American Art and Pennsylvania Impressionists Thrive at Freeman’s | Hindman’s $3.4M Spring Auction
Works by American artists and Pennsylvania Impressionists soared past their estimates in Freeman’s | Hindman’s spring American Art and Pennsylvania Impressionists sale spurring the firm to a $3.4 million day. Pennsylvania Impressionists in particular performed well with all works by artists from that school selling, solidifying Freeman’s | Hindman’s position as the industry leader in the category.
“This weekend's results underscore not only the resilience of the American market but also the discernment of collectors, who embraced the sale with enthusiasm,” said Adam Veil, Freeman’s | Hindman’s Vice President and Head of Department for American Art. “As always, we're proud to have served our clients so successfully.”
Oh, Canada
The top lot for the day was not American at all, but rather a Québec winter scene by Canadian impressionist Clarence Alphonse Gagnon (1881-1942). The remarkable oil on canvas, entitled Sunday Morning, showcases Gagnon’s signature portrayal of winter serenity, as it depicts a village church and square gently slumbering beneath a blanket of snow, with patterns on the rooftops that harmoniously echo those on the surrounding hills. The landscape wound up selling for more than 15 times its estimate at $457,700, the second highest auction price ever for the artist, and highest ever in the US.
Gagnon played a seminal role in the rise of Canadian Impressionism, steeped in local color, particularly the quaint winters of the Laurentian Mountains. Once described as a “supreme interpreter of Québec,” Gagnon steadfastly portrayed the landscape, architecture, and atmosphere representative of the region. An idiosyncratic charm emanates from the artist's delicate arrangement of colors, forms, and objects cohered into a tranquil whole, at once familiar and intriguing.
America the Beautiful
Not to be outdone, the American artists also overperformed their estimates, particularly the Pennsylvania Impressionists, a category long championed by Freeman’s | Hindman. All 23 works by Pennsylvania Impressionists offered sold proving once again that this is a thriving category that deserves the special attention Freeman’s | Hindman gives it.
The top lot, both for American artists and Pennsylvania Impressionists, was a winter scene by Edward Willis Redfield (1869-1965) entitled, New Hope Locks, which sold for $191,000 against a presale estimate of $120,000 - 180,000.
Redfield was one of the founding members of the famed New Hope art colony in the heart of Bucks County, Pennsylvania, which inspired many of his landscapes, including this particular piece. As the name suggests, New Hope Locks depicts the four-lock system of the Delaware Canal as it passes through New Hope. The scene is set in the dead of winter, though the potent depiction of frigid weather assailing New Hope is not exactly what it seems. Attuned to the seasons, the town wisely embraces stillness, adapting to a slower, self-preserving rhythm. The apparent paralysis is akin to a willful standstill, more than a capitulation. Life and energy are still brewing in the midst of these bitter conditions, and a deep sense of resilience emanates from the scene.
Other Pennsylvania Impressionist highlights included:
· Daniel Garber (1880-1958) In a Wood, 1932 oil on canvas | SOLD FOR $165,600
· Edward Willis Redfield (1869-1965) First Snow, 1928 oil on canvas | SOLD FOR $140,200
· Fern Isabel Coppedge (1888-1951) Winter, Bucks County oil on canvas | SOLD $127,500
From Sea to Shining Sea
American artists from coast to coast beat their estimates proving an overall enthusiasm for the category. Among the many standouts on the day were:
· Howard Pyle (1853-1911) Viewing the Battle of Bunker's Hill, 1901 oil on canvas | SOLD FOR $181,475
· Louis Ritman (1889-1963) Quiet Afternoon, 1915 oil on canvas | SOLD FOR $171,950
· Wolf Kahn (1927-2020) Pond on the Farm, 1987 oil on linen | SOLD FOR $102,100
· Martha Walter (1875-1976) Beach Balloons (A Day at the Beach), c. 1920 oil on gessoed board laid to panel | SOLD FOR $70,350