Early European Sculpture & Works of Art

Contact

• London

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    Donald Johnston

    International Head of Department

    Donald Johnston

    International Head of Department

    djohnston@christies.com+44 20 7389 2331

    During a career at Christie's that began in 1990, Donald Johnston’s knowledge of early European sculpture (Mediaeval, Renaissance, Baroque and Neo-classical) has helped shape numerous European sales which feature sculpture. His successes include the recent sale of a bronze group by Ferdinando Tacca from the French Royal collection for over £6,700,000 (2018) and the Beauneveu lions from the tomb of Charles V of France for over £9,300,000, a world record for a medieval work of art at auction (2017). He was also instrumental in the sale of a previously unrecorded bronze Bacchic figure by Adriaen de Vries dated 1626 which sold in December 2014 for $27,800,000 - a world record for any piece of early European sculpture at auction. Other spectacular sales to which Mr. Johnston has contributed include the Abbott Guggenheim Collection (2015), medieval works of art from The Marquet de Vasselot Collection (2011), the Collection Yves Saint Laurent and Pierre Berge (2009), Ancienne Collection Charles Gillot (March 2008), Ancienne Collection du Baron Hottinguer (December 2003), Works of Art from the Wernher Collection (July 2000), The Collection of the Barons Nathaniel and Albert von Rothschild (July 1999), Wentworth (July 1998), and Works of Art from the Bute Collection (July 1996). He has also been instrumental in negotiating the private sale of a number of high value items to both private collectors and international institutions. A graduate of Trinity College, Toronto, Mr. Johnston also holds an M.A. in English Renaissance History from the University of Toronto, and continued his studies at Christie's Education in London with a Diploma from the Royal Society of Arts.

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    Scarlett Walsh

    Junior Specialist

    Scarlett Walsh

    Junior Specialist

    swalsh@christies.com+44 207 389 2333

    Scarlett Walsh joined Christie’s in 2018 as a Global Graduate Trainee based in London. The programme saw her work across six departments ranging from Old Master Paintings to Books & Manuscripts to Post-War & Contemporary Art. She joined the Early European Sculpture Department as a Junior Specialist in the Spring of 2020.
    
    Scarlett graduated from the University of Cambridge with a BA in History of Art, followed by a Master’s degree from The Courtauld Institute of Art where she specialised in the visual culture of medieval Italy, with a particular focus on Sienese artists.

• New York

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    Will Russell

    Specialist Head of Department

    Will Russell

    Specialist Head of Department

    WRussell@christies.com+1 212 636 2525

    For almost 20 years, Will Russell has worked in the Decorative Arts and Sculpture Departments at Christie's. He joined Christie’s in 2000, just in time for the spectacular sale of French decorative arts from the Riahi Collection that realized $40 million, the highest total for a single-owner sale of French furniture at auction. Two years later, Will organized the Malmaison Sale of Roger Prigent's iconic collection of decorative arts from the 18th through 20th centuries. Since 2005, Will has been responsible for sculpture and works of arts - objects ranging in date from the 12th through early 19th centuries - for North, Central and South America.
    
    Will works closely with his London and Paris Sculpture Department colleagues and, together, they have sold some of the most important sculpture ever to come to auction or private sale. In 2015, Will organized the sale of the Abbott-Guggenheim collection which totaled $14 million and remains the largest sculpture collection sold at auction. In 2014, Christie’s, New York, sold the Rijksmuseum the Bacchic Figure by Adrien de Vries which, at $27 million, remains the world record price for a piece of European Sculpture at auction. Will, drawing on his years spent in the curatorial departments of 3 major museums, has also worked closely with almost every important United States museum on their de-accessioned sculpture and works of art including the Harvard University Art Museums, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Louisville’s Speed Museum, the Toledo and Columbus Museums of Art, and the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco, among many others.
    
    A graduate of Connecticut College, Will received his M.A. degree in 1991 after graduate work at New York University's Institute of Fine Arts and Princeton University. This was followed by fellowships in the Sculpture and Decorative Arts Departments at the J. Paul Getty Museum and the Minneapolis Institute of Arts. From 1996-2000, Will was the curator of the most important private collection in the Czech Republic, the Lobkowicz Collections, at Prague Castle and Nelahozeves Castle.

• Paris

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    Alexandre Mordret-Isambert

    Associate Specialist

    Alexandre Mordret-Isambert

    Associate Specialist

    amordret@christies.com+33 (0)1 40 76 72 63

    Alexandre Mordret-Isambert joined Christie's Paris in 2021 as an associate specialist in early European sculpture (medieval, Renaissance, baroque, neoclassical and 19th century). Alexandre is a graduate of the Université Panthéon-Assas, the École Pratique des Hautes Études-Sorbonne and the École du Louvre. After several years of experience in institutions such as the Louvre, the Museum of Decorative Arts in Paris and the French Mobilier National, Alexandre began working for international auction houses. Subsequently, he worked as a specialist for an expertise company dealing in sculpture and art objects from the Middle Ages to the 18th century.
    
    Alexandre is still a teacher in Sculpture and Decorative Arts at the École du Louvre. Alexandre also assists a number of important international collectors in building their collections.