The results achieved by Wannenes auctions in the month of May 2023 confirm the growth of the auction house, now one of the main players in the industry.

The auctions included the dispersal of catalogs for Furniture, Sculptures, Art Objects, and Ceramics (May 17) and Ancient and 19th-century Paintings (May 18), which together realized a total of 2,469,989 euros, with a lot sold percentage of 71% and a value sold percentage of 193%.

The two sessions of Furniture, Sculptures, Art Objects, and Ceramics totaled 1,103,340 euros with a lot sold percentage of 69% and a value sold percentage of 187.5%. The absolute highlights were a pair of Roman consoles from the late 18th century, carved and gilded wood, originating from the Massimo Palace in Rignano Colonna at the Ara Coeli, which stood out for their extraordinary craftsmanship and as a marvelous testament to the rapid transition from Baroque to frivolous Rococo that took place in the Eternal City around the mid-18th century (lot 196, sold for 106,350 euros).

The second-highest result was achieved by a spectacular rectangular Roman table top, executed in geometrically patterned polychrome marbles from the 16th-17th century, with a large oval reserve in the center and stylized curling volutes (lot 195, sold for 62,600 euros).

The third position was reached by a pair of allegorical figures from 1830 by English sculptor William Theed (Trentham, 1804 – London, 1891), sold for 43,850 euros (lot 166). Known as “The younger,” Theed, who trained in his father’s workshop and later at the Royal Academy, arrived in Rome around 1826, where he likely completed his apprenticeship, possibly under the tutelage of masters such as Bertel Thorvaldsen and Pietro Tenerani. At the request of the British royals, Prince Albert and Queen Victoria, he created several statues for Osborne House on the Isle of Wight in 1848.

The catalog of Ancient and 19th-century Paintings on May 18 achieved an excellent outcome of 1,366,649 euros, with a lot sold percentage of 76% and a value sold percentage of 197%.

Breaking down the results of the Ancient Paintings, it amounted to 1,160,024 euros, with a lot sold percentage of 76% and a value sold percentage of 192%.

The top lot of the sale was a Rest on the Flight into Egypt, a collaborative work by Henderick de Clerck and Denis van Aalsloot, depicting figures and landscape, respectively, which sold for 118,850 euros (lot 528). This collaboration between two personalities who played a significant role in Flemish artistic life is demonstrated by van Aalsloot’s appointment as court painter by Archduke Albert and Archduchess Isabella in 1599.

Following a fierce competition, the 18th-century Annunciation by Giuseppe Bazzani from Mantua achieved the second-best result at 100,100 euros (lot 411), a result undoubtedly due to the collectors’ awareness of the artwork’s exceptional quality, characterized by vibrant colors, rapid lighting, and flowing drapery.

The elegant and refined painting by Donato Creti depicting Alexander reading the letter to the physician Philip reached the third-best result in the catalog, selling for 87,600 euros (lot 524). It is undoubtedly one of the mature masterpieces by the Cremonese artist and the only known commissioned work by the French Duke of Noailles, who desired two large paintings related to the life of Alexander the Great, of which all traces were lost in the 18th century.

The selective section dedicated to 19th-century works achieved 206,625 euros, with a lot sold percentage of 71% and a value sold percentage of 197%. Leading the section was Cesare Saccheggi’s Souls of Solitude, selling for 27,600 euros (lot 545). This work possesses a literary and philosophical value typical of Saccheggi’s style, transitioning from the realism of his early works to symbolist themes and compositions. It shows clear influences from Giulio Aristide Sartorio, Francesco Paolo Michetti, and the English Pre-Raphaelite painters.

The silent yet overwhelming Female Portrait of 1925 by Antonio Ambrogio Alciati reached the second position, selling for 16,350 euros (lot 529). In this painting, Alciati demonstrates his skills as a portraitist, depicting an elegant woman with sophisticated beauty, her porcelain-like complexion contrasting with her raven-black hair.

Finally, the expression of instinctive vitality in the two different marble figures of Pan by the Venetian artist Antonio Dal Zotto, awarded at 13,100 euros (lot 532), reveals his extraordinary technical and interpretative ability fueled by keen observation of reality. The artist skillfully captures a sense of vibrant vitality, described with sharp expressions and richly detailed modeling, as demonstrated by the contraction of the faces, which conveys a surprising truthfulness in the gazes.

Important upcoming auctions in June and July include:

Silverware, icons, and Russian art objects (Milan, June 22)
Modern and contemporary art (Milan, July 6)
Italian design and style (Genoa, July 12-13)
Jewelry (Monaco, July 19)
Horology (Monaco, July 20)

We remind you of our artwork evaluation service, with active experts available for free and confidential evaluations.

To schedule an appointment, please fill out the form at this link: https://wannenesgroup.com/en/valuation-services-en/

Wannenes staff