This Friday and Saturday explore the Design Zone and Penn Avenue during Art Squared , a weekend of art featuring new art exhibits and studio tours on August 3 and 4.

The weekend of art kicks off on Friday evening, August 3, with Unblurred: First Fridays on Penn. Various galleries in the Penn Avenue Arts District (4800-5500 Penn Avenue) will open their doors and showcase a variety of artwork and performances.

The celebration of art continues in Lawrenceville on Saturday, August 4 from Noon to 5 p.m. with the Lawrenceville Artists’ Studio Tour. Visit the working studios of 12 artists to see how local art is made. Meet Design Zone artists who produce a wide range of art, including scuplture, drawing, metalwork, painting, fine furniture making, photography, and stained glass. Maps will be available at coffee shops along Butler Street.

In the upcoming auction by Barridoff, one of Gastave Courbet's landscape works is estimated between $30,000 to $50,000. Thus another painting offered on ebay which is attributed to him draws my attention.

It does bear a signature, which looks like Courbet. Unfortunately, that's all it appears to share with other Courbet works.

The seller copied the biography information from Wikipedia, yet didn't even tell who attributed the work, which was done by palette knife in an impressionistic manner. Well, if it is by the seller, then why didn't he read his own description that stated that Courbet painted in a realistic style? Plus the back of the canvas shows that the age of the painting that does not appear to show more than 100 years of age. (The seller dated the work in 1870's.)

Even worse, this is from a dealer who has more than 2700 feedback score and has sold many art works from Denmark. It may be carelessness on the part of the seller, but it would seem suspect that such a name could be added to a listing purely by accident. Like the not so old antique placed in a dusty corner, it looks like this attribution could be here to insure such a work will be “discovered.”

After all it is the name of the attribution which is too "sensational" to miss!

Attributions are, in the nature of the case, only offered for artworks whose authorship is not otherwise already clearly marked or signed. A signed painting is never "attributed", it is either considered genuine, or it is not. The signature itself forms the "attribution". And in the case of an artwork bearing what appears to be the artist's signature, only two judgments are possible: 1) that the signed artwork is genuine and therefore cannot be attributed, or 2) that the signed artwork is a fake and therefore cannot be attributed to the artist whose name it bears.

More can be read at here.

There were more young visitors in Andy Warhol museum than Carnegie Museum of Art on Friday night, possibly due to the fact that going through exhibitions sprawled on seven floors may kill someone old, possibly due to the wine tasting party which was hosted in the lobby.

On one hand, there are a lot to explore in the museum ranging from oil painting, photographs to films and Warhol’s own collections; on the other hand, the first floor, with walls of biography in words and pictures but few art work, is enough for a lot of visitors, including me.

More than 20 years have passed after Warhol’s death, his fame hasn’t faded. What he has drawn bring colossal sum of money from auction houses; but what he has said and the impact of his words cannot be simplified to the number of digits behind the dollar bill sign.

I am no high-brow art critics, but neither in his works nor from his minds can I find things that are of beauty or moving. Warhol prefers talkers to beauty, as he claims “one’s company, two’s a crowd and three’s a party”; but not every talk can be meaningful especially if one cannot keep his mouth shut. Warhol asked people only to look at the surface of his works, which bear his glamour like shimmering silver. But I probe no further, because the surface provides few clues about what it is. After all, among the three most influential American post-war artists, Hopper is reflective, Pollock is primal, yet Warhol refuses any summarization.

In a recently published book (“The most Arrogant Man in France: Gustave Courbet and the Nineteenth Century Media Culture” by Petra ten-Doesschate Chu), Gustave Courbet was described as the first artist who realized to win publicity is more important than to win jury prize in modern era; if so, Andy Warhol is then the consummate icon and true master of art publicity. Courbet allowed anyone to caricature him publicly while Warhol, even though saying too much, never precisely explained what he thought of his works, thus what we perceive him today has been metamorphosed and transfigured through media reviews. The media, naturally chose the most accessible and tangible perspective -- the artists, his words, his behaviors and even his life, but NOT his works.

People, especially young generation have always something to say about Warhol. For them, the wine tasting party at Warhol Museum is essentially Warholian-spirited; and going through the seven floors of works after half-drunk is only icing on the cake. The same group who can talk about Warhol for hours may stumble when the subject changes to Pollock or Rothko because the latter represent what the majority of artists are: inaccessible except through their artworks.

Wandering back to the museum lobby, I sneaked into the quiet basement, where I took some B&W photos from a self-served photo booth. The pictures have washed-out effect as if from the 50’s. In them, I have four different facial expressions. There were no motives behind them, just four different expressions, at the surface.

The antique shopping trip to Canonsburg was on a warm winter Sunday afternoon. We’ve stopped at almost every antique store there and decided to finish the last one which was in the same block with the other two we’d just visited. The scale of antique stores in Canonsburg outweighs the size of the town because “it is cheaper to open a store here.”

The store looked tasteless with a special bargain room open on Sunday. The owner, a typical suburban American woman in her middle age greeted us from her chair surrounded by all different stuff.

It almost turned out to be another futile excursion (we hadn’t got anything except tired legs) before I spotted a Chinese paining of plum.

It was damaged: The right corner of the scroll was broken and that was the first thing I noticed. Being an impatient non-serious antique shopper, I usually only show my interest in those “intact”. But after Eric joined me, I was attracted by the poem:

寒依疏影萧萧竹， 春掩残香漠漠苔。

I didn’t know who wrote the poem and I was not sure whether I read it correctly from the handwriting. Actually even worse, I haven’t read any poem or book in Chinese since I came to US. But the subtlety and delicacy of the Chinese words brought out my memory of the happy time spent in reading poems of Tang Dynasty. Those words by being seen and being pronounced, suddenly became magic and I even thought I could smell the subdued fragrance from plum.

“It was a 1950’s work and that’s all I know about it.” The owner told me. Then I volunteered to translate the poem into English, which I definitely don’t have the skill but luckily am better than anyone else in the room.

“Winter accompanies your lonely shadow echoing the shuddering bamboos, spring tries in vain to hide the remains of your light fragrant.”

After carefully examining the scroll, I noticed that there was some note written on the back of the bottom scroll. It read “To Du Mei at the 1960’s QingBei Medical School’s class reunion party on April 7, 1975”. Well, it was not a 1950’s work, but definitely older than I!

The painting features plum in the top half part and a rooster at the bottom. Eric pointed out there was such a discrepancy between the two parts that he felt it was like painted by two different people. I was still fascinated by the fact that my aweful translation skill had been appreciated by an unknown antique store owner, but tried to agree with him to make the conservation going.

“It was dedicated to a girl called Du Mei. And in Chinese, Mei has the same pronunciation of plum. Maybe there is something here.”

I told Eric.Eric was curious too about the painter’s dedication note and decided to give an offer. The owner, who appreciated my effort of translation and my correction on the date, accepted the low offer (only half of the original price) immediately and that made our day!

When we got home, Eric immediately fixed the broken scroll at the bottom and hung it on the wall where no cat can touch.

Later, I found out that Qing Bei Medical School is not in China, but in South Korea. No wonder that the scroll material has Korean words on it.

How did a painting by a Chinese medical school student in South Korea finally find its home in Pittsburgh? No one could explain. And is Du Mei a Korean girl or Chinese? Is there any love story behind it? Is there a happy ending? I sent an email to that medical school and didn’t get any reply. I guess it is weird for the school staff to read an email from someone who wants to know the love story of an International student 40 years ago. Probably I can never answer those questions. But the painting hangs there with its decency and respect, enjoying my crutiny and scorning my effort to discover its own story.

The top 200 art collectors can be found here.

If you count how many are pursuing contemporary and modern art, you won't be surprised to see new records in the upcoming corresponding auctions.

