Spring Fine Art Auctions Focus on American Artists Historic and Contemporary

May 24 and 25 Fine Art Sales at Leslie Hindman Auctioneers Fine Particular Focus on American Artists, Historic and Contemporary

On May 24 Leslie Hindman Auctioneers will conduct a Post War and Contemporary Art sale followed by a Fine Prints evening sale and a May 25 American and European Art auction. In addition to European and Asian examples, the sales’ highlights find a particular focus on American artists.

Highlights of the May 24 Fine Prints sale include prints from iconic artists such as Chuck Close whose Self Portrait from 2000 is being offered with a presale estimate of $80,000 – 120,000. Other highlights include a less recognizable Lichtenstein, The Sower, from his 1985 Landscape Series, which carries a presale estimate of $30,000 – 50,000.

Paintings in the Post War and Contemporary Art sale by contemporary American artists include highlights such as Will Barnet’s Play, 1975 – 91, which will be offered with a presale estimate of $60,000 – 80,000 and Karl Wirsum’s The Odd Awning Awed, 1966, estimated at $30,000 – 50,000. Also included is a Conrad Marca-Relli titled M-XL-3-64 from 1964, which carries a presale estimate of $30,000 – 50,000. Other highlights by American artists include works by Tom Uttech, Terry Rodgers, Margo Hoff and Ed Paschke.

The works on paper session includes two late career collages by Surrealist assemblage box maker Joseph Cornell, both ambiguously mythological and allegorical. A pair of ephemeral drawings that were gifted to Joseph Cornell by Surrealist Dorthea Tanning is also available. The drawings are part of the Betty L. Bergman Trust. The Bergmans were luminary art collectors and patrons in Chicago, as shown through the Art Institute of Chicago’s Modern Wing, which houses a selection of boxes from the Lindy and Edwin Bergman Joseph Cornell Collection.

Other unique works featured in the sales on May 24 come from the Kultermann Estate, a collection focused on works by German and American conceptual and minimalist artists. Mr. Udo Kultermann was a German author, museum director and art gallery consultant in the 1950s and ‘60s. His wife, Erika Kultermann, an internationally recognized scholar on the German poet Else Lasker Schüler, formed friendships with many emerging and established contemporary artists from the period, embodied by their collection. Highlights from the estate include a noteworthy series of fragile and fugitive works by Paul Thek, expressing the frail and transitory nature of existence.

Highlights from the May 25 American and European Art auction include Ralston Crawford’s Smith Silo that will be offered with an estimate of $300-000 – 500,000. In search of intriguing industrial and agricultural material, the artist worked in Chadds Ford and Exton, Pennsylvania from 1934 to 1939. It was here that his Precisionist style painting was executed. George Inness’ Sunset will be offered with an estimate of $100,000 – 150,000 as well as a Birger Sandzen titled Pacific Coastline, 1950, with a presale estimate of $50,000 – 70,000.

Of particular American ties is a collection of 18 watercolor studies by Walter Ufer for the Fourth Liberty Loan Poster Program. After coming under suspicion as a German-born American at the start of America’s involvement in WWI, Walter Ufer was later approached by the Treasury Department to submit studies for a series of posters supporting war bonds. An essay in the catalogue describes Ufer’s inspiration and submission that challenged the program’s suggested approach. The collection will be offered with a presale estimate of $4,000 – 6,000.

On the European front, and among many additional lots of interest, is a Marc Chagall titled L’arche portee par David a Jerusalem, 1955-56 that will be offered in the American and European Art sale on May 25 with an estimate of $60,000 – 80,000. A highlight of the Fine Prints May 24 evening sale is Franz Gertsch’s Natascha VI, 1987, offered at $30,000 – 50,000. Josef Sima’s Untitled work from 1965 will be offered with a presale estimate of $30,000 – 50,000 in the Post War and Contemporary Art sale May 24. Also from the Kultermann Estate is a late 50s ink dot drawing by Zero group denizen Gunther Uecker demonstrating the artist’s interest in light and movement as seen in his future nail works.

Leslie Hindman Auctioneers’ May 24 and 25 fine art sales will take place in the Chicago saleroom with online bidding via LHLive and Bidsquare.

Fine Art Auction Schedule

Post War and Contemporary Art (439)

Tuesday, May 24 – 10 AM CT

 

Fine Prints (440)

Tuesday, May 24 – 3 PM CT

American and European Art (441)

Wednesday, May 25 – 10 AM CT

Preview Schedule

Friday, May 20 – Wednesday, May 25

1338 West Lake Street

Chicago, Illinois 60607