James Cox Gallery At Woodstock
December 11 at 1 pm
4666 State Route 212, Willow NY 12495
www.jamescoxgallery.com
845-679-7608

WILLOW, N.Y. — A unique group of 21 paintings and works on paper depicting African American subject matter will be included in an upcoming online-only auction by the James Cox Gallery at Woodstock. The sale is slated for December 11, and will begin at 1 pm. Cox noted that, “In the 32 years since we opened our gallery in Woodstock, we have never offered so many top-quality works of art that feature African Americans or Black subject matter.” Cox speculated that “Perhaps it is the taste or interest of several of our long-term collectors that has made such a rich trove possible.” The group was drawn from five private collections and three important estates.

Cox has represented Black artists since he opened his first gallery in Allentown, N.J., and exhibited prints by renowned artist Richard Mayhew (b 1924). As director of Grand Central Art Galleries, Cox included Huey Lee Smith (1915-1999) in his stable of contemporary artists. He also pointed out that the Grand Central represented the estate of renowned African American artist Henry Ossawa Tanner (1859-1937), the first African American artist to gain international acclaim. “I was so excited to see so many pieces depicting Black subjects consigned to this auction,” the gallerist remarked.

Four oil paintings in this group are by James Chapin (1887-1975). Cox was first introduced to the artist’s work when he was director of the Grand Central; he has represented the Chapin estate for more than 30 years. “Chapin was clearly attracted to a wide variety of African American subjects,” Cox explained. Three paintings of the infamous Scottsboro trials will be offered as one lot in the upcoming sale. The trial of nine Black teenagers in the 1930s attracted national attention when the boys were charged with raping two white women on a freight train in northern Alabama. After years of contentious trials, the young men were finally exonerated, with the series of unfair court proceedings playing a major role in the ensuing Civil Rights Movement.

“Chapin was an advocate of civil rights and frequently explored social issues in his artwork.” Cox observed. “This group is a striking example of the artist’s compassion for victims of discrimination.”

Another Chapin included in the sale is a marked departure from the Scottsboro series. “Seated Nude” depicts a Black woman in a sedate, reflective pose. “This painting is the finest nude Chapin ever painted,” Cox observed.

An acrylic portrait of a Black woman by Ed Baynard (1940-2016) is one of the more contemporary pieces in the group of African American subjects. The woman is pictured seated with her arms draped over her lap, greeting the viewer with a warm, inviting smile.

One piece in the group is by an unknown artist. “Laundry Day” is a small, meticulously rendered gouache on panel that depicts a family scene. While sheets are drying on a clothesline, a mother and child are busy washing baskets full of laundry, as smaller children play in the yard. “The untrained artist who painted this piece exhibits remarkable ability,” Cox remarked.

Several pieces in the sale are signed, but painted by self-taught artists. “We are not sure if these painters were African American,” Cox said. “But they depict Black subjects and all of them were produced by gifted artists.”

An oil landscape by noted American artist James O’Brien Inman (1828-1896) includes a small figure of a Black woman standing in front of a towering white tree. “This is a fine example of Inman’s work,” according to Cox. “The addition of an African American woman dressed in a long skirt adds a wonderful human touch to this beautifully painted landscape.”

Another domestic scene is portrayed in a primitive oil by Robert Boggs (1832-1919). “The Banjo Player” features a musician performing for a mixed race group of people, gathered around an outdoor fireplace, while two Black figures gaze at the viewer from a second story window. The composition is a reinterpretation of an 1859 painting by Eastman Johnson (1824-1906).

Another painted oil is by unknown artist T.A. Fox. “Woman with Cat,” painted in 1886, depicts a Black woman reading, while a seated cat peers up at her. A rich, dark background accentuates the white notes in the small composition. Though the gallery was unable to find any biographical information about T.A. Fox, Cox observed that “Woman with Cat” is the work of an exceptionally gifted artist.

Other works depicting Black subjects include images of workers picking cotton, a New Year’s Eve party and a farmer plowing his field. Cox pointed to the diversity of this eclectic selection of work. “We are proud to be able to offer such a distinctive, group of exceptional art related to the African American experience.”

This artwork will be offered along with a diverse group of paintings, sculpture and ceramics in the December 11 auction. For information, 845-679-7608 or www.jamescoxgallery.com.

This online auction will include a special group of historic paintings, drawings and fine prints depicting African-American life.
Albert Pels (1910 – 1998); “Cotton Club Dance – Happy New Year”; c. 1980; Oil on Canvas (unstretched); 21”x 25”; Signed Lower Right; Framed (under glass)
T. A. Fox; “Woman with Cat”; 1886; Oil on Canvas; 9.5” x 7.5”; Signed Lower Right; Framed
Henry E. Brown; “Banjo Player – Civil War”; c. —-; Oil on Canvas; 19.5” x 29.5”; Signed Lower Left; Framed
James Chapin (1887 – 1975); “Seated Nude”; c. 1940; Oil on Canvas; 29” x 18”; Signed Lower Left; Framed

Lot 100:TsuguharuFoujita $7,000- $9,000
Lot 160:T. A. Fox $2,000 – $3,000
Lot 50: John Alonzo Williams $500 -$1,000
Lot 93: JohnHansegger $500- $700
Lot42: Louis Vochonok $300 – $400
Lot 15: Elaine Wesley $800 – $1,200
Lot 157: Charles William Ward $3.000 – 55.000
Lot 110: Richard Segalman $800 – $1.000
Lot 121:JamesChapin $20,000- $30,000
Lot 174: Neil Ives $500 – $700
Lot 92: Manuel Bromberg $500 – $700
Lot 152: David Burliuk $2,000 – $3,000
Lot 139: Unknown Artist $1,000 – $1,500
Lot 57: Bobby Blitzer 4 0 0 $600
Lot 128: John W. Bentley $3,000 – $5,000
Lot 165: JamesChapin(Lot of Three) $12,000 – $15,000
Lot 159: Franck T. Bowers $800 – $1,200
Lot 131: Michael Kelly $700 $900
Lot 106: Lawrence H. Lebduska $2,000 – $3,000
Lot 161: Edmund Greacen $3,000- $4,000
Lot 141: Henry E. Brown $4,000 – $6,000
Lot 32: Yasuo Kuniyoshi $1,000- $1,500