Artists of all skill levels are Welcome to draw or paint from a live model. Beginning on Thursday, August 2nd 2007, we will meet at Watercolors Gallery (downtown Pittsburgh - Cultural District) on most Thursday evenings plus one Tuesday evening per month. The session is 3 hours (6:30pm to 9:30pm) and a minimum donation of $10 is requested. The gallery closes at 5pm and re-opens at 6:15pm for our group. . Models are nude unless otherwise noted on the schedule. For e-mail schedule, contact Phil at figuresession@verizon.net

Antique dealers come and go. Under normal conditions, it is not surprising to see big red “For Sale” sign in front of some small antique shops. But recently, the antique business, at least at the low end, has seen a quick downfall as some big antique malls have been shuttered locally and elsewhere.

Why has antique become so hard to sell? Here are some of my theories.

1. eBay

The efficiency and volume of the eBay marketplace has changed antique business fundamentally. No where else can one find items from affordable to high quality so easily.

In particular, antique business has lost a selling point when uniqueness fades away from a single search click. Things that seem rare in the stores may surprise you with their abundance online. To make things worse, the varied prices makes one wonder what the true value is.

2. Downsizing trend

The pace of life has accelerated and Americans are moving constantly. The change in the life style makes disposability and affordability more important than ever. Downsizing of living space is happening not only for young generations, but also for boomers who are gradually retiring. Collecting is inevitably affected.

3. Changes in antique style

Collecting is almost an instinct, sometimes an impulse. The driving force of antiques collecting is sometimes a memory of the past that people associate or treasure. The collective memory of today doesn't stretch back much beyond the 1920s, an era when mass-production came into its full being. Beyond 1920, affordable design was more important than uniquely crafted objects by an artisan. Collecting works before this period requires substantial research and education before the buying process, which is also quite different, can begin. Unfortunately in 60’s, 70’s and even 80’s American has entered the era of mass production and the craftsmanship associated with jewelry names is hard to find; thus antique business of that period can be equally hard.

4. Declination in quality

The co-op feature of antique malls eventually hurts dealers. From economics point of view, it is a “common” where regulation is missing. Dealers know that if everyone brings lots of collectible and reproduction, the mall won’t work; but if only I (one dealer) do that, it won’t hurt when you average the damage of impression by 100-or-so dealers. There are no incentives to strive for excellence.

5. Accessibility of Auctions

Once upon a time, auctions were primarily for dealers. Now, through the Internet, anyone can buy at auction.

6. Decline of the Antique Dealer

A move from Main Street to the antique mall has meant that the antique dealer, whose function was not just to sell antiques, but to educate the buyer, has become absent from the process. Uninformed buyers have sometimes mis-spent their time, money and energy collecting somethings that weren't quite what they hoped they were.

Overall, in the long run the antique business may endure some tough period. No matter what period or what style, there are always some people who shop for the top quality. But the success of most of antique business relies on the majority shopping of the medium range. The young generation, growing up with Xbox and iPOD, think and behave and shop differently. With the overwhelming information from youtube to online chatting, it is rare to find time to study the past style which defines what they are not.

Changes in fashions do swing with the pendulum. But antiques, a visible form of the past, never goes right back to where it was.

The references here list some of the important books or catalogues for Western Pennsylvania art. Andy Warhol and Mary Cassatt are not included because the fame of both does not linger within their hometown and numerous books and articles can be found about them with a single click from google.

General information

1. Gerdts, William H. Art Across America: Two Centuries of Regional Painting in America,1710-1920. (Vol. 1, pp.262-301 is on the art of Western Pennsylvania.)

2. Mc Collough, Jean. Art in Nineteenth Century Pittsburgh.

3. Chew, Paul A. Geo. Hetzel and the Scalp Level Tradition: George Hetzel Retrospective and the Scalp Level Artists Exhibition.

Artists

David Gilmore Blythe
1. Works by David Blythe, 1815-1865.
2. Chambers, Bruce W. The World of David Gilmour Blythe (1815-1865)
3. Dwyer, Britta Christina. A New Iconography of Blythe’s Paintings: The Interaction of Blythe and His Patron, Charles William Batchelor.
4. Miller, Dorothy. The Life and Work of David G. Blythe

Aaron Gorson
1. Youngner, Rina, The Artist Looks at Industrial Pittsburgh, 1836-1993.
2. Youngner, Rina, C. Paintings and Graphic Images of Industry in Nineteenth-Century Pittsburgh:A Study of the Relationship between Art and Industry. Ph. D. dissertation
3. Youngner, Rina, The Power and the Glory: Pittsburgh Industrial Landscapes by Aaron HarryGorson.

John Kane
1. Arkus, Leon Anthony. John Kane, Painter.
2. John Kane: Modern America’s First Folk Painter.
3. Kane, John. Shy Hooks; The Autobiography of John Kane.

Other Artists in Pittsburgh and Western Pensylvania
1. An Exhibition of the Work of Joseph R. Woodwell (Exhibition Catalogue)
2. Nama, Sigrid. Martin B. Leisser and the Life Class in Pittsburgh.
3. Olds, Marion Knowles. John Wesley Beatty: Artist and Cultural Influence in Pittsburgh.
4. Russell Smith (1812-1896, Xanthus Smith (1839-1929): Pennsylvania Landscapes, 1834-1892.

The current special exhibition at Carnegie Museum of Art provides a rare opportunity to view 75 American drawing and watercolors collected by the first director of Carnegie Institute of Art (John Beatty) during the first two decades of the 20th century. Based on a museum conservator’s comment, ideally paper works should not be exposed under light for more than 16 weeks per year, thus such treasure has never be integrated into the permanent collection in the museum. Among them, there are works by Winslow Homer, James McNeill Whistler, William Glackens, and Frederick Childe Hassam.

The works by Childe Hassam are mostly pencil and ink drawing. He chose different types of paper to provide the prime color for each work: some brown, some black and of course some white. The effect in general is bold and almost graphically decorative. In particular, he took advantage of the inherent contrast between ink and colored paper to emphasize light and shadow: some more protruding, some more coherent, depending on the similarity between color tones.

Homer started his career as an illustrator for Harper’s weekly. His pencil drawings are quite unique and interesting. But in my mind, it is his water-colors that should be valued the most since they have not been equaled ever since. In the current exhibition, the rare occasion provides two works of his famous theme: Proust’s Neck: one in pencil drawing and one in water-color. Both are efficient and foreboding. The water-color, eliminating the view of sea, projects the anxiety of waiting by carefully scaling the people with the nature. In contrast, the pencil drawing is more economical. He did not try to convert the value of colors into black and white, thus the figures in the drawing are exposed to a world rawer and barer.

It surprised me that Frederick Church sketched two mermaids holding a skull, something that is beyond the scope of accuracy and clarity that he’s familiar with. On the other hand, it does make sense that it was the painter who sketched the unseen and magical, endured all the inconvenience and sufferings to paint exotic scenes of both Arctic and South America.

Thomas Moran’s fondness of light effect is obvious on his only drawing in the exhibition. On the same wall, a pencil drawing of trees by Sanford Gifford bears the distinctive hazy and suffuse characteristics.

Lastly, a work by John Beatty’s contemporary and friend Alfred S. Wall also surprised me. As one of the initial trustees to the Carnegie Institute, his oil works are displayed at both Carnegie Museum of Art and Westmoreland Museum of Art. Among Wall family, I like A. S. Wall the most. William Coventry Wall is too meticulous and controlled while A. Bryan Wall is loose in paint brush while tight in subjects. The scene of Western Pennsylvania under A. S. Wall is mundane, un-idealized. It is not totally untamed, yet not luminous or sensational either. Instead, in that small picture on the middle of the wall, Wall painted the diminishing scene of uncultivated nature with traces of human beings, and infused them with a sense of nostalgia.

Such scene may be forever gone in the current Pittsburgh metro area, but through the carefully preserved artworks it can be still be imagined and appreciated, until Oct 7, when they are put back into storage.

eBay Title: OIL PAINTING ON CANVAS sign.C.J.B. COROT 1796-1875

Winning Bid: US $1,275.00

Number of Bids: 13

eBay number: 230152653078

For a painting of 12" x 8" with unknown painter, $1,275 is not a bargin.

