Martin Cid's Blog: Martin Cid Magazine, page 168

Ripley (2024) – Netflix Mini-Series: the best adaptation to date of Patricia Highsmith’s character

Ripley is a series created by Steven Zaillian based on the mythical character from the novels written by Patricia Highsmith.

“Ripley” is a faithful adaptation of Highsmith’s novel: twisted, artistic, and sophisticated at all times. A series that sets itself apart from previous adaptations and knows how to give its unique style to the novelist’s story.

An adaptation more loyal to the novel’s spirit and its protagonist than its predecessors.

Despite being from the United States, the adaptation channels a very Italian charm reminiscent of 60s cinema, with scenes constantly harking back to this era, and now revitalized by this series, takes on new meaning.

The story of Ripley returns again, this time enveloped in an almost terror-like atmosphere.

RipleyPlot

A working-class man is sent to Europe to convince a wealthy New Yorker’s prodigal son to return home. Once in Italy, the two young men strike up an odd friendship, also involving the latter’s girlfriend.

About the SeriesRipley

Slow, deliberate, and never dull. The series takes the necessary time to construct the outward atmosphere of Italy and the inner personalities of the characters. “Ripley” beautifully captures the Italy of the 50s, its contrast with the Americans, and gradually focuses on a story that is far more chilling than before.

Much of the credit for “Ripley” being such a good series goes to its lead, Andrew Scott, who infuses an unpalatable taste to his character — twisted and ambiguous, continually evading any label. He’s seductive, lurid, sinister, and unpleasant, and even vulgar, but alluring in his blatant deceit.

The character’s creator: a novelist named Patricia Highsmith who crafted this character across several novels, this being the start of a saga in which the character becomes progressively more twisted.

Andrew Scott delivers an exceptional portrayal of an extraordinary character who has the unique quality of being a protagonist you never quite warm up to.

Ripley

Almost playing supporting roles, Johnny Flynn and Dakota Fanning (especially the latter) perform their parts, nearly secondary in this story dominated by a single protagonist.

But where “Ripley” really shines is its aesthetic ambition: elaborate chiaroscuro shots abound, and black and white cinematography distinctly reminiscent of 50s-60s Italian cinema.

Steven Zaillian expertly captures the rhythm of the story both internally and externally, with cinematography more reminiscent of Hitchcock than Anthony Minghella.

“Ripley” is more of a suspense story than previous adaptations, far more macabre, and significantly more sophisticated. Above all, it lays bare its twisted aspect everywhere.

An aspect that seduces even as it revolts.

Aesthetic akin to a Caravaggio painting, often mentioned in the series; sensational at times, always twisted, and above all, highly accomplished aesthetically and photographically.

Where to Watch “Ripley”

Netflix

The CastAndrew ScottAndrew Scott

Andrew Scott is an Irish actor who was born on October 21, 1976. He rose to fame for his role as Jim Moriarty in the BBC television series Sherlock, and has also gained critical acclaim for his performances in various theater productions. He has won several awards throughout his career, including a Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actor in 2018 for his role in the play Hamlet. Scott is known for his versatile acting skills and has been praised for his ability to portray complex and nuanced characters. He continues to work in both film and television, with recent notable roles in the series Fleabag and Black Mirror.

Johnny FlynnJohnny Flynn

Johnny Flynn is a multi-talented English actor, musician, and playwright. He rose to fame for his role in the British drama series “Lovesick” and has also appeared in several films such as “Beast,” “Emma,” and “Stardust.” In addition to his successful acting career, Flynn is also a talented musician, known for his folk music style. He has released several albums and has performed at various music festivals. His diverse talents and captivating performances have earned him a loyal fan base and critical acclaim.

