Painting the Modern Garden: Monet to Matisse

A major exhibition at the Royal Academy of Arts 'Painting the Modern Garden: Monet to Matisse' will examine how gardens were depicted by Monet and his contemporaries.

Floral masterpieces by renowned artists such as Édouard Manet, Paul Cézanne, Auguste Renoir and Henri Matisse are abundant, however a quarter of the space is devoted to Monet’s work. It will include Monet's Agapanthus Triptych, the 42ft long piece he worked on from 1915 until his death aged 86 in 1926.

This exhibition positions him as the most important painter of gardens in the Modern period. Monet once wrote: ‘I owe it to flowers that I became a painter’.

Monet's Agapanthus Triptych

At Alfies, our dealers have a sublime collection of Impressionist and post-Impressionist floral art. Below is just a small selection of what they have on offer.

Bueno, oil on canvas, Barcelona, offered by Diplomat Treasures International 

Impressionist flowers, oil on board, by Lucy Kemp-Welch, 1869-1958, offered by Robert McKoy Fine Arts

Still life by Janet Pritchard, oil on board, offered by Diplomat Treasures International 

Signed watercolour, early 20th century, offered by Thomas Fine Art 

Still life flowers, oil & pastel, signed Nigel Lyyton, offered by Nadine Okker

Flowers in a vase watercolour, English school, late 19th century, offered by Thomas Fine Art 

'Painting the Modern Garden: Monet to Matisse'  will be at the Royal Academy, London, from 30 January until 20 April.

A World of Pop Art

The Tate Modern is currently hosting 'The EY Exhibition: The World Goes Pop', which, finishing Sunday 24th January, is in its last few days.

The exhibition tries to veer away from Western Pop Art, and takes a look at the movement through the lens of the rest of the world. From Latin America to Asia, and from Europe to the Middle East, art from all over the world during the 1960s and 1970s is showcased, displaying how different cultures and countries responded to Pop Art during this period.

Delving into this colourful movement, you can see that Pop Art was about more than just Western consumer culture - it was also often used to remonstrate against many issues, including politics, the body and consumption. The unmistakable style is, in this exhibition, shown across an array of mediums, including prints and painting, sculpture and moving pictures.

To celebrate the last few days of this spectacular show at the Tate Modern, we've collected together our favourite Pop Art themed pieces from Alfies:

David Bowie, by Pure Evil. From Diplomat Treasures International.

Pop Art Tears, by Amy Preston. Available as a set of four colours. From Diplomat Treasures International.

Audrey Hepburn, by Pure Evil. From Diplomat Treasures International.

Table and Six Chairs by Ringo Starr and Robin Cruickshank. From Angela Ball.

Set of three 'Orbit' plates in ironstone, from Burleigh Ware. From Robinson Antiques.

Blue Monday

To fight off the Blue Monday gloom, we've used it as inspiration for our Top Ten favourite blue pieces currently in store at Alfies..

Vintage Blue Suit by BIBA. From Tin Tin Collectables.

Doublet opal and diamond ring, c1920s offered by Connie Speight.

Bristol blue rum bottle dated from the 18th Century. From W & L Antiques.

Collection Of Blue Chinese Vases. From Horner Antiques.

Chinese blue and white bowl with a dragon chasing the pearl of wisdom. 1st Republic. From Horner Antiques

Beautiful set of 5, 1950s blue star cut cased crystal glasses. From Robinson Antiques.

1950s Val Saint Lambert lamps. Belgian. From Louise Verber Antiques.

Mid century venetian glass beaded necklace. From Gloria Sinclair.

1970s murano perfume bottle. From Eclectic Antiques & Contemporary.

Blue enamelled cufflinks on silver. From Gareth Brooks.

Val St Lambert blue engraved crystal decanter, 1908. From Louise Verber Antiques.

Lumiere London - See the City in a New Light

London Lumiere is a free festival exhibiting 30 dazzling light displays in locations across London every night from 14 until 17 January, 6.30pm to 10.30pm. They include some of London's most iconic spots; King's Cross, Piccadilly, Mayfair, and Trafalgar Square. Enjoy a spectacular array of illuminations from animated projections, LED installations and giant animal sculptures, to beautiful multicoloured martyrs that decorate Westminster Abbey.

Garden Of Light by TILT

London by Janet Echelman/ Studio Echelman

Dresses by Tae Gon Kim

Neon Dogs by Deepa Mann-Kler

At Alfies we have an extensive range of beautiful and colourful lights available, with over 75 dealers to choose from. In honour of the festival we have picked out some of our favourite pieces:

Pair 1950s blue Val St.Lambert lamps, offered by Louise Verber Antiques

From top left to bottom right: 1970s German hand blown table lamp by Doria. A Vistosi Pipe Lamp, Italy 1960s. A large Mid-Century chandelier of brass and spun and lacquered aluminium, and a wonderful pair of 1970s fan-shaped lights of Italian Murano glass. All offered by Matt Mitchell London

From top left to bottom right: Holmegaard ‘Kreta’ Pendant mauve glass light by J. E. Bang for Fog & Morup 1964, Table lamp design by Aldo van den Nieuwelaar 1967, Danish 1950s orange glass ceiling light, and a 1950s chrome floor lamp. All offered by Thirteen Interiors

Pair of round moulded glass lamps, 1950s, offered by Steven Lazarus

Murano Lamp offered by Louise Verber Antiques

Stunning yellow, blue and red Murano glass horn shaped lamp from the 1970s/1980s.
Offered by Eclectic Antiques & Contemporary

Pair of Italian Black & White Glass Pendant Lights, 1970s. Offered by Thirteen Interiors

Pair of table lights Romeo, Italian 1970s. Offered by The Moderns

Stunning hand blown glass lamps designed by Tapio Wirkkala, produced by Ittala, 1957-1965. Offered by The Moderns






 

British Museum - Faith after the Pharaohs

Egypt: Faith after the Pharaohs, explores religious history in Egypt over 12 centuries, as the land was transformed by the practices of Jews, Christians and Muslims. This exhibition of around 200 objects will tell the story of the transition from a traditional society largely worshipping many gods to a society devoted to One God.

This transition has shaped the modern world, and the journey Egypt took in this period continues to influence the country and wider region today.

Some of the most notable treasures from this exhibition, include one of the world’s oldest surviving Bibles, a pair of 6 - 7th century door curtains, and over 200,000 texts from Ben Ezra Synagogue in Cairo.

The oldest bible and one of the most important books in the world, Codex Sinaiticus

One of pair of curtains, decorated with Christian imagery and classical imagery, 6th–7th century AD

Rare surviving texts from Ben Ezra Synagogue which reveal daily lives in medieval Cairo 

Below we have selected a few Egyptian inspired items in homage to this magical and mysterious land.

Egyptian inspired Art Nouveau necklace, offered by Carole Collier

1970s celluloid and brass studded scarab brooch, offered by Tony Durante

Neiger Egyptian revival brooch with red bead glass, offered by April Antiques

Art Deco Egyptian Revival necklace, offered by April Antiques

Egypt: Faith after the Pharaohs at the British Museum will run until 7 February, 2016.