Yearly Archives - 2016

It’s a well-known fact that technology does not stand still, and the fantastic world of fine art is no different. As a result, the technique of creating paintings and large sculptures changes every year. However, among a great variety of traditional, modern, and antique items, there are several absolutely unique large art pieces that occupy a special place in the hearts of art lovers. Here is our top 5 list of the world’s most interesting large sculptures!

1. The Mustangs at Las Colinas

This bronze outdoor sculpture installed in 1984 is actually a group of large sculptures that decorate Williams Square in Las Colinas, Irving, Texas. Created by Robert Glen as a memorial to the evolving culture in North America, it has become an epitome of the unfettered lifestyle, initiative, and drive inherent to Texas in its pioneer days. Today, this art installation represented by nine wild mustangs running through a watercourse is considered the largest equestrian outdoor sculpture in the world.

2. The Force of Nature

The Force of Nature is a series of bronze, aluminum, and stainless steel large sculptures located in the United States, England, Singapore, Monaco, and some other countries. It was created by the Italian artist Lorenzo Quinn, who had witnessed for himself the destruction caused by hurricanes in the Southern U.S. and Thailand. Each outdoor sculpture from this series represents Mother Nature pivoting planet earth around with a piece of cloth. Such a furious and powerful image is another reminder of the false sense of security people hold toward the power of nature.

3. The Engagement

This art installation created by Dennis Oppenheim in 2005 is definitely one of the most unusual sights of Vancouver, Canada. It represents two 30-feet diamond engagement rings made of aluminum, stainless steel, and translucent plexiglass boxes. Such a fantastic illuminated outdoor sculpture, as well as its variations located in Nevada, California, Finland, and Austria, symbolizes the power of love and the strength of marriage.

4. Nelson Mandela Capture Site

This impressive outdoor sculpture created by Marco Cianfanelli to honor the South African politician Nelson Mandela is placed near the town of Howick, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. The beauty of this art installation consisting of 50 laser-cut stainless steel columns cannot be seen at a glance. However, if you look at it from the right angle, you will see a profile portrait of Mandela. It’s interesting that this piece of modern large sculptures is positioned close to the spot on the road where this great man was captured in 1962.

5. De Vaartkapoen

The last on our list of the most interesting large sculptures in the world is the De Vaartkapoen statue created by the talented Belgian artist Tom Frantzen in 1985. Such a humorous outdoor sculpture of a toppling policeman illustrates the famous cartoon serial about Quick and Flupke. Located in Molenbeek, Belgium, this unusual and a little bit childlike piece of art represents an idea of overthrowing authority.

With its numerous art galleries and museums, thousands of art dealers, and a great variety of outdoor art installations, New York is rightly called the art capital of the world. So once you are here, make sure to catch the most significant shows! To help you with that, we have prepared a list of the top 5 must-see New York City exhibitions that are held right now in prominent art institutions, from The Metropolitan Museum of Art to the New Museum of Contemporary Art. Here goes!

1. Alma Thomas (Studio Museum in Harlem)

This New York retrospective is dedicated to Alma Thomas (1891-1978), an African-American artist who is usually associated with Abstract Expressionism due to her very distinctive style of painting consisted of short strokes. However, taking into account bright colors and focus on the light, Alma Thomas can also be referred to as Impressionist. The exhibition features paintings from the artist’s entire career, starting from famous pieces of canvas art drawn from public and private art collections to rare watercolor paintings and examples of modern abstract art. It is on view until October 30, 2016.

2. Turner’s Whaling Pictures (The Metropolitan Museum of Art)

The exhibition is focused on four amazing marine paintings created by a well-known British landscape painter Joseph Mallord William Turner better known as J.M.W. Turner (1775–1851). Each of them represents a certain whaling scene painted by the artist near the end of his career. It’s interesting that this New York exhibition not only brings Turner’s whaling paintings together for the first time but also shows their influence on Herman Melville and his whaling epic, Moby-Dick. It can be viewed till August 7, 2016.

