Sotheby’s is the temporary custodian of some of the world’s most rare, remarkable and coveted art and objects.
Sotheby’s global specialists are connoisseurs and market experts in 40 countries and 70 collecting categories. They will be your guides, exploring the significance and journey of an extraordinary work with those who know it best.
Your weekly dose of wonder is available now.
Listen on Apple Podcasts and on Spotify.
A Masterpiece by Kandinsky: A Story of Restitution
with Helena Newman
Chairman, Sotheby’s Europe and Impressionist & Modern Art Worldwide
A remarkable restitution story involving the loss of a family’s Kandinsky painting in Nazi-era Germany. Helena Newman, a trained classical violinist, brings her love of music’s rhythm and tonality to her appreciation of art, making Kandinsky one of her favourite artists.
The Rediscovery of Rubens’ The Massacre of the Innocents
with George Gordon
Deputy Chairman, Sotheby’s Europe and Co-Chairman of Old Master Paintings & Drawings Worldwide
Rubens’ early masterpiece The Massacre of the Innocents was hidden away for nearly 250 years. George Gordon spearheaded its discovery, attribution and triumphant sale. More than 20 years on, it retains the record for the highest price paid anywhere for a rediscovered painting.
The Chicken Cup: Mankind’s Most Faked Object
with Nicolas Chow
Chairman, Sotheby’s Asia and Head of Asian Art Worldwide
The story of the Ming dynasty Chicken Cup, one of the most iconic objects in Chinese ceramics, which has followed Nicolas Chow throughout his career and family ancestry.
Jenny Saville and the Art of the Sale
with Ottilie Windsor
Head of Contemporary Art London
The alchemy of industry experience, market intelligence and a true passion for art, and how these factors converged in the landmark sale of Jenny Saville’s Shadow Study, orchestrated by Ottilie Windsor.
The Untold Story of the Shredded Banksy
with Alex Branczik
Chairman and Head of Modern & Contemporary Art Europe and Asia
The shredding of Banksy’s Girl with Balloon live at auction in 2018 has gone down in art history. Alex Branczik reveals how Sotheby’s navigated the newly titled Love is in the Bin through a media storm and into a new market moment.
The Cabinet Detective of Urbino
with Mario Tavella
Président, Sotheby’s France
Commissioned by the Della Rovere family and separated across the centuries, a pair of Renaissance cabinets was finally brought back together. This is a story of friendship and detective work, with Mario Tavella’s deep ties to European heritage and cultural institutions making the impossible possible.
Beyond Black: Pierre Soulages’ Market Turning Point
with Grégoire Billault
Chairman, Contemporary Art New York
Grégoire Billault’s personal relationship with Pierre Soulages reflects a longstanding commitment to championing the artist on a global stage. The connection culminated in the sale of a work Billault had followed for more than two decades, showcasing his adroit skill in navigating complex market dynamics.
Clyfford Still: The Mission to Establish a Museum
with Lisa Dennison
Chairman, Sotheby’s Americas
In a rare move, four paintings by Abstract Expressionist Clyfford Still were released from the artist’s estate to support the founding of a museum in his honour. Lisa Dennison was instrumental in shaping the sale and ensuring it fulfilled its purpose.
A 10-Year Vermeer Attribution Project
with Gregory Rubinstein
Head of Old Master and Early British Drawings Worldwide
Greg Rubinstein’s journey leading the decade-long effort to reestablish a once-doubted Vermeer as an authentic, autograph work. This extraordinary achievement in scholarship has redefined the painting’s cultural significance and market value.
The Rise of Carrington and the Female Surrealists
with Julian Dawes
Vice Chairman and Head of Impressionist & Modern Art New York
When Les Distractions de Dagobert shattered records, it marked not only a market milestone but also a shift in interest toward the female Surrealist market. Julian Dawes, a driving force behind this shift, reflects on Carrington’s ascent and what it reveals about changing tides in collecting.
AVAILABLE 16 JULY
The Scream Heard Around the World
with Simon Shaw
Senior Advisor, Impressionist & Modern Art
More than a masterpiece, The Scream has become a cultural icon. Simon Shaw oversaw the landmark auction of the work, a sale that offers insight into today’s art market and shows how the piece resonates with a universal human truth.
