Unique Series of Craeyvanger Family Portraits On Display at the Mauritshuis Museum

German Chancellor Angela Merkel, left, and Dutch Prime Minister Jan Peter Balkenende, second left, look at the painting "The Girl with the Pearl Earring" by Johannes Vermeer during a visit at Mauritshuis museum in The Hague, Netherlands, Thursday March 11, 2010. Merkel is in the Netherlands for a one-day visit. AP Photo/Robert Vos. THE HAGUE.- The Mauritshuis is displaying ten exceptional portraits of Arnhem’s Craeyvanger family until 16 January 2011. The paintings are the only known series of portraits of the members of a single family - father, mother and eight children - to have survived from the seventeenth century. The series’ existence was relatively unknown until the paintings came up for auction in 2009. A private collection has lent the works to the Mauritshuis, where the unique ensemble are on display to the public for the first time in the Netherlands. Willem Craeyvanger and Christine van der Wart were married on 20 November 1639. He was 22 years of age, and she was likely to have been somewhat younger. As well as being a cloth merchant, Willem was also the Rentmeester, or land agent, for the city of Arnhem and Governor of the city’s guild of merchants, the Guild of St. Nicholas. The couple prospered and had a big family: six b ... More

Six Potential Heirs DNA Tested in Caravaggio Death Hunt Doctor Elisabetta Cilli from the departments of Anthropology and Cultural Heritage Conservation at the universities of Ravenna and Bologna prepares a DNA testing kit for the six possible descendants. REUTERS/Alessandro Garofalo. By: Marie-Louise Gumuchian CARAVAGGIO (REUTERS).- Six possible descendants of Baroque artist Michelangelo Merisi, known as Caravaggio, have been DNA-tested in the hopes they can help unveil the mystery surrounding the painter's death. The cause of death in 1610 and the whereabouts of the corpse have always been unclear but a team of Italian anthropologists believe that what is left of Caravaggio's body may be hidden among dozens of bodies buried in a crypt in Tuscany. For months, the team -- from the departments of Anthropology and Cultural Heritage Conservation at the universities of Ravenna and Bologna -- have exhumed remains of long-buried corpses in the hope of performing a belated autopsy. This week they travelled to the northern town of Caravaggio, where Merisi grew up, to carry out tests with possible descendents -- some of them carrying derivations of the family name. As ... More

Mummy of Egypt's Monotheist Pharaoh to Return Home Tourists view the colossus of Pharaoh Akhenaten in the Egyptian Museum . AP Photo/Paul Schemm. By: Paul Schemm, Associated Press Writer CAIRO (AP).- The DNA tests that revealed how the famed boy-king Tutankhamun most likely died solved another of ancient Egypt's enduring mysteries — the fate of controversial Pharaoh Akhenaten's mummy. The discovery could help fill out the picture of a fascinating era more than 3,300 years ago when Akhenaten embarked on history's first attempt at monotheism. During his 17-year rule, Akhenaten sought to overturn more than a millennium of Egyptian religion and art to establish the worship of a single sun god. In the end, his bold experiment failed and he was eventually succeeded by his son, the young Tutankhamun, who rolled back his reforms and restored the old religion. No one ever knew what became of the heretic pharaoh, whose tomb in the capital he built at Amarna was unfinished and whose name was stricken from the official list of kings. Two years of DNA testing and CAT scans on 16 royal mummies conducted by Egypt's Supreme Council ... More

Numerous Works by Irving Penn on Offer for the Very First Time at Auction Irving Penn, "Cigarette No. 48", 1972. Platinum-palladium print, flush-mounted on aluminum, printed 1975, (57.5 x 47.3cm.) 22.1/4 x 18.1/2 inches. Estimate: $25,000 - 35,000. Copyright ©The Irving Penn Foundation. NEW YORK, NY.- Christie’s has been entrusted with the sale of "Three Decades with Irving Penn: Photographs from the Collection of Patricia McCabe", the most significant group of photographs by Irving Penn (1917-2009) ever to come to auction. The sale will take place on the evening of April 14, 2010 at Christie’s New York and will be preceded by public exhibitions in its Galleries at Rockefeller Center February 22-March 12, and April 10-13. The 67 photographs in the Collection were gifts from Irving Penn to Patricia McCabe, his trusted personal assistant for over thirty years. The images span the breadth of Penn’s long and illustrious career and include such masterpieces as "Cuzco Children", 1948, (estimate: $100,000-150,000), "Street Photographer, New York", 1950 (estimate: $25,000-35,000), "Poppy: Glowing Embers New York", 1968 (estimate: $70,000-90,000), and "Two Guedras, Morocco", 1971 (estimate: $40,000-60,0 ... More

