Renoir to Richter, antique pistols to rare gems shine at Palm Beach fair

9 February 2011

click to enlarge

Jeune Femme au Chapeau Noir by Pierre-Auguste Renoir, from Hammer Galleries, at the American International Fine Art Fair in Palm Beach through Feb. 13, 2011.

Nearly 8,000 guests flocked to the gala preview of the American International Fine Art Fair in Palm Beach last weekend. About 40,000 visitors are expected altogether to peruse the booths of 66 dealers, down from 84 last year.

The 15th edition of the fair, which runs through Feb. 13 at the Palm Beach Convention Center, offers up choice antiques to contemporary art from leading dealers such as London-based armor expert Peter Finer and new exhibitor Barry Friedman who specializes in 20th century decorative arts and avant-garde painting.

Among the fair's highlights is a large and bright painting by Gerhard Richter priced at $2.9 million at Galerie Terminus; Renoir's "Deux Pommes et Un Coins," offered for $560,000 at Waterhouse & Dodd; and from Todd Merrill, a Harvey Prober couch which sold for $45,000 on opening night, just one of several modern pieces that are catching collectors' eyes.

Parisian dealer Fabien Boulakia displayed paintings by Claude Monet and Kees van Dongan for $3 million each; Hammer Galleries has a special exhibit of Pierre-Auguste Renoir paintings, priced between $350,000 and $9.5 million; and of the several Fernando Botero works for sale across the floor, Leslie Smith Gallery of Amsterdam offered one for $803,000, according to the Palm Beach Post

Read more at artinfo

More News Feed Headlines

Elizabeth Taylor’s Precious Jewels, Gowns Take the Crown at Auction

Seven world records were set at the jewel auction of the late Hollywood screen legend, and ardent jewelry lover, Elizabeth Taylor, that took place at Christie’s New York this week. On Tuesday, 80 singular lots were offered and all 80 quickly sold, fetching a total of $115.9 million, making it the most valuable private collection of jewels ever sold at auction. On Thursday, a Christian Dior evening gown of silver encrusted brocade swept to $362,500...

Henry Koerner (American, 1915-1991) Under the Overpass, 1949. Oil on masonite, 30 x 38 inches. Courtesy of Jonathan Boos.

Well-attended American Art Fair Shines in New Venue

The fourth incarnation of The American Art Fair triumphed at a dazzling new venue from Nov. 28 to Dec. 1, 2011. Held for the first time at the Bohemian National Hall, a Renaissance Revival style building on Manhattan's Upper East Side, the focused fair featured 17 leading gallery exhibitors offering prime examples of historic American art.

Julien Hudson, 1811-1844 American. Creole Boy With A Moth, 1835, oil on canvas, courtesy of a private collection; photo courtesy of Fodera Fine Art Conservation, Ltd.

First Retrospective of Early African American Artist Julien Hudson at Worcester Art Museum

A groundbreaking exhibition opened Dec. 9 at the Worcester Art Museum entitled “In Search of Julien Hudson: Free Artist of Color in Pre-Civil War New Orleans.” Julien Hudson (1811-1844) is the second-earliest documented portrait painter of African descent to work in the United States. Little-known today, Hudson died an untimely, somewhat mysterious death, and only fragments of his oeuvre survive to tell his story.

'May,' by Alexander Motyl, $25/month to rent ($550 to buy), artsicle.com.

Virtual Art Buying Gets a Boost From New Websites

A bevy of new online ventures are helping to streamline the process of buying art for both beginners and established collectors, facilitating keyboard-click access to information and galleries.