(Photo: On display in Philadelphia in 1876 was George Pullman's Corliss engine, later used to run a factory in Pullman, Il)

The "Beaux-Arts boys," as Burnham called them, remained in Chicago for a week and then returned in a private car at the end of February with their completed sketches. Unrolling them on the walls of Burnham's library, a blazing fire in the heath, they explained their ideas to the fair's grounds and buildings committee. As the winter afternoon drew to a close, the sculptor Augustus Saint-Gaudens, who had been brought to Chicago to advise on artistic matters, approached Burnham, took him by the hands and declared: "Look here, old fellow, do you realize that this is the greatest meeting of artists since the Fifteenth Century." Donald Miller, City of the Century

click here for: WORLD'S FAIR POSTERS

It’s easy to imagine that our world today is constantly confronted with things that are “bigger” and “more” than in years past. There are several areas where we can look back and know with a good amount of certainty that they’re unlikely to rival the past in the foreseeable future. One such area is passenger train service, and the other area is expositions.

The idea of an exposition is something that’s somewhat lost in an age of passive entertainment and mass-media. In fact, its hard to imagine one million people ever attending a single event, let alone having an active interest in human progress, art and culture (sorry to be realistically cynical). Imagining that twenty-seven million people attended the World’s Columbian Exposition in 1893 would seem beyond comprehension.

Consider that on any given day in 2006 a little more than 200,000 people passed through Chicago’s O’Hare airport. Fewer than two million people lived in Chicago in 1893. The 1893 U.S. population was about twice the number of Exposition attendees. The 1996 Atlanta Olympics ended with 3.8 million tickets sold.

Chicago’s 1893 Exposition was perhaps the most influential of the great American expositions, and because of the large number of attendees, one of the easiest to collect memorabilia from. Memorabilia can range from books to tickets, prints to stereo-view cards, maps and more. A good place to start might be ebay #290140071370, a book of official views from the exposition.

Of course the earlier the exposition, the more difficult it becomes to collect memorabilia. Before Chicago, Philadelphia was host to the first American exposition, an event attended by some ten million people in 1876. I was recently happy to purchase on ebay a small Liberty Bell-shaped decanter from the 1876 Exposition. Don’t confuse 1876 items with “fifty years later” event in 1926.

The 1901 Buffalo Pan-American Exposition is another to look for. President William McKinley was assassinated at this exposition. Saint Louis held one in 1904, and San Francisco in 1915, an event celebrating the completion of the Panama Canal. An interesting item currently available for the Buffalo is a short-line railroad timetable promoting the event (ebay item 170132361023). Like the 1893 Chicago event, which helped the city recover from the great fire, the 1915 San Francisco event helped breath new life into the city following the 1906 earthquake.

I hadn’t known what a Fraktur was until I attended a lecture at the Westmoreland Museum of American Art in Greensburg, Pa last evening. I had seen Frakturs before—a decorated document created by German settlers named for the “fractured” lettering. The exhibit is well-thought out and displayed first by region, then by chronology. The Frakturs are displayed with two Pennsylvania clocks, both which contain symbolic inlay also found in many Frakturs.

Also on display is a collection of painted Pennsylvania furniture, much of which was made outside of Johnstown, PA in a place called Soap Hollow. Apparently the most identifiable mark on Soap Hollow furniture (besides the name of the maker painted squarely on the front) is the wave-fold backsplash. In all honesty Frakturs and painted furniture would not be the first thing to catch my eye at an antique show, but I left with a new found appreciation for the furniture. Remarkably some three hundred documented pieces of Soap Hollow furniture exist today, one chest which brought $115,000 at Garth’s auction recently. Impressive at a time when a sophisticated Empire sideboard might not fetch $2,000 at auction.

The painted furniture, like the Frakturs may not be sophisticated or have been created by well-trained artisans. It does have a certain direct connection to the people who made and owned it, however and that then gives it a more direct line into the past. There’s quite a bit to learn from it, stories about the owners, the occasion for its making and its makers. There must have been a couple hundred people from several states who came for the lecture at the Westmoreland, and I think perhaps these are the qualities of Pennsylvania folk art that make it so attractive.

The collector who gave the lecture on the Frakturs explained that after buying his first at an auction, a few hammers later a Fraktur for the sister came up and so on until we arrived last night at the Westmoreland show. How could you not want to keep the family together?

There are some other upcoming events regarding Pennsylvania Folk Art at the museum. Click the link in the right menu bar and check 'em out.

Dargate@ Pittsburgh, PA, http://www.dargate.com/

There are not many high end pieces except one painting by Landseer, RA. But
for collector specializing in West Pennsylvania art and antique,
there are some interesting items.

Barridoff @ Portland, ME, http://www.barridoff.com/

Without doubt, Barridoff offers pieces with museum names if not museum quality. There are several Hudson River School works by Gifford and Bierstadt. But these are either not of typical subjects or some study works.

Among them, Aaron Henry Gorson's "Pittsburgh Steel Mill" (lot 315) is a powerful work. Unlike his other works displayed at Westmoreland Museum of American Art and Carnegie Museum of Art, the starky contrast comes from the blazing fire and impervious soot and smoke.

I have never seen works by John Ruskin. His works were never exhibited during his life time. As the most influential art critics of the 19th century, in this watercolor painting, he showed that he not only had a beautiful mind, but also posessed wonderful artistic skills.

Lastly, Gustave Courbet is probably the most undervalued French artist of the 19th century. For some collectors, his full-scaled works are still affordable. It would be a bargain if the final price of lot 57 only fetches $50,000, although I suspect it will be much higher.

I heard from NPR four days ago that the Starbucks store inside the Forbidden City Museum (also called the Palace Museum) was closed because it undermined the “solemnity of the Forbidden City and (trampled on) Chinese culture”.

China’s national pride has grown as fast as its economy booms. However, even though such news was not totally unexpected, it still shocked me with its underlining extreme patriotism.

If the irrational impulse is to be peeled off from the above argument, the tradeoff of having a Starbucks store inside the most prestigious museum in China should be analyzed from both benefit and cost perspectives.

The benefit of having rest and snack stops can only be fully appreciated if one has been to the museum before. The Forbidden City Museum is about one kilometer long and 800 meters wide, with 9,999.5 rooms (of which I still haven’t figured out where the half room is) dispersed along a central axis and two symmetrical sides. It is a formidable task to explore such a palace complex in great detail. Most likely visitors are totally exhausted before they even reach the elegant Royal Garden on the other end. Starbucks provides refreshment like coffee and snacks, as do other convenient stores inside the museum. Such service is definitely not auxiliary, but necessary and indispensable.

Then, the next question is whether the addition of having the coffee shop has debased the preservation effort?

The museum is the pinnacle of Chinese architecture. After all, most of portable and valuable items had been shipped to Taiwan with Chiang Kai-shek’s retreat. Therefore, the preservation of the national heritage here should rely on the criteria that consider whether any addition has caused physical damage to the buildings or harmed the architectural integrity. Has Starbucks “sabotaged” visitors’ perception of history and antiquity? Probably not!

I have never seen the Starbucks store inside the museum because I left Beijing in 2002 when the Starbucks store was not open yet. But I could not imagine that the decoration of the store would be so imposing that it could not blend well into its surroundings. It is possible that the store had some stencil trademarks on the window, since the majority of snack and fast food products are consumed by the unexpected impetus when familiar signs are visually spotted.

