Affordable art that's worth buying. Get industry professionals' tips on what’s coming up at auction. PLUS news, events, books, exhibitions and everything arts & culture.
🦶My fantastic foot
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Absinthe is making a comeback—or so says The Observer. Once banned for nearly a century, the emerald elixir has reclaimed its place in London’s trendiest bars. At Soho’s Three Sheets, for example, you’ll find the “Sazzaquack,” a zesty mix of rooibos-infused lemon absinthe. For generations of artists, though, absinthe wasn’t just a drink—it was a muse. Gauguin, Picasso, Degas, Manet, and Van Gogh not only adored drinking the “Queen of Poisons” but also immortalized it in their art. None, however, matched the fervor of Toulouse-Lautrec. The eccentric artist famously carried a hollow walking stick filled with his favourite draught. His cocktail of choice? A heady mix of absinthe, bitters, red wine, and champagne, which he christened The Maiden Blush. ON THE MARKET SIR EDUARDO PAOLOZZI Foot £1,000 - 1,500 Edinburgh locals might spot something familiar here—a 10-foot version of this sculpture sits majestically at the city’s east end. Officially titled Manuscript of Monte Cassino, it’s better known to locals as The Foot (apologies, Paolozzi). This miniature version is also made of bronze but has a a vibrant, zingy green patina. JIM DINE Five Paintbrushes (first state) £2,000 - 3,000 This great American printmaker is renowned for his love of tools, and his moustachioed paintbrushes might just be one of his most iconic works—versions of which are held in major museums. Dine kept adding more brushes, making them bushier and bushier. By the sixth state, the plate was almost entirely black. This earliest and most restrained state, however, is my favorite. SANDRA BLOW Untitled £700 - 1,000 Sandra Blow is celebrated for her monumental abstract works, but this tiny panel (just 20 x 15.5 cm) packs a surprising punch. The surface has been pushed and pulled leaving it full of texture. The final effect feels something like a prehistoric cave drawing reimagined. SLEEPERThe painting pictured left came up at auction this week with the description: French or Italian 17th Century and bearing an estimate of only €8,000 - 12,000. It soared to a final price of €607,200! The painting is in fact by Lavinia Fontana. It bears a striking similarity to a Venus & Cupid in Rouen (pictured right). SNIPPETS📈 On the Rise: A record-breaking Magritte injects some much-needed adrenaline into the art market. 🍌 You Can’t Make This Up: Sotheby's just sold a banana for $6.2 Million. 🪓 Niche: Axe wielding thieves steal €1 Million worth of ... snuffboxes? 🐄 Barn Booty: Emily Carr painting bought for $50 at barn sale fetches $250,000. QUOTE"Real style is not having a program - it's how one behaves in a crisis."
- Frank Auerbach
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unBundle Art Newsletter
Affordable art that's worth buying. Get industry professionals' tips on what’s coming up at auction. PLUS news, events, books, exhibitions and everything arts & culture.
The Friday F.U.N Email (Factoid, Under 2k, Nuggets) Factoid: Why Buying Affordable Art Is Harder Than You Think Buying affordable art might seem straightforward, but it’s often trickier than investing in high-end pieces. Here’s why. In the first half of 2024, 91% of auctioned artworks were priced under $10,000, with 61% under $1,000, according to ArtPrice data. This segment, driven by the boom in online sales, is the fastest-growing part of the market. It’s easier than ever to buy affordable...
The Friday F.U.N Email (Factoid, Under 2k, Nuggets) Factoid: Relax, It’s Only 0.22% A banana duct-taped to a wall selling for $6.2 million is, admittedly, tough to digest. Maurizio Cattelan’s Comedian ignited both outrage and existential despair after its sale. “If that’s art, then it’s the end of art, isn’t it?” lamented Bendor Grosvenor. Well, “some people don’t realize when they’re being played” said Marion Maneker of Puck. So who's holding the peel? Enter Justin Sun, the 34-year-old...
3 sunny bargains below keep on scrolling... The Friday F.U.N Email (Factoid, Under 2k, Nuggets) Factoid: 95% of Auerbach's work ended up in the bin. The great Frank Auerbach has passed away at the age of 93. In 1939, his parents saved him by placing him on a train from Berlin to London, just before they were sent to Auschwitz. They would never see him again, but what a future they ensured. The son they saved became one of the greatest painters of modern times—a true giant. Auerbach painted...