Il mercato dell’arte in Italia: dal Divisionismo al Futurismo

Giacomo Balla, ‘Ritratto di signora,’ 1907 ca., olio su tela, cm 100x75. Courtesy Farsettiarte Prato.
Giacomo Balla, ‘Ritratto di signora,’ 1907 ca., olio su tela, cm 100x75. Courtesy Farsettiarte Prato.
Giacomo Balla, ‘Ritratto di signora,’ 1907 ca., olio su tela, cm 100×75. Courtesy Farsettiarte Prato.

CORTINA D’AMPEZZO, Italia – Ogni anno ad agosto la galleria e casa d’aste senese Farsettiarte organizza nella sua sede di Cortina d’Ampezzo, luogo di villeggiatura sulle Dolomiti, una mostra antologica che ripercorre la storia artistica del Novecento. Quest’anno, dall’8 al 31 agosto, l’esposizione intitolata “Divisionismo e Futurismo. L’arte italiana consegnata alla modernità” rievoca il passaggio nell’arte italiana dal Divisionismo al Futurismo, includendo una trentina di opere di autori celebri come Giacomo Balla, Umberto Boccioni, Carlo Carrà, Fortunato Depero, Ottone Rosai, Gino Severini, Mario Sironi, Ardengo Soffici e Lorenzo Viani.

L’idea è nata dal fondatore della casa d’asta, Frediano Farsetti. “Si tratta di una mostra più didattica che commerciale”, dice la figlia e collaboratrice Sonia Farsetti, “perché molte opere non sono in vendita, ma sono in prestito. Per quelle consegnate per la vendita, i prezzi partono dai 200mila euro”.

La mostra si concentra sulle radicali trasformazioni stilistiche ed estetiche che ebbero luogo nel decennio che va dal 1910 al 1920. Un protagonista importante di questo passaggio è stato Giacomo Balla, nato nel 1871 e scomparso nel 1958, che fece da tramite tra la generazione dei Divisionisti Giovanni Segantini e Gaetano Previati, nati negli anni 50 dell’Ottocento, e la generazione dei Futuristi Umberto Boccioni, Carlo Carrà e Gino Severini, nati negli anni 80.

Il Divisionismo era emerso nell’ultimo decennio del secolo, in particolare con la partecipazione di Giovanni Segantini, Gaetano Previati e Angelo Morbelli alla Triennale di Brera a Milano del 1891. Il movimento si ispirava alla tecnica del Pointillisme francese di Seurat e Signac per riprodurre il vero e gli effetti della luce. A differenza dei francesi, il Divisionismo non diede tanta importanza al rigore tecnico, quanto al simbolismo e al soggetto, spesso di natura sociale. Anche Balla affrontò tematiche sociali, per esempio nell’opera “La giornata dell’operaio” del 1904 e ne “La pazza” del 1905 – oggi alla Galleria Nazionale d’Arte Moderna di Roma – prima di mutare radicalmente stile e impostazione e passare ad un dipinto di stampo futurista come “Lampada ad arco”, del 1909, conservato al MoMA, fino ad arrivare poi alla sottoscrizione del Manifesto futurista di Marinetti nel 1910, firmato anche da Umberto Boccioni, Carlo Carrà, Gino Severini e Luigi Russolo.

La mostra di Farsettiarte include quattro opere di Boccioni: “Campagna romana” del 1902 circa, “Germogli primaverili (Paesaggio di Villa Borghese)”, del 1906, “Ritratto di signora” del 1907 e “Nel prato” del 1908, due opere particolarmente importanti. Tutti questi dipinti testimoniano l’arrivo della rivoluzione futurista, che poi trovò massima espressione in Boccioni. Di quest’ultimo ci sono in mostra tre dipinti: “Pagliaio

al sole” del 1908, “Crepuscolo” del 1909, e “Nudo disteso”.

La ricerca spaziale e formale del Futurismo appaiono anche in altre opere in mostra, come “Paesaggio

Toscano” di Severini (1912), “Ritmi e linee” di Carlo Carrà (1912), “La ballerina del San Martino” e “L’Arlecchino” di Sironi, entrambi del 1915.

I dipinti di Ardengo Soffici e Ottone Rosai, invece, testimoniano il filone fiorentino del Futurismo, a tratti in contrasto con il movimento milanese, come prova l’episodio della rissa nel 1911 tra Boccioni, Marinetti e Carrà da una parte e Soffici, Prezzolini, Slataper e Spaini dall’altra.

Di Ottone Rosai, più giovane degli altri futuristi, ci sono in mostra tre dipinti della fine del secondo decennio del secolo: “Follie estive” (1918-1919), “Bottiglia e ciotola” (1919) e “Serenata” (1919-20).

La mostra di Farsettiarte è interessante anche dal punto di vista del mercato, vista la scarsità di opere di questi due movimenti in circolazione. “Sia per quanto riguarda il Divisionismo che il Futurismo c’è il problema della disponibilità di opere sul mercato, perché ci sono poche opere in commercio”, spiega Sonia Farsetti. “Per lo più si trovano in collezioni pubbliche o private. Ma quando si trovano buone opere sul mercato, i collezionisti rispondono bene e vengono segnati prezzi alti. Soprattutto per nomi come Boccioni e Severini”.

