Western art soars at Bonhams’ American art sale
On April 30, Bonhams’ American art auction racked up $6.5 million in sales. A significant piece of the sale came from Western art, including Frank Tenney Johnson’s Mountain Meadows (est. $800/1,200,000), which sold for $914,000. It tied for the top lot with a Paul Manship bronze. Other artists in the top 10 lots included James Earle Fraser, Thomas Moran, N.C. Wyeth, Victor Higgins and Marsden Hartley. “The results of this recent auction proved to us that there is an enduring and strong appetite for iconic portrayals of the West by America’s most coveted artists, such as James Earle Fraser, Frank Tenney Johnson, Victor Higgins and Thomas Moran,” says Aaron Anderson, American specialist with Bonhams. “In many respects, so much of American art tells the story of the geography and history of our nation, and the opportunity to incorporate works by American artists who spent their careers depicting and celebrating the frontier is important to us.”
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Crystal DeSpain work claims top prize in Colorado
The 34th annual Colorado Governor’s Art Show & Sale took place on May 6 in Loveland, Colorado. The best of show went to the painting Heiress by Crystal DeSpain. The artist borrows from all around the world, including the West, when making her unique figurative works. DeSpain is a fifth-generation Colorado resident and presently the Colorado State Ambassador for the Portrait Society of America. Heiress sold during the show and is now in a private collection. See more of her work at www.crystaldespain.com. —
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