Prepare to welcome Classic Art London, a summer feast of art and connoisseurship
In December, when London Art Week announced that it was closing after a decade of bringing beautiful pictures and sculpture to the public each summer, it was a blow.
Every cloud has a silver lining, however, and the good news is that Classic Art London will fill the gap in 2025, running from Monday, June 23 to Friday, July 4.
Even better news is that the new event is the brainchild of Pippa Roberts and Silke Lohmann, whose talents helped bring in healthy audiences for London Art Week and much media coverage. Both are well-known in the wider art world and highly respected for their judgment and expertise.
This also means that Classic Art London brings a strong and welcome element of continuity, while also highlighting new themes and events.
Billed as “a new destination event for international collectors, museum buyers and those who appreciate or wish to discover more traditional art genres”, it brings together many of London’s leading dealers in museum quality old and modern masterworks, acting as a ‘collegial umbrella’ under which galleries will present important selling exhibitions.
The accompanying talks and events series will add to the mix.
Exhibitions featuring old masters will include a rediscovered Titian at Trinity Fine Art, Venice in the 19th century at Charles Beddington Ltd, and exceptional drawings and watercolours such as a group of works by the intrepid artist-traveller Constance Gordon-Cumming (1837-1924) at Karen Taylor Fine Art; works on paper by J.M.W. Turner at Guy Peppiatt Fine Art; and new discoveries by British and European artists at James Mackinnon, Nonesuch Gallery and Alexander Clayton-Payne. The Limner Company will reveal exquisite miniature portraits by leading practitioners of the art.
Daniel Katz offers Paul Nash (1889-1946), The Spirit of Place, an exhibition that explores Nash’s connection with landscape, which includes Trees Study (1913).
Modern masters are represented by Daniel Katz Gallery which stages a significant Paul Nash show; early 20th century cubists form the centrepiece of Ben Elwes Fine Art’s exhibition, while leading Impressionists will feature at Haynes Fine Art in Belgravia and David Messum Fine Art in St. James’s. A joint exhibition by Rountree Tryon Galleries and Fine Art Commissions will combine traditional portraiture and British sporting and equine paintings, both mainstays of ‘The English Look’ so admired in country houses.
Specialising in portrait miniatures, The Limner Company will present this wonderful miniature by George Engleheart (1750-1829) of Lady Elizabeth Foster, dating to 1787. A copy of the Chatsworth portrait by Sir Joshua Reynolds, it is one of three by Engleheart painted that year and is a recent rediscovery.
Other dealers taking part include Colnaghi, showing paintings, drawings and sculptures; Justin Raccanello with important Italian ceramics, and Paul Mitchell Ltd, specialists in antique picture frames, whose expertise has for decades helped transform important works for numerous international collections and museums.
Dealers based in Cecil Court, off St. Martin’s Lane will also be joining Classic Art London, including Emanuel von Baeyer (old master drawings, prints and paintings) and Darnley Fine Art (old and modern masters and Orientalist paintings).
The talks and events series promises something every day, and is designed to appeal to museum scholars, collectors and students of art history, as well as offering more accessible and entertaining topics for a wider audience of art connoisseurs.
Looking through the programme and roster of exhibiting galleries, this promises to be a must-see venture.
Full details of exhibitors and associated events can be found on the Classic Art London website at https://www.classicartlondon.uk
