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Jodi the Nanotyrannus Sells for US$47.3 Million at Sotheby’sQianlong Emperor’s Jewel-Encrusted Gold Ewer Sells for US$7.11 Million at Christie’sHockney’s €282,200 Print Leads Warhol and Banksy in €1.06 Million Bonhams SaleMV Agusta Sells for $1.3 Million, Setting an Italian Motorcycle Auction RecordEnigma Machine Sells for £203,600 at Bonhams: Inside the 1941 Cipher DeviceUzo Egonu’s Will Knowledge Safeguard Freedom I Sets Auction Record at £198,900Yusuf Grillo’s One Man Band Sets Artist Auction Record at £461,300Ben Enwonwu’s Anyanwu Sells for £602,100, Setting a Sculpture Record at BonhamsRare Gandhi Portrait Achieves £152,800, Tripling Its EstimateBanksy’s British Cool Mickey Snake Triumphs at Bonhams, Selling for £330,600Whistler’s First Portrait Commission Sells for Five Times Estimate, Fetching $495,000Bridget Riley Stuns Art World as Myrrh Soars to $2.36M at BonhamsReception in the Harem: Discovered Masterpiece by John Frederick Lewis Shatters Expectations, Selling for Almost $1.5 MillionRare Qianlong 'Dragon' Vase Stuns at Auction, Sells for $3.7 Million—Over Six Times Its EstimateRenowned Vietnamese Artist Nguyen Gia Tri’s War Painting Fetches Over $500,000 at Bonhams

19th Century

Whistler’s First Portrait Commission Sells for Five Times Estimate, Fetching $495,000

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Cropped view of Whistler’s Portrait of Lucas Alexander Ionides, showing his dark hair and full beard.

When a long-hidden portrait by James McNeill Whistler—his very first commissioned work—resurfaced after nearly six decades in private hands, it sparked a frenzy that few in the art world saw coming. Auctioned for over five times its estimate, the painting’s dramatic return to the spotlight is more than just a story of numbers. Behind the canvas lies a deeply personal connection between the young artist and the Ionides family, early patrons who helped shape his rise to fame. From its quiet presence in Victorian homes to its record-breaking moment at Bonhams, this extraordinary work carries with it a rich legacy waiting to be uncovered.

Reception in the Harem: Discovered Masterpiece by John Frederick Lewis Shatters Expectations, Selling for Almost $1.5 Million

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Detail of figures on cushions and a small horned animal in John Frederick Lewis’s A Reception in the Harem.

A long-lost masterpiece by John Frederick Lewis, A Reception in the Harem, has emerged from obscurity after more than 60 years, stunning collectors and experts alike. The extraordinary watercolour, once hidden away in a private collection, shattered expectations when it fetched almost $1.5 million at Bonhams’ prestigious 19th Century & Orientalist Paintings auction in London. With its vivid colours and intricate detail, this rediscovered gem is one of the most significant discoveries in the art world this year.

Early Van Gogh Sketch Sells for Over $1.48 Million at Bonhams London Auction

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Detail of Vincent van Gogh’s Sien’s Mother’s House Seen from the Backyard, with a woman beside a fence and gabled houses.

Discover the story behind Sien’s Mother’s House Seen from the Backyard, a rare 1882 sketch by Vincent van Gogh that sold for over $1.48 million at Bonhams London. Created during the artist’s formative years in The Hague, this intimate work offers a glimpse into Van Gogh’s early focus on everyday life and working-class struggles—long before the bold colors and swirling brushstrokes of his later masterpieces. Learn how this quiet sketch reflects the roots of a genius and the personal connections that shaped his art.

Francesco Hayez’s ‘Bathsheba’ Painting Sets Record with $1.8 Million Sale at Christie’s

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Detail of Francesco Hayez’s Bathsheba, showing her headscarf, bare shoulder and gold armlet.

A masterpiece by the celebrated 19th-century Italian painter Francesco Hayez has shattered expectations at Christie’s Old Masters Evening Sale in London, setting a new world auction record for the artist. Bathsheba, an evocative oil painting dating back to 1827, sold for an astonishing $1,893,348, nearly doubling its pre-sale estimate! Bathsheba is hailed not only for its technical brilliance but also for its storied provenance. The painting was first acquired directly from Hayez by King William I of Württemberg at Milan’s Brera Academy. According to Hayez’s memoirs, the king, captivated by the painting’s beauty and mastery, paid the artist’s full asking price on the spot.

The Discovery of Titanium White: Brief History of the Pigment

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Detail of Liubov Popova’s Tray, Bowl, Fruit (1915), with overlapping angular forms and lettering.

Journey through the historical evolution of Titanium White pigment, spanning the late 18th to early 20th centuries, as we unravel its fascinating narrative. From its humble beginnings as an artist’s tool to its pivotal role in industrial innovation, explore pivotal moments such as its integration into Impressionist masterpieces and its emergence as a non-toxic alternative to lead white. Delve into the pioneering experiments conducted in Norway and Niagara Falls, which paved the way for the mass production of Titanium White pigment. Join us as we uncover the captivating journey of Titanium White from artistic invention to industrial triumph.

Rare First Edition of Darwin’s “On the Origin of Species” Sells for Double Estimate at Bonhams Auction

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A very rare first edition and author’s presentation copy of Charles Darwin’s groundbreaking work, “On the Origin of Species,” fetched an astonishing £305,200 ($384,000) at Bonhams Fine Books and Manuscripts Sale held on March 20, 2024. This price surpassed its initial estimate by over double, marking a significant moment in literary auction history. The auction saw a total sale of £1,308,337 ($1,648,000), with an impressive 93% of the lots sold by volume and an astounding 99% sold by value.

Important Vasily Polenov Masterpiece Sells for $1.7 Million at Bonhams, Setting a World Record

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Detail of Vasily Polenov’s biblical painting, with a black-robed woman in a doorway and figures seated inside a vaulted room.

In a remarkable event at Bonhams 19th century and British Impressionist Art Sale today, an exquisite oil on canvas by Vasily Dmitrievich Polenov (1844-1927) stole the spotlight, fetching an astonishing £1,379,000 ($1,760,000). The painting, titled ‘And she went and told them that she had been with Him as they mourned and wept’, is a part of Polenov’s renowned series, ‘The Life of Christ’. Initially estimated to sell for £400,000-600,000, the final price far exceeded expectations, marking a significant moment in the art world.

Bonhams Unveils Important Vasily Polenov Masterpiece at their 19th Century Impressionist Art Auction in London

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Detail of seated, robed figures beside a hearth in Vasily Polenov’s And she went and told them that she had been with Him as they mourned and wept.

A rare oil painting by the Russian artist Vasily Dmitrievich Polenov (1844-1927), part of a series titled ‘The Life of Christ,’ will take center stage at Bonhams’ upcoming 19th-century and British Impressionist Art Sale on March 20 at New Bond Street in London. Entitled ‘And she went and told them that she had been with Him as they mourned and wept,’ the artwork is expected to fetch between £400,000 and £600,000. Another painting from the same series, ‘There were also women looking from afar off,’ achieved a price of over £1.5 million at Bonhams last year.