THE FINE ART GROUP: YOUR TRUSTED PARTNER
Established over two decades ago by our CEO Philip Hoffman, The Fine Art Group has grown to be the largest art advisory company worldwide.
Our team of international specialists, spread across offices in Europe, the United States, Asia, Australia, and the Middle East, ensures discreet and personalized service, catering to virtually every collector’s need.
What sets us apart? Our unique structure integrates five core services:
- Appraisals: Expert valuation of your art collection.
- Advisory: Tailored guidance on buying, selling, and managing your art assets.
- Art Sales: Seamless facilitation of artwork sales.
- Art Financing: Secure financial solutions with your art as collateral.
- Art Investment: Strategic advice for building and diversifying your art portfolio.
OUR BENELUX TEAM: UNPARALELLED EXPERTISE
Leading our Benelux team are Directors, Hubert d’Ursel and Pauline Haon.
Both offer extensive experience in the art world, bringing invaluable knowledge to the table.
Hubert d’Ursel brings over 30 years of experience in the art scene. Formerly the Managing Director of Sotheby’s Belgium and Head of Art Advisory at Degroof Petercam, he deeply understands the art market and has a strong track record of success.
Pauline Haon joins The Fine Art Group with a distinguished background as Director and Senior Specialist for 20/21st Century Art at Christie’s. With over a decade of expertise in Post-War and Contemporary Art, she has spearheaded record-breaking sales on the international art market.
Nina-Marie Dumolin, our skilled Art Advisory Coordinator, further strengthens our team.
LOOKING AHEAD
We are very excited to share our quarterly newsletter with you. It will keep you informed about our services, the exciting art scene, and valuable insights from the global art market.
We look forward to sharing this journey with you and fostering meaningful partnerships. In the meantime, don’t hesitate to reach out to discuss your art interests or delve deeper into our services.
CREATING A COHESIVE COLLECTION WITH ANTIQUITIES
The Fine Art Group invites you to a conversation on the history of collecting from antiquity to the present day.
Highlighting the sale of the Antiquities and Ancient Art Sale at Hindman | Freeman’s, Chicago, on May 23rd, our advisory team will explore the influence of artists from the past on contemporary giants.
DATE & TIME
- Tuesday, April 30th, 2024
9am PST / 12pm EST / 5pm BST
FORMAT
- Live Zoom Webinar
PANELISTS
OUR SERVICES
Offering expert Advisory across sectors, our dedicated Advisory and Sales Agency teams combine strategic insight with transparent advice to guide our clients seamlessly through the market. We always welcome the opportunity to discuss our strategies and services in depth.
Patti Wong, founder of Patti Wong & Associates, joins the esteemed M+ Board of the West Kowloon Cultural District Authority (WKCDA). With a decades-long career and a profound understanding of cultural dynamics, Wong brings invaluable insight to the board’s vision. Her strategic acumen and dedication to advancing the arts align seamlessly with the ambitious goals of the West Kowloon Cultural District, ensuring its position as a global cultural hub. As the district continues to evolve, Wong’s appointment heralds a new chapter of innovation and excellence in Hong Kong’s cultural landscape.
To read more click here.
Philip Hoffman, Founder and CEO of The Fine Art Group, and Patti Wong, Co-founder and Partner of Patti Wong and Associates, joined Josh Baer at The Upper House during Hong Kong Art Week for the first installment of the Baer Faxt Talks series. The conversation delves into the advisors’ wealth of experience, revealing behind-the-scenes anecdotes from their collaborations with prominent collectors worldwide.
Watch the complete discussion on art advisors and strategies for navigating today’s art market by clicking here.
Philip Hoffman, Founder and CEO of The Fine Art Group, and Patti Wong, Co-founder and Partner of Patti Wong and Associates, joined Josh Baer at The Upper House during Hong Kong art week for our inaugural edition of The Baer Faxt Talks series.
