Fine Prints & Paintings Upcoming at Skinner
Boston, Mass - August 2012 - Skinner, Inc. will auction prints, photographs, paintings, and sculpture on Friday, September 7th in two sessions at its Boston gallery. The prints and photography portion of the sale will begin at 12 p.m.; the painting and sculpture portion will begin at 4 p.m.
Fine Prints
The Skinner Fine Prints department offers a broad array of fine prints, photography, and multiples spanning the 17th to 21st centuries. The September sale will feature an excellent assortment of works and is highlighted by Spanish artist Joan Miró’s La Fronde (lot 147, estimated between $20,000 and $30,000).
Works by Roy Lichtenstein are also well represented. Highlights include Pyramids (lot 124, $7,000 to $9,000), commissioned for the Print Collectors of the Friends of Art, Kansas City, Missouri - a group associated with the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, Kansas City, Shipboard Girl from 1965 (lot 122, $7,000 to $9,000), and the quintessential Lichtenstein cartoon pop-art piece titled . . . Huh? (lot 125, $7,000 to $9,000).
Photography
Ansel Adams’s Dawn, Autumn, Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Tennessee from 1948 (lot 211, $8,000 to $12,000) is one of an impressive group of works by the artist to be featured. Others include Zabriskie Point, Death Valley National Monument from 1942 (lot 210, $4,000 to $6,000), and Dead Tree, Sunset Crater National Monument, Arizona from 1947 (lot 213, $3,000 to $5,000). Adams is recognized for his magnificent use of burning and dodging techniques to create the rich look of his iconic landscapes.
Four works by Henri Cartier-Bresson will be offered, including Abruzzo, Aquila from 1951 (lot 221, $8,000 to $10,000) and Bougival, Yvelines, France from 1956 (lot 222, $7,000 to $9,000). Cartier-Bresson sought the spontaneous and unscripted moments in life, and did so without any sort of manipulation of his images. He refused to use filters and rarely even cropped his compositions once he had taken the picture.
An interesting collection of surreal images by Jerry Uelsmann acquired from a private estate will be offered. The two untitled works include one depicting a double-spired stump (lot 252, $1,000 to $1,500) and another of a “floating tree” (lot 250, $1,000 to $1,500).
Fine Paintings
Fine paintings range from old masters to contemporary artists. The cover lot, Nude (Giverny) by Frederick Carl Frieseke (lot 614, $60,000 to $80,000), was painted during the artist’s first years in Giverny and demonstrates the influence of Impressionism, and, specifically, Renoir and Monet. Frieseke was a key figure of “The Giverny Group,” a cadre of American artists working in France in the early 20th century.
Willem Claesz Heda’s Still Life with Tazza, Peeled Lemon, and Roemer (lot 300, $30,000 to $50,000) is a fine example of the Dutch master’s skill at introducing a hint of disorder into the otherwise characteristically serene still life. Heda is known for keenly observed compositions rendered in delicate gray and silver tones, set against grey-green backgrounds. His works brilliantly capture the depth of textures and surfaces.
A number of beautiful American still lifes, including fine examples from the Fall River School, will also be featured. Highlights include William Mason Brown’s Fruit Still Life En Plein Air (lot 438, $40,000 to $60,000) , Robert Spear Dunning’s Tabletop Still Life with Fruit (lot 439, $30,000 to $50,000) and Still Life with Apples, Pears, Peaches, Plum, Orange, and Grapes by Bryant Chapin (lot 440, $6,000 to $8,000).
The sale features a strong set of marine paintings from an important Cincinnati collection. Highlights include Queen of the Seas by William Bradford (lot 416, $120,000 to $180,000), U.S.S. Pennsylvania by Thomas Birch (lot 415, $20,000 to $30,000), and New Bedford Harbor at Sunset by Charles Henry Gifford (lot 414, $15,000 to $20,000).
Walasse Ting’s Milky Way (lot 712, $30,000 to $40,000) leads offerings of contemporary works. Ting was committed to Abstract Expressionism well beyond its heyday; however, his interpretation is uniquely lighthearted. Ting’s work makes use of Day-Glo colors and luscious subject matter. His joyful, life-affirming approach presents a more innocent view of the world than those of his close friends Karel Appel and Pierre Alechinsky. Ting’s world is filled with simple pleasures and natural themes: a summer rainstorm, a field of flowers, or constellations in the sky, as shown in the present work.
A notable pencil drawing by the visionary outsider artist Martin Ramirez, Untitled, depicts a deer (lot 718, $120,000 to $140,000). After living as a poor farmer in Mexico, Ramirez immigrated to California where he worked on railroads and mines. Institutionalized and diagnosed as manic-depressive, Ramirez was a self-taught artist who often drew pictures to send to his family back in Mexico.
Fine Sculpture
Sculpture offerings are highlighted by an impressive grouping by Frenchman Antoine-Louis Barye. One example, Lion au serpent (lot 357, $10,000 to $15,000) demonstrates Barye’s abilities as a keen observer of animals and is illustrative of his mastery of detail.
