"Two Nudes,” an oil on canvas by American artist Marguerite Zorach (1887–1968), was the sale's top lot at $264,000, setting a world auction record for the artist.
:Among the summertime rituals of art collectors, Barridoff Galleries' annual sale of American and European art is a given, and this year's event conducted by Rob and Annette Elowitch was, as always, a visual treat. Conducted at Holiday Inn by the Bay on August 7, the sale added a new social networking wrinkle when the gallery owners "tweeted" anecdotal tidbits about some of the artworks in the days leading up to and following the sale on the Twitter website.
"Took the week off from Twitter to get all the paper and cleanup work from the auction done," the gallery tweeted on August 15. "Total with post-auction sales at $2 million." That was followed a few minutes later by, "We have no complaints. Some amazing high prices, like $264,000 for a Marguerite Zorach, setting a world auction record for the artist."
Indeed, the oil on canvas, "Two Nudes," which had been acquired directly from the artist and had remained in the family until consigned for this sale, led the stellar lineup of American and European artworks. More than 300 works of art were offered in the sale, with regional painters such as Alan Magee (b 1947) and the Zorachs, William and Marguerite, attracting attention.
Alan Magee (American, b 1947), "Solaris,” 2000, acrylic on canvas, 50 by 70 inches, achieved $120,000.
International artists also fared well, with English artist Sir Joshua Reynolds (1723–1792) topping the list with his "Portrait of Miss Ridge, 1773," an oil on canvas measuring 18½ by 15¼ inches, commanding $48,000, near the middle of its presale estimate.
The full face bust portrait features the sitter in a blue dress cut low at the neck and with a blue ribbon in her hair. According to the catalog notes, Miss Ridge was the daughter of Counselor John Ridge of the Irish Bar, an intimate friend of the artist. "Reynolds must have been fond of painting Miss Ridge," the catalog stated, "for we find four portraits of her, two of them done in the same year [1773] in which this was painted."
A photo-realist-style painting by Magee titled "Solaris," 2000, was the sale's second highest priced lot, achieving $120,000, a tad below its low estimate. The acrylic on canvas, measuring 50 by 75 inches, would appeal to any beachgoer with its visually tactile depiction of wave-polished rocks.
Stefan Hirsh (American, 1899–1964), "City Nocturne,” oil on board, 16 by 20 inches, bested its high estimate, realizing $110,400.
Taos and Santa Fe painter Stefan Hirsh's (American, 1899–1964) "City Nocturne," a moody Precisionist portrait capturing the social and physical alienation of modern urban life, had come from a private New York City collection. The oil on board at 16 by 20 inches bested its high estimate, realizing $110,400.
From the estate of the artist, an inviting Maine woodland scene by American painter Fairfield Porter (1907–1975) sold for $72,000. The oil on Masonite, 215/8 by 16½ inches, was titled "Maine Woods with Hawkweed" and was painted around 1958.
William Zorach's (American, 1887–1966) bronze sculpture of the "Wisdom of Solomon" showing the two mothers who came before Solomon to resolve a quarrel about which was the true mother of a baby, brought $39,600 for the 38-inch-high work inscribed, dated and numbered "Zorach 1963–1966, 1/6."
New York City's favorite winter street scene portraitist Guy Wiggins (American, 1882–1962) is always popular at Barridoff sales, and for this auction "5th Avenue and 57th Street, Winter" filled the bill admirably, commanding $33,600 for the 10-by-8-inch oil on canvas that had come out of a private New Hampshire collection.
American painter Fairfield Porter's (1907–1975) "Maine Woods with Hawkweed,” circa 1958, oil on Masonite, 215/8 by 16½ inches, brought $72,000.
Last out at a Sotheby's sale of American paintings, drawings and sculpture in 1999, an 11¾-by-34½-inch oil on canvas by Eugene Benson (American, 1839–1908) depicting "A Vestal of the Spring" went out for $33,600.
The sale offered a small section of photographs by American and European masters such as Arnold Newman (1918–2006), Aaron Siskind (1903–1991), Edward Weston (1886–1958), Ansel Adams (1902–1984) and Henri Cartier Bresson (French, 1908–2204). Highlights included Newman's "Portrait of Edward Hopper," 1960, showing the craggy-visaged artist seated with a building and his wife, Jo, in the background. The gelatin silver print, mounted, 18¼ by 143/8 inches, brought $2,280. "Reflections," a gelatin silver print, mounted, 191/8 by 14¾ inches, by Adams took $10,920.
All prices reported include the buyer's premium. For information, 207-772-501 or
www.barridoff.com
.