Moderated by Rahul Jacob, former Hong Kong Bureau Chief of the Financial Times, this conversation about art advisors and how to navigate the current art market features behind-the-scenes stories from each of the three advisors’ decades of experience working with top collectors around the globe.
In the wake of Art Basel’s return to Hong Kong, Philip Hoffman, founder and CEO of The Fine Art Group, spoke to Bloomberg about the cautious yet opportunistic stance of art dealers and collectors amidst a subdued market environment.
Hoffman reveals that their esteemed clients remain poised to seize promising investment opportunities, reflecting the resilient allure of the art market amidst economic uncertainties. “The dealers are coming here with lower expectations than five years ago amid a quieter market, but our important clients have asked us to report back on what’s here and are ready to spend if they see the opportunity.”
Click here to read the full Bloomberg article.
What makes a collection important? And how can you use the sale of your collection to bring value to charitable organizations?
Please join our experts live on Zoom and explore the journey of a unique collector with an extraordinary and discerning eye. We will highlight key artists and works from The Collection of Sidney Rothberg that have not been on public view for decades.
Colleen Boyle, The Fine Art Group’s Managing Director of Philanthropic Strategy and Rothberg’s daughter and co-curator, Saranne Rothberg, will dive deeper into bridging the worlds of art and philanthropy, illustrating how Rothberg’s incredible art collection will continue to honor his lifelong legacy of collecting and giving back.
What makes a collection important? And how can you use the sale of your collection to bring value to charitable organizations?
Our experts explore the journey of a unique collector with an extraordinary and discerning eye. We highlight key artists and works from The Collection of Sidney Rothberg that have not been in public view for decades.
Panelists
SALE INFORMATION
Auction Preview: February 16th – February 26th
Sale Dates: February 27th – February 28th
Freeman’s | Hindman, 2400 Market Street,
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19103
Click here for more information:
Part I: Upcoming auction: What Do You See? The Collection of Sidney Rothberg, Part I | February 27, 2024 (freemansauction.com)
Part II: Upcoming auction: What Do You See? The Collection of Sidney Rothberg, Part II | February 28, 2024 (freemansauction.com)
RELATED ARTICLES
Our Services
Whether you are an individual, family, foundation, or non-profit organization, The Fine Art Group can help make your charitable vision a reality.
NEW YORK JANUARY 2024 SALES
Although the total number of lots decreased this year, sales were up by more than 30% as Americana week garnered more public attention, particularly for Martin Johnson Heade’s Cattleya Orchid with Two Brazilian Hummingbirds.
More than 25% of those who took lots home were new buyers.
THE NUMBERS
AUCTION HIGHLIGHTS
Landscape Painting: The American West and The Hudson River School
From Thomas Moran to Martin Johnson Heade, these high-value works sold at auction well above their estimates. These American artists have transformed the country’s natural wonders into transcendent masterpieces, serving as a powerful testament to their impact on America’s artistic and cultural identity.
Northern Marsh: Sunset
c. 1880s
Oil on canvas
8 x 16 in.
Sotheby’s
Lot #21
ESTIMATE:
USD 100,000 – 150,000
ACHIEVED:
USD 381,000 (Premium)
Green River, Wyoming
1883
Oil on canvas
13 x 20 in.
Sotheby’s
Lot #14
ESTIMATE:
USD 800,000 – 1,200,000
ACHIEVED:
USD 1,451,000 (Premium)
Cattleya Orchid with Two Brazilian Hummingbirds
1871
Oil on panel
13 3/4 x 18 in.
Christie’s
Lot #208
ESTIMATE:
USD 1,200,000 – 1,800,000
ACHIEVED:
USD 3,438,000 (Premium)
Afterglow, Green River, Wyoming
1918
Oil on canvas
20 x 30 in.