3. Saint Clair Cemin: Psyche (Paul Kasmin Gallery)

This retrospective actually presents a single work by a renowned Brazil postmodern sculptor Saint Clair Cemin (born in 1951) who lives and works in Beijing and New York City. The exhibited work dedicated to Classical Antiquity is called Psyche, referencing the myth of Psyche and Eros. This beautiful piece of large sculptures is represented by a 30,000-pound marble boat measuring 16 feet in length that is mounted on a standing armature made of bronze. It is on view through August 19, 2016.

4. The Keeper (New Museum of Contemporary Art)

The Keeper is a unique exhibition dedicated to the act of preserving important paintings, images, works of fine art, and other precious objects. It is represented by lots of imaginary art collections, museums, and assemblages to demonstrate the technique of displaying art and the devotion of those who create such sanctuaries for antique and fine art objects in real life. The show can be visited until September 25, 2016.

5. Peter Piller: Erscheinungen (Andrew Kreps Gallery)

This New York exhibition represents a retrospective of the latest works of a well-known German artist Peter Piller (born in 1968) who is known for appropriating different archival images and photographs from magazines and newspapers to explore the relationship between disparate images. However, the current New York exhibition is focused on the portrayals of women in advertising Piller photographed himself during his countless trips. It is on view until August 19, 2016.

They say that many people make mistakes trying to invest in modern art just because they don’t understand it, hence the widespread prejudice that pricing in this market defies the laws of logic and common sense. However, it’s not the case! So how to make the right choice when buying works of modern and contemporary art? There are actually several important things to consider before making such an investment.

1. History

It can be quite difficult for novice art collectors to assess a particular artwork at a glance as this process requires extensive knowledge about its author, context, elements of artistic technique, and other important things. Therefore, if you want to understand modern art, start with learning its history. However, in case you have no time for specialized courses, you can always use the services of a professional art dealer or an international expert who can easily help you make the right choice.

2. Own impression

If you really like a particular work of modern art, buy it with confidence! Sometimes it’s the main deciding factor for even the most experienced art collectors. However, if you have any doubts, it’s better not to hurry. Take your time and think about it at least a day. If you still want to buy it the next day, then go back and do that. Always follow your heart!

3. Budget

How to determine a budget? First of all, visit your local museums of modern art, galleries, exhibitions, and art fairs. This will give you an idea of the average cost for different kinds of art. Try to understand what exactly affects the pricing. The most common factors usually include expenses for materials, especially if it comes to large sculptures or an art installation, time spent on the creation, and the popularity of the author.

4. Forms of art

Think about different kinds of modern art. Which one will better suit your home’s interior design and fit your budget? What’s more, when choosing a piece of art, you should also consider whether you have enough space for its storage or you will need a special art storage facility. For instance, people often start their art collections with the smallest and most affordable pieces, like graphics and photography. The next step of collecting includes paintings, sculptures, and, finally, art installation.

5. Uniqueness

Another important factor to consider is the uniqueness of the chosen artwork. It goes without saying that items created in a single copy or limited edition are valued much higher than those existing in many copies. This choice depends only on your aims and budget.

In this way, if you want to start your own collection, carefully think about all of the above. Learn the history of modern art and listen to your heart – this is the only way to make the right choice. Moreover, you can always turn for professional help or ask for advice. Lastly, don’t forget that even if you cannot afford to buy one of Picasso’s amazing paintings, there are lots of other talented and serious artists, whose works are also worthy of your attention.

No matter whether you have antique pieces of pottery or just beautiful creations by your children from the school year – you should treat them all with precision and care, especially when it comes to their moving and storage needs. In fact, any pottery collection deserves as much attention as any other collection of fine art. Let’s see why!

Fine Art Pottery

There are four basic categories of pottery: porcelain, ceramic, stoneware, and earthenware. The main difference between them lies in the clay used in the process of creation and the temperature needed for firing. The term “fine art pottery” can be applied to any of these categories, as history knows many examples of important and valuable pottery pieces, from small, fragile items to large sculptures. Some of them you can see in the world’s best museums, such as The Metropolitan Museum of Art (New York), The Museum of Modern Art (New York), The Victoria and Albert Museum (London), The Hermitage (St Petersburg), The Louvre (Paris), The American Museum of Ceramic Art (Los Angeles), The National Museum of Modern Art (Kyoto), The Schein-Joseph International Museum of Ceramic Art (New York), and others.