One may argue the key point here is the authentic historical ATMOSPHERE which was ruined by the sign of Starbucks trademark. True, it used to a sacred place symbolizing imperialism, but not any more. And the museum can not be operated like Mount Vernon because essentially it is, just as its name indicated, a city. Nowadays the museum welcomes more than 20,000 visitors daily, among them 20% are foreigners. In other words, the museum not only preserves and records but also sells Chinese culture at the same time. If Starbucks should be forbidden because it is an American company, then should coffee be also eradicated too within the museum since none of the 24 emperors once lived there had coffee in their whole life? Should cell phones and iPods be prohibited to keep authenticity of antiquity? Or should all visitors drink water from a big water tank as people did two hundred years ago? The reasoning is ridiculous because the scope of preservation had been exaggerated to include such intangible measures that the convenience and comfortableness of visitors was sacrificed. After all, a cup of coffee or tea does help reinvigorate some visitors, why can’t the museum’s service be just a little bit more consumer friendly?

To answer such a question, it would be necessary and interesting to briefly review the history of Beijing’s preservation of culture heritage.

Before the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) took power in 1949, Beijing, which had been the capital for almost 500 years, was a masterpiece of Chinese architecture. It was surrounded by monumental city walls with nine gates to separate inner city and its suburbs. Those gates were of titanic structure, mostly with two or three floors. Jian Lou (pictured), with its grand base balanced with elegant eaves of pavilion canopies had not been equaled throughout the country. In fact, there were 47 such gates in the whole area with diverse variety in size and style. Yet only two gates have survived today and no single brick from the ancient city walls can be found in Beijing. In 1950’s China equated the number of chimneys and number of steel plants to the degree of industrialization and civilization. Sicheng Liang, the famous architect and the associate mayor was almost sent to prison for his advocate that Beijing be kept as what it was and like Washington, DC, no industry be developed within the city. Beijing government simply regarded the infrastructure of the city as too cumbersome. Therefore, the walls and gates, which had been treasured and kept even during the civil war period, was destroyed into rubble under succession of canon shots fired by the government troops.


The Cultural Revolution, which began in the year of 1965, is a catastrophe of Chinese cultural heritage. Fundamentally, it made more change mentally than geographically: No one dared to say history should be preserved even though some still cared. Among them Premier Zhou should be remembered forever for his determination and courage. On August 18, 1966, Chairman Mao interviewed with a group of Red Guards and encouraged them to “completely get rid of thousands of years of class exploitation caused by poisonous old thinking, old culture, old customs and old habits”. On the same night, Premier Zhou was informed that the Red Guards were planning to attack the Forbidden City, the symbol of Feudalism at that time. He immediately mandated an order to close the museum and sent a battalion of troops for protection. On the next day, no matter how the Red Guards shouted and threatened, museums staff refused to open the doors , whose gigantic size (10 meters tall) and astonishing solidity made the effort of sabotage trivial and nonsense. Eventually the doors had been closed for another 5 years, when the political reforms changed their focus from destroying places to torturing minds.

From 1980’s to the 1990’s, Beijing underwent a second round of city expansion and high-rise were unavoidable due to the pressure of increased population density. One of the problems is that the Forbidden City was not built for convenience and it resides in the heart of the city and blocks the traffic from going through directly. The city decided to build highways in a similar rectangle fashion as the museum. The one closest to the Forbidden City is called the Second Circle (since the rectangle circumference of the Forbidden City is regarded as the first one), the next outer layer the Third Circle. Today the city has expanded to its sixth circle. To keep the integrity of architecture within the Second Circle, no more skyscrapers would be allowed to build in case they overshadow the Forbidden City, the Great Hall of the People (similar to the capitol) and the monument in Tan’an Men Square. While the decision was well perceived and executed, the government went too far for strategic planning: Within the city limits on the top of all tall buildings should be built a traditional pavilion with a round canopy decorated with flying eaves and curving ridges. Local residents call them “Pencil Tip” because if viewed from faraway; those skyscrapers look like sharpened drawing pencils with varying girdles. (Unfortunately, the same type of mistakes has been made repeatedly by the Beijing Government: The non-experts administer and make decisions for the experts.) The result as a whole is so incongruent and bizarre that one feels the same ridicule as seeing a guy wearing a monk robe toped with an Armani suit.

Luckily, the Pencil Tip joke finally went up to the ears of decision makers although no mistakes were acknowledged. Surprisingly, the city decided to embrace fresh ideas of modernity and the Avant Garde flooded into the land which has been in a closeted mind o long.

The winning of the bid for Olympic Games in 2008 has made its permanent mark on the skyline of the ancient city: Currently, all big skyscrapers under construction were designed by foreigners, including the CCTV Headquarter building, the Bird Nest (official stadium for 2008 Olympics) and its companion Water Cube, and the National Grand Theatre which is built besides the Forbidden City.

Koolhaas’ singular and flamboyant design of CCTV Headquarter has been referred as “Wei Fang” (dangerous building, very likely to collapse) by the locals (Beijing is in a high seismic zone). It is eye-catching and mind-challenging at any angle because of its height and size; therefore it dominates the whole area and defying the symmetry and simplicity of the architecture in surrounding areas. Although Bird Nest and Water Cube are built far away north of the city, they are placed along the central axis line of Forbidden City where ironically the ancient gates, if still existed, would not be not too far away. The design of Bird Nest has been criticized as material-wasting because most of the steel beams, randomly nested above the stadium, were for aesthetic purpose only. Water Cube, with its dreaming bubble shell, brings such a challenging question that no expert has been able to answer yet: How to clean the irregular unevenly heaved and flattened surface of the whole stadium? (Beijing is so dusty that white collars put on their shirt only inside the office to avoid them get stinky on the road.)

But most of all, there stands the National Grand Theatre, a glossy, semi-transparent giant egg glittering in front of red walls of the Forbidden City. The project was initiated by the previous president of China, Zeming Jiang who is an ardent classical music fan. But the project had been postponed because of its monstrous initial budget, until Beijing became the host for 2008 Olympic Games. Suddenly all projects and budgets were well justified, and with the support of tax money collected from the whole country, luxury and extravagance are nothing but necessary. Paul Andreu, the architect, does have an eye for beauty, but probably not for harmony and efficiency. The building has gained names from a boiling egg to jellyfish and worst of all – a giant tomb which is quite accurate to describe one’s feelings after he first steps down an underwater-tunnel of one hundred meters before he resurfaces to the lobby.

From the financial point of view, the initial 3.8 billion Yuan budget (it has almost eight floors underground) plus its 4 million Yuan monthly electricity bill if fully operated would have certainly failed to pass the congress in US. But more importantly, the atmosphere of antiquity is lost when the orderly lines and squares in red and gold clashed with the shining edgeless silver dome. Some proponents argue that the building will in the end win the people’s hearts in the same way as the glass pyramid to Parisians’. However, the pyramid still obeys the rule of symmetry and its size is not protruding in front of the classical Louvre building. In contrast, the length of the Nation Grand Theatre is almost one third of the length of the Forbidden City. To understand its impact, one could just imagine putting an amplified version of “Cloud Gate” (the statue in Chicago Millennium Park) with a size comparable to the State Capitol in the National Mall of DC!

Through decades, Beijing government has shown its inability in preservation of cultural heritage by making mistakes ranging from sabotage, disfigurement and destruction. Thus it urges one to probe deeper to understand why a tiny coffee shop inside the Forbidden City matters so much that newspaper and television haven’t stopped bombarding the topic.

First, the Forbidden City is NOT a museum for most of Chinese. For them, the architecture of the palace is not as important as the fact that it was once occupied by those who ruled the country. Even though the last emperor was kicked out the palace in 1924 and feudalism is described as an evil and cruel system destined to be eliminated, the minds of most Chinese have been wired firmly from the root that there always exists the majesty, any defiance against which must be punished. Some scholars call it servile nationality. In ancient times, the textbooks started with the quote “There is no place in the world which does not belong to the emperor; there is no man living in this country who is not the subject of the emperor.” Nowadays students are required to prepare for the question of “why can only Chinese Communist Party save China” for exams from elementary school to graduate study. The silent majority here have lost their genes of speaking out against the power because they have been deafened from years of servility indoctrination. Above all, the Forbidden City with its majestic symbolism and intact solemnity, justifies their tolerance of tyranny in the past and numbness toward injustice under the reign of CCP.