Christie’s
Lot #213
ESTIMATE:
USD 1,200,000 – 1,800,000
ACHIEVED:
USD 2,228,000 (Premium)
Native North American Art
A hidden treasure in American art, Native North American art has been entering the spotlight over the past few years. With the heightened media coverage and the recently updated guidelines to the 1990 Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), art institutions have been progressively reconsidering how the works of Indigenous artists can be best represented. As auction houses continue to feature historical and contemporary Native North American art, there is great scrutiny around how the works highlighted here can give voice to indigenous narratives and celebrate the artistic traditions of the indigenous peoples. While some works did not achieve their estimates, many works significantly exceeded their high estimate due to their rich provenance and history.
19th Century
41 x 61 in.
Sotheby’s
Lot #20
ESTIMATE:
USD 25,000 – 35,000
ACHIEVED:
USD 317,500 (Premium)
A Sketchbook of Drawings
c. 1876
8 1/2 x 11 1/4 in.
Sotheby’s
Lot #7
ESTIMATE:
USD 200,000 – 300,000
ACHIEVED:
USD 825,500 (Premium)
Diameter: 22 5/8 in; Height 5 in.
Sotheby’s
Lot #18
ESTIMATE:
USD 10,000 – 15,000
ACHIEVED:
USD 7,820 (Premium)
PORTRAITS OF GEORGE WASHINGTON
A selection of stylized portraits of President George Washington remained highly sought-after in Americana Week. A rare “Vaughan” type, auctioned during Christie’s sales, was conservatively estimated and supported by provenance from the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s collection, leaving room for bids that exceeded the work’s high estimate. While the portraits offered by Christie’s sold above its high estimates, Sotheby’s portraits did not generate the same level of enthusiasm, perhaps in part due to their optimistic presale estimates. These mixed results provide opportunities to examine the prediction of sales for the future.
George Washington (Vaughan Type) 1795
Oil on canvas
29 x 23 3/4 in.
Christie’s
Lot #469
ESTIMATE:
USD 1,500,000 – 2,500,000
ACHIEVED:
USD 2,833,000 (Premium)
George Washington
c. 1852
Oil on canvas
36 x 29 1/4 in.
Lot #471
ESTIMATE:
USD 300,000 – 500,000
ACHIEVED:
USD 529,000 (Premium)
George Washington
c. 1795
Oil on canvas
29 x 29 3/4 in.
Sotheby’s
Lot #6
ESTIMATE:
USD 2,000,000 – 3,000,000
ACHIEVED:
USD 1,633,000 (Premium)
DECORATIVE ARTS: SILVER AND BRONZE
Western bronzes and ornate silvers continue to capture collectors’ eyes for their craftsmanship and the prestige of well-known makers. Auction houses have practiced conservatively estimating the sale price of decorative arts, resulting in collectors taking home high-quality works within or above the works’ projected estimates.
The Horse Wrangler
c. 1924
Bronze with reddish brown patina
Height: 14 in.
Christie’s
Lot #258
ESTIMATE:
USD 150,000 – 250,000
ACHIEVED:
USD 201,600 (Premium)
An American Silver Centerpiece Bowl
Silver
Diameter: 12 1/4 in.
Christie’s
Lot #361
ESTIMATE:
USD 10,000 – 15,000
ACHIEVED:
USD 35,280 (Premium)
AMERICAN FURNITURE
Among the highlights of American furniture was a tambour desk and bookcase crafted by the sophisticated hands of the Seymour’s, renowned for their innovative and historical designs. Similarly, a card table adorned with American Rococo designs was reminiscent of a similar style currently housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Both pieces achieved above their high estimates, reflecting collectors’ response to works with notable attributions, strong provenance, and ties to renowned makers.
The Garbisch Very Fine and Rare Federal Tambour Desk-and-Bookcase
c. 1800
Inlaid mahogany, satinwood, brass
84 1/2 x 37 1/2 x 19 3/8 in.
Sotheby’s
Lot #55
ESTIMATE:
USD 80,000 – 120,000
ACHIEVED:
USD 177,800 (Premium)
Carved and figured mahogany
27 3/4 x 33 3/4 x 16 5/8 in.
