The Specialist

On today’s episode, a remarkable restitution story involving the loss of a family’s Kandinsky painting in Nazi-era Germany. Helena Newman, Chairman, Sotheby’s Europe and Impressionist & Modern Art Worldwide and a trained classical violinist, brings her love of music’s rhythm and tonality to her appreciation of art, making Kandinsky one of her favourite artists.

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This is an episode of The Specialist, your weekly dose of wonder. In The Specialist, explore the significance and journey of an extraordinary work through the eyes of those that know it best.

The Specialist is brought to you by Sotheby's Financial Services. SFS offers asset-based loans to unlock the value of your fine art, automobiles and other luxury collectibles.

To step further into the World of Sotheby’s, visit any one of our galleries, which are open to the public. Explore more at sothebys.com. 

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Rubens’ early masterpiece The Massacre of the Innocents was hidden away for nearly 250 years. George Gordon, Deputy Chairman, Sotheby’s Europe and Co-Chairman of Old Master Paintings & Drawings Worldwide, spearheaded its discovery, attribution and triumphant sale. More than 20 years on, it retains the record for the highest price paid anywhere for a rediscovered painting.

Further details about the episode subject

This is an episode of The Specialist, your weekly dose of wonder. In The Specialist, explore the significance and journey of an extraordinary work through the eyes of those that know it best.

The Specialist is brought to you by Sotheby's Financial Services. SFS offers asset-based loans to unlock the value of your fine art, automobiles and other luxury collectibles.

To step further into the World of Sotheby’s, visit any one of our galleries, which are open to the public. Explore more at sothebys.com.

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Commissioned by the Della Rovere family and separated across the centuries, a pair of Renaissance cabinets was finally brought back together. This is a story of friendship and detective work, with Président of Sotheby’s France Mario Tavella’s deep ties to European heritage and cultural institutions making the impossible possible.

This is an episode of The Specialist, your weekly dose of wonder. In The Specialist, explore the significance and journey of an extraordinary work through the eyes of those that know it best.

The Specialist is brought to you by Sotheby's Financial Services. SFS offers asset-based loans to unlock the value of your fine art, automobiles and other luxury collectibles.

To step further into the World of Sotheby’s, visit any one of our galleries, which are open to the public. Explore more at ⁠sothebys.com⁠.

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On today’s episode, the alchemy of industry experience, market intelligence and a true passion for art, and how these factors converged in the landmark sale of Jenny Saville’s Shadow Study, orchestrated by Ottilie Windsor, Head of Contemporary Art London. 

Further details about the episode subject

This is an episode of The Specialist, your weekly dose of wonder. In The Specialist, explore the significance and journey of an extraordinary work through the eyes of those that know it best.

The Specialist is brought to you by Sotheby's Financial Services. SFS offers asset-based loans to unlock the value of your fine art, automobiles and other luxury collectibles.

To step further into the World of Sotheby’s, visit any one of our galleries, which are open to the public. Explore more at sothebys.com. 

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The shredding of Banksy’s Girl with Balloon live at auction in 2018 has gone down in art history. Alex Branczik, Chairman and Head of Modern & Contemporary Art Europe and Asia, reveals how Sotheby’s navigated the newly titled Love is in the Bin through a media storm and into a new market moment.

Further details about the episode subject

This is an episode of The Specialist, your weekly dose of wonder. In The Specialist, explore the significance and journey of an extraordinary work through the eyes of those that know it best.

The Specialist is brought to you by Sotheby's Financial Services. SFS offers asset-based loans to unlock the value of your fine art, automobiles and other luxury collectibles.

To step further into the World of Sotheby’s, visit any one of our galleries, which are open to the public. Explore more at sothebys.com. 

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In a rare move, four paintings by Abstract Expressionist Clyfford Still were released from the artist’s estate to support the founding of a museum in his honor. Lisa Dennison, Chairman, Sotheby’s Americas, was instrumental in shaping the sale and ensuring it fulfilled its purpose.

Further details about the episode subject

This is an episode of The Specialist, your weekly dose of wonder. In The Specialist, explore the significance and journey of an extraordinary work through the eyes of those that know it best.

The Specialist is brought to you by Sotheby's Financial Services. SFS offers asset-based loans to unlock the value of your fine art, automobiles and other luxury collectibles.

To step further into the World of Sotheby’s, visit any one of our galleries, which are open to the public. Explore more at ⁠sothebys.com⁠. 

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Grégoire Billault’s personal relationship with Pierre Soulages reflects a longstanding commitment to championing the artist on a global stage. The connection culminated in the sale of a work Billault, Chairman of Contemporary Art New York, had followed for more than two decades, showcasing his adroit skill in navigating complex market dynamics.

⁠Further details about the episode subject⁠

This is an episode of The Specialist, your weekly dose of wonder. In The Specialist, explore the significance and journey of an extraordinary work through the eyes of those that know it best.

The Specialist is brought to you by Sotheby's Financial Services. SFS offers asset-based loans to unlock the value of your fine art, automobiles and other luxury collectibles.

