Restoration and Research Reveal Old Master

It has just been released that an undisclosed settlement has been reached between an English family and Christie’s auction house over a disputed Titian painting. The painting by the Old Master, depicting Salome with the head of St. John the Baptist on a platter, was sold by a brother and sister to Christie’s in 1994 for 8,000GBP only to stumble upon it in a 2004 exhibition entitled “The Age of Titian” at the Scottish National Gallery. In the years between the initial sale and the sibling’s discovery, the painting had been bought and restored by a private collector who sought out and gained authentication of the piece. With an estimated value of between 2.3 million and 3.8 million GPP the couple was obviously upset and filed a lawsuit before they settled out of court with the auction house. Amazingly, the piece even bears the royal monogram of Charles I and had at one point been a part of his personal gallery.

The case illustrates a number of important points about having a third party art appraisal. First, it proves that auction houses and appraisers are not created equal and some may risk a quick sale and forgo the research often required by pieces of questionable and tantalizing origins. In the complaint filed by the owners they claimed “breach of duty and/or negligence” and alleged that “had they been advised that restoration and cleaning work on the Old Master could have lead to verification that it was an original, they would have commissioned art experts to do so” (Brown).

MIR Appraisal Services, Inc. places a heavy premium on research and often suggests that clients have their pieces restored or conserved for the purposes of exposing secrets hidden by years of grime, damage and nicotine. Beyond aiding in further research, getting a restored piece can greatly increase the value and bring out its true brilliance and magnificence. Also, the case of the misdiagnosed Titian highlights the importance of a third party opinion should someone wish to part with a piece. A consultation is relatively inexpensive and almost always will end in saving the client money in the long run. Even if the consultation backs up the claim that it was not executed by an Old Master it will help reinforce your decision and aid peace of mind. Remember, auction houses seek to profit from the value of your artwork while a reputable art appraiser charges a flat fee and therefore is not influenced by the value. MIR Appraisal Services welcomes all potential clients to give us a call at (312) 814-8510.

Written and Researched by Justin Bergquist

MIR Appraisal Services, Inc.

Principal Appraiser: Farhad Radfar, ISA AM 


307 N. Michigan Avenue, Suite 308 


Chicago, IL 60601 


(312) 814-8510

Works Cited:

Brown, Jonathan. “Couple Settle after their ‘Titian’ was Sold for a Song,” on The Independent Online.

Mazzolino Painting Discovered During Appraisal

A Ludovico Mazzolino painting created in 1522 was discovered recently in an English home by pure accident, proving that appraisals can bring not only guaranteed benefits in documenting one’s wealth but also an occasional surprise. The homeowner originally called his local personal property appraiser out to his home in Cheltenham, Gloucestershire UK to look at various pieces of glass and china. The appraiser noted that he “came to the house and it was all nice stuff – but not what you’d call exceptional.” This all changed when he happened upon a photograph of the Mazzolino piece and sent it along to experts who ultimately identified it as an Old Master original.

The piece, depicting Mary and Joseph with an infant Jesus between them, was found to have been last sold at auction in 1812 where it was sold for 20 GBP. The owner is again preparing to put the piece up for auction but is expected to get much more for the piece, as much as 60,000 GBP (approx. $98, 039.14 USD). Apparently, the collector obtained the painting through his great grandmother who bought it in Italy in 1862. Considering the piece’s exceptional quality and authorship the owner hopes that after it is sold at auction it will be put on display for the public to enjoy, a far cry from its two hundred years spent in hiding.

Slaugher of the Innocents by Ludovico Mazzolino, Uffizi Gallery

For those who are curious, Ludovico Mazzolino was an Italian Renaissance painter born in 1480 who studied in Bologna and specialized in creating frescoes, triptychs and paintings for churches. His style was very much defined by Jacopo de Barbari and Lorenzo Lotto who drew their stylistic tendencies from German Old Masters. Art historians have also noted that the artist incorporated stylistic elements typical of Venetian painting, leading to speculation that the artist was in contact with the Venetian master Giorgione. The work is refreshingly asymmetrical and anti-classical, indicating that he was a continental artist with an understanding of various approaches to painting throughout Renaissance Europe. Mazzolino died at 49, one of the millions claimed by the plague. Mazzolino has a number of pieces at the Uffizi Gallery in Florence, and his artworks have always been in high demand, with one painting selling for an excess of 300,000 GBP (approx. $490, 261.29 USD) in 2005.

Among our many services, appraisers at MIR Appraisal Services also make home/on-site visits and would be happy to visit you and inspect your artwork and fine items for appraisal or consultation. The on-site appointment option is the most effective for clients who have a great deal of artwork and to whom transporting their valuables is not an option. The on-site visit gives the client an opportunity to interact more completely with the appraiser and affords them the opportunity to inquire about objects that they would have otherwise not brought to the MIR office in downtown Chicago. Given the seemingly frequent but always exceptional encounters with hidden pieces of high value and importance, it is the best way of discovering your hidden treasures, accounted for or not.

Justin Bergquist

MIR Appraisal Services, Inc.

Chicago, IL 60601

312-814-8510

Works Cited:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/gloucestershire/8266741.stm

Leoncini, Luca. “Mazzolino, Ludovico” in Oxford Art Online.

http://www.oxfordartonline.com.flagship.luc.edu/subscriber/article/grove/art/T056279?q=Ludovico+Mazzolino&search=quick&pos=1&_start=1#firsthit

Images:

http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/46414000/jpg/_46414624_painting.jpg

http://www.virtualuffizi.com/uffizi1/Uffizi_Pictures.asp?Contatore=311