is now left in the hands of a federal judge in Alexandria.

Fuqua, who initially referred to herself as ‘Renoir Girl’ prior to releasing her true name, is a retired middle school physical education instructor who now runs a driving school from her home. While she first claimed to have “a layperson’s understanding of art,” it has now been revealed that her mother, Marcia Fouquet, is a practiced artist. Conflicting information from Fuqua’s family has led to further suspicion, as her brother Matt Fuqua supposedly claimed that their mother “had it [the painting] for a long time, probably 50 or 60 years.” Upon further speculation, he revoked this statement, claiming someone posing as him had answered the phone and “has been arrested.”

Fuqua had placed the painting on sale with The Potomack Company, who verified its authenticity with Bernheim-Jeune, Paris. Excitement was building and Fuqua was told she could retrieve six figures for the sale of this work, when paperwork was uncovered at the Baltimore Museum of Art stating that the exact painting had been lent to the museum in 1937 by then-owner Saidie May. Further paperwork revealed that the painting was stolen from the museum on November 17, 1951.  Upon unraveling this information, the FBI immediately seized the work.  The FBI’s investigation is still pending and a verdict has yet to be reached. Interestingly, if Fuqua were to come out victorious, an updated appraisal on this painting now places its value at around $22,000 – nowhere near the six-figure payday that Fuqua was expecting.

Information derived from:

Shapira, Ian. “’Renoir Girl’ Unmasked as Loudoun County’s Marcia ‘Martha’ Fuqua.” The Washington Post, April 4, 2013.

Albrecht Dürer Superstar

As the pioneer of the Northern European Renaissance, Albrecht Dürer is one of art’s greatest “superstars.” From March 24, 2013 to June 9, 2013, The National Gallery of Art in Washington D.C. is honoring this talented Old Master with an exhibition entitled “Albrecht Dürer: Master Drawings, Watercolors, and Prints from the Albertina.” Highlighting Dürer’s works on paper, this exhibition traces Durer’s career from his youth well into adulthood and includes such famed works as Praying Hands and Self Portrait at the Age of Thirteen. Created in 1484, Self Portrait at the Age of Thirteen highlights Dürer’s unique talent at a young age.  Created in the unforgiving silverpoint medium, this striking work conveys a youthful Dürer with round face, shaggy hair, and draped clothing, gesturing towards something beyond the composition. Dürer’s flair for the dramatic and the mysterious is already apparent in this stunning work.

Self Portrait at the Age of Thirteen

Born in 1471 in Nuremburg, Germany, Dürer initially apprenticed with his father, a goldsmith, and then with a local painter Michael Wolgemut. His talent as an artist was apparent from a young age, yet he veered from the path of the typical up-and-coming artist at the time and took a great interest in traveling. Through his travels, he visited Basel, Colmar, the Netherlands, Cologne, and Italy, often sketching plein-air landscapes as he went. Italy, in particular, transformed his artistic style and paved the way for his artistic innovation.

The Sea Monster

Dürer took a particular interest in printmaking and ultimately revolutionized this medium, particularly with his expressive and detailed woodcuts and engravings. He began his career in printmaking by copying the Italian masters and gradually progressed to creating his own unique prints, which, as Holland Cotter states, adapt “Classical motifs to the Gothic conventions.”  Cotter continues to comment on the “twisted, strenuous grace” of Dürer’s prints, stating that “their [the prints’] power lies exactly in the fact that they seem unsettled, disruptive, on edge” (Cotter, Holland. “The Renaissance Followed Him North.” The New York Times, March 21, 2013).

St. Eustace

Following the death of his mother in 1513, Dürer underwent a psychological transformation, creating some of his most famous engravings, Knight, Death, and the Devil, St. Jerome in His Study, and Melancolia I. These works are often interpreted as Dürer’s expressions of mourning and are highly sought after in today’s market. In addition, with engravings such as The Sea Monster and St. Eustace, Dürer pays equal attention to the natural landscape and his main subject(s), creating fantastical scenes that transport us to another place and time. St. Eustace, in particular, is one of my personal favorite works in our entire collection. Highlighting the romantic and lush grandeur of the German countryside, Dürer creates a peaceful and serene scene of private spirituality.  All elements appear balanced in this exquisite composition, as we witness the beautiful bond shared between man, beast, and divinity.

Masterworks Fine Art currently has a range of original Dürer woodcuts and engravings on display that reflect the life and talents of the incredible Albrecht Dürer.  We invite you to browse our Dürer inventory for further insight into Dürer’s artistic genius.

