Not missing a beat after the merger of the two auction houses in January, Freeman’s |Hindman are rolling out several auctions in May and June including its American Art sale at the Chicago showroom on May 16 at 2 p.m.
“We are thrilled to be joining forces with the Freeman’s team,” says Pauline Archambault, associate vice president and senior specialist of fine art. “Both teams bring very complementary skillsets to the table, and we look forward to curating even stronger sales featuring exceptional examples by the most sought-after American artists of the 19th and 20th centuries.”
Thomas Moran (1837-1926), Mid-Atlantic Seascape, 1914, oil on canvas, 23 x 40¼ in. Estimate: $100/150,000
Collectors can expect to find works by some of those artists among the roughly 100 lots that will comprise their American Art sale, including Thomas Moran and Albert Bierstadt.
“The seascape by Thomas Moran is indeed a very special highlight of the sale,” says Archambault. “Moran’s seascapes surface less frequently on the market, and they are usually striking, expansive renditions of rough waters, with a burst of light towards the center. They exemplify Moran’s luminist manner, which was a direct influence of Turner’s luminescent palette on his work.”
Painted in 1914, Mid-Atlantic Seascape has an estimated value of $100,000 to $150,000. Meanwhile, Bierstadt’s Bahamian View, one of his tropical scenes of Nassau where his wife Rosalie spent her winters due to ill health, is anticipated to achieve between $30,000 and $50,000.
With estimates ranging from four to six figures, a variety of mediums will be represented including works on paper and three-dimensional artworks in addition to paintings, with subject matter spanning traditional landscapes to portraits, and modernist and near-abstract pieces as well.
Albert Bierstadt (1830-1902), Bahamian View, oil on paper laid down on board, 18¾ x 14 in. Estimate: $30/50,000
Other highlights of the sale include a Nicaraguan landscape by Mexican artist, of Spanish descent, Fortunato Arriola (1827-1872)—considered one of the pioneering artists of California—a Francis Speight landscape and several fine examples of Emile and Robert Gruppé Florida scenes. Also on the block are two works by Grandma Moses (1869-1961), a self-taught artist who started painting late in life and whose quaint, rural scenes of Upstate New York quickly gained popularity among collectors.
“She had an intuitive but clearly skillful manner, with emphasis on color arrangement and texture, yielding an overall look not unlike textile work such as quilting,” explains Archambault. “She is a beloved artist for those reasons, and because of the nostalgia that emanates from her peaceful rural views.”
Cutting Ice, 1951, is expected to garner between $50,000 and $70,000, while The Old Oaken Bucket in Spring from 1944 has an estimated value of $70,000 to $90,000.
One of Archambault’s personal favorites is a painting by Henry Faulkner (1924-1981), a Kentucky-born artist and poet with a reputation as an eccentric rebel and bohemian. Archambault adds, “[Faulkner] was known for his colorful landscapes, cityscapes and still lifes, beaming with surrealist details, ranging from an eccentric use of color and compositions that defy conventional geometry. I am thrilled to present this Venetian scene to the market this spring.”
Grandma Moses (1860-1961), The Old Oaken Bucket in Spring, 1944, oil on Masonite, 21¼ x 35 in. Estimate: $70/90,000
Moving forward, once the logistical details are ironed out, Freeman’s |Hindman anticipates hosting the signature American art auctions out of its Philadelphia salesroom. Archambault says, “Our upcoming May 16, 2024, auction in Chicago will certainly benefit from the increased footprint presence of our firm throughout the country, casting an even wider net among buyers of American art.”
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