Howard Terpning - Horse Of A Different Color, Crossing At The Ford

Howard Terpning

Horse Of A Different Color

Hand Signed

Limited Edition Canvas of 300

Image Size: 20"w X 13"h. 

I Once Read An Account Of A Cheyenne Warrior Who Painted His Body And His Horse’s Body Entirely Blue,” Says Howard Terpning. “just Imagine The Startling Effect That Must Have Had On His Enemies As He Charged Them In Battle. That Description Gave Me The Idea For The Title (which Seemed Obvious). Adding The Warrior’s Son In The Painting Felt Logical And Gave The Picture A Higher Level Of Human Interest. To Have Listened In On The Father And Son Conversation As This Warrior Prepared Himself For Battle Would Have Been Something.” This Is The First Terpning Work Published That Focused So Directly On The Relationship Between A Father And A Son. There Were Actually Few Paintings He Had Done On The Subject. Howard’s Son Steven Modeled For The Boy. More

Howard Terpning

Crossing At The Ford

Hand Signed

Limited Edition Canvas

Limited Edition Of: 450

mage Size: 32"w X 21 3/4"h. 

Howard Terpning’s Respect For His Subject Matter Evokes Emotion Both In His Paintings And From Those Viewing Them, Making Him One Of The Most Lauded Painters Of Western Art. In This Image, This “storyteller Of The Native American” Has Created A Stunning Vision Of Three Crow Indians As They Begin To Cross A River. “these Three Crows Are Part Of A War Party In Search Of Their Enemy,” Howard Says. “knowing How To Find The Ford In A River Is A Big Advantage And This Is A Skill That Comes Naturally To These Plains Indians. More

19th C. Russian Silver Oklad Icon of Saint Nicholas

Russia, ca. 19th century. Extremely fine and desirable icon depicting Saint Nicholas. Painted on linden wood, with frontal portrait of the Saint, one hand to his chest, the other raised in blessing, two additional figures to each side. Icon covered with silver oklad which has been decorated with detailed floral elements, crosses, textile patterns and radiating halo. Oklad stamped BE and 84. Size: 10-1/4"W x 12-1/8"H. 

Acknowledgment: Invaluable

Mexican Tin Retablo - Our Lady of Guadalupe

Mexico, ca. mid 19th century CE. A precisely and finely painted tin retablo of the Virgin Guadalupe, a praying Madonna, almost life sized with a tilted head and gently curving body, with hands pressed together in a prayerful gesture and lowered eyes. She is surrounded by a mandorla comprised of golden rays and stands upon a crescent moon that is supported by a cherub. Size: 5" W x 7" H. 

This composition was adopted from medieval illustrations of the Apocalyptic Woman and may be traced back to the 10th and 11th centuries. Her garments, which never deviate, include a blue mantle with gold stars and trim and a red robe enriched with golden embroidery. In addition, the cherub with Byzantine like wings who appears beneath her is also a constant in renditions of the Virgin Guadalupe. Perforation at top center for suspension. For a similar example see Gifford's Mexican Folk Retablos, p. 52. According to Giffords, "In December 1531, the Virgin appeared to an Indian neophyte, Juan Diego. In a series of appearances to him, she stated her desire to have a church built upon the site of her appearance, the hill of Tepeyac, just outside the Mexican capital. Her wishes were fulfilled when Juan Diego presented a cloak full of roses that she had given him for the unbelieving bishop. The cloak appeared miraculously imprinted with her image. This tilma is presently in the basilica of Guadalupe, where it has been since it was transferred in 1709 from earlier chapels, and is the basis for any subsequent reproduction of N. S. de Guadalupe." 

Acknowledgement: Invaluable

Greek Icon of Pantocrator Christ - 19th Century

19th century CE. Greek icon in paint over board depicting Jesus Christ at time of crucifixion. He wears the crown of thorns, blood flowing down his face, ancient Greek above in four letters: I, C (twice), and X. This Christogram is an abbreviation for the name of Jesus Christ. In Greek, this is depicted as “IC XC”, which stands for “IHCOYC XPICTOC”. The halo, an iconographic symbol for sanctity, is inscribed with a cross and the Greek letters omicron, omega, nu, spelling “HO ON”. In English, "HO ON" translates to “I Am” in English and is the name used for God in Exodus 3:14. Size: Icon itself measures 10-3/8" x 7-7/8"; 


Acknowledgement: Invaluable

Framed Tin Retablo of Santa Librata & Virgin Guadalupe

Mexico, ca. mid 19th century CE. A fine tin retablo with a painting of Santa Librata inset on the front side and a painting of the Virgin Guadalupe on the back, both set within an elaborately worked tin frame with rosettes at the corners, an arched upper end that is incised with striations perhaps symblizing rays of light as well as cut and punched at periphery; frame also has wing-like attachments on both sides and loop on back for suspension. Size: Paintings alone 9-3/4" x 6-7/8" (Santa Librata); 9-7/8" x 7-1/4" (Virgin Guadalupe); Framed 18" x 13-1/2" at widest. 