Dakota FanningDakota Fanning

Dakota Fanning is an American actress who rose to fame as a child star in the early 2000s. She was born on February 23, 1994, in Conyers, Georgia and made her film debut at the age of seven in the movie “I Am Sam.” Fanning has since appeared in numerous films and television shows, including “War of the Worlds,” “Coraline,” “The Twilight Saga,” and “Once Upon a Time… In Hollywood.” She has received widespread critical acclaim for her acting abilities and has been nominated for various awards.

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‘Crooks’ Series on Netflix: A German Thriller with Style and Pace from the Underworld

Crooks is a German series created by Marvin Krenl, Benjamin Hessler and Georg Lippert. It stars Frederick Lau, Christoph Krutzler and Svenja Jung.

If you’re looking for a series filled with action, thrill, and lots of bad mafia guys, “Crooks” is tailor-made for your taste. With a realistic tone, quick to trigger, and action-packed, it’s a series designed for lovers of electrifying thrillers without the psychological element. To give you a slight idea, “Crooks” is a series with a Guy Ritchie-like theme, with that distinctive pace… but with a more realistic and less nonchalant tone. It’s a series about mafias, robberies that constantly employ violence as a narrative element. We think Scorsese would like it.

Plot

The theft of a coin triggers a series of plots involving German, Croatian, and Russian gangs.

About the series

A quick, vivacious, and agile series: a plot with many characters whose intrigue revolves around violence itself, gang wars, and more. At the center, a locksmith, who is somewhat the embodiment of that kind-hearted character lost among bad men, but who doesn’t lose his criminal past.

Aesthetically speaking: it’s cold photography, very German, but with a narrative that knows how to combine the best of European and American cinematography: the Hollywood pace with a more realistic and truthful way of understanding cinema, and in this case, the series.

“Crooks” is a series that knows at all times who it’s targeted at and never loses its way: it’s action-filled, fast, and sometimes brutal, with doses of humor and lots of realism, extreme situations, and crass language. It’s not “The Gentlemen” (the recent Guy Ritchie series for Netflix) or a Scorsese, but it has a bit of both, without losing its style and charm.

While it doesn’t delve into the psychological, the characters are well defined and each has their stories. “Crooks” has a solid script that is often overlooked due to the quick pace of its scenes, the rapid-fire pace of its dialogues, a series where the fast rhythm prevails over reflective pause. It doesn’t seem to take time for anything, but manages to condense many plot points in little space.

A lot of realism, lots of modern street gangs, and lots of handheld camera for filming the scenes. We don’t have elaborated plans or intricate compositions, the camera moves at all times almost freely, following the actions of the actors and their agile movements at the same pace, as if it were Dogma cinema (it’s not).

The casting is convincing, headed by Frederick Lau. However, we liked Christoph Krutzler, who plays an adorable role and the actor knows how to characterize and evolve, also a benevolent man among criminals, and a crazy plot.

“Crooks” is a series with its own style that, although it’s another story of criminals and robberies, knows how to add that European touch to a story we’ve so often seen in Hollywood.

Where to Watch “Crooks”

Netflix

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The Tearsmith (2024) – A Netflix Film. Review: A classic love story with a nineteenth-century flavor… but undeniably contemporary

The Tearsmith is a 2024 romantic movie on Netflix directed by Alessandro Genovesi starring Caterina Ferioli and Simone Baldasseroni.

This is a story brimming with romance, sentiment, and passion, distinctly crafted for teenagers. It’s a unique style, which we foresee, will be a massive hit among the younger, love-struck audience.

It’s got it all, a mix that fuses a nineteenth-century backdrop set in the present day.
Just to be clear: this movie is particularly designed for youths.

The TearsmithStoryline

In a world where nobody could cry, there existed an artisan who could give crystal tears to a world devoid of emotions.

After an accident, Nika ends up orphaned as a child, raised in an orphanage. Upon reaching adolescence, a family adopts her along with another boy, quite mysterious with a special musical talent.

About the Movie

Yes, it’s targeted at youths, but it’s stylish, especially aesthetically. It masters the photographic composition, creating a strong atmosphere akin to a nineteenth-century tale in the style of Henry James, while still incorporating all the elements to be utterly modern.