To step further into the World of Sotheby’s, visit any one of our galleries, which are open to the public. Explore more at⁠ ⁠sothebys.com⁠⁠. 

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

On today’s episode, the story of the Ming dynasty Chicken Cup, one of the most iconic objects in Chinese ceramics, which has followed Nicolas Chow, Chairman, Sotheby’s Asia and Head of Asian Art Worldwide, throughout his career and family ancestry.

Further details about the episode subject

This is an episode of The Specialist, your weekly dose of wonder. In The Specialist, explore the significance and journey of an extraordinary work through the eyes of those that know it best.

The Specialist is brought to you by Sotheby's Financial Services. SFS offers asset-based loans to unlock the value of your fine art, automobiles and other luxury collectibles.

To step further into the World of Sotheby’s, visit any one of our galleries, which are open to the public. Explore more at ⁠sothebys.com⁠.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this episode, art historian Katy Hessel is joined by former National Gallery London curator Letizia Treves and Sotheby’s Edoardo Roberti for a conversation about the pioneering 17th-century artist Artemisia Gentileschi, whose work – in which she painted subjects that were traditionally the preserve of male artists, and intended for the male gaze – has inspired some of the greatest female artists of our time.

This podcast was originally recorded to celebrate the opening of the National Gallery’s exhibition ‘Artemisia’, which ran from October 2020 to January 2021, and was sponsored by Sotheby’s. 

To see the works discussed in this episode, or to watch an extended edition of this talk, visit https://www.sothebys.com/en/series/sothebys-talks/museum-spotlight-artemisia-gentileschi-the-greatest-female-painter-of-the-17th-century

And, to step further into the world of Sotheby’s, you can visit any of our galleries around the world; they’re open to the public. For more information, visit sothebys.com.

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In this episode, originally recorded at Sotheby’s in London, award-winning singer-songwriter Celeste is joined by Sotheby’s Helena Newman for a conversation about female surrealist artists, including Leonor Fini and Leonora Carrington, and the profound impact that their work – and the surrealism movement more broadly – has had on design and culture over the decades. 

To see the works discussed in this episode, or to watch an extended version of this talk, visit https://www.sothebys.com/en/series/sothebys-talks/contemporary-conversations-surrealism?locale=en 

And, to step further into the world of Sotheby’s, you can visit any of our galleries around the world; they’re open to the public. For more information, visit sothebys.com.

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In this episode, art historian and broadcaster Carrie Scott is joined by Turner Prize-winning artist and activist Lubaina Himid, writer Lauren Elkin and Head of Modern and Contemporary African Art at Sotheby’s Hannah O’Leary for a conversation exploring modern city life from the perspective of female artists. This podcast was originally a live event, time to highlight the touring exhibition Found Cities, Lost Objects: Women in the City, curated by Himid, which features works from the Arts Council Collection. 

To see the works discussed in this episode, or to watch an extended version of this talk, visit https://www.sothebys.com/en/series/sothebys-talks/celebrating-women-artists-in-the-city-with-lubaina-himid

And, to step further into the world of Sotheby’s, you can visit any of our galleries around the world; they’re open to the public. For more information, visit sothebys.com.

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Human beings have been making visual depictions of human life for tens of thousands of years. Fascination with our own likeness is one of the great constants of human history – and the portrait has long been the focus of that fascination. What can portraits tell us about the world? And what can they tell us about ourselves? In today’s episode – originally recorded live in Sotheby’s in the week that the National Portrait Gallery reopened in London – Helena Newman, Chairman of Sotheby’s Europe, sat down with Barbican Art Gallery curator Eleanor Nairne, and the award-winning art historian Simon Schama, for a conversation about the enduring power of the portrait. 

To see any of the portraits discussed in this episode, or to watch an extended version of this talk, visit https://www.sothebys.com/en/series/sothebys-talks-celebrating-portraiture

And, to step further into the world of Sotheby’s, you can visit any of our galleries around the world; they’re open to the public. For more information, visit sothebys.com.

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The idea of the artist’s muse conjures up a glamorous but passive woman portrayed by a male artist. Yet many women who are commonly identified as muses have been talents in their own right; they are creatively inspired as well as sources of inspiration for others. In this episode, photographer Mary McCartney, Golden Lion prize-winning artist Sonia Boyce, and the Daily Telegraph’s fashion director Lisa Armstrong sat down at Sotheby’s in London for a conversation celebrating female creativity, and how women have used art, fashion and photography to reframe the role of women in art as both subject and image-maker. 

To see the works discussed in this episode, or to watch an extended edition of this talk, visit https://www.sothebys.com/en/series/women-in-art-from-image-to-image-maker 

And, to step further into the world of Sotheby’s, you can visit any of our galleries around the world; they’re open to the public. For more information, visit sothebys.com.

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For millennia, female power has been portrayed, mediated and exerted through visual art. But to what extent have women been packaged to fit a male template? And how much have they been able to control their own image? In today’s episode, which was originally recorded as a live event at Sotheby’s in London, Sotheby’s specialist Holly Braine was joined by Britain’s best known classicist Mary Beard for a conversation about how Western culture has represented powerful women through the ages. They discuss sculptures of ancient goddesses like Aphrodite and Athena, depictions of Queen Elizabeth I as ‘Gloriana’, and contemporary portraits of cultural icons and politicians. 

