{"id":345357,"date":"2025-11-13T11:35:45","date_gmt":"2025-11-13T16:35:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blog.sothebysrealty.com\/?p=345357"},"modified":"2025-12-17T10:50:45","modified_gmt":"2025-12-17T15:50:45","slug":"collecting-focus-old-masters","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.sothebysrealty.com\/extraordinary-living-blog\/collecting-focus-old-masters\/","title":{"rendered":"Collecting Focus: Old Masters"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Sotheby\u2019s London is soon to auction some remarkable examples of a genre finding renewed relevance with buyers of all tastes, writes Katie Armstrong<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"Painting<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Pieter Brueghel the Younger\u2019s \u201cThe Census at Bethlehem,\u201d a key lot at Sotheby\u2019s Old Masters London sales series in December 2025. Photograph: Sotheby\u2019s<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

What defines an Old Master? While highly prized\u2014and priced\u2014at auction, this collecting category is actually wider than you might imagine, spanning multiple artistic periods and geographies. At Sotheby\u2019s, the category includes works produced in Europe between the 13th and 19th centuries, from the great Italian and Dutch schools to those of Scandinavia, Bohemia, Germany, Spain and beyond. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

This diversity extends to medium and subject. Old Masters could be paintings on canvas, copper and panel, but also sculpture, drawings and other works of art, while subjects range from portraiture and still lifes to devotional scenes and depictions of daily life. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThere is a lot of room for developing a niche collecting interest,\u201d says Elisabeth Lobkowicz, head of department, Old Master paintings at Sotheby\u2019s London, which will hold its annual Old Masters sales series<\/a> from December 3-5, 2025. \u201cMost of my enthusiasm for the category comes from showing people just how relevant and fashionable these works can be.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Thanks to this breadth and depth, the category is a stalwart of auction houses worldwide. The foundations of the modern art market were built on the buying and selling of great collections, which frequently included works by artists such as Rembrandt, Titian and Leonardo da Vinci.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Painting<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Botticelli\u2019s \u201cPortrait of a young man holding a roundel,\u201d which sold for $92.2 million in 2021. Photograph: Sotheby\u2019s<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Starry names still fetch the highest prices when the hammer falls. In 2021, Sotheby\u2019s New York sold Sandro Botticelli\u2019s \u201cPortrait of a Young Man Holding a Roundel\u201d<\/a> for an astonishing $92.2 million, shattering the previous record for the early Renaissance artist.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When evaluating what makes an Old Master special, its provenance, condition and when it last came to market also come into play. And just like any category, there are trends. \u201cWe are finding that collectors outside our traditional collecting category are responding to elegantly chic portraits and refined still lifes at the moment,\u201d says Lobkowicz. \u201cWorks by female artists, such as \u00c9lisabeth Louise Vig\u00e9e Le Brun and Angelika Kauffmann, have become especially sought-after in recent years too.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Provenance can be an important hook for collectors. Tracing the history of ownership is exciting, and discovering that a work once hung in the home of a prominent historical figure only enhances its appeal. Provenance research also ensures that early 20th-century ownership is clear, helping to avoid restitution issues linked to Nazi-era looted art. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

While the process can be time-consuming, clues to an artwork\u2019s history often lie close to home. \u201cThere\u2019s a wealth of information on the back of an Old Master painting, whether it be old inventory labels or auction stencils and inscriptions,\u201d explains Lobkowicz. \u201cYou can pull together quite a significant amount of provenance simply by turning a painting around.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"black<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The Old Masters and 19th Century Paintings evening sale exhibition at Sotheby\u2019s London, July 2025. Photograph: Sotheby\u2019s<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

As to the condition of these works, which are sometimes up to 800 years old, first-time buyers may be understandably cautious about their delicacy, but Lobkowicz reassures otherwise. \u201cI always encourage collectors to really engage with these objects: look closely, understand them, even touch and smell them,\u201d she says. \u201cYou can live with them and love them. They\u2019ve survived for centuries\u2014many are not as delicate as you might imagine. You can absolutely hang them on your wall and enjoy them every day.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Certain conditions dictate display choices, of course. Wooden panels can become warped in humid environments and drawings need to be kept out of direct sunlight. Media such as canvas and copper are far more forgiving, says Lobkowicz, who urges collectors not to be overly cautious or hide away their masterpieces in storage. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYou should absolutely live with Old Masters as they can be real centerpieces on a wall. I love seeing them in conversation with contemporary works or within contemporary settings,\u201d she says. \u201cOld Masters have a way of visually transcending their surroundings.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Sotheby's<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The Old Masters and 19th Century Paintings evening sale at Sotheby\u2019s London, July 2025. Photograph: Sotheby\u2019s<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