Information derived from:

Cotter, Holland. “The Renaissance Followed Him North.” The New York Times, March 21, 2013.

The Value of Picasso’s “Le Reve”

Le Reve, 1932 by Pablo Picasso has had quite the adventure since its creation. Created in 1932 by Picasso, this work was originally part of the collection of Victor and Sally Ganz who purchased the work in 1941 for $7,000. Put up for auction by the family in 1997, this work sold for $48 million to casino magnate Steve Wynn.

Le Reve, 1932 by Pablo Picasso

Almost a decade later in 2006, Wynn had the unfortunate accident of putting his elbow through the work. Now seven years later, fully restored, Wynn has sold the piece for a record $155 million to Steven Cohen the founder of SAC Capital. Cohen, along with Wynn, is one of the world’s biggest art collectors, with works by Van Gogh, Manet, de Kooning, Picasso, Cezanne, Warhol, Johns and Richter.

So what makes this piece so valuable? The first is the impeccable provenance and the second is the historical aspect of the work.  A portrait of Picasso’s famed muse Marie-Therese Walter, this work was created in 1932. Married and 45, Picasso spotted Walter in 1927 on a Paris street when she was 17. She would be the artist’s greatest love for the next decade, inspiring numerous paintings and sculptures.

The Marie-Therese period hasn’t always been considered Picasso’s finest hour in the art market as only his paintings from 1932 seem to hit it big. This can be seen with Le Reve’s auction in 1997, and in 2010 when Nude, Green Leaves and Bust sold for $106.5 million. La Lecture then went for $40.5 million in 2011 and Femme assise pres d’une fenetre sold for $45 million in February this year. So one can only assume that Cohen got a good investment, restoration and all.

Information Taken From:

Billionaire Steve Cohen pays $155m for Picasso’s Le Reve by Rebecca Clancy

Studio in a School: Filling the Artistic Void in New York Public Schools

Thanks to New York philanthropist, art patron, and art collector Agnes Gund,  art now plays a prominent role in the education of New York’s youth. After reading an article on the lack of art programs in NYC public schools due to drastic budget cuts, Gund decided to fill this artistic void by founding an arts nonprofit Studio in a School. Created in 1977, this nonprofit has brought over 600 professional artists to the classrooms of over 800,000 NYC school children, the majority of whom are from low-income families.

Studio in a School founder Agnes Gund

Gund’s strong belief in art as an educational right (not as an added bonus) and as an essential means of furthering science, math, and verbalization skills prompted her to create this nonprofit, which has contributed over $90 million dollars to its cause.  Currently, Studio in a School operates in over 150 public schools, daycare centers, community-based organizations, and museums and serves students ranging from ages 3 -23.

Artist Jeff Koons teaching students

In addition to bringing art to schools, Studio in a School has helped create jobs within the arts community.  Partnering with the NYC Department of Education, Studio in School trains artists as teachers. Furthermore, Studio in a School, in partnership with the Robertson Foundation, Wallace Foundation, and Estrellita and Daniel Brodsky funds 80% of the budget for supplies and instruction. However, Gund asks that the schools provide the remaining 20% of funding, as she views this as a means of fostering a passion for the cause within the community.  When one is invested in a cause, they often care more about the outcome.

Studio in a School initially collaborated with only 3 schools but instantly became a success.  Tom Cahill, a practicing artist and teacher, serves as the CEO and has rapidly expanded the programs.  In addition to its core program of teaching art in K-12 classrooms, Studio in a School also reaches out to pre-kindergarten students, teens, and college students through outside activities, workshops, apprenticeships, and internships. In this instance, Gund used her financial and social power to support an excellent cause, for, as Tom Cahill states, ‘Innovation and the arts go together.” Thanks to Studio in a School the arts are alive and well in NYC and will hopefully remain so for generations to come.

Information derived from:

Sheets, Hillarie M. “Studio in a School: A Teaching Moment.” ARTnews, March 4, 2013.

The Beauty in the Fiery Beast: Picasso’s Wonderful Obsession with Pottery

Picasso and Suzanne Raime

What makes owning a Picasso ceramic so enticing? Why are they in such demand?  To understand the Picasso ceramics story, one must go back to the beginning, to the summer of 1946, when the artist was staying in the south of France and chose to visit a crafts fair. At the fair Picasso noticed the works of Madoura potters and asked Georges and Suzanne Ramie, who operated the studio, to provide him with the opportunity to work with ceramics and the rest as we all know is history.