Secondly, it is necessary to honestly answer the question that if a room-size foreign brand store may trample the solemnity, how come a exotic giant “egg” be allowed to put beside the museum? Starbucks lacks the political support from both US and Chinese governments. It is true that the comment started from an anchor from a TV station, but in China what to comment on TV and what to write on newspaper are fully controlled by the government. The latter saw the opportunity of attacking an American company without causing tension between the two countries. More importantly, it helped boost national pride and increase animosity toward US in the younger generation.

On the other hand, although more than 150 scientists and engineers had stated their objections against the National Grand Theatre project, the voices became inaudible after most media sifted them out since for them the decision made by the administration must not be questioned. Instead they projected a positive image by equating the establishment of a single building at the most important location of the city to the landmark achievement of spiritual civilization.

The Starbucks quit in a decent manner: Officially it was closed because of the current renovation project. But without political reforms, it may never return even when the project is finished in 2020. Under the surface of the so-called determination of heritage preservation is the extreme provincialism and ugly servility. Sadly, being a Chinese and in particular a Chinese who used to live in Beijing, I feel ashamed.

The seller withrew the painting at the last moment. It is not known whether it has been sold under agreement.

Really eBay is not a place for selling 5-digit art work. The risk of buying unsatisfying items because of lack of examination and authentication is too high.

Legends of Greek classics have been explored in art through centuries, yet there is something special about the story of Hercules and Antaeus. In this section, we keep the exploration along the timeline.

The next three statuettes were all made during the 16th century. Interestingly, in all three cases, Antaeus is hold at much higher position than in Pollaiuolo’s work. Usually, Hercules lifts Antaeus up so that the giant's buttocks are near or touching the hero's genitals, but in these works Antaeus is lifted so high that the violence, which can be sensed more through horizontal body movement is much more restrained.

Antico (or Pier Jacopo di Antonio Alari-Bonacolsi) was court sculptor to the Gonzaga family, then rulers of Mantua in Italy. He trained as a goldsmith and developed a sophisticated method of reproducing bronzes.

Although by estimation, the work was finished only about 25-35 years later after Pollaiuolo’s work. Antico narrated the story from a totally different perspective. If violence can be used to summarize Pollaiuolo’s, then melancholy is what touches viewers with its immediacy and un-ambiguity. In this statuette, Antaeus is dying, with his body and head dangling in the air. Hercules, who was cast in a more masculine and bigger scale, holds the victim quietly and even may actually gently lower down the body. Although effort can still be sensed from his tipped right foot, his upper body is relaxed, arms loose. Heurcules here is not equipped with a club or wearing lion skins. The exposure of both male genitals indicates the artist’s intention to scale down the overpowering capability both men have possessed.

Even if one could resist the temptation of interpreting the gentle body contact of two males as a metaphor of homosexuality, he cannot deny Antico’s preference of beauty against violence. Here Antico made it clear his perception of Greek gods: they are human beings, both beautiful, one stronger, the other weaker. It is not a story about victory, but of tragedy and sympathy. Antaeus’ over-confidence and desire of honoring his father Poseidon may cost his life, but Hercules, having nothing to claim proudly, sees off a youthful life involuntarily and sadly, as do the viewers.

Jean Boulogne (1529-1609)’s work was estimated to be finished near the end of the 16th century. He was born in Douai in 1529, in what was then Flanders. As a fourteen-year old he was apprenticed to the sculptor Jacques Dubroecq. Having completed his apprenticeship, at twenty he left for Rome, to study the famous works of the Renaissance and classical antiquity. Therefore, it is not surprising that his statuette bears the same anger and struggle as shown in Pollaiuolo’s although violence has been reduced. On the other hand, Boulogne’s work shares more similarity with the one made in 16th century from Willem van Tetrode (1525-1580). In these two works, the physical difference between Hercules and Antaeus is not obvious. More importantly, the action is exposed in such a way that the tension is breathless but the match non-brutal. Holding and Leveraging are common techniques in Ancient Greek wrestling. Here in both works, Hercules is hold antaeus high enough to use his shoulder/head as the balance point of leverage. Antaeus, without stationing himself on the ground firmly, could not channel his strength efficiently against Hercules, thus a defeat is inevitable even from a tactic point of view, not to mention his spiritual support is also wearing out.

Bonus: A Broze statuette made in 16th century by an unknown Italian artist.

Also at the Toledo Museum of Art and the Carnegie Museum of Art

The most useful tip for eBay antique shopping is probably

"Do not believe what the seller says".

eBay painting dealers know what they are selling, so whenever naive words have been used for description, it should be read with caution.

Here is an example:

"Lovely late, at least, 19thC. Oil painting on canvas with signature COROT , of what looks to be a French Chateau beyond a viaduct whilst sun is setting". Well, I would not have blamed the seller if the contrived effort of pretending to be an amateur was not so obvious; after all, there are more fake Corot works in US alone than the total number of authenticated ones available in the world.

The dealer, however, showed that he has an account in artprice and listed Corot's auction record. Artprice is not a cheap place to shop for auction record and he is at least richer and more involved than an amateur. But not accidentally he did not include any picture of the authenticated works, since even an outsider can tell the listed painting cannot be from the same person who painted the famous Souvenir de Mortefontaine in Louvre.

Yet in another place he correctly used the term "continental". No mistake was made here: although continental would be certainly too far away from Barbizon school that Corot leaded, without further differentiation someone will buy it.

It is rare for one to find paintings by top American artists. Only less than one year ago, “Gross Clinic” by Thomas Eakins was tagged with a label of 68 million dollars, now there is one (possibly) by him on eBay. It would be interesting to see how much money it fetches through the internet. On the other hand, with eBay live more and more quality art works can be found in auction houses which allow internet bidding. If such works do appear on eBay alone, they are usually unsold items from a recent auction house.

The current Eakins is possibly from this case. The painting does bear a label on the back with “NO/15 T.Eakins”. Since the seller stated that the work was only on eBay due to an unsuccessful payment from a recent auction, it is easy to track in which auction house it was sold before. Simply going through ARTFACT.COM gave me the answer.

The seller, unfortunately, might not have told the whole story. It was in Ivey-Selkirk Auction house one month ago, as lot 160. The estimation was $35,000.00 - 45,000.00, but the final price only reached $22,000. Even with 18% buyer premium, it was not sold at this auction for what the seller had claimed as 30 grand. Although it may be the sellers' wish that the final price could match his own estimation of $100,000, judging from the pictures taken by the auction house (not included in the eBay listing), the condition of the painting is poor and a full restoration may be needed.

Thomas Eakins was one of the most undervalued artists of his time. If the painting is authentic, the condition tells that the painting has not been treasured as it should be. The label on the back of the wood panel even shows the original price: $47.50. For a quick comparison, in 1895, Henry Clay Frick paid to William Bouguereau $5,000 for a painting named “A mischievous girl”. Eakins’s price tag here seems meager. Unlike his contemporary John Singer Sargent, a painter of high society, Eakins painted who he knew, not who he knew had deep pockets. And Eakins did not paint idealism as did Bouguereau, instead he painted beautiful minds under the normal flesh. It was such a delight to see his “Concert singer” one year ago in Frick Art & Historic Center: besides the fabulous light and shade on the gawn, Weda Cook’looking is as melancholy as Whitman's song that she is singing. At Butler’s Museum of Art, his painting of Beatrice Fenton who is in deep self-absorbed meditations, like his other works, is almost characteristically narrative under the calm surface. Glamour in style or richness in color is rare for Eakins, behind the darkness of the background is something psychological, a distinctive feature of Eakins, sometimes almost nerve rattling.

