Art/Auctions: American Art at Christie's New York May 21, 2015

By Carter B. Horsley

This auction of American Paintings May 20, 2015 at Christie's New York is highlighted by a very fine East River skyline pastel by Georgia O'Keefe, a wonderful and very colorful Oscar Bluemner, an unusual Arthur Dove, an interesting John Marin, a wonderful watercolor by John Singer Sargent, a very lovely Hudson River School landscape by Albert Bierstadt, a good Grand Canyon scene and two fine Venetian scenes by Thomas Moran, and a fine Artic scene by William Bradford.

The auction total was $29,822,500 with about 73 percent of the 74 offered lots selling.

A separate auction of American paintings from the William I. Koch Collection sold for $17,189,125 with the top lot being "The Cliffs of Green River, Wyoming" by Thomas Moran that sold for $8,565,000 including the buyer's premium as do all results mentioned in this article.

Lot 5, "East River with Sun," is a superb pastel on paperboard by Georgia O'Keeffe (1887-1986). It measures 11 by 28 inches and was painted in 1926. It was exhibited in the "City of Ambition" exhibition at the Whitney Museum of American Art in 1996 and is closely related to a gelatin silver print of the same vista by Alfred Steglitz, the dealer and her husband from about the same period that is in the collection of the National Gallery of Art in Washington. The view was from their 30th floor apartment at the Shelton Hotel on Lexington Avenue. This lot has has an estimate of $2,500,000 to $3,500,000. It sold for $3,189,000.

Lot 58, "Triad Brilliant, Passaic River Hills," by Oscar Bluemner, oil on panel, 23 by 30 inches, 1932

Lot 58, "Triad Brilliant, Passaic River Hills" is a brilliant and superb oil on panel by Oscar Bluemner (1867-1938). It measures 23 by 30 inches and was painted in 1932.

The catalogue entry provides the following commentary:

"Given the nickname of 'Vermillionaire," Bluemner is most renowned for the vibrant colors, particularly red, which he utilized to create this psychologically intense atmosphere in his paintings. Manifesting Bluemner's powerful use of color to full potential, Triad Brilliant, Passaic River Hills distills the artist's most imprtant and well-known subject [the brick red factories of Patterson, New Jersey] into a modern, musical arrangement of the classic American trio of red, white and blue."

It was sold for $449,500 at Christie's December 5, 2002 when it had an estimate of $500,000 to $700,000. This time it has a modest estimate of $1,500,000 to $2,500,000. Inexplicably, considering its size, composition, great title, and color, it failed to sell.

Lot 6, "Boat Going Through Inlet," by Arthur Dove, oil on tin, 20 1/4 by 28 1/4 inches, circa 1929

Lot 6 is is a strong oil on tin by Arthur Dove (1880-1946) entitled "Boat Going Through Inlet." It measures 20 1/4 by 28 1/4 inches and was painted circa 1929. It was shown at An American Place in 1930 and at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art in 1947. The catalogue entry notes that the artist and Helen Torr moved aboard a 42-foot sailboat called "Mona" and docked in 1929 at the Ketewomoke Yacht Club in Halesite on Long Island Sound and a photograph in the entry suggests the painting depicts "Mona." It has an estimate of $2,500,000 to $3,500,000. It sold for $5,429,000.

Lot 2, "Sea Piece," by John Marin, oil on canvas, 25 by 30 inches, 1951

Lot 2, "Sea Piece," is an oil on canvas by John Marin (1870-1953) that was painted in 1951 and measures 25 by 30 inches. It is unusually because the artist employed many squiggly angular lines in a calligraphic fashion with the result that the composition conveys a great deal of motion as well as appearing much like a watercolor. It has a modest estimate of $60,000 to $80,000. It sold for $185,000.

Lot 44, "Flotsam and Jetsam," by John Singer Sargent, watercolor, gouache and pencil on paper, 13 3/8 by 18 1/4 inches, circa 1908

Lot 44 is a fine watercolor, gouache and pencil on paper by John Singer Sargent (1856-1925) that is entitled "Flotsam and Jetsam." It measures 13 3/8 by 18 1/4 inches and was painted circa 1908. It was once in the collection of The Brooklyn Museum, Payne Whitney and Joan Whitney Payson and has been widely exhibited and published. It has an estimate of $800,000 to $1,200,000. It failed to sell.

