Alissa Ford
Director of Western & California Art/American Art
Heritage Auctions
It is an exciting time for American art as we are seeing an increased interest in everything ranging from 19th-century historic art to American modernism. Our most recent auction was a comprehensive compilation of American art and we witnessed exceptional results in nearly every category. While the illustration market continues to shatter records left and right, the Western art market is also maintaining its strength and receiving national recognition. The Golden Age of Illustration is gaining the most traction, and original artwork created for the cover of the Saturday Evening Post is in top demand. Notably, Joseph Leyendecker has climbed to the top of his market with two records set for Football Hero selling over $4,000,000, against a $150,000 to $250,000 estimate, and Long Suit for $615,000 (est. $300/500,000). And of course, American masters such as Norman Rockwell and Maxfield Parrish continue to bring top dollar in nearly every auction.
Additionally, we are seeing new records being set for Black artists such as Ernie Barnes, women artists like Gertrude Abercrombie and contemporary Native American artists such as Fritz Scholder. Throughout the pandemic, it seems that art has given people a sense of hope and escape from isolation. In tracking recent market records, it appears that we are truly in an American art renaissance. —

Heritage Auctions, 2801 W. Airport Freeway, Dallas, TX 75261, www.ha.com

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