The Specialist

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Latest Episodes:

S. Sudjojono and the Awakening of Indonesian Modern Art, Jasmine Prasetio Aug 26, 2025

On today’s episode, the emergence of a monumental painting by S. Sudjojono, long hidden in a private collection. Jasmine Prasetio, Managing Director of Sotheby's Southeast Asia, first encountered the composition as a blurry photo on a mobile phone, but went on to orchestrate its record breaking sale at auction.

Further details about the episode subject

This is an episode of The Specialist, your weekly dose of wonder. In The Specialist, explore the significance and journey of an extraordinary work through the eyes of those that know it best.

The Specialist is brought to you by Sotheby's Financial Services. SFS offers asset-based loans to unlock the value of your fine art, automobiles and other luxury collectibles.

To step further into the World of Sotheby’s, visit any one of our galleries, which are open to the public. Explore more at sothebys.com.

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Fabergé’s Rediscovered Imperial Flower, with Helen Culver-Smith Aug 19, 2025

On today’s episode, the beauty of nature suspended for eternity. Helen Culver-Smith, Head of Decorative Arts Worldwide and Head of Fabergé and Russian works of Art, reveals how the digital discovery of an apple blossom study, rendered in gold, enamel and rock crystal by master maker Fabergé, led her down a fascinating path of provenance, all the way to Imperial Russia.

⁠⁠Further details about the episode subject⁠

This is an episode of The Specialist, your weekly dose of wonder. In The Specialist, explore the significance and journey of an extraordinary work through the eyes of those that know it best.⁠⁠⁠

The Specialist is brought to you by Sotheby's Financial Services. SFS offers asset-based loans to unlock the value of your fine art, automobiles and other luxury collectibles.

To step further into the World of Sotheby’s, visit any one of our galleries, which are open to the public. Explore more at⁠⁠ ⁠sothebys.com⁠⁠⁠.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

David's Farewell of Telemachus and Eucharis, with Benjamin Doller Aug 12, 2025

On today’s episode, how Benjamin Doller, Chairman of The Americas, reattributed ‘Farewell of Telemachus and Eucharis’ to Jacques-Louis David. Long believed to have been painted by a student of David, he was able to authenticate it before many modern analysis techniques were available.

Further details about the episode subject

This is an episode of The Specialist, your weekly dose of wonder. In The Specialist, explore the significance and journey of an extraordinary work through the eyes of those that know it best.

The Specialist is brought to you by Sotheby's Financial Services. SFS offers asset-based loans to unlock the value of your fine art, automobiles and other luxury collectibles.

To step further into the World of Sotheby’s, visit any one of our galleries, which are open to the public. Explore more at ⁠sothebys.com⁠.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Bahman Mohassess’ Enduring Legacy, with Ashkan Baghestani Aug 07, 2025

On today’s episode, Ashkan Baghestani, Head of Contemporary Art Day Sale in New York recounts his quest to trace and recontextualise the scattered corpus of artist Bahman Mohassess, and, in so doing, to restore him to his rightful place in the history of Middle Eastern art.

Further details about the episode subject

This is an episode of The Specialist, your weekly dose of wonder. In The Specialist, explore the significance and journey of an extraordinary work through the eyes of those that know it best.

The Specialist is brought to you by Sotheby's Financial Services. SFS offers asset-based loans to unlock the value of your fine art, automobiles and other luxury collectibles.

To step further into the World of Sotheby’s, visit any one of our galleries, which are open to the public. Explore more at sothebys.com.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Greatest Persian Manuscript: A Story Fit For Kings, with Benedict Carter Jul 29, 2025

On today's episode, the legendary Shahnameh – the Persian Book of Kings – an epic poem composed of around 50,000 rhyming couplets that recounts the mythical and historical past of the Persian Empire. Head of Islamic and Indian Art, Benedict Carter tells the tale of how one remarkable version of the Shahnameh, containing 258 pictures, was split up. And takes us through to the spectacular, record-setting sale of one of its illustrated folios.

⁠Further details about the episode subject⁠

This is an episode of The Specialist, your weekly dose of wonder. In The Specialist, explore the significance and journey of an extraordinary work through the eyes of those that know it best.

The Specialist is brought to you by Sotheby's Financial Services. SFS offers asset-based loans to unlock the value of your fine art, automobiles and other luxury collectibles.

To step further into the World of Sotheby’s, visit any one of our galleries, which are open to the public. Explore more at⁠ ⁠sothebys.com⁠⁠.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

From Orsay to Auction: The Turbulent Journey of Vollard’s Gauguin, with Aurélie Vandevoorde Jul 29, 2025

On today’s episode, the tangled history of a Paul Gauguin still life – once a fixture at the Musée d’Orsay and originally misappropriated from the estate of renowned art dealer Ambroise Vollard. Aurélie Vandevoorde, Head of Modern and Contemporary Art in Paris and Deputy Chairman of Sotheby’s France, unpacks the complexities of the case and how this masterpiece ultimately found its way back to the market.

