The exhibition, An Illumination, The Rothschild Prayer Book & other works from the Kerry Stokes Collection c.1280–1685 is on display at the Ian Potter Museum of Art until 15 November.
The collection helps offset some of the treasures recently lost to overseas buyers through consignments for sale, in London and New York of illuminated manuscripts from long established holdings of private collectors.
At least 40 manuscripts, missals, rare parchments and pieces of decorative art which were produced seven centuries ago have been added to the Stokes collection, the catalyst for which was the purchase at Christie's New York of a Book of Hours for $US13.6 million in January 2014.
The acquisitions individually have cost less than might have to be paid for small sketches by middle ranking Australian artists - but as the exhibition shows, put together they certainly have defined the wow factor. It is a visually stunning show. As well as purchases being made at the two major auction houses, they come from a wide spread of specialised auction houses across Europe and the US. Some were made at the two most acclaimed book and manuscript sales of the century.
Unlike the 1980s boom, few big new spenders on international art emerged in the latest more mineral-based boom, which also took place in the west.
The purchase of the Book of Hours came like a bolt out of the blue, but may have been promoted by the work a Western Australian scholar had done on the treasure in 2002.
Mr Stokes and Ms Manion have now given it a full supporting cast although some Australiana collectors will be asking what has happened to the Thomas Baines collection. Owned by the Royal Geographical Society it was on the market and Mr Stokes was reported as negotiating its purchase.
The Baines collection consists of a large number of oils and watercolours done as a result of Baines' exploration of the Northern Territory. A more complete collection than the Medieval manuscripts, it therefore presents less opportunity for Mr Stokes to add value to it by further purchases – and he certainly seems to be an acquirer.
Mr Stokes has not courted publicity for his endeavours, but only for the collection. Hopefully it will remain in Australia, unlike most of the masterpieces purchased by his fellow West Australians during the previous boom in the 1990s. The overseas pictures purchased by Australian magnates in the late 19th century also left the country when the recession of the 1890s struck and bills had to be paid.
Some of the recent additional acquisitions came from the History of the Book, the Cornelius J Hauck Collection, sold by Christies in New York.
On June 27 and 28, 2006 Christie’s New York sold the extraordinary single-owner collection brought together by Cornelius J. Hauck, comprising 700 lots and documents on the history of the book around the world. The sale totalled $US12,401,780 almost tripling its pre-sale estimate. The top price was Album Amicorum – Das Grosse Stammbuch of Philip Hainhofer, an illuminated manuscript on vellum and paper in German, Italian, Latin and French, 1596-1633. It realised $US2.37 million. Again this Kerry's contribution was quite modest. But at least someone from Australia was “sitting” at the tables.
The exhibition shows the Stokes collection is going in a very logical direction if you consider Mr Stokes is a publisher and newspaper proprietor. The period covered is the last great era of illuminated books, created just as printing began to overtake them.
One of the most obvious purchases for anyone deeply interested in printing is, although in Latin, a page from the first celebrated book printed, Gutenberg's Bible.
A single double side leaf of the Bible produced by Johann Gutenberg in Mainz in 1453 was purchased by Mr Stokes for $US54,000 against estimates of $US30,000 to $US54,000. The Bible, in Latin, produced with the use of movable metal type was a very important turning point in the history of the book and human communication. The auction record for a complete Gutenberg Bible is $US5.39 million.
So Mr Stokes, while wandering the same corridors of collecting as the Pierpont Morgans of this world, is still not quite up there. Unfortunately the Morgans bought a long time ago when there was more choice and profits more obscene.
The page is from the Gospel of Luke and deals with the agony on the Mount of Olives and the denial by Peter and the way to Calvary, the later being one of the outreaches of the collection.
The prices paid, of course, are not published in any of the three handsome publications that go with the show, but they are available on the Internet. Mr Stokes would probably prefer it to stay that way given the quality of the draftsmanship and illumination that can be acquired for so little.
