Jacopo Robusti, called Jacopo Tintoretto, Allegory of Autumn. Estimate $300,000–500,000.
A painting that I am very intrigued by is
Tintoretto’s Allegory of Autumn
. It is a very early work of one of the great masters of Venetian art, and was painted for a specific location in the city. It was part of a group of canvases to decorate a ceiling, and its dramatic composition reflects this. The ambitious young Tintoretto was trying to make an impression, and while the composition is certainly reminiscent of Michelangelo and other older masters, the style is ultimately his own. – Christopher Apostle
Adriaen Isenbrant, The Flight Into Egypt. Estimate $150,000–200,000.
Early Netherlandish landscapes have long delighted me, particularly in the way that they open a window onto captivating—though often imaginary—vistas, and Adriaen Isenbrant’s Flight Into Egypt is a truly fantastic example of this genre. Again and again, I find myself fully engrossed in exploring every last corner of the detailed scene: from the figures in the foreground, to the rolling hills and pastures beyond, to the fortified cities in the distance, and to mountains and valleys beyond. – Elisabeth Lobkowicz
Ansano di Pietro di Mencio, called Sano di Pietro, Madonna and Child; Saint John the Baptist; Saint Jerome: A Portable Triptych. Estimate $250,000–350,000.
I particularly love the triptych by Sano di Pietro because it is a complete object. The wings fold in and are painted on the outside, and when the triptych is open you see a beautiful Madonna and child in the center surrounded by a glorious Sienese landscape on both wings. Intact and complete objects like this are hard to find, and this one is everything you could hope for. – George Wachter
Louise Moillon, Still Life of a Peaches in a Bowl Standing on a Wooden Box on a Ledge, an Apricot Branch Resting in the Foreground. Estimate $150,000–200,000.
It is rare in our field to have works by female artists, so I always gravitate towards them when we get the chance to offer one. This painting by the French artist Louise Moillon is an elegant and touching still life of fruit, carefully and delicately composed. I love how she is so subtle in contrasting the skin of the apricots and peaches – the sheen on the apricots and the water droplets on their leaves truly make you want to take a bit out of one! – Calvine Harvey
Jean-Baptiste Greuze, "L'Effroi," A Young Girl, Bust-Length, with Her Hair Tied in a Red Scarf. Estimate $80,000–120,000.
I particularly love the Greuze in our sale, which is a bust length depiction of a young girl caught in a moment of emotion. Greuze is a master at depicting these fleeting snapshots of people, and the zoomed in composition only enhances her palpable psychology. – David Pollack
Artus Wolffort, Saint Andrew. Estimate $80,000–120,000.
I love the boldness of this imposing mage of Saint Andrew. At the same time, his rather casual pose, wearily propping up his head as he reads, makes him very human and relatable. Though his figure dominates the composition, the landscape and various objects are also beautifully rendered. – Andrea Kust
Neapolitan School, first half of the 17th century, attributed to Giacomo Recco, Still Life of Flowers in a Carafe, a Copper Basin with Glasses and Carafe, Fruit, Taralli and a Glass Bottle. Estimate $80,000–120,000.
This elegant still life, that beautifully showcases an arrangement of flowers, fruits, and various other objects, is also an exquisite example of an Old Master’s selfie. The glass that floats on the copper basin reflects the self-portrait of this unknown artist. The figure that appears within the convex shape of the voluptuous body of the vase is reminiscent of Parmigianino’s Self-portrait in a Convex Mirror (circa 1524) in the
Kunsthistorisches Museum
, Vienna. Though the identity of this artist has so far eluded scholars, we can still admire his indisputably accomplished hand with the present still life and self-portrait he cleverly painted. – Alexa Armstrong
With our Master Paintings auction fast approaching, seven Sotheby's specialists highlighted their favorite pieces from the sale and explained what drew them to their choice.
Master Paintings
22 May | New York