Tra i due movimenti, il Futurismo ha un mercato più forte poiché si è trattato di un movimento più definito, mentre il Divisionismo ha rappresentato una corrente più ampia, a cavallo tra due secoli. Oltre al problema della reperibilità delle opere, c’è anche quello della scarsa presenza del movimento sul piano internazionale, per cui le opere divisioniste segnano all’estero quotazioni molto inferiori a quelle, per esempio, dei Pointillisti francesi. Sia il Divisionismo che il Futurismo sono legati alla questione dell’esportazione, resa difficile dalle leggi italiane, e ciò ne preclude la conoscenza e la circolazione sul piano internazionale.

 

ADDITIONAL IMAGES OF NOTE

Giacomo Balla, ‘Ritratto di signora,’ 1907 ca., olio su tela, cm 100x75. Courtesy Farsettiarte Prato.
Giacomo Balla, ‘Ritratto di signora,’ 1907 ca., olio su tela, cm 100×75. Courtesy Farsettiarte Prato.
Umberto Boccioni, ‘Crepuscolo,’ 1909, olio su tela, cm 90x120. Courtesy Farsettiarte Prato.
Umberto Boccioni, ‘Crepuscolo,’ 1909, olio su tela, cm 90×120. Courtesy Farsettiarte Prato.
Ottone Rosai, ‘Follie estive,’ (1918-19), olio su tela, cm 44x49. Courtesy Farsettiarte Prato.
Ottone Rosai, ‘Follie estive,’ (1918-19), olio su tela, cm 44×49. Courtesy Farsettiarte Prato.

Art Market Italy: From Divisionism to Futurism

Giacomo Balla, ‘Ritratto di signora,’ 1907 ca., olio su tela, cm 100x75. Courtesy Farsettiarte Prato.
Giacomo Balla, ‘Ritratto di signora,’ circa 1907, oil on canvas, cm 100x75. Courtesy Farsettiarte Prato.
Giacomo Balla, ‘Ritratto di signora,’ circa 1907, oil on canvas, cm 100×75. Courtesy Farsettiarte Prato.

CORTINA D’AMPEZZO, Italy – Every August, the gallery and auction house of Siena Farsettiarte organizes at its headquarters in Cortina d’Ampezzo, a resort in the Dolomites, a retrospective exhibition that traces the history of art of the 20th century. This year, from Aug. 8–31, the exhibition entitled “Divisionism and Futurism. Italian art delivered to modernity” evokes the transition from Divisionism to Futurism in Italian art, including about 30 works by famous authors such as Giacomo Balla, Umberto Boccioni, Carlo Carra, Fortunato Depero, Ottone Rosai, Gino Severini, Mario Sironi, Soffici and Lorenzo Viani.

The idea came from the founder of the auction house, Frediano Farsetti. “The exhibition has a didactic aim, more than a commercial one,” Frediano Farsetti’s daughter and collaborator Sonia Farsetti said. “Many of the works are not for sale, but are on loan. For those delivered for sale, prices start at €200,000.”

The exhibition focuses on the radical stylistic and aesthetical transformations that took place in the decade from 1910 to 1920. A major player in this passage was Giacomo Balla, who was born in 1871 and disappeared in 1958. Balla acted as an intermediary between the generation of Divisionists Giovanni Segantini and Gaetano Previati, born in the 1850s, and the generation of Futurists Umberto Boccioni, Carlo Carrà and Gino Severini, born in the 1880s.

Divisionism had emerged in the last decade of the century, in particular with the participation of Giovanni Segantini, Gaetano Previati and Angelo Morbelli at the Brera Triennale in Milan in 1891. The movement was inspired by the technique of French pointillism of Seurat and Signac to reproduce the real and the effects of light. Unlike the French painters, Divisionism did not give so much importance to the technical rigor, but rather to the symbolism and the subject of the painting, often of a social nature. Balla also faced social issues (for example in the work La giornata dell’operaio from 1904 and in La pazza from 1905, today at the National Gallery of Modern Art in Rome), before radically changing style and moving to a painting of Futuristic type (such as Lampada ad arco, from 1909, today in the MoMA collection), and then signing Marinetti’s Manifesto of Futurism in 1910, also signed by Umberto Boccioni, Carlo Carrà, Luigi Russolo and Gino Severini.

The exhibition at Farsettiarte includes four works by Boccioni: Campagna romana from circa 1902, Germogli primaverili (Paesaggio di Villa Borghese), from 1906, Ritratto di signora from 1907, and Nel prato, from 1908, two particularly important works. All these paintings bear witness to the arrival of the Futurist revolution, which was best expressed in Boccioni. There are three paintings by Boccioni on display: Pagliaio al sole, from 1908, Crepuscolo, from 1909, and Nudo disteso.

The spatial and formal research of the Futurism also appears in other works on display, such as Paesaggio Toscano by Severini (1912), Ritmi e linee by Carlo Carra (1912), La ballerina del San Martino, and L’Arlecchino by Sironi, both from 1915.

