FRANKLIN, Mass. – A special selection of art by Latin American and Spanish artists, as well as paintings and drawings by (and attributed to) master artists such as John Singer Sargent, Pablo Picasso, Andy Warhol and Jean-Michel Basquiat will all be part of a 208-lot fine art sale slated for Thursday, December 6th, by Woodshed Art Auctions, beginning at 5:30 pm Eastern time.

The auction will be held online and live in the 500 Gallery, at 475 Franklin Village Drive in Franklin. People can register and bid now, at www.woodshedartauctions.com. Previews will be held at the 500 Gallery starting on Wednesday, Nov. 28. Phone and absentee bids will be taken.

“It’s interesting to see how each auction catalog develops its own theme,” said Bruce Wood, the owner of Woodshed Art Auctions. “This month we have fine examples of Latin American and Spanish aesthetics, mixed with the whimsy of Warhol and the somber renderings of Hopper and Benton. But my personal favorite is the extensively researched canvas attributed to Sargent.”

The oil on canvas painting attributed to John Singer Sargent (American, 1856-1925), titled Porta della Carta of the Doge’s (est. $80,000-$120,000), is one of the more important artworks in the sale. It is unsigned and housed in a 19 ¾ inch by 26 ½ inch frame. Sargent is best known for his luminous watercolors of Venice, but he also depicted the city using oil, as with this rendering.

Infra-red photography of the painting, performed by Mr. Wood, who is also a conservator as well as an auctioneer, revealed a dark underpainting, plus the preparatory inclusion of two figures on the left foreground. The figures were not fully rendered and were painted-out during the work’s execution. Elements of the figures were incorporated into the walls where they originally stood.

Paintings in the Latin American portion of the catalog are also capable of reaching six figures. They include an oil on canvas attributed to Oswaldo Guayasamin (Ecuadorian, 1919-1999), untitled (Fear), signed bottom right and impressive at 52 inches by 65 inches (est. $120,000-$150,000); and an abstract oil on panel attributed to Joaquin Torres Garcia (Uruguayan, 1874-1949), signed and dated (“43”), in an 18 ¼ inch by 30 ½ inch frame (est. $80,000-$120,000).

A mixed media on canvas attributed to Jean-Michel Basquiat (American, 1960-1988), titled Jesus, signed and dated “1981” bottom right, in a 37 inch by 41 inch frame, previously in a private collection in Spain, should bring $50,000-$80,000; while an ink on paper done in the manner of Pablo Picasso (Spanish, 1881-1973), titled Horse Head, signed bottom right and stamped “Galerie Anderson-Mayer, Paris” verso, is expected to breeze to $15,000-$20,000.

Just in time for the holidays, Pop Art icon Andy Warhol (American 1928-1987) will make multiple appearances in the sale with Christmas-themed attributions. They include the following:

• Merry Christmas, Happy New Year Balloon – ink and dye on paper, a study for (or based on) a Christmas card Warhol sent circa 1956, signed, unframed (est. $15,000-$25,000).
• Christmas Wreath – hand-colored lithograph on paper of a wreath with ornaments, holly and fruit, signed verso and unframed, 11 ¾ inches by 13 inches (est. $15,000-$20,000).
• Christmas Ornaments – graphite, ink and ink wash on paper with nine ornaments plus a star, signed bottom right, unframed, 11 inches by 15 ¾ inches (est. $15,000-$20,000).

An oil on canvas attributed to the renowned Cuban artist Wifredo Lam (1902-1982), titled Horned Figures, signed bottom right and marked on back, measuring 20 ¾ inches by 27 ¼ inches in the frame, has an estimate of $50,000-$75,000. Also, a signed oil on canvas attributed to Armando Morales (Nicaraguan, 1927-2011), titled Cabeza de Mujer, dated “62” bottom left and stamped verso “Galeria Central del Arte Modern”, framed, should realize $40,000-$50,000. 

A charcoal on paper self-portrait attributed to the prominent American realist painter-printmaker Edward Hopper (1882-1967), signed bottom right and unframed, measuring 9 ¾ inches by 17 ¼ inches, is expected to gavel for $25,000-$35,000. Also, a charcoal on paper attributed to another noted American artist, Thomas Hart Benton (1889-1975), titled Portrait of a Man, signed and dated “37” bottom right, 8 ¾ inches by 11 inches unframed, has an estimate of $5,000-$8,000.

From Mexico, an oil on two-ply illustration board attributed to Miguel Covarrubias (Mexican, 1904-1957), titled Jazz Scene, depicting patrons at a jazz club during the Harlem Renaissance, signed bottom right and 14 inches by 14 inches unframed, should command $30,000-$35,000; while a signed oil on paper attributed to Rufino Tamayo (Mexican, 1899-1991), titled Study for Sandias, possibly a study for his Sandias (1950) print series, is estimated at $20,000-$25,000.

An acrylic on canvas abstract composition attributed to Carlos Merida (Guatemalan, 1891-1985), signed bottom left and 19 ¾ inches by 19 ¾ inches unframed, with some repairs and retouching and with the canvas tacked to a primitive stretcher, should fetch $10,000-$15,000. Also, a 1977 collage by Pepe Lopez (Venezuelan-Spanish, b. 1966), titled Amar El Artes Es Viver, stamped with the artist’s name and titled, dated and signed verso, framed, should make $5,000-$7,000.

 Woodshed Art Auctions is a family-owned art gallery specializing in oil painting restoration and live and online art auctions, celebrating its 50th anniversary. The firm is always accepting quality artworks for future auctions. To inquire about consigning a single piece or an entire collection, you may call Bruce Wood at 508-533-6277; or, e-mail him at bruce@woodshedartauctions.com.

For more about Woodshed Art Auctions and the Latin American, European & American Fine Art Auction scheduled for Thursday, December 6th, please visit www.woodshedartauctions.com.

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