NEW YORK, NY.- Swann Galleries has announced highlights from their annual sale of American Art,
featuring original works by masters from the nineteenth- through twenty-first centuries. Watercolors, paintings and sculptures by noted practitioners of American schools will be crossing the block on Thursday, June 15, marking the end of the houses successful spring season.
The sale is replete with desirable landscape paintings, including William Glackens' vernal The Beach, Isle Adam, 1925-26. Across the bright canvas one of the artist's most significant works from the mid-1920s bathers relax at a popular locale outside of Paris. The rich, brilliantly lit colors, short brushstrokes, liveliness and motion showcase the artists distinctly American vein of Impressionism (estimate: $500,000 to $800,000).
Further early twentieth-century landscapes include Joseph Kleitsch's idyllic oil painting San Juan Capistrano, 1923, the cover lot for the catalogue, estimated at $100,000 to $150,000, and a bright, stylized landscape by Milton Avery titled Lakeside Trees, 1953 ($30,000 to $50,000). Also available are several watercolors by Charles Burchfield, led by the almost-surreal Untitled (Rainbow on Roof of House), 1916, valued at $15,000 to $20,000.
John Marins recently rediscovered watercolor, Small Point, Maine, from the Bumper, 1928, showcases his signature jaunty angles; the significant work is valued at $50,000 to $80,000. Additional works by Marin include the 1951 watercolor Seascape with Sailboat and a 1942 drawing in colored pencils, crayons and oil stick, titled In the Ring, at the Circus ($10,000 to $15,000 and $6,000 to $9,000, respectively).
As the preeminent source for works by Martin Lewis, Swann Galleries will be offering a rare oil painting by the New York artist, best known for his dramatic prints of city life. The wintry, R.F.D., circa 1933, comes from Lewiss time at artist Armin Landecks home in Connecticut ($3,000 to $4,000).
Works by Abraham Walkowitz are led by the circa 1910 watercolor Abstract Composition, valued at $7,000 to $10,000. Urban scenes by the artist include the 1906 oil painting Venice, and Cityscape, New York, a circa 1914 watercolor ($5,000 to $8,000 and $2,500 to $3,500, respectively). Also available is a selection of the artists well-known watercolor portraits of Isadora Duncan.
The sale will feature a fantastic run of views of New York City by proponents of the Ashcan School including a watercolor by Reginald Marsh of a View of New York from Hoboken, 1940, and Cecil C. Bells oil painting Beneath the El Station, New York, oil on canvas ($4,000 to $6,000 and $2,000 to $3,000, respectively). Leon Dolice and Bernard von Eichman are also represented, as are artists working in the Ashcan style, including Tore Asplund and Miklos Suba.
Two oil paintings by Pavel Tchelitchew will be crossing the block. The circa 1940 Spiritual Scene, valued at $40,000 to $60,000, exemplifies the artists dreamlike landscapes in the style of Néo-Humanisme, while the earlier LAnge (Autoportrait), circa 1915, carries an estimate of $30,000 to $50,000.
Nineteenth-century highlights include Benjamin Champneys breathtaking View of Mt. Washington, from North Conway, an oil painting expected to sell between $15,000 and $20,000. Winslow Homers personal, well-marked copy of The Laws of Contrast of Colour, which he called his bible, and which contains numerous markings, notes and sketches by the artist is valued at $5,000 to $8,000; two sketches from a trip to Bermuda in 1899 have an estimate of $3,000 to $5,000. Watercolor sea- and landscapes by Hugh Bolton Jones, Edward Moran, William Trost Richards, Louis Ritter and George Henry Smilie will also be available.
Bronze sculptures include William Zorachs Seated Nude (Nena), and Lady of Leisure by Saul Baizerman ($4,000 to $6,000 and $2,500 to $3,500, respectively) A run of works by Reuben Nakian is led by Leda and the Swan (Large), 1978, with an estimate of $3,000 to $5,000. Robert Tait McKenzies undated bronze Standing Athlete, and Max Webers circa 1955-60 Three Heads in Profile, are each valued at $3,000 to $5,000.
Walt Kuhn's dramatic 1927 oil portrait of Muriel King, 1927 ($30,000 to $50,000), leads a comprehensive section of portraits with highlights including a run of works by Paul Cadmus, as well as the circa 1930 mixed-media Portrait of Alexander Brook by Miguel Covarrubias, valued at $5,000 to $8,000.
The auction will be held Thursday, June 15, beginning at 1:30 p.m. The auction preview will be open to the public Saturday, June 10, from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m.; Monday, June 12, through Wednesday, June 14, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.; and Thursday, June 15 from 10 a.m. to noon.