Restoration of Van Gogh's Masterpiece "The Bedroom" can be Followed Via Blog "Vincent’s bedroom in Arles", 1888 (detail), Vincent van Gogh (1853-1890). Oil on canvas, 72 x 90 cm. Van Gogh Museum, Amsterdam (Vincent van Gogh Foundation). AMSTERDAM.- March 11 marks the beginning of a comprehensive campaign on Vincent van Gogh's painting "The Bedroom" (1888). Art lovers can follow the process of restoring this popular painting step by step via a special blog on www.vangoghmuseum.com/ bedroomsecrets. Among others the museum's head of restoration Ella Hendriks will give online updates on the progress of the restoration week by week. "It's the first time we've rendered each step of a restoration accessible to the public in this way" says Axel Rüger, director of the Van Gogh Museum. "And it has the added advantage of keeping the canvas in the public eye." The director will be launching the Bedroom secrets blog today by means of a personal blog post. At the same time the presentation "Bedroom Secrets: Restoration of a Masterpiece" will be on show in the museum's Rietveld building up to 29 August 2010. The bedroom underwent a thorough ... More

Portrait of Rear-Admiral Who Burnt Down the White House to be Sold at Bonhams Sir Pulteney Malcolm GCB GCMG (1768-1838), a Scottish Navel officer from Dumfriesshire. LONDON.- A portrait miniature of Sir Pulteney Malcolm GCB GCMG (1768-1838), a Scottish Navel officer from Dumfriesshire, is to feature in the Fine Portrait Miniatures auction at Bonhams, Knightsbridge, Thursday 8th April at 2pm. On 24th August 1814 Sir Pulteney Malcolm was third in command of a fleet which set fire to many public buildings in Washington D.C., including the White House. The fire also raged through the buildings housing the Senate and the House of Representatives and the interiors of both buildings, including the Library of Congress, were destroyed. While the troops advanced, America’s First Lady, Dolley Madison stoically stayed at home attempting to rescue valuables and documents. She was finally persuaded to leave moments before the invading soldiers entered and the fire destroyed the building. The smoke was reportedly visible as far away as Baltimore, yet a tornado swept through the city less than a day af ... More

Sotheby's to Hold Contemporary Asian Art Spring Sale in April Cai Guo-qiang’s "A Certain Lunar-Eclipse - Project for Humankind No. 2" (in 7 panels), (detail). Est. HK$9-15 million / US$1.16-1.94 million. Photo: Sotheby's. HONG KONG.- Sotheby’s Hong Kong will hold its Contemporary Asian Art Spring Sale 2010 on 5 April at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre. This season’s sale will offer a series of early works by established Chinese artists that are rarely seen on the market, as well as seminal works from prominent Japanese and Korean artists. There will be over 170 extraordinary pieces, with a total estimate in excess of HK$94 million / US$12 million. Evelyn Lin, Sotheby’s Head of Contemporary Asian Art, said, “Last year, our Contemporary Asian Art Autumn sale in Hong Kong achieved very encouraging results amidst a progressively recovering global market, having reached a sale total almost 80% higher than that of our 2009 Spring sale. Riding on this success, coupled with the robust performance of contemporary Asian art in our sales in New York and London, we are confident that the market is buoyed up once again. In ... More

Rijksmuseum Launches Ambitious Restoration Program Duncan Bull, curator of the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam, gives explanation about 2 restored panels. EPA/SANDER KONING. AMSTERDAM.- The Rijksmuseum is today launching an ambitious restoration programme at Tefaf Maastricht. Masterpieces specially selected from the Rijksmuseum’s collection will undergo an intensive restoration process to ensure that they shine like never before by the time the museum’s main building re-opens in 2013. The pieces in question include Woman in Blue Reading A Letter by Vermeer, Six burial figures from the T’ang Dynasty, a mahogany period room from 1748 called The Beuning room, and the Silver table ornament by Jamnitzer which is one of the absolute highlights of the museum’s collection of European silversmithery. The Rijksmuseum is seeking sponsors for each of these projects. The museum’s ultramodern Atelier Building originally opened its doors in 2007. In the meantime, thanks to the state-of-the-art facilities and the excellent collaboration between restorers, curators, academics ... More

Photographer Alexander Gronsky Wins Foam Paul Huf Award 2010 Alexander Gronsky, "Endless Night, Polar Night in Murmansk", Russia (detail), 2007. AMSTERDAM.- Alexander Gronsky (Estonia, 1980) was chosen as the winner of the Foam Paul Huf Award 2010 by an international jury today. The annual prize, is given to a young international talent in photography under 35 years of age. The jury was impressed by the quality and diversity of the submitted portfolios from around the world. Out of 81 nominees, 31 are from Europe, 14 from Asia, 13 from the United States, 15 from South America, 3 from Africa, 3 from Australia and New Zealand and 2 from the Middle East. The diversity of approaches used by the nominees, and notably the use of new technologies, raised a heated debate among the members of the jury in order to attend a new signification of what photography is and could be in the years to come. The chairman of the jury noted on the winner: “Gronsky, a ‘new docugraphic’ photographer is renewing the tradition of documentary photography. His ... More

