CRANSTON, R.I. – An original screenprint depiction of screen legend Greta Garbo as Mata Hari by Andy Warhol, plus additional artworks by Miguel Martinez, Walter Franklin Lansil, William Perkins Babcock, Craig McPherson and Bruno Bruni will headline a two-session spring antiques and fine arts auction planned for Saturday, March 25th, by Bruneau & Co. Auctioneers.

The auction will be held online and in Bruneau & Co.’s gallery, located at 63 Fourth Avenue in Cranston. In addition to the above-mentioned artwork, the auction will also feature fine antiques, decorative arts, toys and comics. The first session will begin at 10:30 am Eastern time, with over 150 lots of antiques and collectibles offered live in the gallery – no online or absentee bidding.

The second cataloged session will start promptly at 12 o’clock noon, with over 340 lots to be sold live and online, via Bidlive.Bruneauandco.com, Invaluable.com and LiveAuctioneers.com.

The catalog is brimming with quality antiques and decorative arts, to include a Pairpoint Puffy hummingbird and rose table lamp; an Art Deco Rookwood vase by Jens Jensen; a George Nelson for Herman Miller modular sofa set; an Italian Baroque carved walnut chest; 18th century New England furniture; toys and comics, to include CBCS-graded Silver Age DC and Marvel comics.

The screenprint by Andy Warhol (Am., 1928-1987) of Greta Garbo (1905-1990) as Mata Hari (1876-1917) brings together three of history’s most compelling people. Warhol and Garbo are well known to most, but maybe not Mata Hari, the Dutch exotic dancer who was convicted of being a spy for Germany during World War I and was then executed by firing squad in France.

An oil on pastel on paper painting of a woman by Miguel Martinez (Am., b. 1951) is certain to attract keen bidder interest. With longstanding ties to Taos, New Mexico, Martinez is renowned for his modernist oil pastel paintings of women, many of them Hispanic looking, whose faces fill nearly the entire canvas. His aim is to reveal their souls and make them appear as if they’re alive.

Fans of marine renderings will be enchanted by the oil on canvas depiction of Boston Harbor by Walter Franklin Lansil (Mass./Me., 1846-1925). Lansing was born in Bangor, Maine and was a noted marine painter of sailing ships, often in Venetian settings. He worked in a style related to that of contemporary French artist Feliz Ziem (1821-1911), who also painted in that Italian city.

Also up for bid will be an oil on canvas Barbizon landscape by William Babcock (Am./Fr., 1826-1899). Babcock was born in Boston but spent most of his life in France, where he lived as an expatriate. He studied with Thomas Couture in Paris, then went to the village of Barbizon where, along with other American artists, he did peasant genres, as well as Biblical scenes and still-lifes.

Batter up! Just in time for baseball season is a contemporary mezzotint of Yankee Stadium by Craig McPherson (N.Y./Kan., b. 1948). Beginning in the 1980s, McPherson devoted his artistic energies to printmaking, and he produced mezzotints of New York City at night. These led to his creating a 90-foot mural cycle at American Express’s corporate headquarters in New York City.

Bruno Bruni (b. 1935) is active today and lives in Italy and Germany. He’s best known for his figure painting and lithography, but is also a sculptor. Two bronze sculptures by Bruni will cross the auction block. Bruni is fond of figures, florals and birds, he is especially focused on the female figure. As a lithographer, he is unique for his method of painting directly onto the stone.

Previews will be held on Thursday, March 23rd, from 9-5; Friday, March 24th, from noon to 9 pm; and on Saturday, March 25th, the date of the auction, from 9 am until the start of sale at noon. In addition to live and internet bidding, phone and absentee bids will also be accepted.

To learn more about Bruneau & Co. Auctioneers and the March 25th two-session auction, please visit www.bruneauandco.com. To contact Bruneau & Co. via e-mail, info@bruneauandco.com.

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