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BY ALBERT CHEN
A masterpiece by the celebrated 19th-century Italian painter Francesco Hayez has shattered expectations at Christie’s Old Masters Evening Sale in London, setting a new world auction record for the artist. Bathsheba, an evocative oil painting dating back to 1827, sold for an astonishing £1,492,000 ($1,893,348 / €1,799,352), nearly doubling its pre-sale estimate of £600,000–£800,000.
This extraordinary result was part of a highly successful auction that realized a total of £13,990,200 ($17,753,564 / €16,872,181), marking one of Christie’s most lucrative Old Masters sales to date. The sale boasted a 98% sell-through rate by value, the highest ever achieved for Christie’s London in this category. Maja Markovic, Head of Old Masters Evening Sale, expressed her excitement: “This auction far exceeded expectations, with strong interest from institutions, private collectors, and trade clients alike. It’s a testament to the enduring appeal of rarity, provenance, and artistic innovation across centuries.”
A Rediscovered Masterpiece with Royal Provenance
Bathsheba is hailed not only for its technical brilliance but also for its storied provenance. The painting was first acquired directly from Hayez by King William I of Württemberg at the 1827 exhibition at Milan’s Brera Academy. According to Hayez’s memoirs, the king, captivated by the painting’s beauty and mastery, paid the artist’s full asking price on the spot.
After passing through royal collections and private hands over the centuries, the work resurfaced in 1998, when its rediscovery was lauded by renowned Hayez scholar Fernando Mazzocca as “one of the most sensational rediscoveries in the history of 19th-century Italian art.”
This sale reaffirms Bathsheba’s status as a cornerstone of Hayez’s early career. As the first of three paintings the artist created on this biblical subject, it showcases his innovative approach to the female nude. Combining Renaissance-inspired naturalism with Neoclassical ideals of beauty, Hayez imbued Bathsheba with sensuality and psychological depth, elevating the subject far beyond mere narrative.
The Allure of Bathsheba
The painting captures the pivotal moment in the biblical tale when King David, visible in the background, first gazes upon the bathing Bathsheba. Yet, the narrative takes a backseat to the painting’s stunning artistry. Rendered in luminous tones, Bathsheba’s pale skin contrasts dramatically with the dark background, drawing attention to the graceful curves of her body. Her intelligent, alert gaze meets the viewer’s, creating a sense of immediacy and intimacy. The golden bangle that slightly tightens around her upper arm adds a subtle, tactile realism, underscoring Hayez’s commitment to naturalistic detail.
In his memoirs, Hayez described Bathsheba as an experimental work, painted not on commission but as an exercise in large-scale nude composition. It was also an opportunity for the artist to merge influences from Old Masters like Titian and Giulio Romano with the ideals of his time. While the biblical theme provided a moral justification for public display, the painting was, above all, a groundbreaking exploration of sensuality and naturalism.
A Historic Night for Christie’s
The sale of Bathsheba capped an evening that also featured other extraordinary works, including Anthony van Dyck’s Two-Sided Andalusian Horse and a Wooded Landscape. The results reinforce the enduring appeal of Old Masters in the modern market, especially when combined with impeccable provenance and fresh-to-market appeal.
As Classic Week at Christie’s continues, collectors and institutions alike remain captivated by the timeless allure of works like Hayez’s Bathsheba—masterpieces that transcend their centuries to speak to the universal themes of beauty, power, and desire. For Christie’s, and for the art world at large, the sale of Bathsheba is not only a historic moment for Hayez’s legacy but also a reaffirmation of the enduring power of Old Masters to inspire awe, even in a modern era.
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