Old Masters sale takes in $28 million at Christie's

New York: An iconic 19th-Century painting depicting an Ottoman Empire reserve soldier and his hunting dogs sold for $1.65 million on Wednesday at Christie's Old Master and 19th-Century paintings auction.

'Master of the Hounds', by Jean Leon Gerome, had generated significant buzz during exhibitions due to the reviving popularity of Orientalist art, Christie's said. It had been estimated to sell for between $700,000 and $1 million.

Husain's work removed from India Art Summit

New Delhi: Four of MF Husain's paintings were to be shared with the public after many years at the 3rd India Art Summit, the country's largest art fair. By evening of Day 1, the Delhi Art Gallery was forced to take off the paintings by the organisers. Both parties had received numerous threats by individuals and groups that believe Husain is anti-Hindu and anti-national.

Ashish Anand, Director, Delhi Art Gallery said, "We have received around 20 odd emails from various groups - from Bombay and Pune and so has the India Art Summit. So they are fearing that there could be a stampede and so they are wanting the safety of the people. Even the Police Commissioner told me that it is perfect, like there is no problem, there is enough security at the summit. We are still in touch with the organisers so there is still a possibility that we may be able to show Hussain's paintings.

Beautiful People: Anish Kapoor speaks on art

This week features one of the world's best known artists and sculptors, Anish Kapoor.

Shakespeare in 38 languages for London Olympics

London: Productions of Shakespeare in Maori and Mandarin will form part of a theatre extravaganza in London to celebrate the Olympic Games in 2012.

Starting on April 23 next year, Shakespeare's Globe theatre will stage all the Bard's 38 plays, each performed by a different theatre company, in a different language.

Art and more at the ongoing India Art summit

At the India Art summit on in the Capital, catch the Nano covered with mosaic tiles.

Giant trove of toys to be sold by Sotheby's

London: A collection of more than 35,000 toys, including rare and valuable miniature trains, is to be sold by Sotheby's in a single lot and could fetch tens of millions of dollars.

The auctioneer has given up an entire floor of its New York headquarters to showcase items from the Jerni Collection throughout January and February, although there is only space for one fifth of the items.

India Art Summit: Husain's paintings withdrawn

New Delhi: Paintings of MF Husain were taken down at the India Art Summit by the art gallery displaying them on Thursday, after the gallery owner allegedly received threatening messages.

Husain has been living in exile abroad for the last five years following alleged threats by saffron groups.

Painting of muse Picasso up for auction

Paris: A sensual 1932 portrait by Pablo Picasso of his young mistress Marie-Therese Walter which captures his romantic obsession with her went on display at Sotheby's in Paris ahead of an auction next month.

It was the first public showing in Europe in some 80 years of "La Lecture," or "Reading," an erotic and brightly colored depiction of the voluptuous Marie-Therese sleeping nude in an armchair, her head thrown back and an open book in her lap.

World's most expensive Indian painting

Curator Kiran Nadar unveiled the world's most expensive Indian painting valued at Rs 16.4 crore.

Google Doodle marks painter Cezanne's birthday

New Delhi: Staying with its custom of marking important milestones in history with its imaginative doodles, Google on Wednesday had on its homepage a still life of post-Impressionist painter Paul Cezanne to commemorate his 172nd birthday.

Cezanne (January 19, 1839 - October 22, 1906) was a French artist whose work laid the foundations of the transition from the 19th century conception of artistic endeavor to a new and radically different world of art in the 20th century.