Where to Store?

The first thing to remember is that any category of pottery can be easily damaged because of sudden or frequent changes in humidity and temperature levels. For this reason, never store your beloved collection of fine art pottery in even the most reliable self-storage unit or garage. Use a special climate-controlled storage room or at least your living area for its preservation.

How to Prepare Your Pottery Art Collection for Storage?

• Cleaning

If you have unglazed and unfinished pottery pieces – dust them carefully before packing. As for the glazed and finished items – you can wash them gently with soap and warm water. Never use chlorine bleach! Moreover, before attempting to clean valuable items, try your cleaning method first on an inexpensive pottery piece.

• Wrapping

Use a clean, soft cloth (for example, muslin or linen) or acid-free paper. Then carefully wrap each piece with bubble wrap.

• Packing

If you are going to store your collection in a box, lay two or three layers of bubble wrap on its bottom first. Place the wrapped pottery pieces inside the box and make sure they won’t rub and knock against each other. Fill the rest of the box with foam peanuts until each item is firmly supported. Finally, add some more layers of bubble wrap on the top and close the box.

• Storage

Although you can keep your pottery collection together, it is still more safely to store each piece individually. So if you have enough space at home – use it wisely.

Anyway, the most precious and antique pieces of pottery should be stored only in a special climate-controlled storage facility. This is where we can help you professionally. Contact Fine Art Shippers to preserve your art collection for future generations!

If you love historical treasures as much as we do, you know that there is nothing like visiting museums and other places that are full of original art, antique furniture, and home decor pieces created years ago. Here is our list of the most important American homes from the past, distinguished by their amazing furnishings and collections of art.

Winterthur

Winterthur is a childhood home of Henry Francis du Pont (1880–1969), a famous collector of antique furniture, international expert, and horticulturist. This magnificent 175-room house located in Winterthur, Delaware, was opened to the public almost 60 years ago and now serves as a museum of decorative and fine art. Intended to preserve du Pont’s antique collection that consists of nearly 90,000 items of early American decorative art and furniture, this beautiful manse will easily delight any antique enthusiast. Moreover, Winterthur has a stunning 60-acre naturalistic garden that is considered one of the best in the US.

Winchester Mystery House

Winchester Mystery House, the former home of Sarah Winchester (1840–1922) located in San Jose, California, is an extravagant, bizarre, baffling, marvelous, and at the same time awesome maze of Victorian craftsmanship. It is much more than just another architectural museum – it is a true gem for lovers of mysterious treasures. Here you can find a number of magnificent Tiffany glass windows and many other precious antique pieces that are still part of this unusual 160-room home, not to mention a large collection of Winchester rifles.

Newport Mansions

Newport Mansions located in Newport, Rhode Island are extravagant “summer cottages” from America’s Gilded Age, filled with numerous antique pieces. These fabled mansions, which once were homes to the ultra wealthy, perfectly portray the opulence, glamor, and elegance of a bygone era. Each “cottage” has its own unique personality, but the grandest one is probably The Breakers. This luxurious home with no less luxurious antique furnishings, which belonged to Commodore Cornelius Vanderbilt (1794–1877) years ago, can impress even the most pampered visitor.

Mount Vernon

Mount Vernon located in Mount Vernon, Virginia is a plantation home owned by George Washington (1732–1799) and his wife, Martha. Its diverse collection includes unique antique furniture, sculptures, prints, paintings, clothing, tools, textiles, glass, metals, ceramics, and many personal accessories. You can even see here Washington’s presidential chair and a pair of his dentures that are, by the way, not wooden contrary to the well-known legend.