And we reiterate: it’s simultaneously classic.

Make no mistake: it’s a teen love story, full of passion, discovery, strength, and loss of innocence. It’s laden with flashbacks that narrate the story of the two youngsters and how they met.

“The Tearsmith” is a story that goes straight to the heart: you can either love it or switch off within the first five minutes since it requires an emotionally intense day to watch it. If you’re intending to watch it cerebrally, run for it, because this is a film that, albeit aesthetically and thematically smart, strikes at the heart more than the intellect.

It does catch your attention, indeed, and it doesn’t just offer us a typical high school movie for teens, even though it has a lot of that. It’s mainly original combining eras and achieving a modernized classicism and a story close to Wuthering Heights.

It neither possesses a convoluted script nor a complex story: it’s simple in its concept, intending to guide the viewer through a more poetic plane than a narrative one, a more introspective plane than a reflective one.

At its core, it’s still a film for teenagers, but that doesn’t mean that films for teenagers can’t be sophisticated, have good cinematic shots, and respect for classicism.

“The Tearsmith” is a film that is very chic in its aesthetics which, even being almost exclusively for youths, accomplishes all its goals with flair and even ingenuity.

Where to Watch “The Tearsmith”

Netflix

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Matthew Day Perez: Accumulation – Heller Gallery, New York

NEW YORK— Heller Gallery is pleased to present Accumulation, the gallery’s second solo exhibition of work by Matthew Day Perez.

Matthew Day Perez’s new body of work focuses further on his interest in the mutability of material and ideas related to accumulation, piling, or collecting. Starting from the transformation of discarded material through happenstance and design, each work is tethered by heat, time, and gravity to emboss, shape, or freeze particles into the glass. The formal aspect, the shape, is akin to a canvas to spread and mount material into form.  Ten fused and cast glass wall pieces are included in the exhibition. 

Accumulation is defined as “the acquisition or gradual gathering of something.” Day Perez notes that “it is sometimes slow and unrealized or, at times, fast and overwhelming’; and that his ‘new works are physical manifestations of accumulated and dispersed materials – used as metaphors for identity, skilling, growth, and mutability.” Matthew Day Perez received a BFA from Illinois State University and an MFA with honors from the Rhode Island School of Design.  His work was included in the 2019 exhibition New Glass Now, a landmark juried global survey of the state of contemporary glass, at the Corning Museum of Glass in Corning, NY, which later travelled to the Renwick Gallery, Smithsonian American Art Museum in Washington, D.C.

Day Perez is the recipient of a Fulbright Scholarship, the National Endowment for the Arts’ Renna Arts Scholarship, a U.S. Department of State Grant for new works, a Lois Roth Endowment Award, and has completed residencies at the Corning Museum of Glass, Creative Glass Center of America, Pilchuck Glass School, and Bullseye Glass Company.  Day Perez has lectured at Temple University’s Tyler School of Art in Philadelphia, PA and at the Rhode Island School of Design, Providence, RI. A serial creative entrepreneur, in 2018 he founded FagSigns, an inclusive neon studio based in Brooklyn, NY, which strives to erode barriers to the creative sector. In 2021 with Dorie Guthrie he co-founded Shiny Sparkle Studio, a Brooklyn-based, boutique glass fabrication facility specializing in custom work for art and architecture, and its education and special events arm, Shiny Sparkle Labs, that aspires to bring the art of glassmaking to everyone.