Sotheby’s
Lot #42
ESTIMATE:
USD 100,000 – 200,000
ACHIEVED:
USD 279,400 (Premium)
OUR SERVICES
Offering expert Advisory across sectors, our dedicated Advisory and Sales Agency teams combine strategic insight with transparent advice to guide our clients seamlessly through the market. We always welcome the opportunity to discuss our strategies and services in depth.
ART FOR THE NEW YEAR
As we enter 2024, The Fine Art Group is delighted to share a curated selection of art exhibitions chosen by our team. Spanning diverse artistic styles and genres, these exhibits explore the art world’s recent trends and timeless classics.
NEW YORK, BROOKLYN MUSEUM
Giants: Art from the Dean Collection of Swizz Beatz and Alicia Keys
February 10 – July 7, 2024
Giants: Art from the Dean Collection presents an impressive showcase of the extensive art holdings of Swizz Beatz and Alicia Keys. This exhibition marks a significant milestone as the first comprehensive display of their collection, which spotlights the work of distinguished Black diasporic artists. Through a diverse array of artwork, Giants underscores the substantial contribution of the Deans to the artists they champion.
NEW YORK, NEUE GALERIE
Klimt Landscapes
February 14 – May 6, 2024
This major exhibition of Gustav Klimt’s idyllic landscapes will feature significant paintings made while the artist was on his summer holiday in the Austrian countryside. Klimt Landscapes will present highlights from Neue Galerie New York’s collection alongside important loans from museums and private collections across Europe and the United States, including works from the Harvard Art Museums, the Museum of Modern Art, and the Wien Museum.
NEW YORK, THE METROPOLITAIN MUSEUM OF ART
The Harlem Renaissance and Transatlantic Modernism
February 25 – July 28, 2024
The Metropolitan Museum of Art will present a groundbreaking exhibition featuring 160 works encompassing paintings, sculptures, photography, film, and other mediums portraying modern Black life during the 1920s-40s. Beyond highlighting the essence of the Harlem Renaissance, this exhibition underscores the centrality of these artists in the global modern art movement. Including pieces from European colleagues depicting the international African diaspora further solidifies the importance of these works within the broader context of international modern art.
NEW YORK, WHITNEY MUSEUM OF AMERICAN ART
Whitney Biennial 2024: Even Better Than the Real Thing
Opening March 20, 2024
Seventy-one visionary artists and collectives will participate in the eighty-first installment of the Whitney Biennial, opening March 20, 2024. Past participants included Marina Abramovic, Richard Serra, David Hockney, Helen Frankenthaler, and Alex Katz. It is a fantastic exhibition to find up-and-coming American artists that will continue to gain popularity.
WASHINGTON, D.C., NATIONAL GALLERY OF ART
Mark Rothko: Paintings on Paper
Until March 31, 2024
The current Mark Rothko exhibition brings together more than 100 of Rothko’s most compelling and exciting paintings on paper, many on view for the first time. They span from figurative to Surrealist to his well-known rectangular field paintings, allowing viewers to understand the scope of Rothko, who has continuously challenged expectations on what “counts” as painting.
PHILADELPHIA, FREEMAN’S | HINDMAN
What Do You See? The Collection of Sidney Rothberg
February 16 – February 28, 2024
The upcoming exhibition and auction of Sidney Rothberg’s extensive collection of 19th and 20th century works showcases works by internationally acclaimed artists. The pieces, many of which have not been exhibited to the public in over four decades, showcase Rothberg’s expert eye and impeccable taste for fine art. The sale title is a homage to Rothberg himself, who often asked people for their thoughts and interpretations of the art by asking, “What do you see?” With works from Renoir, Diebenkorn, Soutine, and many others, the exhibition is a chance to see a collector’s well-curated collection.
RELATED CONTENT
SAN FRANCISCO MUSEUM OF MODERN ART
Zanele Muholi: Eye Me
Until August 11, 2024
South African visual activist Zanele Muholi is renowned for impactful photography, which delves into the complex themes of gender identity, race, and representation. This is Muholi’s first major exhibition on the West Coast and offers a direct insight into the artist’s work. It is an opportunity to intimately explore unfiltered perspectives on the challenges and the beauty and resilience of the LGBTQ+ community in South Africa.