The paintings by Ardengo Soffici and Ottone Rosai, on the contrary, testify the current of the Florentine Futurism, which was sometimes in contrast with the Milanese movement, like the episode of the brawl in 1911 between Boccioni, Marinetti and Carrà on one side and Soffici, Prezzolini and Slataper, and Spaini on the other shows.

By Ottone Rosai, who was younger than the other Futurists, there are three paintings on display from the end of the second decade of the 20th century: Follie estive (1918-1919), Bottiglia e ciotola (1919) and Serenata (1919-20).

The exhibition at Farsettiarte is also interesting from the point of view of the market, given the scarcity of works of these two movements circulating. “Both for Divisionism and Futurism there is the problem of availability of works on the market, because there are few works for sale,” said Sonia Farsetti. “They are mostly in public or private collections. But when there are good works on the market, collectors respond very well and high prices are scored. Especially for names such as Boccioni and Severini.”

Among the two movements, Futurism has a stronger market because it was more defined, while the Divisionism has been wider and straddling over two centuries. Beside the problem of availability of works, there is also that the question of the limited presence of the movement on the international level, for which the works by the painters of Divisionism mark much lower prices outside Italy than those by, for example, French Pointillists. The circulation of both Divisionism and Futurism is limited by the export issue, which is made difficult by the Italian law, precluding the knowledge and circulation of these movements on the international stage.

ADDITIONAL IMAGES OF NOTE

Giacomo Balla, ‘Ritratto di signora,’ circa 1907, oil on canvas, cm 100x75. Courtesy Farsettiarte Prato.
Giacomo Balla, ‘Ritratto di signora,’ circa 1907, oil on canvas, cm 100×75. Courtesy Farsettiarte Prato.
Umberto Boccioni, ‘Crepuscolo,’ 1909, oil on canvas, cm 90x120. Courtesy Farsettiarte Prato.
Umberto Boccioni, ‘Crepuscolo,’ 1909, oil on canvas, cm 90×120. Courtesy Farsettiarte Prato.
Ottone Rosai, ‘Follie estive,’ (1918-19), oil on canvas, cm 44x49. Courtesy Farsettiarte Prato.
Ottone Rosai, ‘Follie estive,’ (1918-19), oil on canvas, cm 44×49. Courtesy Farsettiarte Prato.

National Portrait Gallery acquires Bob Carlos Clarke photos

'Marco Pierre White' by Bob Carlos Clarke © Estate of Bob Carlos Clarke.
'Marco Pierre White' by Bob Carlos Clarke © Estate of Bob Carlos Clarke.
‘Marco Pierre White’ by Bob Carlos Clarke © Estate of Bob Carlos Clarke.

LONDON – An impressive selection of rarely seen celebrity portraits by renowned photographer Bob Carlos Clarke has been donated to the National Portrait Gallery collection by the Bob Carlos Clarke Foundation.

The photographs, which were taken in various locations from 1971 to 1998, include portraits of high profile figures such as celebrity chef Marco Pierre White, who Carlos Clarke photographed in his studio following the success of his acclaimed recipe book and autobiography White Heat, a striking portrait of actress Rachel Weisz, shot in Carlos Clarke’s studio in 1993, and Mick Jagger, taken during a Rolling Stones performance at The Marquee in London in 1971.

Other highlights from the collection include portraits of Ronnie Wood and Bryan Ferry, both photographed by Carlos Clarke for the 1997 Powergen calendar, and a portrait of Elton John smiling directly at the camera, which was taken during an album cover shoot in 1991. Portraits of Elle Macpherson, taken during a 1993 photo shoot for luxury jeweler Butler & Wilson and Christopher Lee, shot for the 1993 Powergen calendar were also donated to the gallery.

Carlos Clarke (1950–2006) was born in Cork, Ireland, and moved to England in 1964 to study art and design at the West Sussex College of Art where he developed a strong interest in photography. He went on to the London College of Printing, before completing a master’s degree in photography at the Royal College of Art in 1975.

Carlos Clarke worked across many photography styles, winning numerous awards for his high-profile advertising campaigns and international recognition for his photojournalism and portraits of celebrities. He is often cited as an influential photographer and he became particularly well known for his controversial portraits, the subjects of which included rock stars and glamorous female models.

Carlos Clarke had two solo exhibitions during his lifetime; “Styx” at Hamiltons Gallery in Mayfair, London in 1991 and his first digital photography exhibition “Love Dolls Never Die” at Eyestorm Gallery in 2004. He also produced six books: The Illustrated Delta of Venus (1979), Obsession (1981), The Dark Summer (1985), White Heat (1990), Shooting Sex (2002), and Love Dolls Never Die (2004).

Following a period in a rehabilitation clinic, Carlos Clarke committed suicide in 2006. His wife, Lindsey Carlos Clarke, and daughter, Scarlett, have donated the 10 prints to the National Portrait Gallery collection in recognition of Carlos Clarke’s remarkable contribution to portrait photography. In 2007, Lindsey Carlos Clarke opened The Little Black Gallery, a new London photography gallery, in Carlos Clarke’s memory, which showcases artists from around the world and which is also home to the Bob Carlos Clarke Foundation.

