Grand Views

Major works by Thomas Moran and others will be available from the Knobloch Collection at Christie’s in New York City.

On May 18, Christie’s will present the single-owner sale Stewards of the West: The Knobloch Collection, a dedicated live auction of Western American art at Christie’s New York location. More than 75 lots will be available, all of which were collected by the late entrepreneur and conservationist Carl W. Knobloch Jr., who died in 2016. The estimated value of the collection is $15 million to $23 million, which could put the sale above the T. Boone Pickens Collection, which sold for $20 million by Christie’s in 2020.Henry Farny (1847-1916), Theodore Roosevelt ‘Sage Grouse Shooting,’ gouache and watercolor on paper, 14 x 23½” Estimate: $300/500,000

“[Knobloch] built a striking private assemblage of Western American painting and sculpture that reflects his deep commitment to the region, while developing a reputation as a leading connoisseur and collector in the field,” Christie’s notes. “Off the walls of the family’s Wyoming residence, the collection is notable for its exceptional quality and features the leading artists of the genre such as Thomas Moran, Albert Bierstadt, Frederic Remington and Henry F. Farny, among others. Proceeds of the auction will benefit the Knobloch Family Foundation which is committed to grantmaking that ensures the conservation of natural ecosystems.” Thomas Moran (1837-1926), The Castle Rock, Green River, Wyoming, 1913, oil on canvas, 25 x 30” Estimate: $2.5/3.5 million

Tylee Abbott, head of American art at Christie’s, says, “Carl Knobloch’s collection embodies his profound connection to the natural world—a legacy in beauty and stewardship that continues to inspire,” Abbott says. “It is fitting that such works, which were executed by the artists that first inspired leaders of generations past to preserve our country’s natural wonders, will now be distributed for the express purpose of supporting organizations that contribute to the ongoing conservation and broader appreciation of these landscapes.”

The Knobloch Family Foundation has supported initiatives ranging from the acquisition of acreage for Grand Teton National Park to the conservation of Texas and Georgia land for wildlife species and habitat restoration. These natural areas are represented in the collection with incredible pieces, particularly through the works of Moran, who will be represented in the sale with several major works. Thomas Moran (1837-1926), The Southern Arm of the Yellowstone Lake, Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming Territory, 1874, watercolor and gouache on paper laid down on paperboard, 10½ x 14 7/8” Estimate: $400/600,000

One of the top lots is Moran’s 1913 oil on canvas The Castle Rock, Green River, Wyoming, which shows one of the artist’s most beloved subjects, the Green River in Wyoming. The piece, painted with those dramatic pinks and oranges that Moran was fond of at that location, shows the central land feature as it towers over the nearby river. Tucked within the folds of the land are horses and riders as they descend into the river valley. The work is estimated at $2.5 million to $3.5 million.Thomas Moran (1837-1926), Grand Canyon, Colorado River, 1915, oil on canvas, 20 x 16” Estimate: $700/1,000,000

Another Moran is A Passing Shower in the Yellowstone Cañon, a 1903 oil estimated at $1.5 million to $2.5 million. The auction house notes: “This work was created during a seminal moment for American conservation, when President Theodore Roosevelt visited Yellowstone for a second time. Perhaps the nation’s greatest conservationist, in the decade following this inspirational trip Roosevelt would establish the United States Forest Service, create several more national parks and numerous national monuments.”Joseph Henry Sharp (1859-1953), Blackfeet Teepees, Glacier Park, oil on board, 9½ x 13½” Estimate: $40/60,000Additional Moran pieces include Grand Canyon, Colorado River (est. $700/1,000,000), a 1915 oil on canvas, and The Southern Arm of the Yellowstone Lake, Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming Territory (est. $400/600,000), an 1874 watercolor and gouache on paper laid down on paperboard. Moran first traveled to Yellowstone in 1871 and was immediately impressed with the natural features. It was his watercolors from the trip that helped inspire the government to create the first national park. Thomas Moran (1837-1926), A Passing Shower in the Yellowstone Cañon, 1903, oil on canvas, 16 x 20” Estimate: $1.5/2.5 million Images courtesy Christie’s Images Ltd. 2022.Other works in the sale include Henry Farny’s gouache and watercolor work Theodore Roosevelt ‘Sage Grouse Shooting’ (est. $300/500,000), Joseph Henry Sharp’s oil Blackfeet Teepees, Glacier Park (est. $40/60,000), William R. Leigh’s View of the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone (est. $250/350,000) and Albert Bierstadt’s Grazing Antelope (est. $100/150,000).

The sale will take place during a grand return to New York City as the city welcomes back art collectors for American Art Week. —
Stewards of the West: The Knobloch Collection
May 18, 2022
Christie’s 20 Rockefeller Plaza
New York, NY 10020
(212) 636-2000, www.christies.com