Antonio Seguí (1934-2022)

The Parisian gallery will show his work next spring. Attached to narrative figuration, the self-taught Italian painter - who died last December 4 at the age of 84 - exhibited in the 1970s at the Museum of Modern Art in Paris and at the Centre Pompidou, before devoting himself to ceramics in the 1990s.

Making its first appearance at auction, an instrument by the Almería luthier known as the "Stradivarius of the modern guitar" has reappeared. It is one of his finest, as its 1882 vintage falls within his period of excellence.

A prolific painter, sculptor, illustrator and engraver, he imbued his work with urban images against a backdrop of social criticism. He worked between France, which he chose as his place of residence in 1963, and Argentina, where he died on February 26 at the age of 88 following a hip operation.

Known for his acerbic critiques of commercialism in his paintings, in particular those reworking the Coca-Cola logo, the Bogota-based artist viewed “art as a way of seeing.” He died aged 71.

Called the “Raphael of flower painting” by Italian sculptor Antonio Canova, Charlotte Eustache Sophie de Faligny Damas (aka the Marquise de Grollier) gave most of her art to her family. Still Life with a Vase of Flowers, Melon, Peaches and Grapes, 1780, is 1 of only 2 works known to be in a museum collection. (Artnet)

The marble statue was purchased at a garden statuary auction in Sussex, England 20 years ago. Last year the work was restored and identified as the long-lost, Maddalena Giacente (Recumbent Magdalena) (1819-1822) by Antonio Canova. Estimated between £5-8M, the work will go up for sale in the UK.

The Genesis singer has donated to Texas a set of objects related to the battle of the Alamo. A new museum in San Antonio will be home to the collection in 2026, despite doubts about the authenticity of some objects. According to the curator of the collection, only a few have real provenance problems.

In Rome, the National Galleries of Ancient Art have acquired two insignificant works of the 17th century: The Death of Cleopatra by Giovanni Lanfranco and the Portrait of Cardinal Antonio Barberini, by Simone Cantarini, which were originally in the Barberini Palace.

The Serbian-born painter vaulted every hurdle and garnered a world record, alongside two highly original 20th century figures, Dado and Antonio Segui.

“Italian Light: Skies and Waters” is now open at New York’s Italian Cultural Institute, curated by Marco Bertoli. It features a number of landscape paintings from the 19th and early 20th centuries, focusing on the use of light and often on painting en plein air. Featured are Antonio Fontanesi and Giuseppe de Nittis.