 

“These photographs are both classic and era defining. We are pleased to be able to add to the representation of Bob Carlos Clarke’s work in the National Portrait Gallery’s collection with this generous portfolio gift,” said Clare Freestone, associate curator of photographs at the National Portrait Gallery.

The 10 photographic prints by Bob Carlos Clarke can be viewed in the National Portrait Gallery’s online digital collection at www.npg.org.uk collections while plans are made to publicly display the prints in the Gallery in the future.

For further information about the Bob Carlos Clarke Foundation, visit www.thelittleblackgallery.com or contact Ghislain Pascal at The Little Black Gallery. Tel: 020 7349 9332. Email: ghislain@thelittleblackgallery.com

ADDITIONAL IMAGES OF NOTE

'Marco Pierre White' by Bob Carlos Clarke © Estate of Bob Carlos Clarke.
‘Marco Pierre White’ by Bob Carlos Clarke © Estate of Bob Carlos Clarke.
'Rachel Weisz' by Bob Carlos Clarke © Estate of Bob Carlos Clarke.
‘Rachel Weisz’ by Bob Carlos Clarke © Estate of Bob Carlos Clarke.
'Mick Jagger' by Bob Carlos Clarke © Estate of Bob Carlos Clarke.
‘Mick Jagger’ by Bob Carlos Clarke © Estate of Bob Carlos Clarke.

AAA selects 11 favorite historic American hotels

Willard Intercontinental Hotel in Washington, D.C., this historic historic luxury Beaux-Arts hotel designed by Henry Janeway Hardenbergh. Image by AgnosticPreachersKid. This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported license.
Willard Intercontinental Hotel in Washington, D.C., this historic historic luxury Beaux-Arts hotel designed by Henry Janeway Hardenbergh. Image by AgnosticPreachersKid. This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported license.
Willard Intercontinental Hotel in Washington, D.C., this historic historic luxury Beaux-Arts hotel designed by Henry Janeway Hardenbergh. Image by AgnosticPreachersKid. This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported license.

ORLANDO, Fla. (PRNewswire-USNewswire) – To help travelers connect with our nation’s history, AAA inspectors assembled a list of their favorite historic hotels—structures of notable record or architecture, typically 75 years or older. Artifacts range from an opulent pre-Depression luxury hotel to a flamboyant Old West rail stop to a sprawling mountain resort with a Prohibition speakeasy.

Here are America’s hotel experts’ 11 top picks for evoking an atmosphere of days gone by. Travelers can read about additional AAA Inspectors’ Favorite Historic Hotels on the AAA TravelViews blog, visit AAA’s historic hotels board on Pinterest and find more than 1,500 AAA Approved historic hotel listings on AAA.com

Casa Laguna Inn & Spa, Laguna Beach, Calif.

Mission-style architecture adds charm to this ocean-view inn, situated on a terraced hillside among picturesque gardens. Because there is no elevator, be prepared to climb the stairs to get a full perspective of the property. Each step you take unveils yet another hidden seating area, artistic tile work or lush landscaping accent.

The Driskill, Austin, Texas

Opened in 1886 and designated a National Historic Landmark in 1969, the hotel offers a spectacular lobby with inlaid marble floors and magnificent woodwork leading to a grand staircase. From the cattle barons of the Old West to LBJ commandeering the hotel to watch election returns to today’s celebrities, guests enjoy superior service and upscale amenities.

Fitger’s Inn, Duluth, Minn.

This renovated Lake Superior brewery houses a historic hotel, an operating brewery, a brewery museum, shops and several restaurants. Guestrooms reflect the elegance of the brewery’s heydays, each unique in decor and size based on the style of building, many with great views of the lake.

The Grove Park Inn, Asheville, N.C.

Dating from 1913, the Arts and Crafts inspired architecture and interior design are meticulously maintained. The lobby’s floor-to-ceiling stone fireplaces mirror one another across the great hall. Distinguished past guests include the last 10 U.S. presidents, prolific authors and numerous political notables. Patrons enjoy outstanding cuisine, a 40,000-square-foot spa and a magnificent mountain view.

The Hermitage Hotel, Nashville, Tenn.

The stunning 1910 architecture, restored to its grandeur in 2003, marks the building’s exterior and ornate, cathedral-height ceilings in the large open lobby. Impressive marble columns circle the lobby and one-of-a-kind antique furnishings create an environment of pre-Depression prosperity. One area not to miss is the impressive 1930s Art Deco-style men’s room near the restaurant bar. (Women may enter after knocking.)

La Posada Hotel, Winslow, Ariz.

A popular stop on the Santa Fe Railroad, the hotel is just down the street from the “corner in Winslow, Arizona” made famous by the Eagles’ lyrics. Guest attractions include the hotel’s art museum, historical exhibits, architecture, gardens and contemporary southwest cuisine from the Turquoise Room. Restorations that began in 1997 include plans to add a million-dollar garden to fulfill a dream of the original designer, Mary Colter.