Picasso at the Madoura Studio

From 1947 to 1971 the Ramies set aside space in their studio for Picasso to pot whenever he pleased. In return, Picasso allowed the Ramies to make and sell editions of the ceramic pieces he produced at Madoura, and to retain all profits. Picasso personally made thousands of individual ceramic pieces, and kept virtually all of his own thrown pieces, most of which are now owned by his family or by museums. This consumption with the medium is best described by Georges Ramie, “This inner force that takes passion of him hastens his inventive progress in an effort to assuage this unquenchable thirst to express the message of the moment. To express it but also to consume it, in the course of long duration in which an obsessive theme is taken up again and again in proliferating and continually renewed variations, reflecting the teeming intensity of the changing aspects of the composition.” (pg. 19)

Picasso painting one of his many ceramics….

The Madoura studio and Picasso together produced 4,000 different plates, bowls, vases, pitchers, and other forms in limited editions ranging from 25 to 500.  Picasso’s involvement in producing the objects varied. Sometimes he made the clay molds used for designs, while other times he painted on plates or pitchers taken from the drying racks. Picasso and Madoura’s artisans then finished the prototypes and produced the editions, each distinctly identifiable as coming from the imagination of Picasso.

Picasso had such a passion for the medium and certainly enhanced his skills as an artisan as can be seen in the craftsmanship that has lasted over 60 years, both in value and beauty. As Georges Ramie states, “he gave himself up to it heart and soul, with that tireless vehemence he brought to everything, the indomitable ardor of those vocations that are all the more fruitful for being slow to appear. And it was from that moment- and thanks to the prestige of the work Picasso was yet to do- that ceramics, which many had always considered a minor art, began to enjoy an eminence hitherto unsuspected and now universally admitted” (pg. 17).  A wonderful balance between tradition, innovation, partnership and creativity, it is not hard to understand why Picasso’s ceramics are so universally collected and cherished.

 

Picasso Ceramics: Rising Stars of the Art Market

Picasso Ceramics. Two words that are causing buyers and sellers in this ever evolving art market to be incredibly pleased. Rising in demand the past few years, the Picasso ceramic market is one of the strongest out there. For evidence simply look at Christie’s two-day auction of Picasso Ceramics: The Madoura Collection that occurred in June 2012. The auction offered 543 lots, not all of them ceramics, but had a 100% realization. The total amount was $12,584,141, more than four times the pre-sale expectations $4,064,908.

Grand vase aux femmes voilées, 1950 by Pablo Picasso

The top lot of the Christie’s sale broke a world record price for a Picasso ceramic at auction, as Grand vase aux femmes voiles, 1950 sold for $1,145,407. A first for a Picasso ceramic produced in multiples to command more than a million dollars at auction. The previous world record price of $414,073 was set in December 2010 for Grand vase aux danseurs. What a difference a few years make huh?

Although the Christie’s sale and other notable auctions were critical to raising the profile of Picasso’s ceramics, other factors should not be overlooked. Prominent shows at museums and galleries, the media picking up interesting stories surrounding the works, and the dealers and collectors who have cherished the editions since they were issued have made a difference, too.

Set of Personnage avec mains sur les hanches (Vase with two high handles) 1952 and 1953 by Pablo Picasso- Sold by Masterworks Fine Art

The Picasso ceramic market as it stands now is dominated by two types of private buyers: wealthy professionals based in the UK who buy at the middle and lower range and the multi-million-dollar clients abroad who spend vast sums. As for the trade, only a handful of galleries worldwide specialize in Picasso ceramics, so participation at auction is minimal and finding quality pieces are difficult unless you have our amazing inventory to choose from.

Christie’s Information taken from:
Picasso Ceramics The Madoura Collection

Old Masters Continue to Master the Market

Old Master week this past January in New York saw record setting sells from multiple auction houses.  Fra Bartolommeo’s tondo of the Madonna and Child sold for $13 million, Thomas Gainsborough’s pastel Portrait of Caroline, 4th Duchess of Marlborough sold for $2.4 million, an artist record was set for Claude Lorrain when A wooded landscape was bought for $6.1 million, and Pompeo Batoni’s skillful Susanna and the Elders sold for $11.4 million just to name a few.

Pompeo Batoni’s 1751 painting “Susanna and the Elders” which sold for $11.4 million

All in all, over $126 million were spent on Old Masters, so what does that tell us about the Old Master market? Well first it tells us that there is a strong demand for the works. Whether they are paintings, reliefs, drawings, woodcuts, or etchings, there are buyers who are willing to pay, which means the value is consistent and will likely continue to increase. In particular when dealing with Old Masters there is a mindset among collectors that the exclusivity, rarity, and age of the work affect the value which is certainly true, making them such a wonderful investment.

