Tag Archives: Sotheby’s

Architectural Tours: San Francisco Contemporary Atop Mount Sutro (Video)

Commanding panoramic views from an advantageous point on Mount Sutro, 150 Glenbrook Avenue holds the iconic and singular position of San Francisco’s highest residence above sea level.

Atop one of the city’s famed seven hills can be found an alchemy of site and design from the groundbreaking studio of John Maniscalco Architecture. A gently sloping, corner lot with panoramic views from the Salesforce Tower crowned skyline to the distant hills of the East Bay and Marin Headlands. Major visual landmarks include Alcatraz Island, Golden Gate Bridge, and San Francisco City Hall.

An interplay of hand selected materials and ever-changing natural light creates an enchanting series of visual moments throughout the day and into the evening twilight.

Signaling the work of a creative master and a confident step forward in the historic lineage of Bay Area modernist architects, 150 Glenbrook captures a moment in time of contemporary San Francisco architectural design. 150 Glenbrook presents a rare opportunity to join a select group of homeowners who, through their passion for design and craft, are creating a historic architectural moment to be valued for decades to come. visual focal point in the main living room. Each room is a wonderful discovery of its own and a singular experience of light, texture, and passion.

Beachfront Estate Tour: ‘Terres Basses, St. Martin’ In The Caribbean (Video)

At the far end of Baie Rouge, one of St. Martin’s most sought after beaches, villa L’Oasis sits alongside the cliffs offering incredible sea views and luxurious surroundings. Built on three levels, following the incline of the cliff, this elegant and sophisticated beachfront home has six bedrooms, including 3 master suites and two beautiful pools, one at shore level and a second overflow pool on the main residential level. With its clean architectural lines and pristine white walls, villa L’Oasis offers oceanfront living at its best, with the sun and surf of a world-class beach, endless water vistas, and elegant and comfortable interiors.

Saint Martin is part of the Leeward Islands in the Caribbean Sea. It comprises 2 separate countries, divided between its northern French side, called Saint-Martin, and its southern Dutch side, Sint Maarten. The island is home to busy resort beaches and secluded coves. It’s also known for fusion cuisine, vibrant nightlife and duty-free shops selling jewelry and liquor.

Home Tours: ‘Chalet Fleur Des Neiges’ In Villars-Sur-Ollon, Vaud, Switzerland

Located away from prying eyes, in the heart of the village, a few steps from the ski slopes and at the end of a private road, the Chalet Fleur des Neiges dominates with a breathtaking view of the Dents du Midi chain. Easy to access, it benefits from a privileged setting as well as an enchanting landscape with its generous wooded garden.

Home Tour: Chamonix – Mont Blanc, France

Le Lustre, a beautiful modern-contemporary duplex penthouse, located in the historic heart of Chamonix. Covering more than 400m2 and with a rooftop south-facing terrace of more than 100m2, the duplex offers breath-taking 360 degree views of the Mont Blanc mountain landscape. Over a 2-year period, with the involvement of leading architect firms from Hong Kong and Chamonix in conjunction with the best local artisans, Le Lustre moved from concept to reality and this iconic building came back to life in the center of town.

Chamonix-Mont-Blanc (usually shortened to Chamonix) is a resort area near the junction of France, Switzerland and Italy. At the base of Mont Blanc, the highest summit in the Alps, it’s renowned for its skiing. Year-round, cable cars take visitors up to several nearby peaks with panoramic views, including Aiguille du Midi above town, and Pointe Helbronner, across vast glacier fields on the Italian border. 

Art History: Jacqueline Roque – “Picasso’s Great Love, Wife & Muse” (Video)

In this episode of Expert Voices, Brooke Lampley describes Pablo Picasso’s remarkable love affair with Jacqueline Roque. A classically beautiful portrayal, Picasso married Rocque in 1961 – leading her to be an omnipresent constant in his life.

Painting: Buste de femme assise

Video Profiles: French Painter Sam Szafran – ‘Dizzying Perspectives’


Contemporary artist Sam Szafran created truly dizzying perspectives in all of his art. In this episode of Expert Voices, discover how his extensive oeuvre often featured the same themes focusing on staircases, his studios and plants. ‘Staircase with a Blue Window’ and ‘Plants with Skylights’ perfectly depict his skill at capturing vertiginous aspects and ‘Atelier de la rue de Crussol’ shows a multitude of hidden details in this captivating work.

Sam Szafran (19 November 1934 – 14 September 2019) was a French artist. He has been buried in the cimetière parisien de Bagneux.

Art & Jewelry: The Ancient Engraving Of The ‘Cameo’

This intricately delicate cameo features a very detailed story of the prophet Elijah ascending to heaven. In this episode of Sotheby’s Stories, discover how this delightful miniature work of art is part of a very small group of rare cameos which feature Hebrew inscriptions. Learn how it was crafted by Jewish artisans in the court of a 13th century Holy Roman Emperor.

Artist Profile: Chinese-French Abstract Painter Chu Teh-Chun (Video)

The 1960s were a turning point for Master Chinese Artist Chu Teh-Chun. In this latest Sotheby’s video, discover how he abandoned his traditional figurative style of painting in favour of abstraction. Learn how his painting ‘Composition’, created in 1961, perfectly executes the concept of Chinese painting whilst meeting the style of Western abstraction.

Chu Teh-Chun or Zhu Dequn was a Chinese-French abstract painter acclaimed for his pioneering style integrating traditional Chinese painting techniques with Western abstract art. Chu Teh-Chun enrolled in the National School of Fine Arts, where he studied under Fang Ganmin and Wu Dayu.

Profile: German Painter & Engraver Albrecht Dürer

‘Saint Eustace’ by Albrecht Dürer depicts the popular medieval legend of a Roman General becoming a saint. In this episode of Anatomy of an Artwork, discover how Dürer captured the intricate detail of the story through the arduous medium of engraving.

Albrecht Dürer (1471 -1528), sometimes spelt in English as Durer or Duerer, was a German painter, printmaker, and theorist of the German Renaissance. Born in Nuremberg, Dürer established his reputation and influence across Europe when he was in his twenties due to his high-quality woodcut prints.

Art & Jewelry: A Brief History Of The ‘House Of FABERGÉ’ (Sotheby’s Video)

Family firm Fabergé was the most powerful and largest jewelry company of its era. In this video, find out how the brand captured the attention of Royal families in Russia and across Europe, and discover works with true imperial provenance, including the Balletta Vase, which is offered as part of Sotheby’s upcoming sale Fabergé and Vertu: Property from the Brooklyn Museum (2 December | London). Other highlights include Fabergé special singular commissions, including a nephrite and moonstone study of mistletoe, a nephrite and diamond dandelion, and intricately carved agate models of a dog, a billy goat and a diamond-eyed cat.