Lake Quinault Lodge, Quinault, Wash.

This 1926 hotel where President Franklin D. Roosevelt once dined offers guestrooms with the smaller, sparser furnishings of an era when the idea was to spend time hiking in the rain forest or paddling at sunrise on the glass smooth lake. Guests can curl up next to the lobby’s roaring fire, relax in Adirondack chairs at sunset or casually stroll the rolling lawn.

The Occidental Hotel, Buffalo, Wyo.

The Wild West comes to life with embossed ceilings, mounted animal trophies and antiques. Calamity Jane, Butch Cassidy, Teddy Roosevelt and members of the Hole in the Wall Gang stayed here. Each guestroom features a unique theme. The hotel, a restaurant and saloon featuring the original back bar plus a complex of storefronts comprise a city block.

Omni Mount Washington Hotel, Bretton Woods, N.H.

Among its many historical claims is The Cave, a Prohibition-era speakeasy still operating as a bar and an octagon-shape dining room designed to avoid seating any guest ‘in the corner.’ The property is renowned for hosting the 1944 Bretton Woods Monetary Conference that resulted in the creation of the World Bank and International Monetary Fund. From a distance, travelers note the stately structure’s distinctive red roof atop pristine-white stucco masonry and local granite, set against a backdrop of the White Mountains.

Strater Hotel, Durango, Colo.

Steeped in history, this downtown landmark delivers world-class accommodations and hospitality. Employees in period costume add a sense of stepping back in time to your visit. The 93 Victorian-style rooms are filled with walnut antiques and period wallpapers. Western history enthusiasts enjoy the beautiful lobby, lounges and public space. Other offerings include fine dining, nightly live entertainment and live theatre performances.

The Willard InterContinental, Washington, D.C.

Opened in 1901, this time-honored hotel features rich, eye-catching Beaux Arts architecture. It was while staying here that Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., put the finishing touches to his “I Have a Dream” speech. In 1968 the hotel closed and fell into disrepair. Demolition was averted by a developer who restored and reopened the hotel in 1986 to provide luxurious accommodations and a high level of personal services.

About AAA Inspections and Historic Hotels

AAA offers the only rating program that conducts comprehensive, on-site professional hotel and restaurant evaluations guided by member priorities. And, with far more approved properties than any other rating entity, AAA operates the only rating system covering the U.S., Canada, Mexico and the Caribbean. Travelers can find AAA Diamond Rated establishments across AAA’s online, mobile and printed travel information products.

Hotels classified as historic are typically 75 years or older with historic architecture, design, furnishings, public record or acclaim and at least one of the following: maintains integrity of historical nature, listed on the National Register of Historic Places, designated a National Historic Landmark or located in a National Register Historic District.

As North America’s largest motoring and leisure travel organization, AAA provides more than 53 million members with travel, insurance, financial and automotive-related services. Since its founding in 1902, the not-for-profit, fully tax-paying AAA has been a leader and advocate for the safety and security of all travelers. AAA clubs can be visited on the Internet at AAA.com.

ADDITIONAL IMAGES OF NOTE

Willard Intercontinental Hotel in Washington, D.C., this historic historic luxury Beaux-Arts hotel designed by Henry Janeway Hardenbergh. Image by AgnosticPreachersKid. This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported license.
Willard Intercontinental Hotel in Washington, D.C., this historic historic luxury Beaux-Arts hotel designed by Henry Janeway Hardenbergh. Image by AgnosticPreachersKid. This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported license.
The Driskill Hotel, a Romanesque Revival-style building completed in 1886 in Austin, Texas. The building is on the National Register of Historic Places. Image by Larry D. Moore. This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported license.
The Driskill Hotel, a Romanesque Revival-style building completed in 1886 in Austin, Texas. The building is on the National Register of Historic Places. Image by Larry D. Moore. This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported license.
The Grove Park Inn, an Arts and Crafts Movement showcase in Asheville, N.C. Image by Jill. This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.0 Generic license.
The Grove Park Inn, an Arts and Crafts Movement showcase in Asheville, N.C. Image by Jill. This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.0 Generic license.
Mount Washington Hotel, a National Historic Landmark in Bretton Woods, N.H. Image by rickpilot_2000. This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.0 Generic license.
Mount Washington Hotel, a National Historic Landmark in Bretton Woods, N.H. Image by rickpilot_2000. This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.0 Generic license.

Court postpones Dutch art heist trial until Sept. 10

Dutch police handout photo of Pablo Picasso's 'Tete d'Arlequin,' one of several stolen paintings allegedly incinerated by a woman in Romania.
Dutch police handout photo of Pablo Picasso's 'Tete d'Arlequin,' one of several stolen paintings allegedly incinerated by a woman in Romania.
Dutch police handout photo of Pablo Picasso’s ‘Tete d’Arlequin,’ one of several stolen paintings allegedly incinerated by a woman in Romania.