THROW, TOSS, HEAVE, 2024. Fused and tacked fused, coldworked, acid-etched glass

For 50 years Heller Gallery has served as New York’s leading dealer specializing in contemporary glass sculpture and design.  The Gallery nurtures emerging artists and also represents a prestigious roster of international artists and designers, whose practice incorporates glass as a creative medium. A resource for public institutions and collectors worldwide since 1973,  numerous artworks have entered the public collections in the US, including the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Museum of Modern Art, Corning Museum of Glass, Los Angeles County Museum of Art, Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, Toledo Museum of Art, and museums worldwide, including Victoria & Albert Museum, Musée des Arts Décoratifs de Louvre, National Gallery of Australia, the Norwegian Museum of Decorative Arts and Design, Hokkaido Museum, and the Shanghai Museum of Glass, as a direct result of Heller Gallery’s exhibitions and advocacy. 

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Isidore String Quartet – Buttenwieser Hall at The Arnhold Center, New York

New York, NY — March 28, 2024 — The 92nd Street Y, New York (92NY), one of New York’s leading cultural venues, presents Isidore String Quartet on Thursday, April 25, 2024 at 7:30 pm at Buttenwieser Hall at The Arnhold Center. Online streaming also available for 72 hours following the performance. Tickets start at $30 and are available at https://www.92ny.org/event/isidore-string-quartet.

In just four years, the spectacularly talented Isidore String Quartet, made up of violinists Adrian Steele and Phoenix Avalon, violist Devin Moore, and cellist Joshua McClendon, has catapulted from budding ensemble to one of the world’s most buzzed about chamber music groups.

Winners of a 2023 Avery Fisher Career Grant and the 14th Banff International String Quartet Competition in 2022, the quartet makes its highly anticipated New York City mainstage debut with this concert. Performing Bach fugues before works by Billy Childs and Beethoven sharing underlying themes of affliction, healing and transformation, – the program demonstrates the musical intellect, breadth of color, and vibrancy of this young breakout quartet.

Bach, Contrapunctus 1 from Art of Fugue

Billy Childs, String Quartet No. 2 “Awakening”

Beethoven, String Quartet in A Minor, Op. 132

This concert is under 90 minutes and will be performed without intermission. Join us in the hall’s lounge following the performance and meet the artist.

The New York City-based Isidore String Quartet was formed in 2019 with a vision to revisit, rediscover, and reinvigorate the repertory. The quartet is heavily influenced by the Juilliard String Quartet and the idea of ‘approaching the established as if it were brand new, and the new as if it were firmly established.’

The quartet first began as an ensemble at the Juilliard School, and following a break during the global pandemic,reconvened at the Kneisel Hall Chamber Music Festival in the summer of 2021 under the tutelage of Joel Krosnick. In addition to Mr. Krosnick, the ISQ has coached with Joseph Lin, Astrid Schween, Laurie Smukler, Joseph Kalichstein, Roger Tapping, Misha Amory, Timothy Eddy, Donald Weilerstein, Atar Arad, Robert McDonald, Christoph Richter, Miriam Fried, and Paul Biss.

Their 2022Banff International String Quartet Competition triumph brings extensive tours of North America and Europe, a two-year appointment as the Peak Fellowship Ensemble-in-Residence at Southern Methodist University in Dallas, plus a two-week residency at Banff Centre including a professionally produced recording, along with extensive ongoing coaching, career guidance, and mentorship.

The Isidore String Quartet has appeared on major series in Chicago, Pittsburgh, Seattle, Durham, Washington (JFK Center), San Antonio, Toronto, Montreal, and Ottawa, and has collaborated with a number of eminent performers including James Ehnes, Jeremy Denk, Shai Wosner, and Jon Nakamatsu. Their 23/24 season features appearances in Berkeley (Cal Performances), Boston (Celebrity Series), Washington DC (Phillips Collection), New York (92nd St. Y), Chicago, Baltimore, Ann Arbor, Denver, Houston, Indianapolis, Tucson, Phoenix, Santa Fe, La Jolla, Aspen, Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton, and at Dartmouth College, and Spivey Hall in Georgia, among many others. European highlights include Edinburgh, Lucerne, Brussels, Amsterdam, Hanover, Frankfurt, and Hamburg’s ElbPhilharmonie.

