Tag: online auction

  • Post-war American Art Movements in Cowley Abbott’s Modern & Contemporary Auction

    In the years following the end of World War II, several major art movements emerged in the United States. Abstract Expressionism began in the 1940s and was the first specifically American movement to achieve international influence and put New York at the centre of the Western art world, a role formerly filled by Paris. Developing out of Abstract Expressionism came Color-Field painting, but also other movements that were anti-abstraction, such as Pop Art and Conceptual Art. The June Online Auction of Modern & Contemporary Art features some excellent examples of these various movements and their connections with each other. 

    Josef Albers was a famous German-American abstract artist and colour theorist. He studied and taught at the Bauhaus school in the 1920s, then moved to the United States after the Nazi regime closed the school in 1933. He first taught painting at Black Mountain College in North Carolina and later became the head of the design program at Yale University. In 1963, he published a very influential book, Interaction of Color, about studying and teaching colour through experience. Albers was instrumental in bringing the tenets of European modernism, particularly those associated with the Bauhaus, to America. His legacy as an artist, teacher and colour theorist profoundly influenced the development of modern art in the United States during the 1950s and 1960s.

    Albers is best known for his iconic coloured square paintings and prints, also known as his Homage to the Square series. Albers explored chromatic interactions with nested squares in this rigorous series, which he started in 1949. Each painting and print consist of three or four squares of solid planes of color nested within one another, and in a square format. Lot 201 is part of a series printed in Paris, so it has a French title: Hommage au carré. Albers signed and dated it 1964, however, it was only published in 1965.

    Josef Albers

    Robert Motherwell was an American abstract expressionist artist and one of the youngest of the New York School, which included painters such as Willem de Kooning, Jackson Pollock, and Mark Rothko. Trained in philosophy, Motherwell was regarded as among the most articulate spokesmen for abstract art, and his paintings and prints often touched on political, philosophical and literary themes. 

    Many people do not know that Motherwell is also known for his work in printmaking. Lot 243, Harvest, with Orange Stripe, is part of his Summer Light Series from the 1970s. This major series, in collaboration with Gemini studio in L.A., allowed him to reintroduce collage into his printing practice. Motherwell continued the Cubist tradition of incorporating everyday materials into collages, such as newspapers, or in this instance, cigarette labels.

    Tom Wesselmann was a key figure in the development of the American Pop Art movement of the 1950s and 1960s. Pop Art emerged as a revolt against the elitism of museums and abstract art of the time. Instead, artists purposely chose subjects found in everyday life that have mass appeal: Hollywood films, advertising, pop music and comic books. In Lot 222, Still Life with Lilies and Mixed Fruit, Wesselmann has contrasted the traditional still life subject matter with a flat, colourful and cartoonish design that is quintessential to Pop Art.

    Another art movement that emerged in opposition to abstraction was Conceptual Art. California-based artist John Baldessari started as a semi-abstract painter in the 1950s but grew so disenchanted with his own handiwork, that in 1970 he decided to take his paintings to a San Diego funeral home and cremate them. From then on, he explored a wide range of media, often combining images and the associative power of language and never taking himself too seriously. Lot 244, The First $100,000 I Ever Made, is a prime example of his humorous approach, with the title serving as a double entendre. The work stems from Baldessari’s billboard of a gigantic representation of a $100,000 bill, which he displayed next to the High Line in New York City in December 2011.

    The June Online Auction will close on Tuesday, June 27, starting at 2 pm EDT.

  • Art Collecting Tips with Katherine

    Lot 147: Ronald York Wilson, Prehistoric Enigma
    mixed media on paper, 8.75 x 9 ins
    Estimate: $400-600

    Accessible Art Picks in the February Online Auctions

    Cowley Abbott’s February online auctions are divided into three categories: Canada & Abroad, Three Dimensions, Works on Paper & Prints. I am going to highlight some of my (more affordable) picks and provide a bit of background information as to why I chose them.

