A fresh to market oil by Hudson River School artist Jasper Cropsey was recently authenticated by the Newington-Cropsey Foundation with the help of Clarke’s Fine Art Specialist, Nelia Moore, and will be put up for auction at Clarke’s Larchmont, NY, location on September 10th, 2012.

The Cropsey oil had been kept away in a private collection since the mid 1960’s and was unavailable to the market until now. The emergence of this newly discovered Cropsey comes a little more than a year after a Clarke Auction consigner brought in two unknown paintings, which were later verified as original Cropsey oil paintings by the Newington – Cropsey Foundation after Moore, and Owner of Clarke Auction, Ron Clarke, presented them to the foundation for authentication. The two paintings stirred up immense interest and substantially surpassed their estimates, bringing a combined $820,000 in May of 2011.

The Cropsey to be auctioned at Clarke Auction this Monday, September 10th has an estimate of $12,000 - $18,000.  The painting is an exquisite Ramapo Valley landscape scene depicting a rustic miner’s spindle bridge. Cropsey expressed his fondness for this exact motif in personal letters to his dealer. While a motif may suggest repetitiveness, Moore disagrees, saying, “The verticality of the trees reflected in the water below and the corresponding symmetrical nature of the work make this a unique composition for Cropsey.”

So is the turning up of a rare third Cropsey at Clarke Auction’s September 10th Sale a coincidence?

“Not necessarily,” says Clarke, “… the attentiveness and willingness of my staff to respond quickly and efficiently allows for the best possible exposure for items in the market.”

The September 10th Sale continues the successful trend of American art by providing multiple examples of beauty and natural style with two 19th century American landscapes, in as found condition, by Alexander Francois Loemans. The masterful style of Loemans is apparent, even in an as-found condition. Each painting was discovered with layers of age and worn edges, but the magnificence of the paintings still illuminate the canvas. The winter scene, reminiscent of Cropsey’s “Prospect Point, Niagara Falls in Winter” sold by Clarke in May 2011, portrays American Indians traveling though in a vast snowy landscape.  In contrast, the mountain valley scene depicts figures at leisure, boating on the lake. The two Loemans will be sold together as one lot with an estimate of $3000 - $5000. Found in the same estate are two oils by William Wilson Cowell, also 19th century of ships at sea. These too are in unframed, as-found condition, estimated to sell between $1,000-$1,500 as one lot.

All are encouraged to view these incredible works in person on Saturday September 8th and Sunday September 10th, from 12pm – 6pm at Clarke Auction 2372 Boston Post Road, Larchmont, NY. The auction is this Monday, September 10th at 5:30pm at the same location.

The full catalogue is available online at www.ClarkeNY.com.