On the front side of this retablo is a painting of Santa Librata, a rendering that resembles those of the red bole group due to the style and technique displayed. This saint was one of seven or nine children born during a single birth to a heathen king of Portugal. All the children became Christians and suffered martyrdom. Although her father hoped she would marry the king of Sicily, she had taken a vow of virginity. When she prayed for help, a beard and mustache grew on her face repulsing the suitor. Outraged, her father had her crucified. In Spain and Mexico Librata is never depicted bearded but is shown as we see in this example, as a young girl crowned with roses and crucified. Palm leaves are also shown as they are the traditional symbols of martyrdom. She is attached to the cross without nails, as is customary in renditions of Santa Librata.

On the verso, a precisely and finely painted tin retablo of the Virgin Guadalupe, a praying Madonna, almost life sized with a tilted head and gently curving body, with hands pressed together in a prayerful gesture and lowered eyes. She is surrounded by a mandorla comprised of golden rays and stands upon a crescent moon that is supported by a cherub. This composition was adopted from medieval illustrations of the Apocalyptic Woman and may be traced back to the 10th and 11th centuries. Her garments, which never deviate, include a blue mantle with gold stars and trim and a red robe enriched with golden embroidery. In addition, the cherub with Byzantine like wings who appears beneath her is also a constant in renditions of the Virgin Guadalupe.

Acknowledgment:  Invaluable

Saint George

Saint George

Oil on Copper

Germany, early 17th Century 

Attributed to Johann König (1586-1642) – German Painter and Miniaturist

Miniature depiction on oval copper plate

Overall dimensions, framed: 12.5 x 10 cm

Small copper paintings such as this are typical for the German painter Johann König. The copper enhances the intensity of the colours and the small format forces the artist to create an equally intense composition. Works attributed to König fetch up to 36,000 Euro at international auctions

The small copper painting attributed to the painter Johann König shows ‘Saint George’ fighting the dragon. König, son of a goldsmith from Nuremberg, had presumably learned with Johannes Rottenhammer the Elder (1564-1625) and just like him, he preferred to use copper as an image carrier. The painter took the legend of Saint George from the Legenda Aurea as a motif for this painting: The saint saved a princess – here only a scheme in the background – who was supposed to be offered to a dragon to protect her country from the beast. The foreground of the small plate shows the Saint on a fine dapple grey. He is dressed in a golden and shiny armour with an eye-catching helmet decoration and holds his lance ready in his right hand. The dragon crouches on the ground in front them and his face is shown in fine details and very expressive and scary. The animal’s wings are depicted in an unusual manner, as they appear to have been studded with small jewels. The painter has deliberately used the animal’s worm-like body to fit it perfectly into the curvature of the oval copper plate.

Johann König (1586-1642) was born in Nuremberg, but probably received his education in Augsburg, most presumably under Johannes Rottenhammer. König travelled through Italy where he possibly met with Adam Elsheimer whose works – together with those of Paul Bril – influenced him strongly. He returned to Augsburg in 1614 where he was allowed to open a workshop and became a respected member of society, until he had to move back to Nuremberg in 1631 due to confessional reasons. König is best known for his small copper paintings, but there also exist some large scale paintings that are for example shown in the Louvre, in the Kunsthistorische Museum in Vienna and in the Gemäldegalerie in Berlin. More

The Death of Cleopatra

Benedetto Gennari, The Death of Cleopatra, 17th C

Oil on canvas, relined

Italy, 17th Century

Circle of Benedetto Gennari (1633 -1715) – Italian Baroque painter

Gilt stucco frame

Dimensions: 119 x 91 cm

The present depiction of the dying Cleopatra is the work of a painter from the circle of Benedetto Gennari, a student of Guercino (1591-1666). Gennari mainly depicted allegorical and mythological themes, and he was also a master of portraits. Gennari has often visited the subject of Cleopatra (69 BC - 30 BC). She was the last queen of ancient Egypt. Even such important figures such as Caesar and Mark Antony succumbed to her charm. According to ancient sources, Cleopatra died by a snake bite. In the present depiction, the dramatic event was implemented through the strategic use of light and shadow.

Benedetto Gennari belonged to a dynasty of painters. His teacher Guercino was a grandson of Benedetto Gennari I (1563-1658). In 1672, Gennari II went to Paris at the court of King Louis XIV, and received numerous commissions. In 1674, he moved to London and became court painter to Charles II of England and his successor James II. When James II was dethroned, Gennari followed him to the court in Saint-Germain-en-Laye. In 1692, Benedetto Gennari returned to Bologna. More

Scans reveal the secrets of animal mummies – some even empty of remains

The team discovered that some of the animal mummies contaned no animal remains Photo: Manchester Museum, The University of Manchester

Manchester scientists find many animal mummies filled with mud and feathers after examining more than 800 of them. 

Unlike human mummies, which were created to preserve the body for the afterlife, animal mummies were a religious offering. Ms McKnight said they would have been given in thanks or anticipation of divine help.

Egyptians would barter for the animals at temples before handing them over to local priests for burial. Along with the sale of the animal mummies, the production of lavish bronze and wooden coffins for their tiny forms are likely to have been an important source of revenue. More