LONDON, TATE MODERN
Philip Guston
Until February 25, 2024
Philip Guston is the major retrospective on the artist in the UK in nearly 20 years. Co-organized by the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, the National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C., and the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, this exhibition explores how his paintings bridged the personal and the political, the abstract and the figurative, the humorous and the tragic.
LONDON, THE COURTAULD GALLERY
Frank Auerbach: The Charcoal Heads
February 9 – May 27, 2024
This exhibition highlights an extensive and comprehensive group of Auerbach’s large-scale drawings, made during his early career in post-war London. The moody pieces, as the portraits speak of their times as people were rebuilding their lives after the destruction of the war. It will be the first time these drawings will be exhibited together and shown in companionship with a selection of paintings of the same sitters.
LONDON, TATE BRITAIN
Sargent and Fashion
February 22 – July 7, 2024
Almost 60 of Sargent’s paintings will be shown at the Tate Britain this February in an exhibition focusing not only on the figures that Sargent painted but also on his role as a stylist within his paintings. A companion exhibition with the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, this exhibition will show many of Sargent’s famous portraits next to some of the historical garments the sitters wore.
Hong Kong, M+
Noir & Blanc: A Story of Photography
Opening March 16, 2024
Noir & Blanc, M+’s first exhibition on photography, collaborates with the French May Arts Festival and the Bibliothèque national de France. The exhibition focuses on black and white photography and is comprised of more than 250 key photographs from the BnF’s collection and more than 30 photographs from M+’s collection. It aims to highlight the enduring aesthetics of black-and-white photography and the photography process over the last century.
VENICE, PALAZZO GRASSI
Julie Mehretu: Ensemble
March 17, 2024 – January 6, 2025
Julie Mehretu’s exhibition at the Palazzo Grassi combines her printmaking and paintings from the last 25 years of her career. Mehretu’s abstract works pull from art historical, environmental, and personal ideas and references. This exhibition allows viewers to gain insight into Mehretu’s influences, featuring works by close associates and influential figures including Nairy Baghramian, Huma Bhabha, Robin Coste Lewis, Tacita Dean, David Hammins, Paul Pfeiffer, and Jessica Rankin. These pieces exhibited together create a unique dialogue central to Julie Mehretu’s work.
BEIJING, CENTER FOR CONTEMPORARY ART
Hiroshi Sugimoto
March 23– June 23, 2024
The upcoming exhibition at the Center of Contemporary Art will be the first significant solo exhibition of Hiroshi Sugimoto’s work in China. A survey of his works from 1974 to the present, the exhibition will explore themes of time, space, and light that are central to the medium of photography.
HAMBURG, HAMBURGER KUNSTHALLE
Caspar David Friedrich: Art for a New Age
Until April 1, 2024
To mark the 250th birthday of Caspar David Friedrich, the Hamburger Kunsthalle is presenting the most comprehensive show devoted to the artist. It will include over 60 paintings and about 100 drawings, demonstrating his work as a German Romanticist and the relationship between humanity and nature as shown through his dramatic landscapes. The exhibition will include 20 contemporary artists reflecting on Friedrich’s themes and works and their relevance to today’s climate crisis.
PARIS, FONDATION LOUIS VUITTON
Mark Rothko
Until April 2, 2024
Fund purchase
The blockbuster Rothko exhibition presented by the Fondation Louis Vuitton in Paris is an encyclopedic look at the works of the famous American Abstract Expressionist. The exhibition pulls together more than 115 works from significant international institutional collections and private collections including works from the collections of the artist’s children, Kate Rothko Prizel and Christopher Rothko.
OUR SERVICES
Offering expert Advisory across sectors, our dedicated Advisory and Sales Agency teams combine strategic insight with transparent advice to guide our clients seamlessly through the market. We always welcome the opportunity to discuss our strategies and services in depth.
RARE BEATLES MEMORABILIA: HISTORIC ALBUMS BROUGHT TO SALE
February 24, 2024, commemorates the 60th Anniversary of the Beatles’ debut live performance in the United States, igniting a year marked by the auction of significant Beatles memorabilia. Noteworthy among these offerings are John Lennon’s personal copy of The White Album and Iain Macmillan’s portfolio from the Abbey Road cover session, both facilitated by The Fine Art Group for placement and sale.
JOHN LENNON’S COPY OF THE WHITE ALBUM
John Lennon’s copy of The White Album holds a special place in Beatles lore, numbered #0000006 and gifted to his chauffeur, Les Anthony. Released on November 22, 1968, The White Album is a milestone in music history as the Beatles’ inaugural double album. Its iconic plain white cover and groundbreaking compositions remain a cornerstone of the band’s legacy, showcasing their creative diversity and enduring influence on the music industry.
1968
Heritage Auctions
LOT #26096
RARE COMPLETE SET OF ABBEY ROAD COVER SESSION PORTFOLIO
Iain Macmillan’s Abbey Road cover session portfolio features seven chromogenic color photographs captured during the iconic August 8, 1969, session. The renowned front cover image, selected by Paul McCartney, depicts the Beatles traversing the zebra crossing alongside the unexpected passerby immortalized on the back cover in a blue dress. Each print, signed and numbered by Macmillan, remains pristine within its original white paper wrapping, housed in a red cloth Folio clamshell box. With only 25 editions produced, complete sets in original wrapping are exceptionally rare, offering collectors a unique opportunity to own a piece of music history.
Edition No. 8/25
Iain MacMillan
1969
Heritage Auctions
Lot #26135
Together, John Lennon’s copy of The White Album and Iain Macmillan’s Abbey Road cover session portfolio represent quintessential pieces of Beatles memorabilia, each encapsulating pivotal moments in the band’s legendary career. From the groundbreaking compositions of The White Album to the iconic imagery of Abbey Road, these artifacts offer collectors a tangible connection to the band’s enduring legacy and artistic genius. As these rare gems find new homes in the hands of enthusiasts, they serve as reminders of the Beatles’ unparalleled impact on music and popular culture, continuing to inspire and captivate audiences six decades after their historic debut in the United States.
OUR SERVICES
Offering expert Advisory across sectors, our dedicated Advisory and Sales Agency teams combine strategic insight with transparent advice to guide our clients seamlessly through the market. We always welcome the opportunity to discuss our strategies and services in depth.
GIANTS EXHIBITION AT BROOKLYN MUSEUM
Giants: Art from the Dean Collection of Swizz Beatz and Alicia Keys is a groundbreaking exhibition at the Brooklyn Museum, opening its doors on February 10, 2024. The collection, amassed by World renowned artists and cultural luminaries Swizz Beatz (Kasseem Dean) and Alicia Keys, aims to highlight the diverse and multigenerational talents of artists.
Giants: Art from the Dean Collection of Swizz Beatz and Alicia Keys
February 10-July 7, 2024
Brooklyn Museum
Great Hall, 1st Floor
“Energy often follows intention, and The Deans have clearly set their intentions to build a world-class collection highlighting Black diasporic artists in this exhibition,” says Shane David Hall, Director of the High-Profile Division. “The opening of Giants: Art from the Dean Collection of Swizz Beatz and Alicia Keys is the culmination of this specific intention and the energy surrounding their passion for ‘artists supporting artists.’ We are beyond thrilled to support the passion of The Deans as they continue to support these legendary artists.”
The term “Giants” encapsulates the monumental impact of these artists, both past and present, whose contributions have shaped cultural discourse and expanded artistic boundaries. The exhibition features a carefully curated selection of pieces by iconic figures such as Gordon Parks, Jean-Michel Basquiat, Lorna Simpson, Kehinde Wiley, and Nina Chanel Abney, alongside the monumental works of artists like Derrick Adams, Arthur Jafa, and Meleko Mokgosi.