Freeman’s | Hindman will be hosting its Western & Contemporary Native American Artsale in Denver this May, offering in-person, phone and online bidding. The sale features nearly 225 lots of historic and contemporary Western painting and sculpture, as well as contemporary Native American fine art, showcasing the breadth and beauty of the American West and Southwest.
Wilson Hurley (1924-2008), Tierra Encantada, oil on board, 32 x 48 in. Estimate: $12/18,000
“This auction includes an incredible selection of works by award-winning representational landscape artist Wilson Hurley,” says Alexandria Dreas, Western art specialist at Freeman’s | Hindman. “His immense skill is never more obvious than in his depictions of rolling cloud formations and expansive canyon scenes. Not only does the May 9 auction feature an iconic rendering of Canyon de Chelly, but his Tierra Encantada demonstrates his tremendous skills in creating tension and drama through light, clouds and composition. The painting beautifully evokes a brief moment of warmth and calm in the mid-day sun as the afternoon storms begin to roll in.” The piece has a presale estimate of $12,000 to $18,000.
John Nieto (1936-2018), Coyote, acrylic on canvas Estimate: $8/12,000
Another important highlight in the sale is The Quiver Firelight Interior (est. $30/50,000) by Eanger Irving Couse. “With an extensive, fascinating provenance that includes a handwritten letter by Couse, this painting is an iconic fireside scene that beautifully demonstrates the artist’s masterful use of light and color,” says Dreas. “Though the setting is undefined and the fire is not depicted, the viewer knows exactly where the figure sits, the warmth he feels and the smell of campfire that permeates the scene.”
Eanger Irving Couse (1866-1936), The Quiver Firelight Interior, ca. 1922, oil on canvas, 16 x 20 in. Estimate: $30/50,000
Dreas also cites John Nieto’s acrylic Coyote, which is estimated to bring in between $8,000 and $12,000. “[It’s] everything collectors love about the artist’s work: a bright and playful color palette, a contemporary composition and brushstrokes that give the animal personality and depth. As he did so often, Nieto paints his coyote—a figure that is so frequently seen as menacing and ominous—in a way that makes him cheerful, bright and beautiful,” she says.
“Another highlight that is sure to impress bidders is Another Storm Along the Rockiesby [Apsáalooke artist] Earl Biss. As we build on our continued successes selling works by Earl Biss, I am excited to share this beautiful example of the artist’s work. There is no question of who the artist of this work is; with the cool blues interrupted by bright pops of color, the mountains abstracted by cloud formations, and figures in the foreground, watching the Rocky Mountain storms roll in, this painting is a classic Earl Biss.”
Earl Biss (1947-1998), Another Storm Along the Rockies, oil on canvas, 48 x 60 in. Estimate: $12/18,000
An impressive selection of works by Allan Houser, including a beautiful edition of his Forty-Nine, Drum Circle (est. $8/12,000) will also be featured in the sale. —
Freeman’s | Hindman’s Western & Contemporary Native American Art sale
May 9, 2024
Freeman’s | Hindman, 2737 Larimer Street, Denver, CO 80205
(303) 825-1855, www.freemansauction.com
www.hindmanauctions.com
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