    Lot 14: W.E. Atkinson, Shades of Evening
    oil on canvas, 20 x 16 ins
    Estimate: $1,500-2,000

    In my previous blog post, I mentioned how I like auctions because they expose you to a wide range of art, making you consider some artworks you wouldn’t have otherwise sought out. For example, I am generally drawn to abstract art because I studied it in school and it is modern and often colourful. If I were to look to buy art at a gallery I would probably seek out a modern art exhibition. That being said, the artworks that strike me the most in this month’s sales would be considered quite traditional: George Reid’s Sketch for “Spring and William Edwin Atkinson Shades of Evening. They are both soft and romantic, with a very impressionistic quality. This goes to show that auctions can open your eyes to new things – they provide the opportunity to surprise yourself!

    Lot 58: Manly MacDonald, Baker House Close, Edinburgh
    etching, 10.25 x 8 ins
    Estimate $250-350

    Etchings are a beautiful type of printmaking that require an impressive and painstaking technique. The image is first etched by hand into a copper plate, then submerged in acid, then run through a printing press. The process requires an incredible attention to detail with essentially no margin for error, and as a result I feel that etchings deserve more attention than they often receive. Manly MacDonald’s etching Baker House Close, Edinburgh is a charming and delicate depiction of a Scottish street scene, and it has an estimate of only $250-350.

    Lot 104: Marion Post Wolcott
    Jitterbugging on a Saturday Night in Juke Joint near Clarksdale, MI, 1939

    gelatin print, 10 x 8.75 ins
    Estimate: $1,000-1,500

    Marion Post Wolcott was a notable American photographer, best known for documenting poverty and deprivation in the United States during the Great Depression. Her photographs are in the collections of large museums such as the Smithsonian and the Metropolitan Museum of Art. It is exciting to see one of Wolcott’s historical photographs from 1939 offered in the February Works on Paper & Prints auction: lot 104, Jitterbugging on a Saturday Night in Juke Joint near Clarksdale, MI, 1939.

    Lot 153: Harold Town, Stretch Blue on Grey
    serigraph, 40 x 28.5 ins
    Estimate: $300-400

    Harold Town’s Stretch Blue on Grey is a fantastic print. The stretched-out blue bands are fun and would add the perfect pop of not-too-bright colour to a room. It was made in 1971, so it bears that 60s/70s mod aesthetic, yet it could also pass as contemporary. With an estimate of only $300-400, it is really a great opportunity!

    Lot 168: Ivan Eyre, Echo
    etching, 10 x 13 ins
    Estimate: $300-400

    Echo by Ivan Eyre is another example of the intricate etching technique, as well as an example of the accessibility of the artist’s prints in comparison to his oil paintings. Eyre is a contemporary artist whose work is in demand at the gallery level and auction level. Eyre’s acrylic painting Amber Pass was in Cowley Abbott’s June 2021 live auction, with an estimate of $80,000-120,000, and the work sold way above the estimate for $228,000. The artist’s prints, such as Echo, with an estimate of $300-400, are evidently a much more accessible way to own one of his works. Bonus: it is nicely framed!

    Lot 76: Catherine Widgery, Businessman with Attaché Case
    painted aluminum
    Estimate: $1,500-2,000
    Lot 81: Catherine Widgery, Woman with Baby Carriage
    painted aluminum
    Estimate: $1,500-2,000

    Two aluminum maquettes for Catherine Widgery’s art installation “City People”  are being offered in the Three Dimensions sale. Located on Front Street across from Toronto’s Union Station since 1989, “City People” consists of various pedestrian figures made of painted aluminum – some are stationary and mounted on the wall, while many are mounted on pedestals. Businessman with Attaché Case and Woman with Baby Carriage are a fun opportunity to own a piece of Widgery’s process in creating the famous art installation.

    I invite you to browse the three February auction sessions, and feel free to contact us for any further information at info@cowleyabbott.ca. The auctions close March 1, 2022.