Monticello

Located just outside Charlottesville, Virginia, Monticello is another excellent plantation home that belonged to Thomas Jefferson (1743–1826). This autobiographical masterpiece of the third President of the United States is filled with interesting antique objects and beautiful works of art, which fully reflect the ideals and personal ideas of Jefferson. It is also interesting that many of the furnishings you can see inside the home were made in Monticello’s own joinery by enslaved craftsmen, making them even more significant in historical terms.

Bayou Bend

Bayou Bend located in Texas is a house museum for American paintings and decorative arts used or made in the US between 1620 and 1876. Initially owned by the famous philanthropist Ima Hogg (1882–1975), it is now an extension of the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston (MFAH). Its amazing art collection of American furnishings, paintings, ceramics, and silver is one of the finest in the world. Moreover, the house itself sits on 14 acres of organically maintained gardens that were intended as outdoor rooms for entertaining and living. The Bayou Bend Collection and Gardens is definitely worth seeing by all connoisseurs of art and antiques!

Can unfinished paintings also be complete? This is exactly the question raised by the curators of the New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art, who have brought together nearly 200 paintings by history’s greatest artists, from Van Gogh to Leonardo da Vinci to Tintoretto. The new fine art exhibition titled “Unfinished: Thoughts Left Visible” explores the difference between finishing and completing the artwork. So let’s find out the reasons why the Renaissance masters, as well as many of the modern artists, left their works incomplete?

The “Unfinished: Thoughts Left Visible” exhibition features paintings that were not completed by masters due to certain circumstances, thus giving us an idea of the process of their creation, and also intentionally unfinished paintings created according to the special non-finito technique used by such great artists as Cezanne, Turner, Rembrandt, and Titian. Approximately 40% of these paintings dating from the Renaissance to the present are drawn from The Metropolitan Museum’s own collection of fine art while others are represented by international and local loans from the world-known museums and private art collections. It is also worth noting that a similar exhibition was held in London last summer. However, New York’s one examines the term “unfinished” in its much broader sense. Moreover, it demonstrates The Met’s unique ability to show the best examples of modern and contemporary art within a unique historical context, combining scholarly resources with a rich fine art collection.

The highlight of the exhibition is one of Vincent Van Gogh’s oil paintings, titled “Street in Auvers-sur-Oise.” This urban landscape was created in 1890, a year of the artist’s death. For today, it is recognized as unfinished, but there is also reason to believe that this piece of Van Gogh’s paintings is just another work created in the non-finito technique. One more perfect example of the “unfinished” works displayed at The Met’s fine art exhibition is “Saint Barbara” by Jan van Eyck, which was created in 1437. The nature of this refined artwork is the subject of much dispute. Some New York and international experts insist that it is a completed drawing with color inspired by manuscript illumination while others claim that it is a drawn preparation for an exquisite unfinished painting.

Frankly speaking, no one can definitely say whether this or that artwork is completed or not, especially given the fact that the non-finito technique has been taken in entirely new directions by such contemporary and modern artists as Robert Rauschenberg, Jackson Pollock, Lygia Clark, and Janine Antoni, who have extended the boundaries of finished and unfinished paintings into both time and space. The “Unfinished: Thoughts Left Visible” exhibition is on view at The Met Breuer through September 4.

No matter whether you are a fine art collector or an artist creating modern art paintings, most likely you don’t want to hide your beloved art collection somewhere in the attic of your home. What you want is to enjoy its visual beauty, experiencing emotions and sensations caused by each particular work of fine art. However, it may not be enough! You can enhance the qualities of every separate artwork or draw attention to it by carefully considering the wall color in your home. Here are some tips on choosing the right background for your art collection:

Historical colors

When displaying fine art pieces related to a particular historical era, many museums try to use the same colors that were common at that period of time. You can turn to this idea too when showcasing the art collection in your home. However, do not overdo it! If the color you choose is too intense to be used on all walls, apply it only to focal walls.

Complementary colors

If you want to attract attention to a colorful piece of modern art, the best way to do it is to use a complementary backdrop with the help of the so-called complementary colors. You can find these colors on the opposite sides of the color wheel. For instance, if one of your paintings has a great deal of yellow in it, paint the wall purple for the eye-catching juxtaposition.