Outside the concert hall the quartet has worked with PROJECT: MUSIC HEALS US providing encouragement, education, and healing to marginalized communities – including elderly, disabled, rehabilitating incarcerated and homeless populations – who otherwise have limited access to high-quality live music performance. They have also been the resident ensemble for the Contemporary Alexander School/Alexander Alliance International. In conjunction with those well-versed in the world of Alexander Technique, as well as other performers, the ISQ explores the vast landscape of body awareness, mental preparation, and performance practice.

The name Isidore recognizes the ensemble’s musical connection to the Juilliard Quartet: one of that group’s early members was legendary violinist Isidore Cohen. Additionally, it acknowledges a shared affection for a certain libation – legend has it a Greek monk named Isidore concocted the first genuine vodka recipe for the Grand Duchy of Moscow!

About The 92nd Street Y, New York: The 92nd Street Y, New York (92NY) is a world-class center for the arts and innovation, a convener of ideas, and an incubator for creativity. 92NY offers extensive classes, courses and events online including live concerts, talks and master classes; fitness classes for all ages; 250+ art classes, and parenting workshops for new moms and dads. The 92nd Street Y, New York is transforming the way people share ideas and translate them into action all over the world. All of 92NY’s programming is built on a foundation of Jewish values, including the capacity of civil dialogue to change minds; the potential of education and the arts to change lives; and a commitment to welcoming and serving people of all ages, races, religions, and ethnicities. For more information, visit www.92NY.org.

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Zero to Hero (2024) A Fun Brazilian Comedy on Netflix: Music, Love, and Entanglement

Zero to Hero is a film starring Lucas Lucco. With Carla Diaz and Felipe Hintze. It is directed by Marcelo Antunez and written by Felipe Folgosi.

Looking for a light-hearted comedy filled with love, music, and drama? “Zero to Hero” is a movie that, without any pretentious aesthetic or narrative aspirations, entertains and amuses. With the incredibly fun and charming Lucas Lucco in the leading role, and not forgetting Felipe Hintze, who plays another likable character, and the beautiful and delightful Carla Diaz, who brings grace and agility to her role.

The film is a whirlwind of romantic entanglements and music, with the backdrop of “sertanejo”, a genre of Brazilian music.

Plot

A popular singer suffers a collapse due to alcohol, while another, a heavy metal singer, is (coincidentally) his doppelganger. The producers hire the heavy metal singer to impersonate the popular Brazilian music star, replacing him in concerts… and in his love life.

About the Movie

Pleasant, amicable, and unassuming, “Zero to Hero” is a television comedy of confusion, of a type we’ve seen dozens of times but still finds ways to entertain and amuse. It’s a movie that doesn’t take itself too seriously, with a humorous script full of great moments. The focus is on fun, not over-analyzing the characters, simplifying them without complications – because what’s most important here is to have a good time and forget about it five minutes later.

The hour and a half that the movie lasts flies by, keeping you comfortable and entertained throughout.

“Zero to Hero” is calm and easy-going, with a simple structure and concept: uncomplicated scenes, uncomplex characters, and a plot that doesn’t overtax the brain. There’s no philosophical existentialism here – just a movie made for us to have a good time. Nothing more, nothing less.

“Zero to Hero” is a movie that rests on the shoulders of one man, Lucas Lucco, who gives us one of those handsome, charming characters that mainly require the actor to be good-looking, charming, and a good actor: he has it all and more than meets the dramatic demands of the film. He’s both charming and… handsome.

It’s a romantic comedy, and of course, there’s a girl, played by Carla Diaz, who knows how to express herself and, in her almost secondary role, shapes a great character very professionally.

And yes, in a romantic comedy, you can’t miss the supporting character, this time Felipe Hintze, that “chubby” funny guy we’ve seen in a thousand movies, and who once again, works.

“Zero to Hero” is a cute romantic comedy that works and one of many we’ve seen and will continue to see.

A cute story, a pleasant movie that doesn’t demand anything from itself or the viewer.

