Past Auction

Old Master Paintings & Drawings

Wed, May 22, 2019 at 10am EDT |

New York

Auction of Old Master Paintings & Drawings on May 22, 2019
Neapolitan 17th Century Depiction of the Penitent Magdalene Achieves $106,250
Consignments Are Currently Being Accepted for Future Auctions

NEW YORK, NY -- Doyle held a successful auction of Old Master Paintings & Drawings on May 22, 2019 that attracted international competition from bidders on both sides of the Atlantic. The sale showcased a wide range of landscapes, still lifes, portraits and religious subjects from the Italian Renaissance through the early 19th century. They were offered as a featured section of a sale that included English & Continental Furniture & Decorative Arts.

With competitive bidding in the saleroom, on the telephones, and via the Internet, the auction totaled a strong $1,477,656, surpassing its estimate of $872,850-1,370,700 with an exceptional 92% sold by lot and 98% sold by value.

Highlighting the sale was a depiction of the Penitent Magdalene that attracted international attention, sending the painting soaring to $106,250 after heated bidding. With its expressive juxtapositions of brilliant light and profound shadow, the work presented a classic image of Italian chiaroscuro painting. This vivid evocation of religious fervor, with the saint’s dramatic turn upward as if responding to the call of a voice from heaven, was clearly by a follower of Caravaggio working in Naples in the 1620s.

Jean-Bernard Restout (1732-1797), one of a family of distinguished French painters, won the coveted Rome Prize to study in the Eternal City in 1755. After returning to Paris, he was agréé (“approved”) by the Royal Academy – the first step toward formal membership – with his submission of a painting in the auction that realized $43,750. The large-scale work celebrates the ancient Greek poet Anacreon, known for his lyrical evocations of love and conviviality.

An extraordinarily complex allegory of the Admonishment of Time was undoubtedly intended for an erudite audience. Its interweaving of Latin poetry, allusions to antique sculpture and Catholic theology suggest that it was commissioned by a humanist scholar in the Netherlands during the late 16th century. It found an eager audience of bidders at the sale, who drove the work to $20,000.

All prices include the Buyer's Premium.

We Invite You to Auction!

Consignments are currently being accepted for future auctions. We invite you to contact us for a complimentary auction evaluation. Our specialists are always available to discuss the sale of a single item or an entire collection.

For information, please contact Elaine Stainton, 212-427-4141, ext 249, Paintings@Doyle.com

Consignments are currently being accepted

To have your property evaluated for possible consignment in the next auction, please contact:

Media Contact

Louis LeB. Webre
SVP, Marketing & Media
212-427-4141, ext 232
Louis@Doyle.com

Including Property From

A Connecticut Private Collection
Estate of a Gentleman, Park Avenue and Southampton, New York
Estate of a Washington DC Lady
Estate of Alfred F. Hubay
Estate of Arleen S. Gamza
Estate of Barbara Grodd
Estate of David E. Levy
Estate of David Follett
Estate of Elizabeth H. Fuller
Estate of James Chip Dale
Estate of Joan Harmon Van Metre, The Plains, VA
Estate of Marianne Schaller
Estate of Walter Mehr
From a Private Monarch Beach, California Collector
Property from a Beekman Place Apartment
Property from a Collection on Rittenhouse Square
Property from a Prominent Connecticut Estate
Property from the Estate of Mary Jane Kenny to be Sold to Benefit the Bonaventura Devine Foundation
Property from the Rhinelander Stewart Family
Property of a Collector
Property of a Lady
Property of a Palm Beach Collector
Property of a Private Collector, Long Island
Property of a Private New Jersey Estate
Property of a Red Bank, New Jersey Private Collector
Property of Two New York Gentlemen
Property to be Sold for the Benefit of the Philanthropic Programs of the Heckscher Foundation for Children
The Estate of Henry Hives
The property of Doyle New York