The works are, it is true, are mostly religious but that does not prevent them (indeed it helped) to make them more glorious, because of the devotion involved in their creation.
Latin poetry buffs – and even the casual visitor – should recoil with delight at a manuscript of the Sixteen Satires by Virgil which was one of the most costly items at £242,500, bought at Christie's London in July 2014. They have been described as an exploration of the morality and perceived threat to the social community of the Roman way of life. Rich blue, gold and foliate, the parchment was create in Tours around 1472.
The provenance, as with most of the lots acquired, appears quite impeccable. Handled by the bibliophile and bookseller (they do not always go together) the acquisition originally belonged to the proof reader, the German scholar Dr Erhard Windsberg.
An early 16th century 90 cm tall Tuscan pair of candle bearing angels were sourced at Sotheby's London's sale of Old Master Sculpture and Works of Art on July 11, 2014 (£22,500 versus estimates of £10,000 to £15,000) as was a bone casket with saints and angels made in Flanders about 1450 to 1500. (£32,500 versus £8000 to £12,000.)
Purchased for £37,500 against estimates £30,000 to £5,000, a late 15th century Florentine terra cotta relief of the Virgin with Child Small, most likely made for domestic use is from an original model by Lorenzo Ghiberti who is said to have invented the half length Madonna and Child relief which was the hallmark of Florentine Renaissance sculpture.
At a Sotheby's Old Master and British painting sale on July 10, 2014, The Madonna Annunciate and the Angel Gabriel representing Spanish painting at the turn of the 16th century is by Nicolas Falco who has only a small number of known works. The oil on panel with gold ground made £10,000, against estimates of £6,000 to £8,000.
Auction houses in Verona, Italy, supplied a collection of spiritual books and manuscripts and printed sermons and letters of Pope Leo in the 15th century (relating to the origins and subsequent schism of the Church and nature of Christ); together with a Choir Psalter of the Dominican friars, among several other items. The full page woodcuts are based on designs by Benedetto Bordon.
There are some books that are both beautiful and useful such as one providing practical tips for preachers and confessors.
A book of Gregory The Pope, or an Exposition on the Book of Blessed Job is described as a biblical interpretation on how to live a virtuous life, which the rich may need just as much was the workers.
Another major sale from which lots were purchased was that titled Yates, Thompson and Bright: A Family of Bibliophiles sold by Christie's in London in July 2014.
The family were part of the mercantile, banking and shipping elite in Liverpool and their interest in book collecting began with Joseph Brook Yates (1780-1855) who, in 1812, was one of the founders of the Liverpool Literary and Philosophical Society.
The strength of the collection was a handful of unknown, rare and largely forgotten texts uncovered by specialists at Christie's cataloguing the library formed by three generations of the prominent family from the north-west of England.
Stored in the principal rooms of a grand country house, the 375 lots of books and manuscripts were acquired by successive generations of the Bright, Thompson and Yates Families from the start of the 1800s until the 1940s. It was held in London on July 16, 2014 and raised £5.16 million.
The Descent from the Cross, an oil on oak panel, by a follower of Roger van der Weyden takes us as close to this master as it is possible to go. If a fully attested version came up it would break the bank. Interestingly the composition is thought to reflect a lost original by the Netherlandish painter.
The great works of these masters, when they are not subject to controversy over attribution, tend to have gone into major museums long ago.
A painting of diverse influences, it appears to have gone unsold at the auction of Sotheby' s in London on July 14 2014, as it the price list has left a blank space. It was estimated at a mere £30,000 to £40,000 and was in the lesser day sale. The evening sale is when the lights come on.
From Sotheby's London July 10, 2014 came six windows from Germany, Upper Rhine, circa 1500, with scene from the Passion of Christ estimated at £10,000 — 15,000 but were fought to £18,750 with buyers premium. They help make for a spectacular presentation.
Other buys include a parchment tryptych which made £74,500 (estimate £30,00 to £50,000.