Further details about the episode subject

This is an episode of The Specialist, your weekly dose of wonder. In The Specialist, explore the significance and journey of an extraordinary work through the eyes of those that know it best.

The Specialist is brought to you by Sotheby's Financial Services. SFS offers asset-based loans to unlock the value of your fine art, automobiles and other luxury collectibles.

To step further into the World of Sotheby’s, visit any one of our galleries, which are open to the public. Explore more at sothebys.com.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Scream Heard Around the World, with Simon Shaw Jul 29, 2025

More than a masterpiece, The Scream has become a cultural icon. Simon Shaw, Senior Advisor, Impressionist & Modern Art, oversaw the landmark auction of the work, a sale that offers insight into today’s art market and shows how the piece resonates with a universal human truth.

Further details about the episode subject

This is an episode of The Specialist, your weekly dose of wonder. In The Specialist, explore the significance and journey of an extraordinary work through the eyes of those that know it best.

The Specialist is brought to you by Sotheby's Financial Services. SFS offers asset-based loans to unlock the value of your fine art, automobiles and other luxury collectibles.

To step further into the World of Sotheby’s, visit any one of our galleries, which are open to the public. Explore more at ⁠sothebys.com⁠.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Rise of Carrington and the Female Surrealists, with Julian Dawes Jul 29, 2025

When Les Distractions de Dagobert shattered records, it marked not only a market milestone but also a shift in interest toward the female Surrealist market. Julian Dawes, Vice Chairman and Head of Impressionist & Modern Art New York anda driving force behind this shift, reflects on Carrington’s ascent and what it reveals about changing tides in collecting.

Further details about the episode subject

This is an episode of The Specialist, your weekly dose of wonder. In The Specialist, explore the significance and journey of an extraordinary work through the eyes of those that know it best.

The Specialist is brought to you by Sotheby's Financial Services. SFS offers asset-based loans to unlock the value of your fine art, automobiles and other luxury collectibles.

To step further into the World of Sotheby’s, visit any one of our galleries, which are open to the public. Explore more at ⁠sothebys.com⁠.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

A Ten-Year Vermeer Attribution Project, with Gregory Rubinstein Jul 29, 2025

On today’s episode, Head of Old Master and Early British Drawings Worldwide Greg Rubinstein’s journey leading the decade-long effort to reestablish a once-doubted Vermeer as an authentic, autograph work. This extraordinary achievement in scholarship has redefined the painting’s cultural significance and market value.

Further details about the episode subject

This is an episode of The Specialist, your weekly dose of wonder. In The Specialist, explore the significance and journey of an extraordinary work through the eyes of those that know it best.

The Specialist is brought to you by Sotheby's Financial Services. SFS offers asset-based loans to unlock the value of your fine art, automobiles and other luxury collectibles.

To step further into the World of Sotheby’s, visit any one of our galleries, which are open to the public. Explore more at sothebys.com.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Beyond Black: Pierre Soulages' Market Turning Point, with Grégoire Billault Jul 29, 2025

Grégoire Billault’s personal relationship with Pierre Soulages reflects a longstanding commitment to championing the artist on a global stage. The connection culminated in the sale of a work Billault, Chairman of Contemporary Art New York, had followed for more than two decades, showcasing his adroit skill in navigating complex market dynamics.

⁠Further details about the episode subject⁠

This is an episode of The Specialist, your weekly dose of wonder. In The Specialist, explore the significance and journey of an extraordinary work through the eyes of those that know it best.

The Specialist is brought to you by Sotheby's Financial Services. SFS offers asset-based loans to unlock the value of your fine art, automobiles and other luxury collectibles.

To step further into the World of Sotheby’s, visit any one of our galleries, which are open to the public. Explore more at⁠ ⁠sothebys.com⁠⁠.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Chicken Cup: Mankind’s Most Faked Object, with Nicolas Chow Jul 29, 2025

On today’s episode, the story of the Ming dynasty Chicken Cup, one of the most iconic objects in Chinese ceramics, which has followed Nicolas Chow, Chairman, Sotheby’s Asia and Head of Asian Art Worldwide, throughout his career and family ancestry.

Further details about the episode subject

This is an episode of The Specialist, your weekly dose of wonder. In The Specialist, explore the significance and journey of an extraordinary work through the eyes of those that know it best.

The Specialist is brought to you by Sotheby's Financial Services. SFS offers asset-based loans to unlock the value of your fine art, automobiles and other luxury collectibles.

To step further into the World of Sotheby’s, visit any one of our galleries, which are open to the public. Explore more at ⁠sothebys.com⁠.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Clyfford Still: The Mission to Establish a Museum, with Lisa Dennison Jul 29, 2025

In a rare move, four paintings by Abstract Expressionist Clyfford Still were released from the artist’s estate to support the founding of a museum in his honor. Lisa Dennison, Chairman, Sotheby’s Americas, was instrumental in shaping the sale and ensuring it fulfilled its purpose.

