Auction 1221 Old Masters on 20th May 2023

Paintings, Drawings and Sculptures from 14th - 19th Century: Outstanding works from private ownership

Saint Magdalena by Guido Reni attracts particular attention amongst the highlights of this auction. It is the most important work of the Bolognese master to be offered on the market for years (lot 2020, €350/400,000). The top group of Old Masters furthermore includes works by Abraham Mignon (lot 2052, € 300/500,000), Lucas Cranach (lots 2005 and 2006, each € 200/250,000), Johannes Bosschaert (lot 2027, € 90/100,000) and Christian Georg Schütz the Elder (lot 2103, € 80/90,000).

With the view of ‘Istanbul: The Golden Horn by Moonlight’ (lot 2273, € 300/500,000), Iwan Konstantinowitsch Aivazovsky brings us one of the highlights of the 19th century. Further important lots come from Fedot Vasilievich Sychkov (lot 2317, € 60/70,000) and Barend Cornelis Koekkoek (lot 2250, € 150/160,000).

Especially striking amongst the sculptures offered is Antonio Bottinelli’s marble representation of Beatrice Cenci, (lot 2297, € 20/25,000), who had her own father killed. Outstanding sculptures in wood are by Michael Erhart (lot 2139, € 25/30,000), Jörg Lederer (lot 2144, € 24/28,000), as well as a group of soldiers and two High Priests attributed to Bartholomäus Steinle (lot 2155, € 10/12,000).

“The Divine”, Reni was called - not only in this year’s exhibition in Frankfurt’s Städel Museum, but his contemporaries also called the Bolognese artist by this appellation. In view of his Saint Magdalena in particular – to be offered for sale in Cologne on 20th May 2023 - contemplators of the 18th century speak of the “rare beauty” (Antonio Ratti, 1790). This “beauty” is the most important work by Guido Reni on the market in recent years. The estimate of € 350/400,000 (lot 2020) also places it at the pinnacle of this auction, a sale filled with top lots.

Also belonging to this group is a hunting still life by the German-Dutch artist Abraham Mignon (lot 2052, € 300/500,000). Although he painted exclusively still lifes, Mignon dedicated less than 15 works to the theme of hunting.

From Lucas Cranach, we find a signed ‘Lamentation of Christ’ with the typical and particularly sought-after winged snakes (lot 2005, € 200/250,000) as well as portraits of the Saxon electors Johann the Bearded and Friedrich III, known as the Wise ones, painted probably in collaboration with his workshop, which together have an estimate of € 200/250,000 (lot 2006). A new discovery is ‘The Penitent Saint Jerome’ (lot 2011, € 150/200,000) by the Renaissance master Jan Sanders van Hemessen. The identification as a work by his hand was achieved by Dr Till-Holger Borchert, Aachen, and Dr Lars Hendrikman, Maastricht.

The Northern Netherlandic painting family is represented by Johannes Bosschaert with a painting of flowers in a vase (lot 2027, € 90/100,000). The family had a clear influence on Dutch still life of the Golden Age and included Johannes’ father Ambrosius Bosschaert as well as his uncle Balthasar van der Ast.

Christian Georg Schütz the Elder occasionally turned away from the landscape and towards the view of the city of Frankfurt am Main. Many of these views can be found in the Historical Museum in Frankfurt and it is therefore a special opportunity to auction this signed canvas, dated 1754 (lot 2103, € 80/90,000).

19th Century

A romantic view of Istanbul stands out amongst the 19th century paintings due to be auctioned: ‘The Golden Horn in the Moonlight’ (lot 2273, € 300/500,000) by Iwan Konstantinowitsch Aivazovsky had long been in private hands. Through research by Ivan Samarine during the course of the auction, it could be reassigned to the work of the official marine painter of the tsar’s court. The city of Istanbul and the way it merges into the surrounding landscape fascinated Aivazovsky, and he travelled several times to the Bosporus Strait. This moonlit view illustrates his enthusiasm and is an optimal motif for his painterly interest in staggered depth and his ability to create the finest colour graduations.

The exuberant work ‘Two Young Women in a Winter Landscape’ (lot 2317, € 60/70,000) is contributed by Fedot Vasilievich Sychkov, whilst an atmospheric shimmering ‘Large Winter Landscape’ is from Barend Cornelis Koekkoek (lot 2250, € 150/160,000). Signed and dated 1834, this is one of the painter’s early large format works.

Sculpture

With Beatrice Cenci and her story, Antonio Bottinelli chose a theme for the sculpture that painters such as Guido Reni also took up. The historical Beatrice Cenci lived in the 16th century and came from an old Roman noble family. After successfully conspiring with her stepmother and two of her brothers to murder her violent father, she was executed in Rome in 1599 at the age of 22. Antonio Bottinelli depicted her in 1881 in marble as a chained prisoner (lot 2297, € 20/25,000).

The Ulm carver Michel Erhart is credited with the bust fragment of Saint Bernardino of Siena (lot 2139, € 25/30,000), whilst a carved wood figure of St Barbara is from the circle of Jörg Lederer (lot 2144, € 24/28,000). A group of soldiers and two high priests is attributed to Bartholomäus Steinle, active in Weilheim (lot 2155, € 10/12,000). This figure group, which probably belonged to a depiction of Jesus’ imprisonment, impresses not only with its plasticity but also with the largely original colour finish.

Auction Dates

Auction 1221 - Old Masters

Fine Art
Saturday 20. 05. 2023, 11:00 am
Lot 2000 - 2163
Auction 1221
Auction
Cologne
Saturday, May 20

11 am

Paintings: Lot 2000 - 2111
Drawings: Lot 2112 - 2127
Sculptures: Lot 2128 - 2163
Preview
Cologne
Saturday, May 13, 10 am – 4 pm
Sunday, May 14, 11 am – 4 pm
Monday, May 15 – Wednesday, May 17, 10 am – 5.30 pm
Thursday, May 18 (Ascension Day), 11 am – 4 pm
Friday, May 19, 10 am – 5.30 pm

a selection
Munich, St.-Anna-Platz 3
Wednesday, May 3, 9 am – 5 pm
Thursday, May 4, 9 am – 5 pm
Catalogue
PDF-Catalogue

Auction 1221 - 19th century

Fine Art
Saturday 20. 05. 2023, 02:00 pm
Lot 2200 - 2320
Auction 1221
Auction
Cologne
Saturday, May 20

2 pm
Lot 2200 – 2320
Preview
Cologne
Saturday, May 13, 10 am – 4 pm
Sunday, May 14, 11 am – 4 pm
Monday, May 15 – Wednesday, May 17, 10 am – 5.30 pm
Thursday, May 18 (Ascension Day), 11 am – 4 pm
Friday, May 19, 10 am – 5.30 pm

a selection
Munich, St.-Anna-Platz 3
Wednesday, May 3, 9 am – 5 pm
Thursday, May 4, 9 am – 5 pm
Catalogue
PDF-Catalogue

Auction 1221 - Old Masters and 19th century, Part II

Fine Art
Saturday 20. 05. 2023, 04:00 pm
Lot 2500 - 2592
Auction 1221
Auction
Cologne
Saturday, May 20
4 pm
Preview
Cologne
Saturday, May 13, 10 am – 4 pm
Sunday, May 14, 11 am – 4 pm
Monday, May 15 – Wednesday, May 17, 10 am – 5.30 pm
Thursday, May 18 (Ascension Day), 11 am – 4 pm
Friday, May 19, 10 am – 5.30 pm
Catalogue
PDF-Catalogue

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