SWANN Auction Galleries / Out of the Blue: Modern Art and Jazz / June 24, 2010

Swann Galleries launched a new department exclusively focused on African-American Fine Art in February 2007. To date, they are the only major auction house to conduct regular sales on African-American art, and auction benchmarks have been set for works by both important and lesser-known artists. Thus far, there have been seven auctions occurring twice a year in February and October. 

Swann Galleries' African-American Fine Art department will offer their latest sale entitled Out of the Blue: Modern Art and Jazz (Sale 2219) on June 24, 2010. This appears to be their first theme based auction, focusing on works of African-American artists inspired by blues, jazz and improvisation, and it includes both figurative and abstract art that speaks to the theme. Three examples of works featured in this auction are included in this release.

Charles Alston, Untitled (Cityscape at Night), Oil on canvas, 20" x 24",

circa 1950-55, Lot 17

Hughie Lee-Smith, Fugue, Color lithograph (16/175), 1996, Lot 65

   

Out of the Blue includes property from a number of estates or collections, including the estates of Nanette Bearden, Claude Clark, Hughie Lee-Smith, Walter Augustus Simon, Dox Thrash, Moneta Sleet, Jr., Hartwell Yeargans; and the collections of Samuel and Sally Nowak, Peter Passuntino, Elaine Plenda, George and Joyce Wein, and E.T., Auldlyn Williams, and the family of Moneta Sleet, Jr. Out of the Blue, Sale 2219, consists of seventy-six (76) lots; and a catalogue accompanies the auction.

There is a wide variety of selections that should meet the collecting goals of the novice to the experienced collector as evidenced by looking at the auction estimates, the artists, and media choices composing the 76 lots.

A sampling of some of the artists included are as follows: Ben Jones, Sam Gilliam, Hughie Lee-Smith, Faith Ringgold, Reginald Gammon, Joe Sam, Anthony Barboza, Hartwell Yeargans, Romare Bearden, William T. Williams, Ernie Barnes, Norman Lewis, Vincent D. Smith, Benny Andrews, Bob Thompson, Charles White, Charles Alston, Moneta Sleet, Jr., Dox Thrash, Hale Woodruff, Frank Stewart, Claude Clark, Joseph Delaney, and etc. An equal depth of media include representations in oils, ink wash, woodcuts, lithographs, etchings, pen and ink, pastels, photography, gouache, aquatint, mixed media, watercolors, and etc.

For more information, see: http://www.swanngalleries.com/full.cgi?index_id=467&sch_id=490            

Hartwell Yeargans, Bass and Guitar Musicians,

Oil on canvas, 24" x 18", 1964, Lot 32