Other noteworthy sculptures include Harriet Whitney Frishmuth’s bronze Play Days (lot 612, $12,000 to $18,000) and Paul Howard Manship’s Young Minerva (lot 613, $30,000 to $50,000). In 1911, Manship was immersed in three years of study at the American Academy in Rome, having been awarded the American Prix de Rome in 1909. He returned to New York in the fall of 1912. In February of 1913, the American Academy in Rome presented an exhibition of works by Manship and two other Fellows at The Architectural League in New York, where Manship showed ten pieces done in Rome, including Young Minerva, to critical acclaim.
Previews, Catalogue and Bidding
Previews for the auction will be held on Wednesday, September 5, 2012, 12 p.m.-5 p.m., and Thursday, September 6, 12 p.m.-8 p.m., and Friday, September 7, 2012, 9 a.m.-10 a.m. Department Director, Robin Starr, will offer a gallery walk of selected works on Thursday, September 6, 2012. The gallery walk will begin at 6:00 p.m. preceded by a reception at 5:30 p.m. To register, please visit: http://bit.ly/art-walk-sept7.
Illustrated catalogue #2609B is available from the subscription department at 508-970-3240. It is also available at the gallery. Prices realized will be available at www.skinnerinc.com during and after the sale. Skinner's site also allows users to view all lots in the auctions, leave bids, order catalogues, and bid live in real-time through SkinnerLive! Like us on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/skinnerauctions or http://www.facebook.com/pages/Skinner-Inc-Department-of-American-and-European-Paintings-and-Prints/126191337613.
About Skinner
Skinner, Inc. is one of the world’s leading auction houses for antiques and fine art. With expertise in over 20 specialty collecting areas, Skinner draws the interest of buyers from all over the world and its auctions regularly achieve world record prices. Skinner provides a broad range of auction and appraisal services, and it is widely regarded as one of the most trusted names in the auction business. Skinner’s appraisal experts regularly appear on the PBS-TV series, Antiques Roadshow, and its specialty departments include American Furniture & Decorative Arts, American & European Works of Art, European Furniture & Decorative Arts, 20th Century Design, Fine Ceramics, Fine Silver, Fine Jewelry, Couture, Fine Musical Instruments, Asian Works of Art, Fine Wines, Rare Books & Manuscripts, Oriental Rugs & Carpets, American Indian & Ethnographic Art, Fine Judaica, Antique Motor Vehicles, Toys, Dolls & Collectibles, Discovery and Science, Technology & Clocks. Skinner galleries are located in Boston and Marlborough, Mass. For more information on upcoming auctions and events, visit Skinner’s web site www.skinnerinc.com.
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Fine Prints
The Skinner Fine Prints department offers a broad array of fine prints, photography, and multiples spanning the 17th to 21st centuries. The September sale will feature an excellent assortment of works and is highlighted by Spanish artist Joan Miró’s La Fronde (lot 147, estimated between $20,000 and $30,000).
Works by Roy Lichtenstein are also well represented. Highlights include Pyramids (lot 124, $7,000 to $9,000), commissioned for the Print Collectors of the Friends of Art, Kansas City, Missouri - a group associated with the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, Kansas City, Shipboard Girl from 1965 (lot 122, $7,000 to $9,000), and the quintessential Lichtenstein cartoon pop-art piece titled . . . Huh? (lot 125, $7,000 to $9,000).
Photography
Ansel Adams’s Dawn, Autumn, Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Tennessee from 1948 (lot 211, $8,000 to $12,000) is one of an impressive group of works by the artist to be featured. Others include Zabriskie Point, Death Valley National Monument from 1942 (lot 210, $4,000 to $6,000), and Dead Tree, Sunset Crater National Monument, Arizona from 1947 (lot 213, $3,000 to $5,000). Adams is recognized for his magnificent use of burning and dodging techniques to create the rich look of his iconic landscapes.
Four works by Henri Cartier-Bresson will be offered, including Abruzzo, Aquila from 1951 (lot 221, $8,000 to $10,000) and Bougival, Yvelines, France from 1956 (lot 222, $7,000 to $9,000). Cartier-Bresson sought the spontaneous and unscripted moments in life, and did so without any sort of manipulation of his images. He refused to use filters and rarely even cropped his compositions once he had taken the picture.
An interesting collection of surreal images by Jerry Uelsmann acquired from a private estate will be offered. The two untitled works include one depicting a double-spired stump (lot 252, $1,000 to $1,500) and another of a “floating tree” (lot 250, $1,000 to $1,500).
Fine Paintings
Fine paintings range from old masters to contemporary artists. The cover lot, Nude (Giverny) by Frederick Carl Frieseke (lot 614, $60,000 to $80,000), was painted during the artist’s first years in Giverny and demonstrates the influence of Impressionism, and, specifically, Renoir and Monet. Frieseke was a key figure of “The Giverny Group,” a cadre of American artists working in France in the early 20th century.
