The holiday season is a time for tradition and Clarke Auction has a long standing tradition of offering a magnificent art selection each December, which continues on Sunday, December 8th at 12 noon EST.

     The December 8th art offerings at Clarke Auction features a wide range of works by renowned artists and illustrators, including a large estate-fresh collection of works by Victor C. Anderson.

     Victor Anderson was a traditional American painter and illustrator whose work art been featured in Life Magazine, Woman’s Home Companion, Successful Farming, Ladies Home Journal, Scribner’s, Woman’s World Magazine, and more. Clarke Auction is proud to represent a significant selection of his work for auction and the upcoming sale will include over 155 original works by the artist.  

     Of the 155 works, there are over 70 oil painting landscapes and portraits, as well as numerous pastels, illustrations, and charcoal studies.  All works have distinct and precise provenance directly from the heir to his estate. The paintings came from the Marathon, Florida estate of Ludwig Herzhauser, the residuary heir and close friend of Joan Howe, the artist's daughter.  All exemplify Anderson’s illustrative and captivating artistic style.

     Some of the featured and especially significant pieces in the Anderson collection include a stunning and colorful figural oil on board entitled “The High Diver” dated 1932, a haunting and melodic oil on canvas entitled “The Last Veteran,” a large and finely executed farm scene oil on canvas entitled “Reapers,” and a poignant 1930 oil on canvas of a western town.

     Of Anderson’s illustrations and studies, “Elephantism” and “Youth Will Find a Way” are two expertly performed charcoal drawings that will be sold together as a lot. The humorous, yet strikingly realistic charcoal works are indicative of Anderson’s more popular elephant and portrait subject matters, and each easily highlight his undeniable ability to capture moments in time and imagination on paper.

     The traditions of turn of the century artists like Anderson are preceded by the ancestral artistic expertise of the old masters and beyond.  Clarke Auction’s art selection also features many Old Masters paintings that define the traditional role of art through history.

     Two of the most important old masters paintings in the sale come with the incredible provenance of belonging to the estate of Harry Crosby. An eccentric American heir, Crosby took his own life in his early twenties after exceeding his bon vivant reputation with an exceptionally lavish lifestyle that included collecting the finest works of art.  Clarke Auction will offer a pair of luxurious Italian old masters paintings from his estate, hoping to continue his tradition of a lust for beauty by way of worldly goods.

     Also in the old masters selection is a 17th century portrait entitled “Penitent Woman,” several religious oils including “Christ Supported by Angels” in the manner of Franceso Travisani, and more.

     The 19th century selection of traditional works includes several figural and portrait paintings.  The featured work is the beautiful “Magdeleine” by J.J. Henner,  an oil on panel accompanied by a letter of authenticity from Isabelle de Lannoy.

      Contemporaries of Henner also followed in the same tradition as he did. Clarke Auction will offer a work by Alison Alston, a female British painter, in the manner of Henner.  Alston’s portrait of a beauty with red hair is a flattering example of imitation, with the additive of a contemporary’s artistic personality.

      Also in the sale, but contemporaries to the aforementioned Victor Anderson, are works by Leonard Ochtman, Charles Eaton, Henry Bill Seldon, Albert P Lucas, W.M. Post, and John A. Parker. The most important and notable contemporary of Anderson featured in the sale is Frank Benson.  The selection will include a portrait of Benson’s daughter Eleanor, in exquisite form and execution.

     While there are many traditional mediums and subjects in the fine art selection, Clarke will offer a full range of fine art, antiques, decorative arts, midcentury, jewelry, and sterling silver on Sunday, December 8th at 12pm.

To view the full catalog 24/7 please visit ClarkeNY.com or come to the in- house previews on Friday, December 6th and Saturday, December 8th from 12pm to 6pm EST. For additional information and schedules, please call the gallery directly at (914) 833-8336.