Culture A lost Salvador Dalí painting bought for £150 is...

A lost Salvador Dalí painting bought for £150 is set for auction

-

- Advertisment -
ADVERTISEMENT

Two years ago, a curious watercolour tucked away in a London garage surfaced at a house clearance sale in Cambridge.

It sold for just £150 (€173).

Now, that same artwork – a rare original by none other than the lobster-obsessed, moustache-twirling Surrealist icon Salvador Dalí – is poised to fetch up to £30,000 (€34,700) at auction this October.

The painting in question, titled “Vecchio Sultano (1966)”, depicts a regal sultan in a lavish, jewel-encrusted turban, inspired by the tales of The Arabian Nights.

Measuring 15-by-11 inches and created using watercolour and felt-tip pen, the piece is a far cry from Dalí’s melting clocks or dreamlike landscapes. But it has been authenticated by leading Dalí expert Nicolas Descharnes, and will go under the hammer at Cheffins’ Art and Design Sale in Cambridge.

Salvador Dali, Vecchio Sultano (1966)
Salvador Dali, Vecchio Sultano (1966) Credit: Cheffins

The origins of the painting trace back to 1963, when wealthy Italian patrons Giuseppe and Mara Albaretto commissioned Dalí to illustrate a Bible. But, true to form, the artist had other plans.

“It seems Dalí was fascinated with Moorish culture and believed himself to be from a Moorish line,” said Gabrielle Downie, an associate at Cheffins. “While Dalí’s work is often some of the most recognisable, this is an unusual piece which shows a different side to his practice when working in watercolour.”

Instead, Dalí embarked on an ambitious series of illustrations inspired by “One Thousand and One Nights”, the legendary compendium of Middle Eastern folk tales. Although he initially agreed to create 500 works, he only completed 100.

“It seems that this project was abandoned,” Downie explained.

Half of the completed works were retained by publishing house Rizzoli, which had planned to release the collection – until the pieces were either lost or damaged. Eventually one of the pieces appeared unexpectedly in 2023 when a Cambridge-based antiques dealer spotted Vecchio Sultano at a house clearance sale.

The watercolour will go will go under the hammer at Cheffins’ Art and Design Sale in Cambridge on 23 October.

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here

Latest news

Newly discovered document adds evidence that Shroud of Turin is fake

ADVERTISEMENT The Shroud of Turin is one of the most treasured ancient artefacts, attracting countless tourists to the Italian city - despite the fact that the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist in Turin only publicly displays it on special occasions. Also known as the Holy Shroud, the linen cloth bears the faint image of

Original Harry Potter director on reboot series: ‘What’s the point?’

ADVERTISEMENT Chris Columbus, the celebrated American director of both Home Alone films, Mrs. Doubtfire and the first two Harry Potter films, has questioned the need to reboot the series with the upcoming HBO adaptation of J.K. Rowling’s novels. The filmmaker is currently promoting his Netflix film The Thursday Murder Club, which is based on the

Film of the Week: ‘Sorry, Baby’ – A masterful exploration of trauma

ADVERTISEMENT The scariest thing about life’s worst moments is the silence in which they often unfold. The world goes on, night falls, the windows of a suburban house glow as cars drive by. Yet for the person inside, existence has cracked; an irrevocable disconnect between who you once were, and the confused ghost you’ve become. 

From Taylor to Twin Peaks: The most iconic rings in pop culture

ADVERTISEMENT Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce have set the internet ablaze with news of their engagement, and all eyes have been on the ring.  According to US reports, Kelce worked with New York designer Kindred Lubeck of Artifex Fine Jewelry to design the ring and since the news of the engagement broke, the designer’s website has
- Advertisement -

165-million-year-old dinosaur with ‘weaponised tail’ found in Morocco

ADVERTISEMENT Scientists have unearthed the remains of a heavily armoured dinosaur, complete with rib spikes, a bony neck collar and a tail that may have doubled as a weapon. The fossil, discovered in Morocco’s Atlas Mountains, dates back 165 million years and belongs to a newly identified species of ankylosaur called Spicomellus. And this wasn’t

Why is Amsterdam’s Van Gogh Museum warning it may have to close?

ADVERTISEMENT Amsterdam's Van Gogh Museum, home to the world’s largest collection of works by Vincent van Gogh, has issued an extraordinary warning: without fresh government funding, it may be forced to shut its doors. The museum says a shortfall in state support threatens a €104m renovation plan - and with it the safety of the

Must read

Newly discovered document adds evidence that Shroud of Turin is fake

ADVERTISEMENT The Shroud of Turin is one of the most treasured ancient artefacts, attracting countless tourists to the Italian city - despite the fact that the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist in Turin only publicly displays it on special occasions. Also known as the Holy Shroud, the linen cloth bears the faint image of

Original Harry Potter director on reboot series: ‘What’s the point?’

ADVERTISEMENT Chris Columbus, the celebrated American director of both Home Alone films, Mrs. Doubtfire and the first two Harry Potter films, has questioned the need to reboot the series with the upcoming HBO adaptation of J.K. Rowling’s novels. The filmmaker is currently promoting his Netflix film The Thursday Murder Club, which is based on the
- Advertisement -

You might also likeRELATED
Recommended to you