In all these works this master expressed the same volumetric lines inspired by Giotto though human figures appeared somewhat stretched out. In the Cruxifion, a work produced between 1335 and 1340, the painter underlined clothes with gold in an international Gothic manner. This painting on panel was considered as an extraordinary testimony of Italian art during the 14th Century and was one of the rare altar works of that period that survived. usually such theme was painted on the walls of a church and exposed to degradation throughout the following centuries. Had it not been listed as a national treasure it would have fetched a much higher price.
Meanwhile, Dante's Divine Comedy, a book published in 1472, of which 12 copies have survived in the world (including three in France) was sold for 5,1 million FF (US $ 809,523) (Not inclusive of buyer premium) by the Piasa auction group on June 16th 1999. This rare book had been estimated a mere 500,000 FF and the final bid was in fact a world record for this edition and a French record for any printed book so far. The last to be in private hands, it came from the collection of Baron Landau-Finaly and despite two original leaves misssing and replaced by modern substitutes printed on a paper similar to that used for the 1472 edition most amateurs went mad in the auction room before it went to an Italian collector who was bidding by phone. On June 14th, collectors battled fiercely for some mansucripts, notably Flaubert's Par Les Champs et par les Grèves, a book written by the 19th Century French novelist during his youth which fetched 1,95 millions FF (US $ 309,523) (Inclusive of buyer cost) while Paris book dealer Jean-Claude Vrain bought for 1,33 million FF (US $ 211,111) (Inclusive of buyer premium) the first half of Celine's manuscript Mort à Crédit (The second half was sold in 1986 to the Houghton Library of the Harvard University for 510,000 FF).
"I hate Celine regarding his antisemitic stand. I will never buy nor sell his pamphlets but I admire him as a writer who invented a language like Proust," said the triumphant buyer who also bought two extracts from Céline's manuscript Voyage au bout de la nuit for 72,000 FF (US $ 11,428) and 125,000 FF (US $ 19,841).
Adrian Darmon
A painting by 17th Century Dutch master Gerrit Berckheyde representing the Saint Bavon Church in Haarlem and painted in 1666 fetched 26 millions FF (US $ 4, 126, 984) at Drouot, Paris, on June 16th 1999.
Berckeyde (1638-1698) was one of the most celebrated Dutch painters of architectural scenes together with Jan van der Heyden and this work, measuring 60,5 x 84,5 cm, was certainly one of his best produced during his career.
This well-preserved oil painting carrying a modest estimate of 3 million FF had been acquired in 1830 by a French collector and had remained in the possession of his family in castle in Central France. It was rediscovered a few months ago by Paris auctioneer Dominique Ribeyre and by René Millet, an expert for old masters. Acquired by a French collector who was bidding against British, German and Dutch dealers, it fetched the highest bid ever recorded this year in a French auction.
Meanwhile, a Crucifixion by the Italian Master of Giovanni Barrile, a pupil of Giotto, fetched 12,86 million FF (US $ 2,041,269) (Inclusive of buyer premium) on June 11th at Drouot.
Sold by the auction group Delorme & Fraysse with the assistance again of René Millet, this 14th Century tempera painting on panel measuring 130 x 118 cm and carrying a pre-sale estimate of 3 millions FF was listed as a national treasure and could not be exported from France. Despite such handicap it fetched a very impressive price to be finally pre-empted by the Louvre museum.
From 1328 until 1333 Giotto worked for the Court of Naples at the request of King Robert of Anjou and his wife Sanche to decorate their residence and the Franciscan Church of Santa Chiara, which they had chosen as their burial place. All the works produced by Giotto during that period did not survive but it was known that he had called upon several artists such as Maso di Bianco from Florence and some local painters, among them the Master of Giovanni Barrile, to assist him in his task.
This Crucifixion was attributed to the latter whose identity is not known. His name was derived from some frescoes he produced in the San Lorenzo Maggiore Church of Naples for Giovanni Barrile, a nobleman attached to King Robert of Anjou.
It is probable that Giotto was his master and that he worked mainly for the Court of Naples. One fresco has been attributed to this painter in the dining-hall of the Santa Chiria monastery as well as a Saint Louis of Toulouse now in Aix-en-provence, Southern France, as well as some other frescoes produced around 1340 at San Pietro in Majella, Naples and a few miniature paintings of the Moralized Bible now in the French National Library.
In all these works this master expressed the same volumetric lines inspired by Giotto though human figures appeared somewhat stretched out. In the Cruxifion, a work produced between 1335 and 1340, the painter underlined clothes with gold in an international Gothic manner. This painting on panel was considered as an extraordinary testimony of Italian art during the 14th Century and was one of the rare altar works of that period that survived. usually such theme was painted on the walls of a church and exposed to degradation throughout the following centuries. Had it not been listed as a national treasure it would have fetched a much higher price.
Meanwhile, Dante's Divine Comedy, a book published in 1472, of which 12 copies have survived in the world (including three in France) was sold for 5,1 million FF (US $ 809,523) (Not inclusive of buyer premium) by the Piasa auction group on June 16th 1999. This rare book had been estimated a mere 500,000 FF and the final bid was in fact a world record for this edition and a French record for any printed book so far. The last to be in private hands, it came from the collection of Baron Landau-Finaly and despite two original leaves misssing and replaced by modern substitutes printed on a paper similar to that used for the 1472 edition most amateurs went mad in the auction room before it went to an Italian collector who was bidding by phone. On June 14th, collectors battled fiercely for some mansucripts, notably Flaubert's Par Les Champs et par les Grèves, a book written by the 19th Century French novelist during his youth which fetched 1,95 millions FF (US $ 309,523) (Inclusive of buyer cost) while Paris book dealer Jean-Claude Vrain bought for 1,33 million FF (US $ 211,111) (Inclusive of buyer premium) the first half of Celine's manuscript Mort à Crédit (The second half was sold in 1986 to the Houghton Library of the Harvard University for 510,000 FF).
"I hate Celine regarding his antisemitic stand. I will never buy nor sell his pamphlets but I admire him as a writer who invented a language like Proust," said the triumphant buyer who also bought two extracts from Céline's manuscript Voyage au bout de la nuit for 72,000 FF (US $ 11,428) and 125,000 FF (US $ 19,841).
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