BUCHAREST, Romania – A Bucharest court on Tuesday adjourned the trial of six Romanians charged with a spectacular theft from a Dutch museum, including masterpieces by Monet, Picasso and Gauguin that are now feared to have been burned.

Immediately after opening proceedings, the court president postponed the trial to Sept. 10 to allow more time for legal issues to be examined, including bail requests.

It took less than three minutes for the thieves to take seven works by some of the world’s most famous artists from the Kunsthal museum in Rotterdam in the predawn heist last October.

Among the paintings carried away in burlap sacks were Picasso’s Tete d’Arlequin and Monet’s Waterloo Bridge.

Shortly before the hearing opened, a lawyer for the alleged mastermind said his client, who admits his guilt, had offered to return five of the works in return for being tried in the Netherlands instead of Romania.

“Radu Dogaru tried to make a deal with the (Dutch) prosecutors,” Catalin Dancu told reporters, adding that the punishments for robbery were lighter in the Netherlands.

There was no mention of the other two missing paintings, and the lawyer said he could not confirm whether Dogaru was actually in possession of any of the masterpieces.

Investigators are still trying to figure out what happened to the paintings.

Dogaru’s mother Olga earlier this year told prosecutors she had torched them in her stove in the sleepy village of Carcaliu in a bid to destroy evidence and protect her son, but she retracted that statement last month.

An analysis by experts from Romania’s National History Museum revealed that ashes retrieved from her stove included the remains of three oil paintings and nails from frames used before the end of the 19th century.

The museum could not say whether these were from the paintings stolen in Rotterdam, although four of those were oil paintings.

Four of the suspects, including Dogaru, were in court for Tuesday’s brief hearing.

A fifth, who is not in detention, did not attend the session while a sixth accused is on the run and will be tried in absentia.

As well as standing trial for aiding and abetting, Olga Dogaru faces a separate investigation into the possible destruction of the artworks.

The total value of the haul, dubbed the “theft of the century” in the Netherlands, was 18 million euros ($24 million) according to prosecutors, while art experts at the time of the heist claimed the paintings were worth up to 100 million euros.

“The theft was carried out according to a meticulous plan,” prosecutors say in the indictment.

Dogaru, 29, is already under investigation in Romania for murder and human trafficking.

If found guilty of “theft with exceptionally serious consequences”, he faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.

Dogaru and his alleged accomplices all come from the same region in eastern Romania but lived in the Netherlands, and were under suspicion for robbery while their girlfriends allegedly were sex workers.

With little knowledge of art but eager to steal valuable old pieces, the group settled on the Kunsthal by chance.

After searching for museums on their GPS, the group initially found themselves at Rotterdam’s Natural History Museum, but soon realized its exhibits could not be resold, according to the indictment.

They then chanced upon a poster advertising an exhibition of 150 masterpieces from the private Triton Foundation at the Kunsthal.

Despite their value, none of the paintings were equipped with alarms, Dutch authorities said.

After smuggling the paintings into Romania by road, the group tried to sell them without success. A former model, Petre Condrat, accused of being an intermediary, is charged with concealment.

A Romanian art expert on Monday said she alerted the authorities last November after being asked by a friend to appraise two canvases.

In an interview with Romanian daily Adevarul and Dutch daily NRC Handelsblad, Mariana Dragu of Romania’s National Art Museum said she was shocked to discover that the works—Gauguin’s Femme Devant une Fenetre Ouverte, dite La Fiancee and La Liseuse en Blanc et Jaune by Matisse—were originals.

Two months later, three of the suspects—Dogaru, Eugen Darie and Mihai Alexandru Bitu—were arrested in Romania. Two of them had been identified by Dutch police thanks to surveillance cameras.

ADDITIONAL IMAGE OF NOTE

Dutch police handout photo of Pablo Picasso's 'Tete d'Arlequin,' one of several stolen paintings allegedly incinerated by a woman in Romania.
Dutch police handout photo of Pablo Picasso’s ‘Tete d’Arlequin,’ one of several stolen paintings allegedly incinerated by a woman in Romania.

From Bacon to Waterhouse, British art on view—everywhere

John Everett Millais' 'Ophelia.' Image courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.
John Everett Millais' 'Ophelia.' Image courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.
John Everett Millais’ ‘Ophelia.’ Image courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.

LONDON (AFP) – There’s a screaming head by Francis Bacon at the bus stop, and a landscape by John Constable in a shopping center—just some of the art forming part of a novel exhibition in Britain.

In what organizers say is the world’s largest exhibition of art, 57 British masterpieces have been reproduced across 22,000 posters on buses, taxis and advertising billboards everywhere from parking garages to the London Underground.

The works included in the “Art Everywhere” project, which runs until Aug. 25 across the country, were chosen by members of the public in an online vote.

Top of the list were John William Waterhouse’s Lady of Shalott and John Everett Millais’ Ophelia—both doomed women who met a watery grave.

Other pictures on display include modern artists such as David Hockney, Tracey Emin and Damien Hirst, as well as a picture of Cornelia Parker’s Cold Dark Matter, which involved blowing up and then reassembling a garden shed.