Lot 10, "Two Puritans," by Edward Hopper, oil on canvas, 30 by 40 inches, 1945

Lot 10 is a large oil on canvas by Edward Hopper (1882-1967) entitled "Two Puritans" that is the back-cover illustration of the auction catalogue and has been widely published. It measures 30 by 40 inches and was painted in 1945. It is the back cover illustration of the catalogue. It has an ambitious estimate of $20,000,000 to $30,000,000. It failed to sell.

Lot 9, "Ozark Autumn," by Thomas Hart Benton, oil and tempera on board, 20 1/2 by 32 inches, 1949

Lot 9, "Ozark Autumn," is an oil and tempera on board by Thomas Hart Benton (1889-1975). Ie measures 20 1/2 by 32 inches and was painted in 1949. It has an estimate of $2,000,000 to $3,000,000. It sold for $4,869,000.

Lot 33, "Cascading Falls," by Albert Bierstadt, oil on canvas, 44 by 36 inches, 1863

Lot 33 is a wonderful forest scene by Albert Bierstadt (1830-1902) entitled "Cascading Falls." An oil on canvas, it measures 44 by 36 inches and was painted in 1863. It has a modest estimate of $1,500,000 to $2,500,000. It sold for $1,205,000.

Lot 18, "Mount Newport on Mount Desert Island," by Frederic Edwin Church, oil on canvas, 17 1/4 by 25 inches, circa 1851-3

Lot 18 is a nice Maine landscape scene by Frederic Edwin Church (1826-1900) entitled "Mount Newport on Mount Desert Island." It is the cover illustration of the catalogue. It measures 17 1/4 by 25 inches and was painted circa 1851-3.

Detail of Lot 18

It has an estimate of $5,000,000 to $7,000,000. It failed to sell.

Lot 38, "Sunset," by Thomas Moran, oil on canvas, 14 by 20 inches, 1922

Lot 38 is a nice Western landscape by Thomas Moran (1837-1926) entitled "Sunset." An oil on canvas, it measures 14 by 20 inches and was painted in 1922. It has a modest estimate of $100,000 to $150,000. It sold for $215,000.

Lot 41, "Grand Canal, Venice," by Thomas Moran, oil on canvas, 20 by 30 inches, 1905

Lot 41 is a lovely Venetian scene by Thomas Moran entitled "Grand Canal, Venice." An oil on canvas, it measures 20 by 30 inches and was painted in 1905. It has an estimate of $100,000 to $150,000. It sold for $167,000.

Lot 40, "Venice, Sunset behind Santa Maria," by Thomas Moran, oil on canvas, 20 by 30 inches, 1898

Lot 40 is a good Venetian scene by Moran entitled "Venice, Sunset behind Santa Maria." An oil on canvas, it measures 20 by 30 inches and was painted in 1898. It has an estimate of $80,000 to $120,000. It sold for $149,000.

Lot 39, "Indian Retreat," by Thomas Moran, oil on canvas, 31 by 13 inches, 1896

Lot 39 is a very good vertical landscape by Thomas Moran entitled "Indian Retreat." An oil on canvas, it measures 31 by 13 inches and was painted in 1896. The catalogue entry notes that the painting was "likely originally part of the composition for Blue Beard's Castle," described in the artist's journal. It has an estimate of $70,000 to $100,000. It sold for $62,500.

Lot 17, "Midnight Sun, The Artic," by William Bradford, oil on canvas, 30 1/4 by 48 1/4 inhches, 1878

Lot 17 is a fine oil on canvas by William Bradford (1823-1892) entitled "Midnight Sun, The Artic." It measures 30 1/4 by 48 1/4 inches and was painted in 1878.

Detail of Lot 17

It has a modest estimate of $500,000 to $700,000. It sold for $1,445,000.

Lot 48, "Sunny Day, Long Island," by Childe Hassam, oil on cradled panel, 8 7/8 by 16 3/8 inches, 1925

Lot 48, "Sunny Day, Long Island," is a nice oil on cradled panel by Childe Hassam (1859-1935). It measures 8 7/8 by 16 3/8 inches and was painted in 1925. It has an estimate of $60,000 to $80,000. It sold for $87,500.

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See The City Review article on the Spring 2015 American Paintings auction at Sotheby's New York

See The City Review article on the Fall 2014 American Paintings auction at Christie's New York

See The City Review article on the Fall 2014 American Paintings auction at Sotheby's New York

See The City Review article on the Spring 2014 American Paintings auction at Christie's New York