Willem Claesz Heda’s Still Life with Tazza, Peeled Lemon, and Roemer (lot 300, $30,000 to $50,000) is a fine example of the Dutch master’s skill at introducing a hint of disorder into the otherwise characteristically serene still life. Heda is known for keenly observed compositions rendered in delicate gray and silver tones, set against grey-green backgrounds. His works brilliantly capture the depth of textures and surfaces.
A number of beautiful American still lifes, including fine examples from the Fall River School, will also be featured. Highlights include William Mason Brown’s Fruit Still Life En Plein Air (lot 438, $40,000 to $60,000) , Robert Spear Dunning’s Tabletop Still Life with Fruit (lot 439, $30,000 to $50,000) and Still Life with Apples, Pears, Peaches, Plum, Orange, and Grapes by Bryant Chapin (lot 440, $6,000 to $8,000).
The sale features a strong set of marine paintings from an important Cincinnati collection. Highlights include Queen of the Seas by William Bradford (lot 416, $120,000 to $180,000), U.S.S. Pennsylvania by Thomas Birch (lot 415, $20,000 to $30,000), and New Bedford Harbor at Sunset by Charles Henry Gifford (lot 414, $15,000 to $20,000).
Walasse Ting’s Milky Way (lot 712, $30,000 to $40,000) leads offerings of contemporary works. Ting was committed to Abstract Expressionism well beyond its heyday; however, his interpretation is uniquely lighthearted. Ting’s work makes use of Day-Glo colors and luscious subject matter. His joyful, life-affirming approach presents a more innocent view of the world than those of his close friends Karel Appel and Pierre Alechinsky. Ting’s world is filled with simple pleasures and natural themes: a summer rainstorm, a field of flowers, or constellations in the sky, as shown in the present work.
A notable pencil drawing by the visionary outsider artist Martin Ramirez, Untitled, depicts a deer (lot 718, $120,000 to $140,000). After living as a poor farmer in Mexico, Ramirez immigrated to California where he worked on railroads and mines. Institutionalized and diagnosed as manic-depressive, Ramirez was a self-taught artist who often drew pictures to send to his family back in Mexico.
Fine Sculpture
Sculpture offerings are highlighted by an impressive grouping by Frenchman Antoine-Louis Barye. One example, Lion au serpent (lot 357, $10,000 to $15,000) demonstrates Barye’s abilities as a keen observer of animals and is illustrative of his mastery of detail.
Other noteworthy sculptures include Harriet Whitney Frishmuth’s bronze Play Days (lot 612, $12,000 to $18,000) and Paul Howard Manship’s Young Minerva (lot 613, $30,000 to $50,000). In 1911, Manship was immersed in three years of study at the American Academy in Rome, having been awarded the American Prix de Rome in 1909. He returned to New York in the fall of 1912. In February of 1913, the American Academy in Rome presented an exhibition of works by Manship and two other Fellows at The Architectural League in New York, where Manship showed ten pieces done in Rome, including Young Minerva, to critical acclaim.
Previews, Catalogue and Bidding
Previews for the auction will be held on Wednesday, September 5, 2012, 12 p.m.-5 p.m., and Thursday, September 6, 12 p.m.-8 p.m., and Friday, September 7, 2012, 9 a.m.-10 a.m. Department Director, Robin Starr, will offer a gallery walk of selected works on Thursday, September 6, 2012. The gallery walk will begin at 6:00 p.m. preceded by a reception at 5:30 p.m. To register, please visit: http://bit.ly/art-walk-sept7.
Illustrated catalogue #2609B is available from the subscription department at 508-970-3240. It is also available at the gallery. Prices realized will be available at www.skinnerinc.com during and after the sale. Skinner's site also allows users to view all lots in the auctions, leave bids, order catalogues, and bid live in real-time through SkinnerLive! Like us on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/skinnerauctions or http://www.facebook.com/pages/Skinner-Inc-Department-of-American-and-European-Paintings-and-Prints/126191337613.
About Skinner
Skinner, Inc. is one of the world’s leading auction houses for antiques and fine art. With expertise in over 20 specialty collecting areas, Skinner draws the interest of buyers from all over the world and its auctions regularly achieve world record prices. Skinner provides a broad range of auction and appraisal services, and it is widely regarded as one of the most trusted names in the auction business. Skinner’s appraisal experts regularly appear on the PBS-TV series, Antiques Roadshow, and its specialty departments include American Furniture & Decorative Arts, American & European Works of Art, European Furniture & Decorative Arts, 20th Century Design, Fine Ceramics, Fine Silver, Fine Jewelry, Couture, Fine Musical Instruments, Asian Works of Art, Fine Wines, Rare Books & Manuscripts, Oriental Rugs & Carpets, American Indian & Ethnographic Art, Fine Judaica, Antique Motor Vehicles, Toys, Dolls & Collectibles, Discovery and Science, Technology & Clocks. Skinner galleries are located in Boston and Marlborough, Mass. For more information on upcoming auctions and events, visit Skinner’s web site www.skinnerinc.com.
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