Enjoy.

Where to Watch “Zero to Hero”

Netflix

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Files of the Unexplained (2024) – A Netflix Docuseries: Do you believe in the unexplained? UFOs, Ghosts, Apparitions

Files of the Unexplained is an investigative series that delves into the world of the unexplained with eight cases that seem to have no logical resolution.

Eight episodes featuring eight X-Files-like cases that will certainly catch your eye. We’ve got everything from UFOs and ghost appearances, to grim disappearances, a supposedly enchanted lake, and a few more stories that have been the talk of the town.

“Files of the Unexplained” is a series about eight well-known cases in the United States involving unexplainable events, which became famous and made headlines in newspapers and magazines, generating thousands of hours of television. Now, we revisit them on Netflix, with interviews with the main characters who explain how the events unfolded.

These unexplainable occurrences have been corroborated, with witnesses and all sorts of proof supporting them, yet they remain utterly astonishing.

If you’re fond of the X-Files series, you’re going to love it. Only Mulder and Scully are missing because this series perfectly captures that fascinating ambiance, but this time it’s based on true events and packed with enough evidence.

About the Documentary

Netflix knows its audience and realizes there’s a market for everyone: Not judging, but giving every audience what they seek and enjoy. And if you like mysteries about the unexplained, apparitions, ghosts, and UFOs… “Files of the Unexplained” is simply going to captivate you.

A series that embodies the flavor of X-Files, the legendary TV series that had us hooked week after week. It was a very American series, where ordinary people were put in extraordinary situations related to UFOs. There was always a lingering doubt, although the series treated almost all the occurrences, abductions, and else as real.

In “Files of the Unexplained,” it’s practically the same: a plethora of proofs is presented regarding the authenticity of the narrated events and what transpired, with access to the protagonists who tell their stories with utter respect.

“Files of the Unexplained” comprises eight brilliantly executed episodes, endowed with superb cinematography that manages to encompass the atmosphere of every location and thrust us onto the scene as if we’re in a murder or mystery thriller, with a Silent Hill-like aura and some stunning camera shots. A documentary that knows how to handle the pace in each episode, narrating the story and making it believable all the time, as if it was (and it is) a true X-Files case.

On the cinematic front, it’s super entertaining, almost excellent: A genre series that takes us into the realm of abductions and paranormal phenomena, knowing how to illuminate scenes, create the appropriate ambiance, select the right music for each moment, and control the pace.

Perfect within its genre, designed for the delight of enthusiasts of these stories, and it always leaves us with the same series-inspired question: Do these phenomena exist?

Without confirming or refuting anyone, you will have a very mysterious time in good cinematic company.

Enjoy it.

Where to Watch “Files of the Unexplained”

Netflix

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Crime Scene Berlin: Nightlife Killer – Netflix Docuseries: A Serial Killer is on the Loose in Berlin

Crime Scene Berlin: Nightlife Killer is a German a three-episode docuseries on Netflix directed by Caroline Schaper and Jan Zabeil. It is written by Caroline Schaper and Inga Turczyn.

In May 2012, in the Friedrichshain neighborhood of Berlin, a body showing signs of asphyxiation was discovered—his name was Nicky, a 32-year-old man associated with the Berlin nightlife, where drugs were in use.

This case sparked an investigation that led us to a serial killer in Berlin.

About the documentary

“Crime Scene Berlin: Nightlife Killer” is a unique true crime docuseries; this time its cinematic elements are quite refined and the creators take their time to capture the night atmosphere and the vibe of the city, spending ample time explaining and narrating the events in great detail.

“Crime Scene Berlin: Nightlife Killer” heavily involves reenactment of the incidents. Interviewees, investigators, forensics, and victims’ relatives engage eagerly in the storytelling, allowing filming during their car rides or at various locations. It’s not just a series that satisfies the narrative aspect, but it also has aesthetic value in its photography, capturing not only the neon ambiance of the Berlin nightlife but also the city’s overall tone.