Further details about the episode subject

This is an episode of The Specialist, your weekly dose of wonder. In The Specialist, explore the significance and journey of an extraordinary work through the eyes of those that know it best.

The Specialist is brought to you by Sotheby's Financial Services. SFS offers asset-based loans to unlock the value of your fine art, automobiles and other luxury collectibles.

To step further into the World of Sotheby’s, visit any one of our galleries, which are open to the public. Explore more at ⁠sothebys.com⁠.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

A Masterpiece by Kandinsky: A Story of Restitution, with Helena Newman Jul 29, 2025

On today’s episode, a remarkable restitution story involving the loss of a family’s Kandinsky painting in Nazi-era Germany. Helena Newman, Chairman, Sotheby’s Europe and Impressionist & Modern Art Worldwide and a trained classical violinist, brings her love of music’s rhythm and tonality to her appreciation of art, making Kandinsky one of her favourite artists.

Further details about the episode subject

This is an episode of The Specialist, your weekly dose of wonder. In The Specialist, explore the significance and journey of an extraordinary work through the eyes of those that know it best.

The Specialist is brought to you by Sotheby's Financial Services. SFS offers asset-based loans to unlock the value of your fine art, automobiles and other luxury collectibles.

To step further into the World of Sotheby’s, visit any one of our galleries, which are open to the public. Explore more at sothebys.com.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jenny Saville and the Art of the Sale, with Ottilie Windsor Jul 29, 2025

On today’s episode, the alchemy of industry experience, market intelligence and a true passion for art, and how these factors converged in the landmark sale of Jenny Saville’s Shadow Study, orchestrated by Ottilie Windsor, Head of Contemporary Art London.

Further details about the episode subject

This is an episode of The Specialist, your weekly dose of wonder. In The Specialist, explore the significance and journey of an extraordinary work through the eyes of those that know it best.

The Specialist is brought to you by Sotheby's Financial Services. SFS offers asset-based loans to unlock the value of your fine art, automobiles and other luxury collectibles.

To step further into the World of Sotheby’s, visit any one of our galleries, which are open to the public. Explore more at sothebys.com.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Cabinet Detective of Urbino, with Mario Tavella Jul 29, 2025

Commissioned by the Della Rovere family and separated across the centuries, a pair of Renaissance cabinets was finally brought back together. This is a story of friendship and detective work, with Président of Sotheby’s France Mario Tavella’s deep ties to European heritage and cultural institutions making the impossible possible.

This is an episode of The Specialist, your weekly dose of wonder. In The Specialist, explore the significance and journey of an extraordinary work through the eyes of those that know it best.

The Specialist is brought to you by Sotheby's Financial Services. SFS offers asset-based loans to unlock the value of your fine art, automobiles and other luxury collectibles.

To step further into the World of Sotheby’s, visit any one of our galleries, which are open to the public. Explore more at ⁠sothebys.com⁠.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Rediscovery of Rubens’ The Massacre of the Innocents, with George Gordon Jul 29, 2025

Rubens’ early masterpiece The Massacre of the Innocents was hidden away for nearly 250 years. George Gordon, Deputy Chairman, Sotheby’s Europe and Co-Chairman of Old Master Paintings & Drawings Worldwide, spearheaded its discovery, attribution and triumphant sale. More than 20 years on, it retains the record for the highest price paid anywhere for a rediscovered painting.

Further details about the episode subject

This is an episode of The Specialist, your weekly dose of wonder. In The Specialist, explore the significance and journey of an extraordinary work through the eyes of those that know it best.

The Specialist is brought to you by Sotheby's Financial Services. SFS offers asset-based loans to unlock the value of your fine art, automobiles and other luxury collectibles.

To step further into the World of Sotheby’s, visit any one of our galleries, which are open to the public. Explore more at sothebys.com.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Untold Story of the Shredded Banksy, with Alex Branczik Jul 29, 2025

The shredding of Banksy’s Girl with Balloon live at auction in 2018 has gone down in art history. Alex Branczik, Chairman and Head of Modern & Contemporary Art Europe and Asia, reveals how Sotheby’s navigated the newly titled Love is in the Bin through a media storm and into a new market moment.

Further details about the episode subject

This is an episode of The Specialist, your weekly dose of wonder. In The Specialist, explore the significance and journey of an extraordinary work through the eyes of those that know it best.

The Specialist is brought to you by Sotheby's Financial Services. SFS offers asset-based loans to unlock the value of your fine art, automobiles and other luxury collectibles.

To step further into the World of Sotheby’s, visit any one of our galleries, which are open to the public. Explore more at sothebys.com.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Introducing: The Specialist Jul 29, 2025

Introducing The Specialist.

Sotheby’s is the temporary custodian of some of the world’s most rare, remarkable and coveted art and objects. Our global specialists are connoisseurs and market experts in 40 countries and 70 collecting categories. In The Specialist, they will be your guides, exploring the significance and journey of an extraordinary work with those who know it best.

Your weekly dose of wonder is available from June 25th.

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