Latest World Art News about Luxury and Luxurious Lifestyle
On December 6th, Christieโs Rockefeller Center in Manhattan witnessed an extravagant showcase of luxury as the Magnificent Jewels auction unfolded. This event saw fervent bidding both in-person and over the phones, culminating in a remarkable total of $38,135,080. Impressively, 90% of the 152 lots available found buyers. The auction presented an exquisite collection of rare diamonds, significant colored stones, and distinguished jewels from renowned collections.
Dan Lam, an internationally recognized contemporary artist and influential figure in social media, is based in Texas. Known for her unique sculptural works, Lam expertly blends unconventional materials, organic shapes, and vivid colors to explore intricate dichotomies. Her art, oscillating between beauty and the surreal, encourages viewers to contemplate deeper meanings while invoking a sense of both familiarity and wonder. Influenced by luminaries like James Turrell, Olafur Eliasson, and Lynda Benglis, Lam’s distinctive sculptures have solidified her status as a preeminent figure in today’s contemporary art landscape.
In a historic auction set to take place at Bonhams Knightsbridge in London on Thursday, December 14, the iconic EMI TG12345 Mk I console used by The Beatles to record their legendary album, Abbey Road, will be offered for the first time. The console, the first solid-state transistorized desk built by EMI, played a pivotal role in shaping the distinctive sound of Abbey Road, which has since become one of the most groundbreaking albums of all time.
In the world of high-end custom jewelry, JM Gems, founded by the female entrepreneur Peggy Elias, has firmly established itself as a luxury firm known for its artistic brilliance and precision craftsmanship. For over a decade, JM Gems has been enchanting the world with its bespoke creations, capturing the hearts of jewelry lovers, celebrities, and even royals across the Middle East, Asia, Europe, and now North America.
In a riveting event at the Ceramic Masterpieces sale in Paris on Tuesday, December 6, 2023, a Footed bowl by Lucie Rie (1902-1995) stole the spotlight, executed circa 1980 with inlaid pink radiating lines, turquoise, and manganese bands. The intense bidding war that ensued saw the bowl fetching an astonishing โฌ406,800, nearly 10 times its initial estimate of โฌ40,000-60,000, setting a new world auction record for the renowned artist.
The award-winning series, The Crown, is one of Netflixโs most prestigious and acclaimed shows. Now, as the final series premieres, Bonhams announces a once-in-a-lifetime auction of close to 450 props, furniture, and costumes โ including those inspired by Queen Elizabethโs Coronation Robes and Princess Dianaโs โRevenge dressโ โ from all six series of The Crown, written and created by Peter Morgan and produced by Left Bank Pictures and Sony Pictures Television. A live sale of approximately 150 lots will take place on Wednesday 7 February 2024 at Bonhams, New Bond Street, London, followed by an online auction of around 300 lots commencing on 30 January to 8 February on bonhams.com. Proceeds from the live sale will go towards establishing the Left Bank Pictures โThe Crown Scholarship programme at the National Film and Television School (NFTS) which has training sites across the UK in Buckinghamshire, London, Leeds, Scotland, and Wales.
In a dazzling spectacle of high-stakes bidding, the illustrious collection of the late Dutch connoisseur-collector Cornelis Paulus van Pauwvliet took center stage at Bonhams New Bond Street on Tuesday, November 21. The auction, a crescendo of anticipation, saw a remarkable total of ยฃ2.86 million change hands as passionate art enthusiasts vied for a piece of cultural history.
The dark blue Oracle Red Bull Racing overalls worn by three-time Formula 1 World Champion Max Verstappen over the 2023 Dutch Grand Prix weekend will be offered in the Bonhams | Cars Abu Dhabi Auction Online from 17 โ 30 November. Driving his Red Bull RB19, Verstappen finished in 1st position at the 2023 Dutch Grand Prix weekend in Zandvoort, in front of his home crowd, marking his 46th Grand Prix race victory. Signed by the World Champion with a Certificate of Authenticity from the Oracle Red Bull Racing Formula One Team, and estimated at ยฃ60,000 – ยฃ70,000, the overalls will be sold to benefit Red Bullโs Wings for Life charity. Verstappen is only the fifth driver in the sport’s history to win three consecutive championships, as well as joining an elite club of drivers who have won three or more World Championships.
In a groundbreaking Christie’s auction on November 9, 2023, Richard Diebenkorn’s seminal artwork, “Recollections of a Visit to Leningrad,” achieved a record-setting price of $46,410,000 US. Painted in 1965, this monumental canvas, measuring 181.3 x 211.1 cm, stands as a testament to Diebenkorn’s transformative encounter with the works of Henri Matisse during a rare trip to the Soviet Union in the 1960s. Diebenkorn’s journey to the Soviet Union was part of a cultural exchange initiated by President John F. Kennedy and Premier Nikita Khrushchev. During his visit, the artist immersed himself in Matisse’s masterpieces, particularly those housed in the Pushkin State Museum of Fine Arts in Moscow and the State Hermitage Museum in Leningrad (now Saint Petersburg). This experience had a profound impact on Diebenkorn, inspiring a shift in his artistic approach towards abstracted planes of rich and vibrant color.
A magnificent and extremely rare Islamic Mecca-centred world map, a masterpiece from Safavid Persia, sold for ยฃ1.86 million at Bonhams Islamic and Indian Art Sale today (Tuesday 14 November). It had an estimate of ยฃ1,500,000-2,000,000. The map, formerly on display at the Harvard Museum of Art, and dating from the last quarter of the 17th century, is the finest and most complete Mecca-centred world map of only three surviving examples (the other two were discovered in 1989 and 1995) and is the most important Islamic scientific instrument ever offered at auction.