No matter in whose hands the current eBay listing ends, a mystery which will be disclosed within 3 days, with the current starting bid price ($30,000), it will for sure that the painting would be better preserved, possibly through some professional conservator. That would be a happy ending.

eBay number: 120141916511

Legends of Greek classics have been explored in art through centuries, yet there is something special about the story of Hercules and Antaeus. First two males are involved, both of whom are so masculine that they are almost invincible until one has to prove to be even stronger than the other. Secondly, nudity is a natural part of Greek athletics (although in some cases Hercules may wear lion skin or be armed with a club). The flesh of beefy males can be expressed and experienced directly and entirely. Lastly, here comes a wrestling match, which provides the opportunity of and necessitates the physical contact in great tension. Those gripping hands, distorted body forms, and angry faces explore the extremity of human nature at the climax of the action. Sculptors, in particular, love the story and a numerous sculptures have been created. It is of great interest to compare the works from different artists and hence obtain some insights into individual artistic styles.

The bronze statuette made by Antonio Pollaiuolo is probably at least one of, if not the most famous works about Hercules and Antaeus. The statuette was made circa 1475, in the Bargello of Florence.

The integration of motifs from classical sculpture and mythology into the contemporary interests naturally found its niche in Renaissance period when art focuses on bodies and minds of human beings. Hercules, in particular, shone his glory in Florence intimately because he was the protector of Florence.

Meanwhile, from Renaissance period realism and idealism began to be applied onto the human bodies. It was reported that Pollaiuolo carried out dissections in order to gain better understanding of human anatomy.

What differs Pollaiuolo from his contemporaries and even his student Botticelli is that the former is a master of human body in MOTION. His tempera paintings of “Apollo and Daphne” and “Hercules and the Hydra” (which was possibly painted in the same year of the statuette) show his profound knowledge of muscle contraction under different strenuous actions. It is no surprise that he was fond of such a topic which enabled him unbridled exploration of human body and form. (Besides this statuette, he made a tempera painting of the same topic in around 1478.)

However, it is still refreshing, almost stunning to look at Pollaiuolo’s work which was made more than 500 years ago. In “Hercules and Antaeus”, he not only excelled in what he is famous for but also masterfully associated body forms with expressions and emotions. The work gives the most exaggerated body form to Antaeus in history. The elevated right leg, the distorted left arm plus the lifted head form a big arc, purporting an eagerness of floating and freedom while he is suspended in the air.

Antaeus’ facial expression makes it obvious the desperate effort he is exerting for the last chance of survival. No matter what exact word he is uttering from his wide-open mouth, viewers can immediately sense his life will soon be gone in this cosmic human violence.

Interestingly, unlike later works, Hercules does not stand effortlessly straight. Instead he firmly separated his legs to support the massive weight from his upper body, which has been forced to lean backward. Thus a complimentary body arc is established from Hercules, fulfilling both aesthetic and narrative purposes.

Pollaiuolo took advantage of the lion skin, a prize from the first of 12 Hercules’ labors, to balance the statuette. Without the solidity of lion skin, Hercules might seem unstable and who is up to grab victory would be unclear to viewers.

The genitals of both Hercules and Antaeus are not exposed since they are confronted face to face at the moment. Yet strikingly the two, are not communicating, even though flesh are gripping against each other almost inseparably. NO direct look is essential in the success of the works: it allows artists to describe violence without touching human feelings toward cruelty or sympathy.

Lastly, although Pollaiuolo may have created the most startling body language for Antaeus, he has prepared the most merciful way for his death. According to one version of the story, Antaeus becomes as weak as water when lifted. In Pollaiuolo’s interpretation, Antaeus, the son of the goddess of earth, does not die of strangulation; instead he dies of loss of his spiritual support. Hercules, calmly, almost in a detachment manner, claims his victory through his immense strength and mental independency.

eBay Title: $1MILLION HUDSON RIVER SCHOOL THOMAS COLE HUGE STILLIFE
Winning Bid: $1,026.99
Number of Bids: 15
Private Listings


Comments: Pay a pastel painting of fruits at the price of one grand for some UNKNOWN painter, maybe the dealer should look for someone with a name like "Rem*"

eBay number: 220128049132

Larchmere is known as Cleveland's Antique District (also Lorain Avenue near downtown on the West Side). If you've never visited, consider heading North for the Larchmere Flea Market and Festival June 30, 11-5. MORE INFORMATION

Title: 19C OIL 'SHIPS IN STORMY SEAS'- J M W TURNER - NR $$$$
Widding bid: $3910
Number of bids: 17
eBay number: 130131546126

Item: John Constable BRITISH 1776-1837 LANDSCAPE OIL SIGNED
Start Bid: $1500
Windding Bid: $1884.99
Shipping Cost: $50.00
Number of bids: 5
eBay number: 180136247109

1. Made in Pennsylvania Gallery Tour: Furniture & Fraktur

When: 7PM, Thursday July 19, 2007
Where: Westmoreland Museum of Art
Price: Free (though donation is usually needed for admission)
Who: Charles Muller and David Brocklebank


2.William Bouguereau—The Perfect Painter

When: Aug 22, 2007 7:00 PM
Where: Frick Art &Historic Center
Price: $8 for students
Who: Eric Zafran, Ph.D.

No, it is not to symbolize wealth. True, money is indispensable for any art and antique collection. But that is only a necessity. In fact almost every hobby approached with certain degree of obsession, burns a hole in the pockets.

No, it is not for decorative purpose alone. Art has a role greater than mere decoration. IKEA posters can certainly complete the task of home decoration. Decoration is pleasing, but art is elevating.

However, art collecting is not entirely for edification either. Fundamentally there is a huge difference between the pleasure that comes from looking at art and that which derives from ownership. The edification, the happiness of viewing the beauty can be and have been fulfilled by visiting museums around the world, many of which are free to the public.

Here is what Tobias Meyer said:

Owning art, unlike seeing it in a museum, is a very primal pleasure.

Having it there, close to you, something that you associate with great beauty or great emotional expression, something that you associate with a soul, or with status--owning it gives you another status -- is very important.

It's a very intense feeling for many people.

Antique collecting is not as easy as going to a furniture store and picking out a new sofa. While many will purchase old furniture because they need one thing or another, others look for old furniture that has some value beyond its functionality.

If you’re looking at furniture for these purposes, chances are that you can be identified as an antique collector. If not, you certainly have the potential to be.

If you know you like furniture for more than its functionality, you may still be confronted with what exactly to collect. Visiting one of the antique malls may seem to be a good place to start. In reality for the beginner a large antique mall may be the worst place to start. By U.S. Custom law definition an antique must be at least a century old. There may be some items that can meet this criteria in an antique mall, but its mixed with things not half as old.

If you like to look at antiques like art, you might also want to concentrate on furniture and other items made by a craftsman rather than those produced in a factory. That even becomes more difficult as the first piece of furniture to leave a factory in the United States did so more than a century ago. Beyond its design, much of the furniture even from Victorian times was factory made. Beyond its design it can’t be far admired for the art that went into its making.

If you are one who admires old furniture, it may be because you live in an old house. It’s easy to like an old house. You can find lots of people living in old houses, yet inside there are plain white walls and furniture from a department store. Old houses are even more fun and interesting with old furniture in them. You may want to find antiques that are appropriate to the time period when the house was built. If this is your motivation for collecting antiques, it may matter less whether or not they were individually crafted for factory produced. Still, before you go shopping and make a big purchase you could later regret, you’ll want to get a better idea of what style of furniture would have been in the house when it was new.

It’s not my personal intention to strictly adhere to a period décor, however. I enjoy antiques more for their artistic value and would miss the soft cushions as soon as I traded a modern sofa for an antique one. While some collectors like to have a home furnished almost entirely in period antiques, its people like me who lead some antiques to being less valuable. One of the main contributors to the value of an antique is whether or not it has a modern purpose. An antique instrument or chair potty or in some instances seating furniture and bedding is not going to be in as much demand as a sideboard, table or bookcase.

