New records of works by Simeon Solomon are being added to the Simeon Solomon Research Archive database both this week and next. Where possible links to the works will be added and in some cases images will be made available on the site. A search facility is available on the site to allow users to search for titles of works. Go to www.simeonsolomon.com to check out the databases.

Three of Simeon Solomon’s post-1873 works have sold at Sotheby’s 16 December sale of Victorian and Edwardian Art.

Night (1890) sold for £31,250

Love, Joy, Peace, Longsuffering etc., (above) sold for £30,000

A Woman in Blue (1881) sold for £9,375

For more on the sale see the online catalogue

There is just enough time to catch Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery’s Queering the Museum show which closes on 30th January. The exhibition shows a small cabinet of Solomon’s and Frederick Leighton’s work titled A Tribute to Simeon. The catalogue says “The trophy in the cabinet contains a bear playing the part of Saint Sebastian. It is a small compensation for the difficulties that befell Solomon and a celebration of his living his life regardless of the consequences.” For more information see the online catalogue: Queering the Museum.

www.missingportraits.info

A new site dedicated to so-called ‘orphan’ portraits is now available on the web. Conceived and created by Colin Cohen, the purpose of the site is to provide a secure respository of information about family portraits and their owners/sitters. The information on the site is aimed at, amongst others, researchers, owners of portraits, and art historians who might be able to use the site to help identify previously unknown sitters and owners through an exchange of information. The site went live on 1 December 2010 and has already provoked interest on the British Art Journal Blog.

The site includes an ‘orphan of the month’, and the first is a portrait of Myer Salaman by Rebecca Solomon (left). According to the site Rebecca was 20 and Myer 16 when the portrait was made. The inscription at the bottom right reads ‘With R Solomon’s kind love to her cousin 1852′. Myer Salaman was Simeon Solomon’s first cousin, and responsible for posting bail for the artist after he was arrested in 1873.

The Solomon drawing ‘Melior est mors ovam vite’: Death is better than life’ (undated) , previously mentioned on a separate blog post, has been sold at Christie’s, London. It realised a price of £3,000 on the 17th November. 

To see the image on the Christe’s website follow the link: http://www.christies.com/LotFinder/lot_details.aspx?intObjectId=5375676

Three of Solomon’s works will be auctioned by Sotheby’s, London, on the 16th December 2010. The sale includes Night (1890), A Woman in Blue (1881), and the unusual LOVE, JOY, PEACE, LONGSUFFERING, GENTLENESS, GOODNESS, FAITH, MEEKNESS, TEMPERANCE (1890).  All three paintings will be auctioned at the ‘Victorian and Edwardian Art, including Masterpieces’ sale which starts at 2pm on the day.

Follow the link to see the full Sotheby’s catalogue:  http://tiny.cc/ven1v

Some of Simeon Solomon’s drawings will be included in the forthcoming  The Poetry of Drawing: Pre-Raphaelite Designs, Studies and Watercolours exhibition at the Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery which will be held between 29th January 2011 – 15th May 2011.

Follow the link for more details: http://www.bmag.org.uk/events?id=1038&start=36

An undated work by Simeon Solomon is to be auctioned by Christie’s on the 17th Nov. The work titled ‘Melior est mors ovam vite’: Death is better than life is estimated to fetch £2,000 – £3,000 when it is put up for sale at the Victorian and British Impressionist Pictures sale.

Follow the link for more details and to view the image.

http://www.christies.com/LotFinder/lot_details.aspx?intObjectId=5375676

Due to the kindness and generosity of two private collectors of Solomon’s work, we have had the opportunity of adding new images to the Solomon database.

The following work has been added:

• Queen Esther Hearing the News of the Intended Massacre of the Jews, 1860.
• Priest, c.1896.
• Love Amongst the Schoolboys, 1865.
• Jerusalem: Ezekiel XVI, 1861.
• Verso of above [Caricature Sketch of a Man], undated.
• Four untitled and undated works.
• Tannhauser, 189?.

The new SSRA blog provides updates and news for the Simeon Solomon Research Archive which can be found at www.simeonsolomon.com.

To look up the latest updates to the SSRA site click on the category below titled ‘Updates‘. 

For news on paintings and drawings included in auctions or exhibitions, or any other news relating to the work of Simeon Solomon or Abraham and Rebecca Solomon click on the category below titled ‘News‘.

If you would like to post any requests for information about the Solomons on this blog (e.g. the whereabouts of Solomon paintings), then please email me at contact@simeonsolomon.com and I will include it in the ‘Requests for Information’ category.

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