On January 23, Christie’s will offer around 100 American artworks to bidders during a winter sale in New York City. Titled American Paintings, the auction will feature works from a number of consignors, as well as two private collections that have been identified by Christie’s as Grand Views of America: Property from a Distinguished Private Collection and Property from an Important Northeastern Collection.
Joseph Henry Sharp (1859-1953), An Insurgent, 1922, oil on canvas, 30 x 36 in. Grand Views of America: Property from a Distinguished Private Collection. Estimate: $250/350,000
While both collections contain gems, Grand Views of America will surely thrill Western art collectors. “Some of the strongest examples of this sale are in the area of Western art, including our leading Western lot, which is a painting of the Grand Canyon by Thomas Moran,” says Quincie Dixon, an associate specialist at Christie’s and head of sale for the January auction. “Grand Views is primarily oils and sculptures, many that go beyond Western. Each oil is dramatic and features a sublime subject. All are fresh to market.”
Thomas Hill (1829-1908), Campfire with Indians, oil on canvas, 20¼ x 36 in. From Grand Views of America: Property from a Distinguished Private Collection. Estimate: $70/100,000
The Moran painting is the 14-by-20-inch Grand View Trail, which was painted in 1904 from the Grand View Trail on the Grand Canyon’s South Rim. “It’s one of the finest Grand Canyon paintings I have had the pleasure of seeing,” Dixon says. “It has exquisite detail and shows the grandeur of the canyon with an emotional color story with these stunning periwinkles and lavenders. It’s a fabulous painting.”
Christie’s not only has the Moran world auction record of $17.7 million, it also has a record for Moran’s Grand Canyon subject matter, set at $12.4 million in 2014. Grand View Trailis smaller than both of those pieces, but should still draw considerable interest. The work is estimated at $600,000 to $800,000.
Thomas Moran (1837-1926), Grand View Trail, 1904, oil on canvas, 14 x 20 in. From Grand Views of America: Property from a Distinguished Private Collection. Estimate: $600/800,000
Another work from the Grand Views collection is Joseph Henry Sharp’s 1922 painting An Insurgent, showing a grouping of Native American figures in a bright desert setting. Dixon notes that the collector had impeccable taste and often acquired major pieces, which is reflected in the Sharp. “It’s large-scale, multi-figurative work that shows a dramatic scene, and it’s drenched in sunlight,” she adds. The work is estimated at $250,000 to $350,000.
Also featured in the Grand Views selections are William R. Leigh’s Grand Canyon (est. $120/180,000), Thomas Hill’s Campfire with Indians (est. $70/100,000) and Arnold Friberg’s In the Water of Manitou (est. $60/80,000), a 1983 oil from the artist who famously painted George Washington praying at Valley Forge. “The Friberg is a later Western example in an otherwise more traditional sale. You can see from the painting that the artist paid attention to every detail,” Dixon says.
Arnold Friberg (1913-2010), In the Waters of Manitou, 1983, oil on canvas, 37¼ x 58 in. From Grand Views of America: Property from a Distinguished Private Collection. Estimate: $60/80,000
Outside of the named collections, the sale will feature a Frederic Remington Broncho Buster bronze. Cast at the Roman Bronze Works in New York, and marked with a No. 71 underneath the base, this cast of Broncho Buster was created in 1908, which makes it a lifetime cast. Dixon notes that not all low-cast editions of the bronze are equal, and some higher numbers show greater detail than others, but in this case the detail is all right there in the bronze. “It is exceptional. The quirt in the rider’s hand is intact, the folds of his clothing and other details are all there to see—it’s really wonderful,” she notes. “It’s always nice to have a Remington with one of his greatest hits in the sale.”
Frederic Remington (1861-1909), Broncho Buster, modeled in 1895, cast by 1908, bronze, cast No. 71, 23 in. Estimate: $200/300,000
The sale will be held live in Christie’s New York headquarters. American bidding is expected to be high, but so is international bidding, which the auction house has seen rise within this segment. Its most recent sale of American works saw competitive bidding from nine countries across four continents. —
American Paintings
January 23, 2025
Christie’s
20 Rockefeller Plaza
New York, NY 10020
(212) 636-2000, www.christies.com
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