  • Trucs et astuces pour la collection d’art

    Lot 147: Ronald York Wilson, Prehistoric Enigma
    mixed media on paper, 8.75 x 9 ins

    Sélections d’œuvres d’art accessibles dans les ventes en ligne de février

    Les ventes en ligne de février de Cowley Abbott sont divisées en trois catégories : Canada et à l’étranger (Canada & Abroad), Trois dimensions (Three Dimensions), œuvres sur papier et gravures (Works on Paper & Prints). Je vais mettre en évidence certains de mes coups de cœur abordables parmi ces ventes, ainsi que les motifs pour lesquels je les ai choisis.

    Lot 14: W.E. Atkinson, Shades of Evening
    oil on canvas, 20 x 16 ins
    Estimate: $1,500-2,000

    Dans mon blog précédent, j’ai mentionné à quel point j’aime les ventes aux enchères, car elles nous exposent à un large éventail d’art, nous faisant envisager certaines œuvres d’art que nous n’aurions pas recherchées autrement. Par exemple, je suis généralement attirée par l’art abstrait parce que je l’ai étudié à l’université et parce qu’il est moderne et souvent coloré. Si je cherchais à acheter de l’art dans une galerie, je chercherais probablement une exposition d’art moderne. Cela étant dit, les œuvres qui me frappent le plus dans les ventes de ce mois-ci seraient considérées comme assez traditionnelles : Sketch for « Spring » de George Reid et Shades of Evening de William Edwin Atkinson. Ils sont à la fois doux et romantiques, avec une qualité très impressionniste. Cela démontre que les enchères peuvent nous ouvrir les yeux à de nouvelles choses – elles nous donnent l’occasion d’être surpris !

    Lot 58: Manly MacDonald, Baker House Close, Edinburgh
    etching, 10.25 x 8 ins
    Estimate $250-350

    Les eaux-fortes sont un beau type de gravure qui requièrent une technique impressionnante et minutieuse. L’image est d’abord gravée à la main dans une plaque de cuivre, puis immergée dans de l’acide, ensuite passée dans une presse à imprimer. Le processus nécessite une attention au détail pointue et ne permet aucune marge d’erreur, ce qui me mène à penser que les eaux-fortes méritent plus d’attention qu’elles n’en reçoivent habituellement. L’œuvre de Manly MacDonald, Baker House Close, Edinburgh est une représentation charmante et délicate d’une scène de rue écossaise, avec une estimation de seulement 250 à 350 $.

    Lot 104: Marion Post Wolcott
    Jitterbugging on a Saturday Night in Juke Joint near Clarksdale, MI, 1939

    gelatin print, 10 x 8.75 ins
    Estimate: $1,000-1,500

    Marion Post Wolcott était une photographe américaine de renom, surtout connue pour avoir documenté la pauvreté et les privations aux États-Unis pendant la Grande Dépression. Ses photographies font partie des collections de musées tels que le Smithsonian et le Metropolitan Museum of Art. Il est excitant de voir l’une des photographies historiques de Wolcott de 1939 proposée dans la vente aux enchères d’oeuvres sur papier et gravures : lot 104, Jitterbugging on a Saturday Night in Juke Joint near Clarksdale, MI, 1939.

    Lot 153: Harold Town, Stretch Blue on Grey
    serigraph, 40 x 28.5 ins
    Estimate: $300-400

    Stretch Blue on Grey de Harold Town est une œuvre d’art fantastique. Les bandes bleues allongées sont amusantes et ajouteraient la touche parfaite de couleur à une pièce. Ayant été complétée en 1971, elle porte l’esthétique « mod » des années 60/70, mais elle pourrait aussi passer pour une œuvre contemporaine. Avec une estimation de seulement 300-400 $, c’est vraiment une belle opportunité !

    Lot 168: Ivan Eyre, Echo
    etching, 10 x 13 ins
    Estimate: $300-400

    Echo par Ivan Eyre est un autre exemple de la technique d’eau-forte, ainsi qu’un exemple de l’accessibilité des gravures de l’artiste comparativement à ses peintures à l’huile. Eyre est un artiste contemporain dont le travail est en demande au niveau des galeries et des enchères. La peinture d’acrylique d’Eyre, Amber Pass, figurait dans la vente aux enchères en salle de Cowley Abbott en juin 2021, avec une estimation de 80 000 à 120 000 $, et l’œuvre s’est vendue bien au-dessus de l’estimation, pour 228 000 $. Les tirages de l’artiste, comme Echo, estimé entre 300 et 400 $, sont évidemment un moyen beaucoup plus accessible de posséder une de ses œuvres. Bonus : c’est joliment cadré !

