BOSTON, MA – January 7, 2015 –Skinner, Inc. will host an exceptional auction of American & European Works of Art on January 23rd, beginning with a strong selection of prints and photographs at 12 p.m. followed by fine paintings and sculpture at 4 p.m.
According to Robin Starr, Director of American& European Works of Art at Skinner, “The January auction features quintessential works by important American artists including James A.M. Whistler, Frank Weston Benson, Alfred Stieglitz, and Irving Ramsey Wiles. We are pleased to start the new year with such a robust assortment.”
Fine Paintings & Sculpture
A stellar section of American paintings is led by Frank Weston Benson’s Figure in White (Lot 495, estimate $350,000 to $550,000), a classic Boston School painting that was exhibited at the World’s Columbian Exposition in Chicago in 1893, as was Irving Ramsey Wiles’ Sunlight in the Studio(Lot 490, $100,000 to $150,000). A beautiful portrait by John Singleton Copley (Lot 370, $150,000 to 200,000), a still life by John Frederick Peto (Lot 390, $15,000 to $25,000), and rich landscapes by William Bradford and David Howard Hitchcock further highlight American offerings at auction.
A broad range of European paintings on the block includes an intimate Madonna and Child attributed to Northern Renaissance painter Adriaen Isenbrant (Lot 300, $25,000 to $35,000); Jean Baptiste Greuze’s Bust of a Child (Lot 311, $8,000 to $12,000), which descended through several generations of a New York family beginning in 1859; Charles Joseph Frederic Soulacroix’s exquisite A Peek Behind the Curtain (Lot 345, $20,000 to $30,000); and works from The Estate of Sir Alasdair Munro, the sixth Baronet of Lindertis.
Mario Carreño’s Cubist-influenced Tropical Splendor is a standout among the auction’s Modern paintings (Lot 538, $30,000 to $50,000), as is the vibrant Catedral by fellow Cuban artist René Portocarrero (Lot 484, $8,000 to $12,000). A watercolor by Otto Dix (Lot 566, $15,000 to $25,000) and Georgia O’Keeffe’s wonderfully subtle Banyan Tree with Palms, a rare drawing from the artist’s Bermuda sojourn (Lot 582, $40,000 to $60,000), shine among modern works on paper at auction.
Sculpture highlights include desirable pieces by Alexander Calder (Lot 556, $40,000 to $60,000), Frederic Remington (Lot 391, $25,000 to $35,000) and Henry Moore (Lot 609, $15,000 to $25,000).
Fine Prints
A superb assortment of over 100 fine prints spans periods from Old Master to modern and contemporary. Dürer (Lots 45 – 47), Rembrandt (Lots 99 and 100, $3,500 to $5,500 and $500 to $700) and Raimondi (Lot 97, $800 to $1,200) are well represented among Old Masters at auction. A spectacular lithotint by James A.M Whistler depicting the Thames at dusk (Lot 123, $5,000 to $7,000) is a wonderful and evocative example of the artist’s nocturnes.A selection of prints by Picasso will also be available, in addition to several of his Madoura ceramic works, exemplified by Face and Owl, 1958 (Lot 96, $10,000 to $15,000).
Modern and contemporary highlights include examples by Sam Francis, Robert Motherwell and ZaoWou-Ki, in addition to three choice prints by Sol LeWitt (Lot 74 – 76). Among Andy Warhol screenprints at auction is Plate Seven from FLASH – NOVEMBER 22, 1963, (Lot 117, $4,000 to $6,000).
Fine Photographs
Skinner will spotlight an excellent selection of fine photographs, with more than 60 lots representing some of the medium’s most important names and iconic images, including Alfred Stieglitz’s influential work, The Steerage, 1907, printed in 1915 (Lot 132, $12,000 to $18,000). Also available,on the eve of its 40th anniversary,is Nicholas Nixon’s first photograph in The Brown Sisters series (Lot 184, $3,000 to $5,000). Steve McCurry’s historic portrait, Afghan Girl, Refugee Camp, Pakistan, from 1984, will be on the block (Lot 189, $5,000 to $7,000), as will the Starn Twins’ Untitled (Diptych), 1988 (Lot 192, $4,000 to $6,000), featuring imagery based on John Singleton Copley’s Watson and the Shark (1778).
Rounding out the auction are sought-after images by Walker Evans, Robert Frank, Edward Weston, Aaron Siskind, Bill Brandt, Manuel Alvarez Bravo, Ansel Adams and Andy Warhol.
Previews, Catalog, Events, and Bidding
Previews will be held on Wednesday, January 21st, from noon to 5 p.m.; Thursday, January 22nd, from noon to 8 p.m.; and Friday, January 23rd, from 9 a.m. to 10 a.m.
Illustrated catalogs are available from the Subscription Department, at 508-970-3240, or from the Gallery. Prices realized will be available online, at www.skinnerinc.com, both during and after the sale. The Skinner website enables users to view every lot in the auctions, leave bids, order catalogs and bid live, in real-time, through SkinnerLive!
About Skinner
Skinner auctions draw international interest from buyers and consignors alike, with material regularly achieving record prices. The company’s auction and appraisal services focus on fine art, jewelry, furniture, and decorative arts from around the globe, as well as wine, fine musical instruments, rare books, clocks, Judaica, and more. Monthly Skinner Discovery auctions feature a breadth of estate material. Widely regarded as one of the most trusted names in the business, Skinner appraisers have appeared on the PBS-TV series Antiques Roadshow since the show’s inception. Skinner has galleries in Boston and Marlborough, Massachusetts, and in Coral Gables, Florida, with an international audience of bidders participating in person, by phone, and online through the SkinnerLive! online bidding platform. For more information and to read our blog, visit the website at www.skinnerinc.com, find us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/skinnerauctions, or follow us on Twitter @Skinnerinc.
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Contacts
Robin S.R. Starr
Director of American & European Works of Art
508-970-3206
paintings@skinnerinc.com