BY VICTORIA ROMEO
The Metropolitan Museum of Art is currently  at the tail end of  two exhibitions that examine issues of attribution. What makes these shows special is that they focus on a single work by two  of  the greatest artists of all time: Diego Velazquez and Michelangelo Buonarotti. The stakes becomes when previously anonymous works [...]

BY VICTORIA ROMEO
Amidst the multitude of horrors that characterize World War II, the Nazis’ systematic plundering of some of the world’s greatest works of art is one of the lesser known histories.  The Rape of Europa tells this complex tale and its resonating effects in a compelling and eloquent manner.  The film, released in [...]

The consistent banter of “once in a lifetime” type opportunities that are  used to describe star lots at the major Old Master painting auctions can lead to one taking comments from Christie’s and Sotheby’s with a grain of salt. In the case of some of the spectacular successes during last week’s sales in London  however, [...]

These days, announcements of Leonardo discoveries are rather routine. Details surrounding two of the latest cases however-the sudden cooperation of the notorious Italian bureacracy on a long delayed Leonardo excavation, and the use of forensic technology to confirm a previously dubious claim, continue to have us expecting the unexpected.
In 1563, [...]

Health care reform may be dead in the water, but at least the ripple effect of a new US administration has stirred up some priceless works of art. In a motion symbolizing the “strong ties of friendship that continue to bind both countries,” the French Embassy has made the gracious decision to give one of [...]

The US has gotten its share of Renaissance preeminence, as Michelangelo and Leonardo, and the Venetian trinity have both made rare appearances stateside over the past twelve months.
Following the debut of  rare Leonardo drawings at the Birmingham Museum of Art last winter, the rare and controversial discovery of what many believe to be Michelangelo’s first [...]

A trip to the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s collection of Old Masters usually feels like an encyclopedic affair, leaving one to saunter through a charming labyrinth of masterpieces throughout the ages. Such visits are typically not slated for seeing one specific work, however this Summer has provided a worthwhile exception to the rule, with the [...]

Conventional thought can mistake progress in art as linear. It can be confused with the scientific process, where advancements are made by drawing upon the knowledge of past studies. Masterpieces have always been distinguished by their expansion upon the influences of past works to create their own pure and original form of expression. Such [...]

Old Master enthusiasts in the NYC area might have found themselves a tad crestfallen in regards to the exhibition of Michelangelo drawings up at Syracuse University this fall.
A preparatory sketch for the Sistine Chapel frescoes, now on view in NYC, offers a glimpse into the blueprint of the one of the most magnanimous paintings in [...]

Sales results from Lempertz’s auction of Old Masters in the beginning of October, revealed some high-quality material by lesser known artists, going for bargain bin prices. Once again, these small spots are where steals can be had…Lot 14, a work that OMNP pondered being attributed to the style of Flemish master Frans Snyders, could not [...]

Lot 1 by Master of the Naumberg Madonna:
Unknown painters make for underpriced masterpieces.
In OMNP’s opinion-Bonham’s sale is most opportune for connoisseurs of Old Masters. In this month’s crop of Old Master sales, this auction has plenty of incredible works estimated at $50,000 USD and under. Lot 1 and lot 25 are particularly phenomenal-the balanced and [...]

The review for the Turner retrospective at the Met will be posted shortly. And you can now find information and contact pages for OMNP above the NEWS section.
A few news links and topics of interest for the weekend:
Artists Represent Most Powerful Emotion: Love at the National Gallery in London [Art Daily]

The National Gallery [...]