Mini Masterpieces Going for Millions
by Tom Gross, European Correspondent
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Untitled Number 2
Mark LaRiviere
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Miniature masterpieces are becoming more and more valuable. First, we had
the two-inch high portrait of George Washington that was valued at $1
million when it sold at auction earlier this year in New York - making it by
some estimates the most expensive artwork per square inch ever sold.
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The portrait, commissioned by America's first president as a gift for his
wife, Martha, in 1789, was painted by Dublin-born artist John Ramage in
watercolor on ivory, and shows Washington in his general's uniform complete
with lace cravat and gold shoulder ornaments. The work is framed in an oval
golden locket, which also contains a lock of Washington's hair.
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Link XV
Sasha Meret
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Jennifer Cecere
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Now, 212 years later, miniatures have even found a home on the humble yellow
post-it note. A tiny pastel and charcoal sketch by the American-born artist
RB Kitaj on just such a note, has sold for $1000 in London. Named "After
Rembrandt" by the artist, it has officially been declared by the Guinness Book of World
Records to be the world's most valuable yellow sticker. Office workers may
wish to doodle a little more carefully on that yellow pad during breaks
in future!
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If this wasn't enough evidence that small is beautiful, the 64-year old
Ukrainian artist, Nikolai Siadristyi, has just opened an entire museum of
miniatures. And where else to open such a mini-museum than in one of the
world's most miniature countries, Andorra (population 70,000), the tiny
state that lies tucked in the mountainous region between France and Spain.
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Clutch
Dale Emmart
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Northeast Wind
Symon Cowles
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The museum has installed over a dozen microscopes on its walls to help
visitors better appreciate the finer details of Siadristyi's incredibly
compact work - in one case, a tray, a cup, two golden goblets and an apple,
have all been carefully drawn on a single crystal of sugar. In another, a
chariot has been painted on a needle no bigger than a human hair. And a
portrait of the pope has been painted on a pip. For those of you who would
like to visit, you can email azorzano@andoranet.ad for more information.
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| See the archive of Tom Gross' articles. |
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Or read our archived Art in the News |
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