This is the second thing that the phenomenal sales tell us, investing in Old Masters is worth the payoff. Old Masters are more difficult to navigate because of the different states and attributed to labels which can be off putting for art collectors, but with the right information, informed buyers are getting a wonderful investment. When purchasing from the right sources, a buyer can not only get what is visually and emotionally appealing to them, but have the security of knowing when the time is right, they can then sell the work for a profit.

Albrecht Durer Original Engraving “Knight, Death, & Devil, 1513″

One Old Master in particular that I favor is Albrecht Dürer, and my favorite work by him is one we currently have in our gallery titled Knight, Death, & Devil, 1513.  His attention to detail in this piece, especially in regards to the contrast of light and dark, breathes life into a fantastical scene that makes the viewer feel transported to a time long ago. That is the beauty within every Old Master piece, whether it be Dürer or Rembrandt, portraits or landscape, paintings or etchings, the amount of detail, dedication, and sense of intimacy created by the artist make such a work a delight to own.So when thinking about what art to invest in, take another look at Old Masters and you might just be surprised at the wonders that await.

Old Master sales information taken from the article:Surprising records set at New York’s Old Master sales By Paul Jeromack. Published February 1, 2013 on The Art Newspaper website.

Valentine’s Day: the Pleasure of Viewing Love in Art

With Valentine’s Day this week, the concept of love in art work is more prevalent than any other time of year. Ken Johnson, art critic for New York Times, provided an editorial musing about the themes of love he found in art around New York City including Metropolitan Museum of Art , and the Whitney Museum. From “Sleeping Eros” sculpture of the Greek god of love, to the erotic abstract expressionist work of Georgia O’Keefe, to the Statue of Liberty, Johnson explores the symbolism of love in art in its various formations and versions. Throughout all these examples, Johnson returns to art’s unique ability to evoke sentiment and substantiate his argument that the appearance of love in art can more truthfully explain the meaning of love over any dictionary definition.

Picasso’s mistress and one of his many muses, Marie Therese Walter

Interestingly enough a Picasso painting “Femme assise pres d’une fenetre“ of the artist’s mistress sold for $45 million,  over six times the amount it was last sold for in 1997, on Tuesday February 5th at the most recent Sotheby’s auction in London. While the extraordinary price says more about the growing value of Picasso’s work despite a struggling economy, I can’t help but ponder if the buyer was moved by the scent of love in the air. In fact, the other item that “had nearly stolen the limelight” earlier at the auction just happened to be another amorous creation, a series of works on paper by Egon Schiele, “Lovers (Self Portrait With Wally)”.

These works not only dealt with themes of love, but were direct

Picasso’s “Tête de Femme (Marie-Thérèse) [Head of a Woman], 1958″

translations from the artists’ personal lives. Picasso’s “Femme assise pres d’une fenetre” depicts Marie-Therese Walter, Picasso’s muse for many years, and a recurring model. She appears in our gallery in a lithograph and collotype, “Tête de Femme.”  As a viewer, my fascination with the muse may stem from a voyeuristic look into the artist’s life. It allows the viewer to pry into peer into the private first-hand perspective of the artist. We empathize with our artist, we admire as he admires. While Picasso had many muses, each one evokes sincere adoration. In both works Picasso uses an abstracted drawing style that exaggerates her features. She is beautiful, but not because of her conventionality, rather her striking angular features, and confident expression. This image of love does not appear contrived or symbolic, yet it still has the ability to affect the viewer, as we try to connect with Picasso and grasp his emotions during the conception of his works.

Picasso’s “The Embrace”

The recent Sotheby’s success is proof that I am not alone in my voyeuristic pleasure, and I may dare to suggest that Picasso could have enjoyed such a behavior as well. In the stunning, “The Embrace” by Picasso, the painter and viewer are observing the love of a couple. As if painted from a window, a man and woman’s intimacy is captured. The earthy red of female figure paired with the calming cool blues of her partner emanates the serenity and warmth of love. It is Picasso, the artist, who captures the moment, paying careful attention to color and composition in order to emphasize the mood. The work is still able to incite emotions, but we feel the other side of love, our instinctive longing for closeness. The removed perspective only intensifies this desire, as we crave the affection depicted in “The Embrace.”

Cited Citations: