Tag: Art History

Rare Porcelain from Imperial Russia by Philip Batenin

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This small bell shaped tea cup, manufactured in 1830s by the famous Batenin Porcelain Factory that belonged to a wealthy merchant Philip Batenin, is a perfect example of valuable antique porcelain from the Imperial Russia. The cup features one of the rarest views ever depicted on Batenin’s creations, the Smolny Cathedral on the Neva River, which is painted completely by hand.

A similar cylindrical cup with a view of the Smolny Cathedral was sold at a Sotheby’s auction in June 2007 for £2400. Another is located in the world-famous Hermitage Museum. Nowadays, Batenin’s porcelain is quite rare and highly prized among collectors.

Reb Nachman’s Second Chair – Hasidic Holy Relic Worth $10 Million

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Reb Nachman’s Second Chair

The World Art News presents one of the Holiest Jewish Relics that is known to exist in a private collection – the Second Chair of Rebbe Nachman of Breslov (1772 – 1810).

With the Star of David in the front, a hypnotic Jewish Rabbi in the center, and a Yiddish inscription of Reb Nachman’s name on the back, this chair is stunning in its craftsmanship and Judaic beauty. The aura of history radiates from this rare artifact.

Reb Nachman remains among the most quoted Hasidic masters and to this day tens of thousands of Jews from all over the world travel to his burial site as part of their annual pilgrimage.

How Russian Czar’s Library Ended Up In America

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Most people in the United States, Russia, and the World don’t know that more than 2,500 volumes from the personal library of the Russia’s Royal Family are in the possession of the Library of Congress of the United States.

This priceless collection was formed in the Winter Palace in St. Petersburg’s, Imperial Russia. It survived WWI, the 1917 Revolution as well as the Civil War that followed, eventually ending up in America.

This is the fascinating story of how it happened, told exclusively to the World Art News by a researcher who worked with these rare books.

Is Saudi Prince About To Buy $36M Chinese Ming Dynasty Statuettes

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After our first publication about these rare $36 Million Chinese Ming Dynasty statuettes, The World Art News received further questions regarding their provenance, authenticity, valuation, and who may be the potential buyer of these unique artifacts. For answers we went straight to the source and took a sensational, exclusive, and provocative in-depth interview with their current owner, prof. Mikhail Tamoikin, Ph.D.

Professor Tamoikin was surprisingly candid with us and gave stunning answers to all our questions. If you ever wandered how the super-rich do business, negotiate, and operate in the art market, this interview is a Must-Read!

Could two Chinese Ming Dynasty statuettes be worth more than $36 Million

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It appears that one major art fund is looking to find out. You might have heard that in 2014 a Shanghai-based art collector Liu Yiqian spent $36.3 million on a tiny porcelain Ming Dynasty cup. That news made the art reporters buzz for the whole year, bringing fame and fortune to Mr. Yiqian, and making it clear to the whole world that Chinese heritage has value, a lot of value!

The Tamoikin Art Fund (TAF) is clearly looking to test this theory, because recently it unveiled two ancient Chinese statuettes that have been attributed to the Ming Dynasty, which ruled China from 1368 to 1644.

Central and Eastern European Art: A Veiled Treasure

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The global Art market is undergoing change as the world continues its progression towards globalization. That specific change is the diversification of a predominantly Western Art market. This is phenomenal, but it’s also about time because it means that the Art market is finally beginning to include and value Art of all the different cultures that make up humanity. Now, not every culture or type of Art is valued or held to the same caliber yet, but we are getting there. 

One of the regions that still appears to be struggling to break into the Art Market is Central and Eastern Europe. Which is problematic because it leaves a massive gap in our understanding of Art movements, and how we are where we are in contemporary Art today. So, in order to understand what Central and Eastern European Art is, you will first need to understand what distinguishes the region from the rest of Europe.