Some collectors look at antiques from an investment standpoint. The way I see it if you buy something at a department store, its value can greatly diminished as soon as it leaves the store. If you carefully buy an antique, the chances are good it will keep its value or increase in value. Of course that’s not always the case as the market for certain styles of antiques fluctuates similar to the art market. I should also mention that some things you might bring home from an antique mall may cost you later to dispose of. If your goal is to buy antiques as an investment, buy the best you can afford and seek lots of advice beforehand.

You may be asking where to find the good antiques and how to learn which ones they are. The best way is probably to befriend a reputable dealer. Dealers love to learn about what you collect and are usually happy to help you understand an item and justify its asking price. One of the most famous antique dealers, Israel Sack, kept a large file of every piece of furniture sold through his shop and allowed his customers access to the file for reference.

Another way to start is to begin to watch auctions. The better auction houses have an expert make an assessment of the age and condition of a piece of furniture. They also provide an estimated hammer price. It may be better to watch auctions for a while before bidding to get a sense of what items are desirable and how much they should sell for. If you decide to bid, remember there is usually a 15 -20 percent fee on top of the hammer price known as the buyer’s premium. If an auction is within a reasonable distance its also advisable to go to the preview to inspect the items.

Another great way to learn about antiques and meet dealers is to attend an antiques show. There are at least two held in Pittsburgh each year, one in Sewickley and one in Fox Chapel. There are many other shows within driving distance. There’s usually an admission fee and the shows usually benefit a charity or non-profit organization.

What about ebay? Like the large antique mall, ebay may be better left for the experienced collector. Many pieces of furniture have been reproduced several times since the period in which the style originated. This is especially true for earlier styles. Experienced dealers and collectors usually find it easy to spot a reproduction, but it’s not always absolutely apparent. More, especially when you get into the more expensive furniture it may have been deliberately faked. It wouldn’t be the first time a piece has been deliberately aged and hidden in a corner for someone else to “discover.”

Subscribing to Maine Antiques Digest and Antiques Magazine are also great ways to begin to learn about antiques and collecting. Maine Antiques Digest is especially useful in establishing what price items can bring.

I should add finally that some antique malls restrict the quality of the merchandise offered there and the dealers are knowledgeable. Here are some places to find antiques in Pittsburgh:

Malls:

Antique Center of Strabane
2510 Washington Rd.- Route 19 South
724-745-8445

Independent Dealers:

Mark Evers Antiques and Fine Art
4951 Centre Avenue
Pittsburgh, PA 15213
412-688-9990

Merryvale Antiques
5867 Ellsworth Avenue
Pittsburgh, PA 15232
412-661-3200

Gallery in the Square
5850 Ellsworth Ave.
Pittsburgh, PA 15232
412-361-3808

Thomas Cole or Teresa Cole?

Title: “$1 MILLION HUDSON RIVER SCHOOL THOMAS COLE HUGE STILLIFE”

It could be interesting if a still life painting in exhibit can be found by Thomas Cole.

PRIVATE LISTING

So the seller wants it quiet!

RESERVED PRICE: <$450

Oh, well. At least that’s what you think it is worth of.

I AM FEATURING THIS HUGE STILL LIFE PASTEL PAINTING WITH AN UNBELIEVABLE LOW RESERVE.

What, pastel? Pastel was not used that much in US until the late of the 19th century and mostly for portrait!

ARTISTS WOULD OFTEN USE A BRUSH TO BLEND COLORS. THEREFORE IT IS CONSIDERED A PAINTING.

Does this have anything with to do with the listing?

THE SUBJECT MATTER IS VERY RARE FOR THOMAS COLE TO DEPICT.

Yeah, in fact I wish you could find another one.

THE STILL LIFE IS SIGNED IN THE LOWER RIGHT T. COLE.

Teresa, Tavis or Teddy? Show me the example of his signature and tell me why you conclude a still life painting is from Thomas Cole.
Didn’t the seller notice the visible brush stroke?

THERE ARE IMPRESSIVE EXAMPLES OF AUCTION RECORDS, AND AN IMPRESSIVE BIOGRAPHY BELOW.

That is the tricky part. Before provenance or at least some proof and reasoning is provided, the seller jumps into auction records or biography.

BOUND TO BE WON BY A MUSEUM, GALLERY, OR HUDSON RIVER SCHOOL COLLECTOR AS THE CENTERPIECE OF THAT COLLECTION.

Show a still life pastel as the centerpiece for Hudson River School?

THE STILL LIFE IS SHOWCASED IN IT'S ORIGINAL PERIOD WOOD FRAME. THE FRAME CONSISTS OF A GOLD LIP DARK WOOD. PROTECTED UNDER DOUBLE THICK ANTIQUE GLASS.

Wood frame was not popular in that period.

eBay number: 220128049132

There are fraudulent or misattributed art works everywhere. On eBay, it is more complicated. Unlike professional galleries and fine art auction houses, everyone can sell items. More than once, I have seen the sellers who are innocent or at least pretend to be innocent for some misidentified works that they are not aware of. Checking feedback helps only in a limited degree because a five-dollar stamp brings the same one-unit score to the feedback as a $5000 painting and if you want to browse exactly what the sellers used to sell, eBay only allows you to check items within 3 months.

Although it is possible that those “Antique Roadshow” junk to riches stories play out on eBay, it is usually better to stick to some sellers who are reputable and experienced on eBay.

But what a task it is! If such species still exist, I wish I could find a few.

Deprived of (or in others’ opinion released from) the direct communication with customers, those art dealers on eBay rely on their description, in which they certainly do not think modesty is a virtue. If you read something like “John Constable BRITISH 1776-1837” (which is actually currently offered) in the title, you will soon find out that it is actually a work from the circle of John Constable, which means it is from the period of the artist and of his influence. However, as you read further, it was dated and signed. Well, it means that if the seller knows it cannot be the work by John Constable, it should be described as “manner of” “school of” or “after”, which is light year away from being a Constable work.

If it is understandable that the seller, who has 0 feedback, may not be familiar with the terminology (which I doubt), then such tricks from art dealers should cause special attention.

Simply put: there is rarely a bargain from eBay art dealers. They sell hundreds of paintings; they know what they are doing. Big names that can bring five or six digits of income would certainly not be presented in eBay since to fetch such a number by selling them online is dubious and too risky compared to consigning with auction houses. Or in other words, if such names do appear on eBay from them, it is certainly the case that they know that to get the approval that the work is by certain artist from the a reputable auction house is unlikely.

In other words, the values of most of the paintings on eBay fall below $1000, which is an embarrassing number because an auction house consignment would not bring much profit after consignment fee and yet the chance of not being sold there looms. In such cases, eBay, where millions of people may watch everyday, guarantees a low-risk investment.

If one follows the rule of only buy works that you like, there is really nothing to lose from eBay as long a purchaser bears in mind mediocre valuation is what often summarizes eBay art works. However, the market value of such works does not necessarily reflect their artistic values. Therefore for those who hate decorating walls with pictures from IKEA and want an investment at least keeps the value, eBay is a great option.

There are different types of art dealers on eBay. I will introduce three of them for comparison, whose names will not be disclosed in the article.

The first one is from Vienna, Austria. As with all other boastful art dealers, the titles are composed by words like “top”, “magnificent” or “wow” as if crying in front of a Tiffany store window. Even worse, there is really nothing to wow for those listed works. And the title, unfortunately, betrays their antiquity in the end by including the inventory number. They are brand new and painted from China. An inventory number is used to locate the same work from the painting mills.

There is nothing wrong with art works MANURACTURING, and one should not feel ashamed if a beautiful oil painting, still wet, hangs above his living-room fireplace. It is a shame if guests only see the bank account digits without noticing its beauty. But what really bothers me is how the seller sells them cheap by exaggeration and less than straight-forward practices. All works are listed as original works from the 19th century and marked with an estimated value of five digits. The originals were from the 19th Century, but these copies aren’t.

The seller lists all art work as private so that the final sale prices cannot be extracted easily. I am sure that buyers are aware of the real condition of paintings. But they are usually irritated by extended shipping times since the seller did not mention they are shipped from China.