The project was financed by private donations, while the poster industry donated £3 million (3.5 million euros, $4.6 million) worth of advertising space.

ADDITIONAL IMAGE OF NOTE

John Everett Millais' 'Ophelia.' Image courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.
John Everett Millais’ ‘Ophelia.’ Image courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.
John William Waterhouse's 'Lady of Shalott.' Image courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.
John William Waterhouse’s ‘Lady of Shalott.’ Image courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.

Smithsonian acquires 100 Irving Penn photographs

A signed Irving Penn poster of his 1950 photograph 'Harlequin Dress.' Image courtesy of LiveAuctioneers.com Archive and Joerg Weigelt Auktionen.
A signed Irving Penn poster of his 1950 photograph 'Harlequin Dress.' Image courtesy of LiveAuctioneers.com Archive and Joerg Weigelt Auktionen.
A signed Irving Penn poster of his 1950 photograph ‘Harlequin Dress.’ Image courtesy of LiveAuctioneers.com Archive and Joerg Weigelt Auktionen.

WASHINGTON (AP) – The Smithsonian American Art Museum is acquiring 100 photographs by the acclaimed portrait and fashion photographer Irving Penn.

The museum announced Friday that the Irving Penn Foundation was giving the Smithsonian a collection that includes rare street photographs from the 1930s and 1940s, images of postwar Europe and some of Penn’s most recognizable fashion and still-life images. The gift includes portraits of such figures as Agnes de Mille, Langston Hughes and Truman Capote.

Penn is known for images he produced for Vogue magazine. He died in 2009. Penn earlier donated 61 photographs spanning his career to the museum.

In a statement, museum Director Elizabeth Broun says the gift adds breadth and depth to the museum’s holdings.

The museum is planning an exhibition of 160 of the artist’s works for 2015.

Copyright 2013 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

AP-WF-08-11-13 1959GMT

ADDITIONAL IMAGE OF NOTE

A signed Irving Penn poster of his 1950 photograph 'Harlequin Dress.' Image courtesy of LiveAuctioneers.com Archive and Joerg Weigelt Auktionen.
A signed Irving Penn poster of his 1950 photograph ‘Harlequin Dress.’ Image courtesy of LiveAuctioneers.com Archive and Joerg Weigelt Auktionen.

Crystal Bridges museum about to log 1 millionth visitor

One of the three bridge pavilions at the Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art. Image by Charves. This file is made available under the Creative Commons CC0 Universal Public Domain Dedication.
One of the three bridge pavilions at the Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art. Image by Charves. This file is made available under the Creative Commons CC0 Universal Public Domain Dedication.
One of the three bridge pavilions at the Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art. Image by Charves. This file is made available under the Creative Commons CC0 Universal Public Domain Dedication.

BENTONVILLE, Ark. (AP) – Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art in Bentonville hasn’t been open even two years but the northwest Arkansas hot spot is about to welcome its 1 millionth visitor.

When it opened on Nov. 11, 2011, museum organizers expected between 150,000 and 300,000 visitors per year. The first year brought in 650,000 patrons, lured in part by free admission to the museum’s regular collection.

Organizers say they expect the 1 millionth visitor to go through the turnstiles this week.

The museum in Bentonville was founded and funded by Walmart heiress Alice Walton. Since its opening, Bentonville’s downtown square has blossomed and the museum has been rated highly in various tourism guides.

Crystal Bridges collection includes art from colonial times to the present day.

Copyright 2013 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

AP-WF-08-11-13 2042GMT

ADDITIONAL IMAGE OF NOTE

One of the three bridge pavilions at the Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art. Image by Charves. This file is made available under the Creative Commons CC0 Universal Public Domain Dedication.
One of the three bridge pavilions at the Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art. Image by Charves. This file is made available under the Creative Commons CC0 Universal Public Domain Dedication.

Damaged di Suvero sculpture begins repair journey

'Helmholtz,' 1985, by Mark di Suvero, painted and stainless steel. Image courtesy of Fort Wayne Museum of Art.
'Helmholtz,' 1985, by Mark di Suvero, painted and stainless steel. Image courtesy of Fort Wayne Museum of Art.
‘Helmholtz,’ 1985, by Mark di Suvero, painted and stainless steel. Image courtesy of Fort Wayne Museum of Art.

FORT WAYNE, Ind. (AP) – A crane crew spent most of the workday Friday dismantling the Fort Wayne Museum of Art’s damaged Helmholtz sculpture and carefully loading pieces onto a flatbed truck, starting its journey for repair.

The sculpture, made up largely of steel I-beams, will be taken to a secure site to await the arrival of professional art movers, who will transport the pieces to the Petaluma, Calif., studio of its creator, renowned sculpture artist Mark di Suvero, who will do the repairs, said Charles A. Shepard III, museum executive director.

“I think people can expect a joyous party when it is re-installed,” Shepard said of the work, which has been part of the museum’s collection since 1985.

No city or tax dollars will be used to repair the sculpture, Shepard told The News-Sentinel. The cost will be paid by the museum’s insurance policy and by the insurance of the driver who crashed into it.