Matching colors

If your art collection consists of similar works or you own several paintings by one artist, you can use the colors prevailing in these fine art pieces. Just select the most appropriate one and use it for the background. However, don’t use absolutely the same color – take a tint or a shade of it with a bit of white or black added.

Neutral colors

Neutral colors (white, off-white, gray, black, taupe, beige, and light brown) are probably the most commonly used for showcasing paintings and other fine art pieces. In fact, they are traditionally used by museums and galleries all over the world. Thereby, if your art collection consists of very different works, you should create a uniform background to unite all of the genres, styles, and colors. Walls painted neutral can be the way out. What’s more, such a solution is perfect for all types of private homes. So if you have colorful paintings, collages, photographs, drawings, and other fine art works that you want to display together, take advantage of neutrals. Otherwise, if your art collection includes objects that are in neutral colors themselves, then it’s better to use another, more contrasting background.

Finally, if your art collection is frequently rotated, paint the walls fairly neutral with just several brighter colors on a few focal walls. This will save you time and money! Anyway, if you are not sure about the right color of the background, you can always order professional interior design and art installation services.

Even those collectors who have small art collections need secure and safe storage for their possessions. Thereby, whether your collection consists of prints, paintings, or other fine art objects, make sure you have the appropriate place to store it. Moreover, even if your art collection is safe in your home, there are still situations that require specific storage solutions. For example, you may need professional art storage services in case:

- you are preparing for relocation;

- you are going to leave your home on an extended trip;

- you need all your fine art pieces to be easily accessible when preparing for a gallery exhibition;

- you want to protect your art collection from debris and dust during an extensive remodel of your home;

- hurricanes, tropical storms, or other acts of nature threaten to make landfall next to your home.

No matter the reason, the first thing you should do is prepare your art collection for storage. It is much better to use services offered by professional art shipping companies, but you can also make this on your own. In such a case, you will need blankets or other thick materials that can be used as padding, a shelving unit or a special storage rack, dry and clean cloths to cover your fine art objects, acid-free paper for unframed paintings, and a climate-controlled room that can be used as a storage. Furthermore, before you start packing, make sure you don’t have any jewelry on your hands in order not to accidentally scratch the artworks. Besides, always handle only one fine art object at a time!

Long-term storage

If you need long-term storage for your art collection, the best you can do is rent a unit at a temperature- and humidity-controlled storage facility intended to store objects of art. Such facilities can withstand the wind, flooding, and fire damage, not to mention that they are equipped with modern security and alarm systems guarding 24 hours a day. Professional moving and storage companies can also carefully pack, move, and unpack your items for an additional fee.

Temporary storage

Temporary storage also requires special preparation. For instance, framed paintings and different 3D art pieces should be necessarily wrapped with light padding, clean cloths, or bubble wrap to prevent them from dust. Don’t forget to use acid-free paper between the wrap and the surface of the painting. Besides, always use heavy padding between your fine art pieces and the concrete. Never place them directly on the floor!

Even the smallest art collection deserves attention and respect. So if you want your precious possessions to maintain their value over time, invest in the right types of storage facilities and quality materials. Contact Fine Art Shippers today to avoid any risk of damage!

People can and actually do collect almost anything. Magnets, works of fine art, antique furniture, vintage cars... This list is endless and depends only on each person’s financial capacity, interests, and preferences. Furthermore, all these things not just provide comfort – collecting them has become pleasurable in itself. The fact is that any collection regardless of its value is our legacy, something special of ourselves that we can leave behind. What is more, we start collecting things early in childhood and continue as we age – from shells gathered on the beach and different fragile items on our shelves to stay-at-home moms keeping track of their children’s toys and accouterments to curating a valuable collection of watercolor and oil paintings in the museum of modern art. Thus, thanks to this tendency, we all practice some form of collection management at one time or another during our lifetime.