To see the works discussed in this episode, or to watch an extended version of this talk, visit https://www.sothebys.com/en/series/sothebys-talks/women-and-power-how-have-powerful-women-been-represented-in-western-culture 

And, to step further into the world of Sotheby’s, you can visit any of our galleries around the world; they’re open to the public. For more information, visit sothebys.com.

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In this episode, Professor Shahidha Bari is joined by Christopher Rothko, custodian of the Rothko legacy, Dr David Anfam, curator and writer, and Lisa Dennison, Sotheby’s Chairman of the Americas for a conversation about The Rothko Chapel for an inside glimpse into the history of the chapel, its ambitions for the future and the part it plays in Rothko’s ongoing legacy.

This podcast was originally recorded to mark the chapel’s 50th Anniversary, following restoration work to bring the space more in line with Rothko’s original vision.

To watch an extended edition of this talk, visit https://www.sothebys.com/en/articles/rothko-on-rothko

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Edvard Munch pioneered Expressionism and embraced life’s most painful experiences to create art: his pursuit of emotional truth changed art forever. Tracey Emin, who has been a major figure in contemporary art for more than 25 years, has always been fascinated by the Norwegian master and, in 2021, she exhibited 25 of her own works alongside Munch’s oils and watercolours at the Royal Academy. In this episode originally recorded at Sotheby’s in London, Emin sat down with Sotheby’s Simon Shaw to talk about the role of women in Munch’s work and to explore why his paintings still have such a compelling hold on us today.

To see the works discussed in this episode, or to watch an extended version of this talk, visit https://sothebys.com/en/series/sothebys-talks/breathe-and-feel-suffer-and-love 

And, to step further into the world of Sotheby’s, you can visit any of our galleries around the world; they’re open to the public. For more information, visit sothebys.com.

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Julianne Moore is one of our greatest living actors: an Academy and Emmy award winner, and the first American woman to be awarded top acting prizes at the Cannes, Berlin and Venice film festivals. She is also an avid collector. In this episode, Julianne joins curator and author Glenn Adamson, curator Dakin Hart, gallerist Jean-Gabriel Mitterrand, and Sotheby’s Florent Jeanniard, for a conversation about 20th Century designers, including Isamu Noguchi and Claude Lalanne, and the role design plays in our lives. 

To see the works discussed in this episode, or to watch an extended version of this talk, visit https://www.sothebys.com/en/series/sothebys-talks/inspirational-living-important-design-with-julianne-moore

And, to step further into the world of Sotheby’s, you can visit any of our galleries around the world; they’re open to the public. For more information, visit sothebys.com.

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In this episode, which was originally recorded as a live event, we are joined by two literary icons for a conversation about the beloved 19th-century novelist Jane Austen. Helen Fielding is the creator of the multi-million selling Bridget Jones novels and films, and Gill Hornby is the author of the bestselling Miss Austen, and The Story of Jane Austen. Along with Dr. Kalika Sands, a specialist from Sotheby’s Books and Manuscripts department, Helen and Gill sat down at Sotheby’s in London for a conversation about the enduring appeal and contemporary significance of Jane Austen, and the impact she has had on their own life and work. 

To listen to an extended edition of this talk, visit https://www.sothebys.com/en/series/how-jane-austen-changed-my-life 

And, to step further into the world of Sotheby’s, you can visit any of our galleries around the world; they’re open to the public. For more information, visit sothebys.com.

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There has never been a better time than now for women working in art, fashion and design. But female artists, gallerists, and collectors have always shaped taste, pushed patriarchal boundaries, and challenged orthodoxies to find ways of expressing themselves and championing the work of others. In this episode, originally recorded as a live event, Will Gompertz was joined at Sotheby’s in London by jewellery designer Paloma Picasso, art critic and 2024 Istanbul Biennale curator Iwona Blazwick, and Sotheby’s Emma Baker for a conversation about the past, present, and future of female creativity, and how women have influenced the art world as we know it today. 

To see the works discussed in this episode, or to watch an extended version of this talk, visit https://www.sothebys.com/en/series/sothebys-talks-celebrating-portraiture

And, to step further into the world of Sotheby’s, you can visit any of our galleries around the world; they’re open to the public. For more information, visit sothebys.com.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Marina Abramović is one of our greatest living artists: an art world icon and a performance art pioneer. In 2023, Marina presented her solo exhibition After Life at the Royal Academy and  became the first female artist in the institution’s 250-year history to fill the entire gallery space with her art. Will Gompertz was joined by Sotheby’s Marina Ruiz Colomer and Marina Abramović for a conversation about her life and work, and what it means to be a female artist more broadly.  

To see Marina’s work discussed in this episode, or to watch an extended edition of this talk, visit https://www.sothebys.com/en/series/sothebys-talks/contemporary-conversations-marina-abramovic 

And, to step further into the world of Sotheby’s, you can visit any of our galleries around the world; they’re open to the public. For more information, visit sothebys.com.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices