The Art of the Prize

It’s crucial in any industry to have the opportunity to gain recognition for outstanding talent. Museums, corporations, and philanthropic groups provide distinguished art awards which we as an industry look to annually to celebrate achievement in the visual arts. While serving as a way to honour the outstanding artistic talent of the day, many would agree that these prizes also act as success indicators for buyers, particularly when considering younger emerging artists who have yet to build up their prices on the secondary market.

Considered one of Australia’s most engaging art events, The Archibald is an Australian prize for portraiture painting and is generally regarded as the most prestigious visual arts award in Australia. Held by the Art Gallery of New South Wales, the exhibition features portraiture honouring those who have made an impact on Australian society. The title, currently held by Blak Douglas who won in 2022 for his portrait of artist Karla Dickens, marks him as the second Aboriginal artist to win the Archibald (following Vincent Namatjira, who won in 2020). Adam Cullen, who is also a regular feature in our annual Centum contemporary art auction, won the Archibald prize in 2000 with his portrait of actor David Wenham. Miniature artist, Natasha Bieniek, an eight-time finalist with her portrait of Wendy Whiteley was highly commended in 2016 and more recently, Sally Ross (five-time finalist) had a work selected for the one hundred years of the Archibald Prize exhibition in 2021. Other multi-time finalists include Brent Harris, Abdul Abdullah, William Mackinnon, and Prudence Flint, a seventime finalist. She also won the Len Fox Painting Award (2016), the Portia Geach Memorial Award (2010), and the Doug Moran National Portrait Prize in 2004.

Sam Leach, featured in this year’s Centum auction, won the Archibald in 2012 for his portrait of musical comedian Tim Minchin. In the same year, he won the Wynne Prize for his landscape Proposal for Landscaped Cosmos. In doing so he became the third artist only after William Dobell and Brett Whiteley to win the Archibald and the Wynne landscape prize in the same year.

Dedicated to landscape and figure sculpture art, the Wynne prize (est. 1897) is the longest-running art prize in Australia. William McKinnon, Aaron Kinnane, and Blak Douglas, all featured in this auction, have been finalists, with Natasha Bieniek winning in 2015. Bieniek in the same year also won the Portia Geach Memorial Award. Her portrait miniatures were selected for the Doug Moran National Portrait Prize in 2011 and 2012, and in 2013, her work was hung in the University of Queensland’s National Artists’ Self-Portrait Prize.

Kathrin Longhurst celebrated a long career in 2021 when she completed her 18th solo show and has been a finalist in numerous awards including the Archibald Prize, the Darling Prize at the National Portrait Gallery, the Doug Moran Prize, the Sulman Prize, the Percival Portrait Award, the Mosman Art Prize, the Portia Geach Award and in 2021 she won the Archibald Packing Room Prize.

Other multi-winning artists include Pippin Drysdale whose lifetime of work in the arts was recognised when she was awarded as a Living Treasure in 2015. Of the niche categories, Lawrence Starky was Highly Commended for the Wildlife and Western Art Show in Minnesota.

While only naming a few above, our Centum contemporary art auction in May encapsulates an award-rich line up of artists that have excelled in their respective categories, assisting buyers to navigate the secondary market using these awards as indicators of success and future potential. We look forward to presenting the 2023 Centum collection to you.

LUCY FOSTER / Senior Art Specialist

Four Antiques to Easily Style in Your Modern Home

Refectory Table

Originally used for dining in monasteries during Medieval times, the humble refectory table has proven to be a functional and timeless addition to any home. In the Late Middle Ages, the table gradually became a banqueting or feasting table in castles and other noble residences, eventually becoming common in northern Europe in the late 16th century. Typically crafted from oak and based on the trestle table design with a low stretcher close to the floor and solid legs, the elongated length makes these the perfect dining table in an open plan home.

Wooden Trunk

The wooden trunk is probably the earliest form of storage. It would have originally been made from a hollowed-out log which gave it the name “trunk” and would have had a hinged domed top. It is the most common and versatile movable form of antique furniture in the home. The names and functions for these have varied throughout the ages and depending on what country they were made in, for example in Italy they were primarily known as “cassone” and were one of the trophy furnishings of rich merchants and aristocrats in Italian culture from the Late Middle Ages onward. The cassone was the most important piece of furniture of that time. It would be given to the bride during the wedding, and it was the bride’s parents’ contribution to the union. Other uses in different cultures have ranged from blanket storage, food containers, traveling luggage, weapons cache, and clothing receptacles. Their uses today are just as varied, they look particularly smart at the foot of a bed for linen storage and are equally as effective as coffee tables or low sideboards.

Persian Carpet

Whether it be a Heriz, Tabriz, Sarouk or Bijar, to name a few, there are a multitude of antique Persian carpets to choose from. A long runner down the hall or a large centrepiece in the lounge room can tie the room together and bring a subtlety of colour and pattern which can often be lacking in the modern home. The level of craftmanship in these pieces is astounding and can provide an attractive focal point in any room. The art of carpet weaving in Iran originated more than 2,500 years ago. Persian carpets and rugs were initially woven as articles of necessity to cover the floors of nomadic tribesmen, giving them protection from the cold and damp. The natural progression of the skill and craft involved in the creation of these works of art has been passed down from generation to generation over the centuries. As international trade developed, the variety of patterns and designs grew which means you are likely to find not just one but many possibilities to match your décor.

Windsor Chair

The ubiquitous Windsor chair is immediately recognisable and has the added benefit of being incredibly comfortable, often with a moulded seat and supportive armrests. The chair takes its name from the English town of Windsor which was the centre of trade between the producers of these chairs and London, the first shipment being sent down to London in 1724. The wooden chair is easily identifiable due to the thin, turned spindles that form the back and sides. Legend has it that King George II, seeking shelter from a storm, arrived at a peasant cottage and was given a multi-spindled chair to sit on. Its comfort and simplicity impressed him so much that he had his own furniture-maker copy it. Original Windsor chairs can often be found at auction and their affordability makes it fairly simple to put together a harlequin set which can look very stylish.

Important Jewels Auction

Mon 24 Apr, 6pm

SYDNEY

TOP LEFT: Bulgari diamond and multi-gem 'Allegra' bracelet

$7,000-10,000

TOP RIGHT: David Webb pair 18ct gold tiger's eye and diamond ear clips $17,000-22,000

BELOW: Cartier coral and diamond 'Wasp' brooch, circa 1960 $11,000-17,000

Brisbane

Luxury Jewellery Brands of Desire

In the world of fine jewellery, some names stand out for their historic associations, superlative quality, and innovative designs. Let’s take a look at some master jewellers that are especially celebrated for the beauty and rarity of their creations.

CARTIER

Highly collectable and much sought after by jewellery enthusiasts are the iconic Panther and Tutti Frutti pieces by Cartier. Both collections exude luxury, elegance, and strength. Inspired by Jeanne Toussaint, Cartier’s artistic director from 1933 - 1970, the panther was a favourite of the Duchess of Windsor, Wallis Simpson, among others.

Bursting with colour, the Tutti Frutti designs provided a welcome step away from the monochromatic styles that dominated the Art Deco period, offering a perfect example of East meets West with its carved gemstones and European technical mastery. Though the iconic style was created in 1901 by Pierre Cartier and remained popular well into the 1920s, it was not until the 1970s that the style became known as Tutti Frutti.

Bulgari

The name Bulgari is synonymous with 1960s Italian glamour and famous for colourful gemstone jewellery. No jewellery collection would be complete without a Bulgari Serpenti bracelet. Bulgari was founded in 1884 by Sotirios Voulgaris, a man of Greek heritage who lived in Rome, and the influence of Greek and Roman mythology and culture can be seen in all Bulgari designs. The serpent has become synonymous with the brand, and represents wisdom, vitality, and seduction.

DAVID WEBB

Displaying fabulous colours and extraordinary designs, David Webb’s animal motif bracelets are highly desirable, and emblematic of the brand. One of the most significant American jewellers, Webb created pieces featuring much of the animal kingdom; including: frogs, zebras, monkeys, giraffes, and elephants.

GRIMA

Self-taught, Andrew Grima let his imagination run wild with his conversation starter pieces. Unquestionably one of the greatest jewellery designers of the 20th century, Grima’s organic, fantastical yet wearable designs have inspired many. He was a champion of unusual and rough (non-faceted) stones and used diamonds to accentuate bold pieces rather than take the spotlight.

SUZANNE BELPERRON

Albeit recognisable, Belperron is tricky to collect as she never signed her work and you will have to compete with the likes of Karl Lagerfeld, who owned one of the largest Belperron collections. Belperron worked for Maison René Boivin, under the founder’s widow, Jeanne Boivin, until 1932, when she left to become the Artistic and Technical Director of the Maison Bernard Herz. Her creations reveal her deep appreciation and fondness for nature, containing motifs from a range of cultures; African, Cambodian, Celtic, Egyptian, and Indian, and typically combine precious stones with hammered gold. Her famous following included The Duke and Duchess of Windsor, Daisy Fellowes, and Fred Astaire.

TROY MCKENZIE / Queensland Representative Specialist