London\u2019s upcoming Old Masters sales provide the perfect opportunity to explore the category. One highlight is an extraordinarily rare winter scene\u2014apt for the time of year\u2014painted by Pieter Brueghel the Younger, depicting Joseph with Mary on a donkey in Bethlehem. It is a large-scale work from a private collection and has not come to market for at least 40 years. \u201cThe details are captivating\u2014it is simply a spectacular work,\u201d Lobkowicz says.Another standout lot is Hans Eworth\u2019s portrait of Thomas Howard, 4th Duke of Norfolk (c.1563), from the Rothschild collection. Norfolk is presented in a suave and dapper manner that is highly unusual for English portraiture of the time. A large triptych from St Johns\u2019 Almshouse in Sherborne, England by an unknown artist offers another opportunity to purchase a rare work. Painted more than 500 years ago, it was concealed during the religious turmoil of 16th-century England, preserving it in exceptional condition.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Three-paneled<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The St Johns\u2019 Almshouse triptych, to be auctioned at Old Masters London in December 2025. Photograph: Sotheby\u2019s<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Such stories behind Old Master works are part of their timeless appeal. \u201cI always like to imagine how many other people have looked at these paintings. How many other walls have they hung on? How many stories have they heard?\u201d Lobkowicz asks. \u201cThey are witnesses to so many lives, including our own.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Our Collecting Focus series also features expert advice on <\/em>contemporary art,<\/em><\/a> jewelry<\/em><\/a>, <\/em>watches<\/em><\/a>, <\/em>wine<\/em><\/a>, <\/em>rare whisky<\/em><\/a>, <\/em>historic books<\/em><\/a>, <\/em>fashion history<\/em><\/a>, natural history<\/em><\/a> and<\/em> Americana<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Footer<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Sotheby\u2019s London is soon to auction some remarkable examples of a genre finding renewed relevance with buyers of all tastes, writes Katie Armstrong Pieter Brueghel the Younger\u2019s \u201cThe Census at Bethlehem,\u201d a key lot at Sotheby\u2019s Old Masters London sales series in December 2025. Photograph: Sotheby\u2019s What defines an Old Master? While highly prized\u2014and priced\u2014at […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":232770377,"featured_media":345371,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[1393],"tags":[1437,1541],"class_list":["post-345357","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-art-and-culture","tag-england","tag-london"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.sothebysrealty.com\/extraordinary-living-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/image1-1.jpg","jetpack_likes_enabled":false,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/pf4gbL-1rQh","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":387,"url":"https:\/\/www.sothebysrealty.com\/extraordinary-living-blog\/significant-sales-2024-highlights\/","url_meta":{"origin":345357,"position":0},"title":"Significant Sales: 2024 Highlights","author":"Procurement Admin","date":"January 6, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"From a US$74.25M sale in Palm Beach Florida, to a \u00a315.5M sale in London, England, here are ten of the top sales represented by the Sotheby\u2019s International Realty global network in 2024. Palm Beach, Florida Todd Peter, Frances Peter | Sotheby's International Realty \u2013 Palm Beach Brokerage, US$74.25M View Properties\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Market Insights"","block_context":{"text":"Market Insights","link":"https:\/\/www.sothebysrealty.com\/extraordinary-living-blog\/category\/market-insights\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.sothebysrealty.com\/extraordinary-living-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/Bahamas1.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.sothebysrealty.com\/extraordinary-living-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/Bahamas1.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.sothebysrealty.com\/extraordinary-living-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/Bahamas1.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.sothebysrealty.com\/extraordinary-living-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/Bahamas1.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.sothebysrealty.com\/extraordinary-living-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/Bahamas1.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.sothebysrealty.com\/extraordinary-living-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/Bahamas1.jpg?resize=1400%2C800&ssl=1 4x"},"classes":[]},{"id":412,"url":"https:\/\/www.sothebysrealty.com\/extraordinary-living-blog\/collecting-focus-classic-cars\/","url_meta":{"origin":345357,"position":1},"title":"Collecting Focus: Classic Cars","author":"Procurement Admin","date":"February 17, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"At ModaMiami, RM Sotheby\u2019s will showcase an eclectic mix of motoring masterpieces and the shared experience that fuels car collectors worldwide, writes Thor Svaboe ModaMiami returns to the Biltmore Hotel, Coral Gables, Miami. Photograph: RM Sotheby\u2019s While motoring is on the road to a more sustainable future, nothing can detract\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Art and Culture"","block_context":{"text":"Art and Culture","link":"https:\/\/www.sothebysrealty.com\/extraordinary-living-blog\/category\/art-and-culture\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.sothebysrealty.com\/extraordinary-living-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/header-4.