If there is a consistent thread that runs through all sales hosted by Palm Beach Modern Auctions, it’s the level of great quality that comes from thoughtful curation. Each of their lively auction events includes the best of modern and contemporary art, furniture, and fine jewelry from consignors in Palm Beach and other upscale Florida communities, as well as the Hamptons and New York City. PBMA’s June 2nd auction features more than 520 lots of expertly selected fine art, including original works, editions and sculptures; furniture by important 20th-century designers, Picasso pottery, and a single-owner collection of prestigious timepieces. Their catalog is every modern and contemporary collector’s wish book, with its accurate descriptions, photos taken from multiple angles, and a strong emphasis on providing each item’s line of provenance.

Researchers in Peru believe they have traced the origins of the Incas — the largest pre-Hispanic civilization in the Americas — through the DNA of the modern-day descendants of their emperors. From their ancient capital Cusco, the Incas controlled a vast empire called Tahuantinsuyo, which extended from the west of present-day Argentina to the south of Colombia. They ruled for more than two hundred years before being conquered by the invading Spanish in the 16th century. The empire included the mountain-top citadel of Machu Picchu in modern-day Peru — now a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a major tourist attraction. After becoming fascinated by the Inca culture, their organizational skills and their mastery of engineering, researchers Ricardo Fujita and Jose Sandoval of Lima’s University of San Martin de Porresit became interested in the genetic profile of their descendants.

Russian police on Saturday said they arrested a man for vandalising one of the best known works of 19th century painter Ilya Repin, depicting Ivan the Terrible killing his son, at a gallery in Moscow. Police said the man used a metal pole to break the glass covering Repin’s world famous painting of the 16th century Russian Tsar, titled “Ivan the Terrible and his Son Ivan on November 16, 1581.” The Tretyakov Gallery said the work was “seriously damaged” as a result. “The canvas has been ripped in three place in the central part of the Tsar’s son. The original frame suffered from the breaking of the glass,” the gallery said in a statement. “Thankfully the most valuable part was not damaged,” it added, referring to the face and hands of the Tsar and his son, the Tsarevich. The statement added that the incident took place late on Friday, just before the museum closed. “The man entered the already