Leslie Hindman to Offer Property from the Estate of Ronald C. Sloter George Wesley Bellows (American, 1882-1925), "Lady in a Green Dress", 1924. Oil on canvas, 40 x 32 inches. Estimate: $70,000-90,000. CHICAGO, IL.- On March 28 Leslie Hindman Auctioneers will offer property from the Estate of Ronald C. Sloter in a single-owner auction benefitting the Columbus College of Art and Design. Sloter, a longtime Columbus resident, approached CCAD President Denny Griffith in 2005 to explore the idea of leaving his home and its contents to CCAD. Mr. Sloter wished to benefit the college through the gift of his estate, thereby memorializing his parents, Wilford and Dorothy Sloter. Ronald C. Sloter ran his familys concrete-supply company after his father passed away. Throughout his life Sloter was an enthusiastic supporter of the arts, collecting paintings and prints by Theodore Earl Butler, Robert Henri, George Wesley Bellows, Mary Cassatt, Charles Burchfield, Childe Hassam and others. He also donated anonymously to theater and charitable organizations, often honoring his ... More

Paul Johnson Appointed Deputy Director for Development at the Brooklyn Museum Paul Johnson has been appointed Deputy Director for Development at the Brooklyn Museum. BROOKLYN, NY.- Longtime fundraising professional Paul Johnson has been appointed Deputy Director for Development at the Brooklyn Museum following an intensive search. Mr. Johnson will assume his new position, which will report to Museum Director Arnold L. Lehman, in mid-April. Dr. Lehman, who personally conducted the search, states, "We are delighted to welcome Paul Johnson to the Brooklyn Museum, especially at this challenging time for the not-for-profit cultural community. Paul's breadth of experience on behalf of art museums, particularly in the areas of corporate and individual giving, as well as membership development, will increase and strengthen Brooklyn's fundraising capacity in all areas, while at the same time nurturing an effectively functioning department." Norman M. Feinberg, Chair of the Museum's Board of Trustees, comments, "Paul brings 15 years of ever-increasing responsibility and success in development ... More

Elvis' Clash with Media on View at Newseum in Washington A suit from "Aloha From Hawaii" worn by Elvis. AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin. By: Brett Zongker, Associated Press Writer WASHINGTON (AP).- A spark that helped ignite Elvis Presley's fame more than 50 years ago was lit by the newspaper editors and critics who hated him. They detested his voice and thought his moves were unfit for family publications, all while teenagers went wild. It's that shocking style and clash with the media that also will make Elvis the subject of a new exhibition at the Newseum, a history museum that celebrates the First Amendment in Washington. "Newspapers in the mid-'50s viewed themselves as arbiters of social values, and they felt they should be among the ones to speak most loudly when they saw someone threatening America's mores," said Ken Paulson, the Newseum's president and former editor of USA Today. "What's interesting is that fiercely negative coverage drove Elvis' fame. ... After the national news coverage kicked in, he was the king of rock 'n' roll." Elvis' two ... More

Bonhams Appoints New Paintings Specialist with Royal Track Record Patrick Becks, an independent Art Consultant, has worked previously for Sotheby’s in Amsterdam. LONDON.- Bonhams has appointed Patrick Becks as its new Picture Specialist in Amsterdam. Patrick Becks, an independent Art Consultant, has worked previously for Sotheby’s in Amsterdam for 10 years as a Senior Specialist for European Paintings and International Business Getter, Auctioneer. He has also worked in Canada and Belgium, where he was responsible for the sale of property from the Belgian Royal Family, and has worked very successfully in Germany and England. In 2005 he was the Senior Specialist for European Paintings for the Sale of the Royal House of Hanover at the castle Marienburg near Hanover. He was therefore involved in one of the most significant (ten day long) sales in continental Europe which included property from no fewer than five English kings and which realised over 45 million Euros. While based in Amsterdam for Sotheby’s he managed regular sales of paintings. He studied Law and Public Administra ... More

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On a Day Like Today, American Painter Elaine de Kooning was Born   BROOKLYN.- March 12, 1918.- Elaine de Kooning was an Abstract Expressionist, Figurative Expressionist painter in the post-World War II era and editorial associate for the Art News magazine. On December 9, 1943, she married artist Willem de Kooning, who was highly influential artist in the Abstract Expressionism movement. In this image: A portrait of John F. Kennedy which was painted for the Harry S. Truman Library by Elaine de Kooning is shown with the artist, Mrs. Kooning, center, and Mr. Truman, right, when the portrait was presented earlier in the week in Independence, Mo., Feb. 13, 1965. The portrait was dedicated at ceremonies at the library today. AP Photo.

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