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.sothebysrealty.com\/extraordinary-living-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/header-4.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.sothebysrealty.com\/extraordinary-living-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/header-4.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.sothebysrealty.com\/extraordinary-living-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/header-4.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.sothebysrealty.com\/extraordinary-living-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/header-4.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.sothebysrealty.com\/extraordinary-living-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/header-4.jpg?resize=1400%2C800&ssl=1 4x"},"classes":[]},{"id":428,"url":"https:\/\/www.sothebysrealty.com\/extraordinary-living-blog\/collecting-focus-sports-memorabilia\/","url_meta":{"origin":345357,"position":2},"title":"Collecting Focus: Sports Memorabilia","author":"Procurement Admin","date":"March 17, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"From a court-worn NBA jersey to signed soccer boots, the market for big-event mementoes is reaching new heights, says Jake Uitti Michael Jordan 1998 NBA Playoffs \u2018The Last Dance\u2019 Game Worn Jersey (detail) | Eastern Conference Semifinals Game 2. \u00a9 Photo courtesy of Sotheby's Sporting artifacts are a booming market.\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Art and Culture"","block_context":{"text":"Art and Culture","link":"https:\/\/www.sothebysrealty.com\/extraordinary-living-blog\/category\/art-and-culture\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.sothebysrealty.com\/extraordinary-living-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/header-4.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.sothebysrealty.com\/extraordinary-living-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/header-4.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.sothebysrealty.com\/extraordinary-living-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/header-4.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.sothebysrealty.com\/extraordinary-living-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/header-4.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.sothebysrealty.com\/extraordinary-living-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/header-4.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.sothebysrealty.com\/extraordinary-living-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/header-4.jpg?resize=1400%2C800&ssl=1 4x"},"classes":[]},{"id":395,"url":"https:\/\/www.sothebysrealty.com\/extraordinary-living-blog\/collecting-focus-americana\/","url_meta":{"origin":345357,"position":3},"title":"Collecting Focus: Americana","author":"Procurement Admin","date":"January 20, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"U.S. folk art and furniture bring history, craft and comfort to the home interior. 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Photo: Pascal Perich, courtesy of Sotheby\u2019s After introducing the inaugural \u201cVisions\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Art and Culture"","block_context":{"text":"Art and Culture","link":"https:\/\/www.sothebysrealty.com\/extraordinary-living-blog\/category\/art-and-culture\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.sothebysrealty.com\/extraordinary-living-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/header-4.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.sothebysrealty.com\/extraordinary-living-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/header-4.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.sothebysrealty.com\/extraordinary-living-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/header-4.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.sothebysrealty.com\/extraordinary-living-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/header-4.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.sothebysrealty.com\/extraordinary-living-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/header-4.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.sothebysrealty.com\/extraordinary-living-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/header-4.jpg?resize=1400%2C800&ssl=1 4x"},"classes":[]},{"id":411,"url":"https:\/\/www.sothebysrealty.com\/extraordinary-living-blog\/sothebys-international-realty-expands-in-tennessee\/","url_meta":{"origin":345357,"position":4},"title":"Sotheby’s International Realty Expands in Tennessee","author":"Procurement Admin","date":"February 15, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"Sotheby's International Realty has announced that Realty Center of\u00a0Chattanooga\u00a0in\u00a0Tennessee\u00a0has joined the network and its two offices will now operate as Horizon Sotheby's International Realty. 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