By Carol Sims
GREENWICH, CONN. - On October 25 at 6 pm, Shannon's conducted
their semi-annual art auction at the Greenwich Civic Center.
Sentiment among collectors ran high on Guy Wiggins's "Trinity
Church" oil on canvas board. The diminutive painting measured
only 9 by 12 inches, but figured large in the hearts of bidders,
inspiring them to bid well beyond the presale estimate of
$25/35,000 to a hammer price of $52,000.
The painting shows Trinity Church, New York's oldest parish at
Broadway and Wall Street, very near the site of the former World
Trade Center buildings in lower Manhattan. Trinity Church came
through the devastation of September 11 "remarkably sound"
according to a letter written by the Reverend Dr. Daniel Paul
Matthews on September 13.
Wiggins painted three American flags waving cheerily amidst a
snowstorm. The church steeple raises its spire skyward in the
muted greys of distance. The buildings in the foreground all lead
to the church. The pedestrians appear to all be headed in that
direction as well, with only the cars coming the other direction.
The painting's estimate, and the decision to put it on the cover
of the Shannon's catalog were made well in advance of the
terrorist attack on New York City.
For a full review of Shannon's Fine American and European
Paintings, Drawing, and Sculpture, see next week's paper.
