Outstanding Offerings
Swann Auction Galleries holds its American art sale on September 17
Swann Auction Galleries holds its American art sale on September 17
September 17
Swann Auction Galleries 104 E. 25th Street
New York, NY 10010 t: (212) 254-4710 www.swanngalleries.com
The upcoming sale of American art, held by Swann Auction Galleries in Newyork, will feature a variety of two-dimensional artwork, including oils, watercolors and drawings, from noteworthy 19th- and 20th-century artists.“we are excited to offer a wide range of American artists from the late 19th century through the mid-20th century,” says Lisa Crescenzo, manager of Swann’s prints and drawings department.“among our top lots are works by Childe Hassam,anna Mary Robertson Moses, Marsden Hartley, Alfred T. Bricher, Severin Roesen,
John Marin, Reginald Marsh, Charles Burchfield and Joseph Stella.the auction encompasses the visions of Hudson River School, impressionism, regionalism, social realism and early modernism.”
Among the highlights in the sale is an 1891 watercolor and gouache by John La Farge titled Reminiscence of Sunset,tahiti, near Tautira (est. $10/15,000).“This work on paper comes to us from a renowned New Jersey collection.the work also gives us an insight to La Farge’s working process, an inscription by the artist on the verso ‘Man should drag boat not seen’ indicates that he likely intended to use the watercolor, drawn in plein air during his Tahitian sojourn, later for a full-scale painting.the small sheet size and brushwork in the margins familiarize us with artist’s process during his well-documented travels in the South Seas at the turn of the century,” says Crescenzo.
Three paintings by seascape painter Bricher, known for his breathtaking depictions of the North Atlantic coast, will be up for grabs in the upcoming sale. Grand Manan, an oil on canvas painted around 1875, is estimated to sell between $15,000 and $20,000. “[This] painting depicts the rocky cliffs of Grand Manan island in New Brunswick, Canada.this place was one
of his favorite subjects, which captivated him for over 15 years,” Crescenzo explains. “There are several prominent museums with Grand Manan paintings in their collections, such as the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Smithsonian American Art Museum and the Indianapolis Museum of Art.”
Several notable watercolors by Hassam will be available as well, including A Shady Spot (est. $80/120,000) and Sailboat off the Coast, Isle of Shoals (est. $30/50,000). “[These] two brilliant watercolors by Childe Hassam, from a private collection, were acquired within a decade of their creation dates and have remained within the same family collection ever since,” Crescenzo notes.“these artworks exhibit the artist’s impressionist style and both emulate relaxing, quiet, summer days on the Isles of Shoals. Hassam made yearly trips to this destination, specifically to Celia Thaxter’s cottage on Appledore Island. From 1890 and 1894, Hassam painted numerous views from the wrap around porch, details of her vibrant flower garden and interior scenes. He continued to travel there through 1912.” Swann’s American art sale takes place September 17.