    Lot 76: Catherine Widgery, Businessman with Attaché Case
    painted aluminum
    Estimate: $1,500-2,000
    Lot 81: Catherine Widgery, Woman with Baby Carriage
    painted aluminum
    Estimate: $1,500-2,000

    Deux maquettes en aluminium pour l’installation artistique « City People » de Catherine Widgery sont proposées dans la vente Trois Dimensions. Situé sur la rue Front en face de la gare Union à Toronto depuis 1989, « City People » est composé de diverses figures de piétons en aluminium peint – certaines sont fixées au mur, tandis que d’autres sont montées sur des piédestaux. Businessman with Attaché Case et Woman with Baby Carriage présentent des occasions amusantes de posséder un morceau du processus de Widgery dans la création de la célèbre installation artistique.

    Je vous invite à parcourir les trois sessions d’enchères de février. N’hésitez pas à nous contacter pour toute information complémentaire à info@cowleyabbott.ca. Les enchères se terminent le 1er mars 2022.

  • Art Collecting Tips with Katherine

    Starting an Art Collection & Why You Should Look to Auctions

    Lot 14: Peter Deutsch, High Fidelity
    vinyl copolymer on canvas
    estimate $1,000-2,000

    Collecting art can be fulfilling and add personality to your home. As a thirty-something-year-old art specialist, I have quite a few friends and family members buying their first homes and asking me where they can buy art to put on their walls. For many reasons (admittedly including the fact that I work at an auction house), I recommend online auctions as a way to start and build an art collection. Cowley Abbott’s January online auctions offer great examples of accessible art in a range of styles, subjects, and media. I am happy to share some general art collecting advice and my affordable art picks from the current sale.

    Lot 39: Robert Montgomery
    The People you Meet Become Ghosts Inside of You and Like This You Keep Them Alive

    colour photograph
    estimate $1,200-1,500

    Browse Indefinitely

    It is important to spend time surrounded by art in order to create a context for yourself. Find ways to look at art on a regular basis, through museum and gallery visits, Instagram accounts, the Google Arts & Culture app, and scrolling through online auction listings. Every time you see a work of art, let yourself react to it. Ask, “do I like this? Why or why not?” These experiences will help you develop your personal taste.

    Lot 73: Rita Letendre, Northern Legend
    serigraph
    estimate $300-500

    Learn (some of) the Lingo

    Art comes in many forms and materials, and it is worth learning their differences, for the purposes of both aesthetics and value. The general categories include painting, drawing, prints (of which there are many types – etchings, silkscreens, lithographs, etc), photography, sculpture and mixed media. An oil painting is a one-of-a-kind work of art, but also more expensive due to its rarity. Prints, which are duplicate images from a limited edition, are often more readily available and affordable than original paintings. For example, lot 73 is Northern Legend, a 1967 print by Rita Letendre. The estimate is $300-500, far below the typical prices in the tens of thousands for her oil paintings.

    Lot 110: Ted Harrison, Ice Moon, Hockey Game
    two serigraphs
    estimate $600-800

    Be Patient and Enjoy the Journey

    Please take your time in this process. When someone asks me for advice on how to find a work of art for their home, I often have to tell them that they should not expect to find something in a day or even a week. Don’t just buy something quickly to fill a blank wall. That being said, if a particular work really grabs you for whatever reason, then go for it! It is better to buy something you love even if you have no idea where it will find a place in your home. Art collecting is a lifelong journey that is never complete – it is always evolving and it reflects how your personality and tastes have changed. Looking at every piece in your collection is like an old journal or photo album–every piece you collect along the way will remind you of a particular moment in your life.

