Art Market

Market shows strength only for select works as sourcing high-quality material proves inceasingly difficult

Both Sotheby’s and Christie’s offered notable works by French artist Hubert Robert (1733-1808) at the latest Old Master auction series in New York.

A shot in the arm for the picture market of Alasdair Gray (1934-2019) came at the start of the year when one of his most momentous paintings emerged at auction and set a major record for the Scottish artist and writer.

Core group of 14 works by the artist on offer could represent significant moment in secondary market

Canny buyers who invested in works by female artists are now reaping the rewards in salerooms

Scottish Colourist likened the French port to Iona – but with more time to paint given the weather

The precise and sensitive portraiture of Allan Ramsay (1713-84) earned him widespread acclaim, aided by his prodigious intellect and social flair.

Works by Glasgow Girl Bessie MacNicol (1869-1904) – who died in childbirth aged 34 – are represented in many public collections, especially in Scotland.

Spotlight on a couple of shop donations that both ended up making £20,000 hammer prices

Roseberys (26% buyer’s premium) posted the second-highest auction price for Peter Rose Pulham (1910-56) at its most recent sale of Modern British & 20th Century Art.

A copy of a lost painting that has been described as one of the most haunting and poignant depictions of Irish involvement in the First World War attracted a flurry of bids at Clevedon Salerooms (22% buyer’s premium) in Bristol.

Some of the artist’s most modern and dramatic works were derived from his social concerns

The helmets and uniforms depicted in this oil study are clues to its strong performance at Cirencester saleroom Moore Allen & Innocent (21% buyer’s premium) on December 6.

One of the most eyecatching collections of Impressionist and Modern art sold at a provincial auction at the end of last year comprised 17 lots from the late Ralph Bateman.

Tiny portrait thought to show a Spanish noblewoman was bought at a local school in the 1970s

Bonhams’ (28/27% buyer’s premium) latest Old Master sale at its New Bond Street rooms was hard going, with almost half the lots unsold and two-thirds of those that did get away either going on or below their low estimate.