The sculpture, which weighs 8 tons, stands 21 feet tall and depicts a bull, suffered damage when Colton Adamonis, 23, of Fort Wayne drove his truck into it at about 2:20 a.m. June 16, police reported. The sculpture stood on the Freimann Square side of the Arts United Center.

Shepard said the museum doesn’t have any idea how long it will take for Helmholtz to be repaired, or what it will cost. Before the damage, the sculpture probably would have been valued at about $1 million to $1.5 million, he said.

Having di Suvero make the repairs, however, helps ensure both the artistic integrity of the piece and its market value won’t be compromised, Shepard said.

But complicating factors could make the repair process time-consuming.

First, di Suvero probably is the most famous living American sculptor, so he is extremely busy, Shepard said. Museum staff don’t know how quickly he will work the Helmholtz repair into his schedule.

He is interested in the sculpture, though.

“He told me on the phone it is one of his favorite pieces he ever made,” Shepard said.

In addition, “When this was created … there were no blueprints,” Shepard said.

So di Suvero will have to try to repair the damaged pieces of the sculpture. Then the artist will have to put the sculpture back together to see if it all fits and looks as he intended, Shepard said.

Once di Suvero is satisfied, the piece will have to be taken apart and shipped back to Fort Wayne, where it will need to be reassembled and repainted.

“I’m thinking we won’t get this back before snow,” he said.

If that is the case, the museum might wait until spring to re-install Helmholtz at its present location, he added.

That work likely also will include installing aesthetically pleasing and viewing-friendly barriers, such as concrete benches, to protect the sculpture from future vehicle damage. But the museum definitely wants to continue showcasing Helmholtz.

“It is a world-class, famous piece, and we have it in our hometown,” Shepard said.

___

Information from: The News-Sentinel, http://www.news-sentinel.com/ns

Copyright 2013 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

AP-WF-08-11-13 2130GMT

ADDITIONAL IMAGE OF NOTE

'Helmholtz,' 1985, by Mark di Suvero, painted and stainless steel. Image courtesy of Fort Wayne Museum of Art.
‘Helmholtz,’ 1985, by Mark di Suvero, painted and stainless steel. Image courtesy of Fort Wayne Museum of Art.

Ohioan restores goblin head from Stephen King film

Movie still from the film 'Maximum Overdrive.' Pictured is writer and director Stephen King, who autographed the picture. Image courtesy LiveAuctioneers.com Archive and International Autograph Auctions Ltd.
Movie still from the film 'Maximum Overdrive.' Pictured is writer and director Stephen King, who autographed the picture. Image courtesy LiveAuctioneers.com Archive and International Autograph Auctions Ltd.
Movie still from the film ‘Maximum Overdrive.’ Pictured is writer and director Stephen King, who autographed the picture. Image courtesy LiveAuctioneers.com Archive and International Autograph Auctions Ltd.

PIKETON, Ohio (AP) – A southern Ohio collector has restored an 8-foot goblin head to its glossy green glory, decades after the prop’s glowing eyes were used to signal imminent attacks in a Stephen King horror film.

The fiberglass face, which had been attached to a truck in the 1986 movie Maximum Overdrive, spent years being bumped by the lawn mower and climbed by children in Tim Shockey’s Piketon backyard before he decided to fix it up as a personal project. He began documenting it on Facebook last year and turned it into a moneymaking venture when he started getting messages from fans of the film, The Columbus Dispatch reported.

“I never knew this market existed,” said Shockey, who now takes the prop to horror-film conventions and sells photos of fans with the eerie green face.

To help pay for the fix-up, he sold dust sanded from the prop as $10 vials of “Goblin Dust” online.

“My wife (Janie) said, ‘There’s no way anyone will buy that,’” he said. “By the time I went to bed, I had sold three of them.”

Despite the movie’s limited success, one explanation for the interest in the goblin might be that horror fans tend to be loyal, said filmmaker Lucas Ostrowski, an assistant professor at Bowling Green State University.

“If you have a key prop that’s iconic, it doesn’t matter how obscure the movie is, because fans latch onto an iconic image,” he said.

Shockey is getting a glimpse of that.

“It has opened up a whole new world to me,” the 54-year-old sign company owner said.

Shockey, a movie fan himself, bought the head in 1987 from someone who’d purchased it at a junkyard. He displayed it at his Waverly, Ohio, video store until he sold the place in 1992 and moved the goblin to his property.

It’s among 600-plus Hollywood movie props he owns and sometimes sells. The items also include a Scream 4 mask signed by director Wes Craven and a football used by Adam Sandler in the 2005 remake of The Longest Yard.

Copyright 2013 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

AP-WF-08-11-13 2054GMT

ADDITIONAL IMAGE OF NOTE

Movie still from the film 'Maximum Overdrive.' Pictured is writer and director Stephen King, who autographed the picture. Image courtesy LiveAuctioneers.com Archive and International Autograph Auctions Ltd.
Movie still from the film ‘Maximum Overdrive.’ Pictured is writer and director Stephen King, who autographed the picture. Image courtesy LiveAuctioneers.com Archive and International Autograph Auctions Ltd.