Norman Rockwell is known for many subjects, including children interacting with the adult world, small-town business owners, underdogs, craftsmen and blue-collar workers. Although rare, Rockwell, the famous Saturday Evening Post cover artist, also did several great Western images. One of them, Singing Cowboy from the 1930s, will be offered at Sotheby’s on January 24 in New York City.
The sale, titled The American West,will feature a number of excellent works from the genre, including the Rockwell, which has been estimated at $400,000 to $600,000.
Norman Rockwell (1894-1978), Singing Cowboy, ca. 1935, oil on board, 19½ x 12¾ in., Estimate: $400/600,000
“The American West showcases top examples by the artists who define the traditional and contemporary American Western genres,” Sotheby’s notes. “Headlined by major landscapes by Albert Bierstadt, an iconic Norman Rockwell cowboy subject, and fresh-to-market drawings by Frederic Remington, this dedicated Western auction highlights the artists who shaped the American Western canon from the 19th century to present day. This sale features highlights from the Sam & Marilyn Fox Collection and a distinguished private Western collection, among others.”
Worthington Whittredge (1820-1910), Along the Platte River, Colorado, ca. 1867, oil on canvas, 19¼ x 30 in. Estimate: $500/700,000
Other lots include Bierstadt’s An Indian Encampment, showing a quiet camp scenes with gorgeous light. The 1861 painting isn’t large at just 13 by 19 inches, yet it commands attention with a strong composition that balances land and trees with sky and clouds. The piece is estimated at $800,000 to $1.2 million.
Comparable in style and subject is Worthington Whittredge’s Along the Platte River, Colorado,from around 1867. The 30-inch-wide painting is a wider and more romantic scene compared to the Bierstadt, although both offer tranquil views of Native American life in the mid 1800s. Along the Platte River, Colorado is estimated at $500,000 to $700,000.
Albert Bierstadt (1830-1902), An Indian Encampment, 1861, oil on canvas, 13⅝ x 19⅜ in. Estimate: $800/1,200,000
Another landscape, Samuel Colman’s Solomon’s Temple, Colorado, a casein and pencil work on paper, will be offered with estimates of $150,000 to $180,000. The work shows a dramatic view of a mountain range that leads down into a waterfall and lake.
Finally, Sotheby’s will offer N.C. Wyeth’s 1915 oil that has quite a title: Waite seized him and swung him on high amid a volley of terrified oaths and then dashed him down and away (Bar-room Brawl).The action-heavy painting has estimates of $120,000 to $180,000. —
N.C. Wyeth (1882-1945), “Waite seized him and swung him on high amid a volley of terrified oaths and then dashed him down and away (Bar-room Brawl),” 1915, oil on canvas, 22 x 34 in. Estimate: $120/180,000
The American West
January 24, 2026Sotheby’s
945 Madison Avenue, New York, NY 10021
(212) 606 7000, www.sothebys.com
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