The second one is from Demark. In recent years, Demark art dealers have been very active on eBay. This one, in particular, sells more paintings labeled with 18th or 19th century works. Like the first one, most of the titles start with an adjective such as enchanting, lovely, superb, sober or brilliant. Because of the subject matter, words like “moving”, “mysterious”, “mythological” or “master” are seller’s favorites.

To make the listings more professional, the seller used to have authentication reference. (Note: The current listings do not have authentication by so called experts any more) The authentication experts have background in museum (yet detailed job is not disclosed).

But what an authentication processes they are! Once a copy of “The flute concert” by Adolph Von Menzel was not recognized (or not willing to be recognized) by the expert in German Art of the 19-20th century. In another case, the painting is not only signed and dated but also has a label on the back describing the painter, yet it was not mentioned by the expert who once worked at Portrait Gallery in Tuzla, Slovenia. It would be unbelievable if one found out that the so-called expert never used the black light to check the signature!

The seller may not be expert in recognizing copies or attributing works, but certainly he has great skills in PhotoShop. More than once the painting images have been lightened, and saturated through image processing. Sadly, buyers regret that the vivid color is only available online.

The seller boasts about his express shipping service, yet be prepared to spend another couple hundred dollars to fix the frame damage caused during the shipping.

The third one from UK, unlike the previous two, specializes in 19th century British (and Scottish) art. He even posted a useful guide on eBay for reference. He usually only sells listed artists, mainly R.A., R.S.A., R.S.W etc. (British landscape paintings, compared to Hudson River School paintings, are much more affordable in general.) He has done some research on each listing so that the biography and example works strengthen his assert of market value.

A lot of works on eBay by listed artists come from auction house brought items. Some eBay art dealers take the unsold items on eBay. Some of the items are sold at a price lower than their estimation in auction house, but it is better to realize some gains quickly. More importantly, there are some reasons for such items unable to sell at auction: poor examples of the artists work, reserved prices too high or simply not the right day with the right people. This seller obtains some of works through such channels, which are usually more reliable than opinions of some “experts” if you can trace at what auction house the item was before. (AskArt.com shows all auction records including unsold one.)

However, he takes too liberally the use of “provenance”. Provenance cannot be simply a gallery label. In essence, provenance should be traced back to people who at certain period owned the work and such ownership is recorded. An old label does not speak out although it usually bears strong indication of its authenticity.

In other cases, he has quietly removed “attributed to” from the description of the auction house. One of the works by “James Webb” was listed as attributed in the auction house, yet in his hand, somehow it became an authenticated work in his authoritative description. At another instance he claimed the work that he listed was the best he has ever seen on the market for Horatio Mcculloch. I am certain that he knows that in April of 2006, Sotheby auctioned one of his biggest works. However, an exact work named “A lowland river” exists and even an engraving by William Forrest is quite popular. The painting listed on eBay has bluer sky which usually does not appear in Mccolluch’s works. In a book “Painting Past and Present 1620 – 1908” by James Jaw published in 1908, it reports that Mcculloch was quite popular in his later years and the demands were so huge that he not infrequently signed his names with a few touch-ups on the works by the assistants. With the seller’s knowledge in 19th century British art, it is unlikely that he was not aware of the same painting in Glasgow Museum of Art. But we all know there is a light-year difference between “attributed to” and “by” and to list a work in the manner of Mcculloch is not that profitable. Oh well, it will only embarrass the buyer if someone points out in future that the claimed work is actually displayed in the museum.

All art dealers strive for profit, and a few if necessary do tricks. eBay dealers, being almost anonymous, maybe less concerned about ethic integrity. The only way to counter such fraud is to equip yourself with knowledge. Do research, dig deep and when necessary, confront them with the facts.

Most of time, it is a delight to talk with art and antique dealers, who take quick note of where your eyes land and if receiving a positive comment, their eyes light up like fire.

Passion is always a necessity for the success of any career. For art and antiques dealers, it is no doubt that one of the driven forces would be the passion for finding unnoticed value. Searching treasures in numerous antique fairs and malls is no easier than finding a needle in a hay stack, yet almost every dealer will tell you such a story, even though it may have happened 20 years ago or the great treasure still sits in the garage waiting for the right buyer.

Unfortunately, that is not enough. What a miserable life it is if one does not enjoy or love the art or antique that he or she deals in.

One of the antique dealers that I know told me that the market for empire furniture is so stale that he totally got rid of it. To make his efforts honorable, he told me he once ripped off all the mahogany veneer and painted a mahogany sideboard white to sell it. I was stunned, even though I was kind of prepared for this kind of eccentricity from the exotic and unusual merchandise in his booth.

Art and antiques follow trends. Most of the trends can be explained within social and economic contexts, yet some happens unexpected. The market bubble for Impressionism, and contemporary art have not seen signs of a downturn, partly due to blazing desires of some deep pocketed collectors like Paul Allen; Empire furniture, on the other hand, whose grandeur style sometimes overwhelms modern sensibilities, is not enjoying high demand.

Yet just like stock market, it will fluctuate, although the change in some styles or periods may take a long time. Destroying the veneer may bring a handsome sum of money in a short term, but could really hurt business when the shimmering dark red mahogany begins to reclaim its proud wall in the dining room.

It has been well said: buy the works that you like, not the works that you think may be profitable. After all, it is the beauty where the hearts is.

It is known to all that J. M. W. Turner bequeathed his finished works to Britain in his will and it was 22 years later after he died that a law was established to allow his works lent outside of Britain. Met houses almost a room of Rembrandt, yet has only two works by Turner. So when such a name appears on eBay, it would bring attention and suspicion. It is not a question of whether , but a question of why? Why should the seller put the work on eBay if he could fetch a huge sum of money from auction houses?

Here is the description:

BEAUTIFUL OIL 'SHIPPING IN STORMY SEAS' - JOSEPH MALLORD WILLIAM TURNER 1775 - 1851 - NO RESERVE.

Description: Wonderful oil painting which is fully signed lower left for this much celebrated and collected British marine artist. The quality of this painting is truly superb, one of the best you’ll ever see! A great opportunity to buy a quality oil with no reserve! Wouldn't it be fabulous to buy a Turner at a fantastic price? Indeed it would.

Artist: Joseph Mallord William Turner 1775-1851. Probably the greatest maritime painter of all time. The painting is fully signed but as we have no provenance this painting is sold as attributed. Please be sure to bid with this in mind.
Medium: Oil on canvas.

Size: Measures 19" x 11.5" and 23" x 16" framed.

Condition: The painting is in good condition for its age. The paint has cracked over the years but this has been stabilized by the lining which was carried out at least 100 years ago. Some of the cracks have been in-painted. The frame could do with an overhaul which would involve replacing the few missing bits of molding and re-gilding. This I can do at cost price. Inquire for a price if this is required. Estimate: Auction estimate $$$$$$$$$. This painting did not come my way cheaply so I am taking a risk but I'm sure it will find its own level!

As always I only sell quality paintings and have 100% feedback. Feel free to ask any questions. Buyer to pay shipping at cost.

There are several things that should alert potential buyers:

1. Buyer ID private
This is simply the worst eBay policy which only encourages the rampant frauds and shilling bids. If the item is highly confidential such as special adult underwears or adult magazines, it is reasonable to hide the buyers’ identity. But such a policy prevents buyers from communication and makes shilling bids almost undetectable.

2. “The painting did not come my way cheaply”, how expensive is “not cheaply” so that the seller is not willing to give an estimate. At the same time, the seller is willing to let it go without a reserved price.

3. So we have a signature. The painting does bear Turner’s preference of yellowish color scheme and marine subject. But Turner’s paintings usually purport a sense of light so illuminating that can be described as dazzling. Here the light is not convincing, it is diffused in a way certainly in a manner favored by John Constable.

4. Shipping to worldwide while no specific shipping cost to outside U.K. is disclosed.