All this becomes even more important when it comes to large and unwieldy collections of fine art. In such a case, collection management is crucial not only because you need to know where each object is at any given moment in time but also because of specific tasks related to its care, shipment, and distribution as well. In this way, professional collection management services are vital for dedicated art collectors and those who simply have no time or enough knowledge to properly take care of their fine art collection and its particular needs.

In this way, if you want to know all the details about your precious art objects, then a professional approach is exactly what you need! Here are just a few things you don’t need to worry about anymore if you choose collection management services:

• Deciding which items from your art collection require conservation services and when exactly this has to be done;
• Artwork transportation and handling;
• Providing required resources for financial art appraisal;
• Implementing proper collection insurance policy and its regular assessment;
• Tracking fine art pieces during their international or local transportation;
• Designing and finding appropriate spaces for exhibition purposes;
• Updating and creating inventories of the collection;
• Maintaining, designing, and procuring spaces for proper art collection storage.

That is exactly why professional collection management services are so invaluable for all dedicated art collectors and those who don’t know how to organize their acquisitions so that they could look more appealing. At Fine Art Shippers, we can easily help you with artwork transportation, storage, and handling while our reliable partners will take care of your collection management needs. In this way, no matter whether you are preparing for an exhibition, looking for a professional designer, or just want to know everything about your art collection – we are here to help! Visit our Services page to find out how we can assist you or just fill in our free quote to get the best possible offer!

Since ancient times, people have perfectly learned to forge works of fine art. The fact is that thousands of years ago, lots of sacred objects, images, and even large sculptures were required for various rituals and worship of gods. That’s when the first fakes appeared, in particular, due to the fact that original pieces were not enough for all comers. Methods of creation, styles, materials – everything was counterfeited with such skill that even modern international experts and professional art collectors cannot understand whether one or the other fine art object is authentic or not, especially when it comes to paintings. So, let’s look at several famous fine art pieces, the authenticity of which still remains in doubt.

Jackson Pollock’s painting bought almost for free

In 1992, the retired long-haul truck driver Teri Horton bought one of Pollock’s famous drip paintings almost for free. Being unaware of the real value of this masterpiece, she purchased it from a thrift shop in California just for $5 as a gift for a friend. However, the painting appeared to be too large for the friend’s trailer, so Teri set it out at a home yard sale. Fortunately, the work was noticed by a local teacher of art, who pointed to the similarity to Pollock’s painting technique. As a result, it was recognized as authentic, and today, this famous piece of modern abstract art is estimated at about $50 million.

Caravaggio or not?

Another scandal erupted at Sotheby’s. Its international expert committee refused to recognize “The Cardsharps” as authentic Caravaggio. Back in 2006, Sotheby’s evaluators attributed this work to one of the Old Master’s followers, and the auction house sold it for £42,000. However, Sir Denis Mahon, one of the most respected art collectors and historians, stated that it was painted by Caravaggio himself, and its real value was about £10 million. Upon hearing this news, the former owner of the painting, Lancelot William Thwaytes, immediately sued the auction house. Today, “The Cardsharps” is still the subject of international expert debate.

Another mysterious smile by da Vinci

“La Bella Principessa” is a unique painting that until recently was considered the work of an unknown German painter of the 19th century. However, not so long ago, the famous fine art historian and international expert Martin Kemp announced that it was created by Leonardo da Vinci. That was a real shock to the whole world of fine art and especially for Jeanne Marchig who sold this piece of presumably da Vinci’s paintings for $19,000 in 1998. Today, the value of “La Bella Principessa” has increased hundreds of times. Nevertheless, the possibility that it’s just a well-done fake is still discussed.

Rembrandt or his followers?

Everyone in the world of art knows that, despite his fame, Rembrandt led a fairly modest lifestyle, and after he had bought a huge house in one of the most prestigious districts of Amsterdam, the artist went bankrupt. Eventually, he had to move to the outskirts of the city, where he began teaching painting. Today, it’s rather difficult to determine which paintings belong to Rembrandt himself, and which – to his talented students. That is what happened to “The Polish Rider.” While this painting was officially recognized as an original Rembrandt, not all international experts and fine art collectors agree with that.