This docuseries pushes boundaries, narrated like a movie and with more reenactments than typical documentaries of its type.

“Crime Scene Berlin: Nightlife Killer” places a particular emphasis on police work, detailing forensic processes, victim identification, and police procedures as if it were an episode of Crime Scene Investigation or a similar show.

During interviews, the focus isn’t only on the interviewee. Each interview scene is colored and well-lit to highlight the somber tone of the situation, sometimes playing up the red hues in the victims’ cases or creating colder settings when interviewing the investigators.

This is a documentary filled with intent and style that, as always, sparks reflections on this type of documentary that we, having seen so many, consider surpassed: the public loves them and consumes them by the dozens, and every week multiple new ones premiere on one streaming platform or another, and that’s for a reason.

“Crime Scene Berlin: Nightlife Killer” is an excellent documentary of its type, offering a full atmospheric experience and, of course, a dose of morbid intrigue.

Welcome to the world of serial killers, this time in Berlin.

Where to Watch “Crime Scene Berlin: Nightlife Killer”

Netflix

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Bonhams Stages First Stand-Alone Sale Of Bloomsbury Artists

London – Following three years of setting record-breaking results for Bloomsbury artists, Bonhams will stage its first auction dedicated solely to this fascinating set of artists and thinkers. Bloomsbury: Modern British Art sale will run from 8-18 April on bonhams.com. 

Duncan Grant (British,1885-1978), Lydia Lopokova, 68 x 52 cm

Two major portraits, Portrait of Henri Doucet, oil on board from 1912, painted by Vanessa Bell and Portrait of Lydia Lopokova, oil on canvas, circa 1922 painted by Duncan Grant will lead the sale. Both works have individual estimates of £30,000-50,000.

The sitters in both paintings were influential figures of their time. Henri Doucet was a French painter and Omega Workshops contributor who died tragically young, and Lydia Lopokova, was the famous Russian ballerina who danced with Diaghilev. In 1925 she married fellow Bloomsbury group member and economist, John Maynard Keynes.

Ingram Reid, Head of Sale for Modern British and Irish Art comments, “In recent years Bonhams has led the market for the Bloomsbury group, offering more artworks by these artists than any other auction house and has set multiple records in the process. We are now delighted to hold this special dedicated sale at a moment of increased interest in the group. The quality and variety of the works on offer is excellent, ranging from important portraits of influential figures and key locations such as Charleston, to fascinating market rarities such as a fine group of intact sketchbooks. There are artworks on offer which are museum worthy, yet this collecting area remains highly accessible with bidding starting from £300.”

Sale includes unpublished sketchbooks by Duncan Grant and Vanessa Bell

The group of sketchbooks, six in total, by Duncan Grant and Vanessa Bell, include many spontaneously observed portraits, landscapes, designs and café scenes which offer a rare glimpse into the duo’s travels across Europe. They have not previously been published or exhibited. Of particular note, is a sketchbook which includes pages by both Bell and Grant, created during their time travelling through Paris and Spain in 1923 which includes seven pencil drawings by Grant and 28 pencil drawings by Bell with an estimate of £4,000-6,000. Another sketchbook of interest by Duncan Grant includes both a portrait of Vanessa Bell, as well as two studies of John Maynard Keynes, along with a further 50 drawings, with an estimate of £5,000-7,000.

An exhibition of all lots will be held at 101 New Bond Street from the 15-17 April.

In 2022, Bonhams set a major record for Duncan Grant for his portrait Vanessa Bell in a Yellow Shawl, oil on canvas, which achieved £327,900. In 2020, Bonhams had another top-selling Bloomsbury painting, setting the record for Roger Fry, with a portrait of novelist E.M Forster, which sold for £325,062.