    Lot 111: Raphael Montpetit, Dégel
    oil on board
    estimate $500-700
  • Trucs et astuces pour la collection d’art

    Comment commencer une collection d’art & pourquoi vous devriez vous tourner vers les enchères

    Lot 14: Peter Deutsch, High Fidelity
    copolymère de vinyl sur toile
    estimation  1 000 – 2 000 $

    La collection d’œuvres d’art peut être épanouissante et ajouter de la personnalité à votre maison. En tant que spécialiste de l’art dans la trentaine, j’ai pas mal d’amis et de membres de ma famille qui achètent leur première maison et me demandent où ils peuvent acheter de l’art pour mettre sur leurs murs. Pour de nombreuses raisons (y compris le fait que je travaille dans une maison de vente aux enchères), je recommande les ventes aux enchères en ligne comme moyen de démarrer et de constituer une collection d’art. Les ventes en ligne de Cowley Abbott de janvier offrent d’excellents exemples d’art accessible dans une gamme de styles, de sujets et de médias. Je suis heureuse de partager quelques conseils généraux sur la collection d’art ainsi que mes choix d’art abordables de la présente vente.

    Lot 39: Robert Montgomery,
    The People you Meet Become Ghosts Inside of You and Like This You Keep Them Alive
    photographie en couleurs
    estimation 1 200 – 1 500 $

    Parcourez indéfiniment

    Il est important de passer du temps entouré d’art afin de se créer un contexte.Trouvez des façons de voir de l’art régulièrement, par le biais de visites de musées et de galeries, de comptes Instagram, de l’application Google Arts & Culture et en parcourant les listes d’enchères en ligne. ​​À chaque fois que vous voyez une œuvre d’art, laissez-vous réagir. Demandez, “est-ce que j’aime ça? Pourquoi ou pourquoi pas?” Ces expériences vous aideront à développer votre goût personnel.
    Lot 73: Rita Letendre, Northern Legend
    sérigraphie
    estimation 300 – 500 $

    Apprenez le jargon

    L’art se présente sous de nombreuses formes et matériaux, et il vaut la peine d’apprendre leurs différences, à des fins esthétiques et de valeur. Les catégories générales comprennent la peinture, le dessin, les gravures (dont il existe de nombreux types – eaux-fortes, sérigraphies, lithographies, etc.), la photographie, la sculpture et les techniques mixtes. Une peinture à l’huile est une œuvre d’art unique, mais elle est aussi plus chère en raison de sa rareté. Les tirages, qui sont des images en double d’une édition limitée, sont souvent plus facilement disponibles et abordables que les peintures originales. Par exemple, le lot 73 est Northern Legend, une sérigraphie de 1967 de Rita Letendre. L’estimation est de 300 à 500 $, bien inférieure aux prix typiques de plusieurs dizaines de milliers de ses peintures à l’huile.
    Lot 110: Ted Harrison, Ice Moon, Hockey Game
    lot de deux sérigraphies
    estimation 600 – 800 $

    Soyez patient et profitez du voyage

    Veuillez prendre votre temps dans ce processus. Quand quelqu’un me demande des conseils pour trouver une œuvre d’art pour sa maison, je dois souvent lui dire qu’il ne faut pas s’attendre à trouver quelque chose en un jour ou même une semaine. Ne vous contentez pas d’acheter quelque chose rapidement pour remplir un mur vide. Cela étant dit, si un article en particulier vous attrape vraiment pour une raison quelconque, alors allez-y ! Il est préférable d’acheter quelque chose que vous aimez même si vous ne savez pas où il trouvera sa place dans votre maison. Collectionner des œuvres d’art est un processus qui dure toute la vie et qui n’est jamais complet – il évolue constamment et reflète l’évolution de votre personnalité et vos goûts. Regarder chaque pièce de votre collection est comme un vieux journal ou un album photo – chaque article que vous collectionnez en cours de route vous rappellera un moment particulier de votre vie.

    Lot 111: Raphael Montpetit, Dégel
    huile sur bois
    estimation 500 – 700 $