Works by Sargent, O'Keeffe Lead American Art Auctions in New York
- May 19, 2016 13:12
Sotheby’s May 18 auction of American Art brought $27.1 million with the three top lots bringing over half of the sale's total. The 65-lot sale achieved a sell-through rate of 72% by lot.
Liz Sterling, Sotheby's Head of American Art, noted that the sale was "a continuation of the 'masterpiece market.'" Strength lay in two oils by John Singer Sargent and a Norman Rockwell which fetched a combined total well over $15 million. Three out of the four works by Sargent in the sale went above estimates, with all four bringing $11.2 million.
Star of the night was Sargent's vibrant Poppies of 1886, pushed by three competing bidders to $6.9 million, above its $4 million low estimate. His subtle Stairway in Capri, bearing a distinguished provenance, was also hotly pursued to $4.1 million, from an estimate of $2.5 million.
There were five new artist auction records established, led by Jamie Wyeth's whimsical Pumpkinhead - Self Portrait, which fetched $1.7 million, triple its high estimate. Other artist records were set for David Brega, Gloria Engelhard, John George Brown and Gregoria Prestopino.
Norman Rockwell's Saturday Evening Post cover titled Road Block, featuring 25 figures, brought a solid $4.7 million.
At Christie's $42.7 million sale on May 19, Georgia O'Keeffe led with her 5-foot wide landscape/abstraction Lake George, Reflection bringing $12.9 million (est. $8-12 million). Three other O'Keeffe works went for strong prices, including her New Mexico landscape Red Hills with Pederanl, White Clouds, which fetched $4.5 million, within the estimate.
Another popular lot was a shimmering nude scene titled Cherry Blossoms by impressionist Frederick Carl Frieseke. From the collection of Gerry Lenfest, the Giverny work brought $989,000 (estimate: $400,000-$600,000).
A stand-out was the rare-to-market work by largely self-taught artist Rebecca Salsbury James, the wife of photographer Paul Strand and a friend of O'Keeffe, whose monochromatic bird scene Fire and Air soared to $509,000 (estimate: $150,000-$250,000).
There were several big casualties in the 98-lot sale, among the marquee lots, works went unsold by Paul Manship, Arthur Dove, Norman Rockwell, Frederic Edwin Chruch and Maynard Dixon.
