Saturday Morning, August 15, 2026
Every Picture Tells a Story, Don't It
The reading was tedious. Renaissance Italian text was difficult, but not so much one could not understand the meaning. The manuscript, early 16th century, was a biography of Leonardo da Vinci, the official writings of this artist's biographer.
Daum pâte de verre Bacchus center bowl, 13" D.
The cup of kindness never large enough.
Page-after-page, the work unfolded. Here was the story of a genius, a painter, but for one portrait, may have slipped into history, time cleaning his canvas for eternity. The reader carefully touched the text, white gloves, literally. On the next page he stopped. Here, handwritten on the margin was a note, obviously of the period. This discovery would add another page to the mystery surrounding the world's most famous painting.
Mona Lisa, Lisa Gherardini, was the wife of a successful Florence businessman. Married young, as most were, she raised a family while supporting her husband and family name. A portrait by Leonardo would have been an expensive undertaking as the artist was in great demand throughout Italy.
Paul Matthews (1933-2019), acrylic on paper. Noted on reverse - Two Churches from the Top of the People's Store, Lambertville, NJ, 1987. 16" x 20"
Saturday will include wide and diverse artwork.
Carmen Cartiness, oil & canvas, A Special Date
Her haunting expression has launched more theories than Helen's ships. What this contemporary researcher may have uncovered reading Leonardo's biography was the reason behind her legendary smirk. A theory stumping even the most difficult historian critics among us.
Feudal cities in this period throughout Europe vied for wealth and control. Civil blood makes civil hands unclean. None better than the Italian provinces.
14k yellow gold pin - National Society of New England Women. Qualifier to entry is proven lineage to ancestors prior to the adoption of the US Constitution in 1789. Daytona a satellite chapter.
Machiavelli, a contemporary of Lisa Gherardini, wrote a treatise, The Prince, capturing human behavior in politics. He announced maintaining power was not morally driven, but advanced by corruption and greed. It was a show stopper, one questioning the assumed nature of Christian influence. One hundred years later, Galileo would reinforce this challenge by proving our earth revolves around the sun, not the assumed dogma earth was the center of the universe. These were heady times, not for the weak-hearted, as the church and feudal lords held tight to their reigns. Heads rolled. And yet, time still sorts out the truth.
The words, handwritten in Leonardo's text, indicate Mona Lisa's countenance was reflecting the failed attempt to undermine the wealth of Florence by rerouting the Arno River, thereby choking Florence's essential livelihood.
Mont Blanc - writing history in style
Biographers can identify the painting's location behind Mona. Rock formations and the Arno River itself are visible. Also, just off her right shoulder, is a strange winding road, much like our modern-day interstates. This, the biographical words note, is the construction job to change the river's direction. Of course, the mission failed, and in wonderfully timeless manner, Mona Lisa's smirk is a stab at this conspiratorial attempt.
The beauty of art is each painting can mean want the observer desires. This, the crux. Buying art for taste, not monetary advancement, is the underlying principle of self-appreciation. It is why art has such a wide appeal, and always will. What I like may not be what you like, but hey, it's my decision. A call of the wild heard recently in our gallery. A great call from a very wise man. And you will meet many of these personages each Saturday, turn right onto 413 just off the interstate.
Bull Dog swagger stick cane head. Initialed and dated - R.H. Wilson, 1895.
Swagger sticks were an official's sign of authority, first appearing in history with vine staffs made for the Roman Centurions. Traces remaining from the collapse of the Roman empire, a collapse ushering in multiple centuries we call the Dark Ages.
Doors open at 8 AM. Auction starts at 9 AM. PA AU 1265 L [bb]