The golden glow of autumn also suffuses the  upcoming Dorotheum Auction Week which - from 12th to 14th October 2010 - will present old master paintings along with 19th century painting and antiques. 

King David wears a golden crown in a painting by Guercino (King David presents a Letter to Uriah) that together with the matching David and Abigail represents two of the most important new discoveries of the old master auction. The typical gold background of the Early Renaissance serves as a setting for Lippo d’Andrea's Virgin and Child. Graceful Egyptian Water Carriers in a sun-drenched Nile landscape mark one of the major works of Leopold Carl Müller, who specialised in Oriental scenes, and also mark this painting as the top lot of the 19th century category. The women in the painting are not only seen to wear their heavy water vessels but delicate god jewellery as well. 

In the antiques category, a Chandelier with Dolphins by grand master André Charles Boulle outshines everything else. Made of gilt bronze, this chandelier by the famous „Ebeniste, Ciseler et Doreur du Roi“ is one of only four known copies featuring eight arms. The other three are currently in the Louvre, the J. Paul Getty Museum, and the Victoria and Albert Museum. 
Flaunting its opulent red and gold splendour, a Baroque canopy bed comes from an aristocrat's collection. Also outlined with gold are the porcelain Ranft cup by Kothgasser or a floral plate by Josef Nigg, while the gilt bronze head of a marble bust of Emperor Aulus Vitellius attributed to Nicolas Cordier is literally radiant. Naturally, gold is a favourite in the jewellery category, such as in case of this auction's convertible gold and silver jewellery watch, created around 1880. 

Auction Week 12. - 14. October 2010:
19th Century Painting, 12. October 2010, 5:00 P.M.
Antiques (Furniture, Silver), 13. October 2010, 2:00 P,M.
Old Masters, 13. October 2010, 5:00 P.M. and 6:30 P.M.
Antiques (Sculpture, Glass and Porcelain), 14. October 2010, 2:00 P.M.
Jewellery, 14.October 2010, 6:00 P.M.

Public Viewing:
from 2. October 2010

Venue:
PALAIS DOROTHEUM, Wien 1, Dorotheergasse 17

Press Office:
Mag. Doris Krumpl, Tel. + 43-1-515 60-406, doris.krumpl@dorotheum.at

Old Masters - First Rate Works from the Low Countries to Italy

The 13th October 2010 will be a red letter day for lovers of old master paintings - a category that in the wake of the sensational sale of a Francken painting for Euro 7,02 million at the Dorotheum in April 2010, will once again provide focal point of interest during the October auctions ahead. 

The two most important new discoveries are considered to be two paintings by Guercino depicting scenes from the Life of David (together € 300.000 - 400.000). Bolognese painters such as Guido Reni, Giovanni Andrea Sirani or Marcantonio Franceschini dominate the auction's selection. It was also in Bologna that Denys Calvaert, known as "il Fiammingo", opened his school of painting. His Holy Family with the Infant St John represents a link between Flemish and Italian painting (€ 60.000 - 80.000).  

To many artists Venice has always epitomised the picturesque. At this auction, the Serenissima is captured in splendid paintings by Apollonio Domenichini (Canale Grande, 
€ 60.000 - 80.000), and Francesco Guardi (Palace Courtyard, € 40.000 - 60.000).

Experts: Prof. Dr. Peter Wolf, Dr. Alexander Graf Strasoldo, Mark MacDonnell, Tel. +43-1-515 60-556, old.masters@dorotheum.at

19th Century Painting -Orient and Occident

Considered an early example of an international life and career, the Austrian artist Leopold Carl Müller(1834 - 1892) is represented by his evocative genre painting Egyptian Water Carriers of 1880, one of his major works and a top lot of the auction of 19th century painting on 12th October 2010 (€ 350.000 - 450.000). Unlike many, the artist had little time for the ancient remains of the Pharaonic period. In a 1876 letter, he writes: "What interests me most about Egypt are the folk customs that manifest themselves outside, in God's great nature, the bustle of the markets, the customs observed in cemeteries, villages, and the desert life." Oriental themes enjoyed great popularity among artists throughout the 19th century. As a friend of the Prince of Wales Leopold Carl Müller was particularly popular in Great Britain. He visited Egypt several times and, together with Makart and Lenbach, was afforded the use of a Cairo studio by the Viceroy.  Other Oriental scenes come from Carl Spitzweg(Cairo Street, € 80.000 - 120.000) and Rudolf Ernst. 

Waldmüller paintings have long been a fixture of successful Dorotheum auctions of 19th century works. On this occasion, the three paintings by this artist include a many-figured, perfectly arranged Maid with a Wreath  („Kranzljungfer“ € 300.000 - 400.000). Equally evocative an atmospheric watercolour of St Mark's Square in Venice by Rudolf von Alt (€ 50.000 - 60.000), and not surprisingly a Olga Wisinger-Florian painting of Blossoming Trees (€ 20.000 - 25.000). Among international star painters, two Russian painters deserve particular mention, Iwan I. Schischkin and Iwan S. Kulikov with a genre scene in a Village in Winter (€ 120.000 - 180.000, € 150.000 - 180.000). Edoardo Ettore Forti,meanwhile, invites the viewer to his magical Centaur Feast (€ 20.000 - 25.000). 

Experts: Mag. Dimitra Reimüller, Dr. Alexander Graf Strasoldo, Dr. Christl Wolf, Tel. +43-1-515 60-355, 19c.paintings@dorotheum.at

Antiques

Silver, glass and porcelain, sculpture and furniture at the antiques auction of 13th and 14th October 2010.

Pride of place without a doubt goes to the opulent Chandelier with Dolphins. The gilt bronze chandelier measuring 81,3 cm in diameter is the work of the famous master André Charles Boulle(1642 - 1732), „Ebeniste, Ciseleur et Doreur du Roi“. This splendid example of his skill was created in Paris around 1700 and represents one of only four known copies with eight rams. The other three are currently in some of the world's most respected museums - the Louvre, the J. Paul Getty Museum (L.A.), and the Victoria and Albert Museum in London.

An elegant and graceful limewood St Barbara was carved around 1620/30, and is about one meter tall, easily tall enough to be the top lot in the sculpture category (€ 24.000 - 30.000). The porcelain selection captures its share of the limelight with a 1813 porcelain painting signed by Josef Nigg, a rare find (€ 95.000 - 120.000), and with 67 select items from a major Vienna collection, estimated at a total of 250.000 Euro. A Kothgasser Ranft cup is decorated with St Stephan's Cathedral (1823 , € 9.000 - 15.000) and the auction's highlights also include an early Meissen service among their treasures (€ 22.000 - 40.000).

Experts:

Furniture: Ulrich Prinz, Alexander Doczy, Tel +43-1-515 60-291, furniture@dorotheum.at 
Sculpture: Christine Masser, Tel. +-43-1-515 60-331, christine.masser@dorotheum.at 
Silver: Dr. Georg Ludwigstorff, Tel +43-1-515 60-363, georg.ludwigstorff@dorotheum.at 
Glass and Porcelain: Ursula Rohringer, Tel. +43-1-515 60-382, ursula.rohringer@dorotheum.at
Clocks: Peter Hüttler, Tel. +43-1-515 60-293, peter.huettler@dorotheum.at