Portrait from Vanessa Bell and Duncan Grant’s sketchbook, Paris and Spain, 1923. Estimate: £4,000-6,000Drawing from Vanessa Bell’s sketchbook, Venice, 1926. Estimate: £6,000-8,000Drawing from Duncan Grant’s sketch book, Rome, 1920. Estimate: £5,000-7,000.

Other highlights and lots of interest include:

Duncan Grant (British,1885-1978), Portrait of the Duchess of Devonshire, seated in an Interior signed and dated ‘D Grant./.59’ (lower right), oil on canvas laid to board, 63 x 47.7 cm. Estimate:£7,000-10,000.Roger Fry (British,1866-1934) Hyacinths and Anemones, signed ‘Roger Fry.’ (lower right) oil on canvas, 54.6 x 45.7 cm. (21 1/2 x 18 in.) Painted circa 1926. Estimate: £8,000-12,000.Vanessa Bell (British,1879-1961) Design for cross-stitch chair back for Virginia Woolf stamped with initials ‘VB’ (lower left) pastel, 30.5 x 40.6 cm Executed circa 1930-32. Estimate: £4,000-6,000.Phyllis Keyes (British,1881-1968) and Vanessa Bell (British, 1879-1961)

A unique tin-glazed earthenware dish made by Phyllis Keyes, decorated by Vanessa Bell, circa 1934 34.3 x 47 cm marked with Keyes insignia and initialled ‘VB’ (to the underside) circa 1935. Estimate: £1,500-2,000.

Duncan Grant (British,1885-1978), Portrait of the Duchess of Devonshire, seated in an Interior signed and dated ‘D Grant./.59’, oil on canvas laid to board, Estimate: £7,000-10,000Phyllis Keyes (British, 1881-1968) and Vanessa Bell (British, 1879-1961). A unique tin-glazed earthenware dish made by Phyllis Keyes, decorated by Vanessa Bell, circa 1934, 34.3 x 47 cm. Estimate: £1,500-2,000

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Together: Treble Winners – Netflix Docuseries on Manchester City’s 2022-2023 Season

Together: Treble Winners is a six-episode docuseries directed by John De Caux. Manchester City, with Erling Haaland as the star player and Pep Guardiola as the head coach, steps into the 2022-2023 season with a clear objective: the treble. Premier League, FA Cup, and above all, the Champions League – these are the goals the fans dream about and yearn for.

Even though they’ve won four of the last five Premier League titles, the big European competition has been elusive, not just for the club, but also for Guardiola who has not clinched the Champions League trophy since his days at Barcelona.

“Together: Treble Winners” is a documentary about a year of living with Manchester City and how they finally achieved their much-coveted goal: The Triple Crown, which rightfully made them the best team of the year in Europe.

Together: Treble WinnersAbout the Documentary

This documentary format is nothing new to Netflix viewers: one season in a specific sport or, in this case, a team. And this time, the spotlight is on Manchester City, the wealthiest team in the Premier League, yet one that hadn’t managed to conquer the top European tournament.

The team’s key figure, Pep Guardiola, had arrived with a reputation as a great coach, but until then, had not fulfilled his dream of winning a Champions League without Lionel Messi on his side.

“Together: Treble Winners” is a documentary for football fans first and foremost. If you’re not a fan or don’t like the sport, it won’t add much to your life, as it focuses more on the lives and interviews with the team stars than providing a broader view of football.

However, if you want to get to know the City stars up close, Netflix gifts us this golden opportunity to live almost shoulder-to-shoulder with them and experience a dream and obsession: the treble.

As a sports documentary, it’s typical of what you’d expect from Netflix: top-notch, mostly because it has access to all the main players and, besides, who wouldn’t want to miss a globally broadcast documentary that will make them even more famous?

The Manchester City team offers total availability, allowing Netflix to explore every corner of the field to deliver this documentary that, apparently, tells it all about the 2022-2023 season.

Enjoy the watch.

Where to Watch “Together: Treble Winners”

Netflix

Together: Treble Winners

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