Fine Art

A monumental painting of an Old Testament subject, which came to auction in a gloomy state, drew a remarkable bidding battle at a West Sussex sale.

The personal art collection of film director and intellectual Pierre Rouve (1915-98), kept in his Chelsea house until he died, will be offered at auction.

A round-up of art and antiques news from the previous seven days, including a George Frederic Watts self-portrait acquired by Watts Gallery in Surrey.

Two watercolours in the manner of John Singer Sargent sailed above hopes when offered by Amelia Jeffers (20% buyer’s premium) in Delaware, Ohio on March 7.

Ben Nicholson’s series of monochromatic three-dimensional relief paintings - created by the thick layers of white paint and carving wood - were first produced in the mid-to-late 1930s.

During his travels to Europe, Winfield Robbins (1841-1910) amassed some 150,000 prints that he later left to his hometown of Arlington, Massachusetts.

A strong provenance is always desirable on the secondary market, but it is essential when it comes to selling works by LS Lowry (1887-1976) - arguably Britain’s most faked artist.

Thousands of items are available to buy from dealers online. Here we pick out one that caught our eye this week.

A recent Brunk’s (23% buyer’s premium) auction in Asheville, North Carolina, included a group of six small oil-on-copper mythological scenes by Neapolitan painter Luca Giordano (1634-1705).

Watercolour of a sleeping feline – possibly her favourite cat – takes £19,000 in Cambridge saleroom

An untitled ink on rice paper work by Brazilian artist Mira Schendel (1919-88) is among the works starring at the exhibition 'Live With It', staged at Battersea Power Station, where it is offered for $18,000.