Innholdsfortegnelse for January-February 2026/No. 85 i American Fine Art Magazine

Made possible by a multiyear grant from the Robert C. Vance Foundation, the New Britian Museum of American Art has acquired Landscape, 1870, by Robert S. Duncanson (1821-1872), who was a second generation member of the Hudson River School painters. The artist is known for his pastoral scenes that often include rivers and mountains, and exemplifies the Hudson River School’s style of romantic landscape views. “Successful during his lifetime, Duncanson was known in the 1800s by American press as the‘best landscape painter in theWest,’ and London newspapers hailed him as an equal to his British contemporaries,” say museum reps. “Born a freedman in Seneca County, NewYork, in 1821 to mixedrace parents, Duncanson moved to the prosperous city of Cincinnati in 1840 to pursue a career in the arts…Duncanson died at…

For the past 50 years, VincentVallarino has been involved in the arts, first as a photographer whose work was exhibited at major museums and institutions. Steeped in the history of fine art photography and technical expertise, he began collecting photographs as a young man and began dealing in the medium at a time when it was a niche market among galleries and museums. In 1987, Vallarino and his partner AbbyTaylor started the Greenwich Gallery in Greenwich, Connecticut, which specialized in 19th - and 20th-century American and European paintings. In 1996, Vallarino was elected to the board of directors of the FineArt DealersAssociation where he served until 2010. During that time, in 2006, Vallarino startedVallarino FineArt specializing inAmerican post-war artists with a focus on the NewYork School of abstract expressionists. He…

Although California is in the title, John Moran Auctioneers’ California & American Fine Art sale featured artwork around the country, from the Pacific to the Atlantic and everything in between. The November 18 sale realized $742,000 with an 82 percent sellthrough rate. The top lot was Alson Skinner Clark’s 1915 oil The Coffee House (View of the State Street Bridge, Chicago), which nearly tripled its high estimate of $30,000 when it sold for $82,000. Prior to the sale, the auction house was anticipating high interest in the work. “It’s a beautiful work from a great time by the artist,” said Katherine Halligan, the director of fine art at John Moran Auctioneers. Not only did the piece see high bidding, but also sustained bidding that helped carry it over $80,000. Another…

Bonhams’ recent California & WesternArt sale—featuring selections from the Los Angeles Athletic Club—achieved significant success with $3.27 million in total sales and 83 percent of lots sold. A total of 125 lots were on offer during the November 11 sale, including three Bob Ross pieces that earned a combined total of $661,900. “This sale was led by a capsule of works from the Los Angeles Athletic Club and three works by Bob Ross that were being sold to benefit public television,” says Megan E. Gallagher, associate specialist at Bonhams. “Together these two collections brought in additional interest beyond our normal scope with registrations nearly doubled from our standard participation.” The three Ross paintings in question include Winter’s Peace, which achieved $318,000; Home in the Valley, selling for $229,100; and Cliffside,…

Frequently elevated to the same levels as wildlife masters Carl Rungius and Bruno Liljefors, painter Bob Kuhn has become a vital artist to collectors of animal art and his prices are proof. On November 8, during an online sale by Coeur D’Alene Art Auction, Kuhn not only had the top lot, but also the top three. Leading the charge was African Baroque selling for $266,000, more than tripling the high estimate of $75,000. Behind it was Elephant in Papyrus (est. $60/90,000) that sold for $108,000 and Cape Buffalo (est. $40/60,000) that sold for $90,000. Although Kuhn is most widely known for his mammals from North America, his African subject matter is also highly desirable by top wildlife collectors. Many of the works came from the FaustoYturria collection, who had an…

Through February 28, 2026 J. Kenneth Fine Art 145 Pine Haven Shores Shelburne, VT 05482 t: (802) 540-0267 www.jkennethfineart.com Malcolm Myers (1917-2002) was a master printmaker, painter and teacher. He started the printmaking department at the University of Minnesota where he taught for more than 50 years. In 1951 and 1954 he received Guggenheim Fellowships to work in Paris and then in Mexico City. Myers often worked in series. Among them were intaglio and woodcut prints of animals. “I have a deep respect for animals, birds—all living things—which I attempt to convey in many of my prints,” he explained. “I try to show the uniqueness of creatures that I portray. This very possibly may be the influence of my early reading of books about Peter Rabbit, Danny Meadow Mouse, and…

WILLIAM ROBINSON LEIGH (1866–1955) The Colts’ Yard at Stony Ford, New York William Robinson Leigh is best known for his dramatic depictions of the AmericanWest and Southwest, but early in his career, he made illustrations for Scribner’s Magazine. In 1896, he was sent on assignment to Stony Ford Farm, an estate and horse-breeding farm near Middletown, NewYork, to create paintings to accompany two articles on trotting horses. The current example is one of these paintings and shows a group of Hambletonian horses—descendants of a famous English racehorse trained for travel on roads—rendered in precise detail which captures the individual characteristics of the horses in addition to demonstrating the artist’s academic training and skilled draftsmanship. Debra Force Fine Art 13 E. 69th Street, Suite 4F • NewYork, NY 10021 (212) 734-3636…

Every year, the Palm Beach Show showcases excellence in art, jewelry, antiques and luxury design. The 2026 edition continues in this tradition, while also encouraging patrons to look at the art fair as more than just a marketplace—it’s a cultural experience connecting generations of collectors, dealers and design enthusiasts. “Our goal is to highlight the diversity and depth of the global art world while maintaining the refined aesthetic and prestige that defines Palm Beach,” says Kelsi Monteith, Palm Beach Show Group’s executive director of communications. “Each year, we strive to foster meaningful connections between exhibitors and collectors in a one-of-a-kind environment that inspires discovery and appreciation for unique, luxury collectibles.” Collectors can expect an extraordinary mix of works spanning fine art, estate jewelry, furniture, decorative arts, silver, porcelain, textiles, Asian…

January 22-23, 2026 Christie’s 20 Rockefeller Plaza New York, NY 10020 t: (212) 636-2000 www.christies.com As part of a series of auctions that comprise Christie’s American Art Week, the esteemed auction house presents Collector/Connoisseur: The Max N. Berry Collection, featuring major 19th - and 20th-century artworks from the Hudson River School to impressionism and beyond, across two consecutive sales. The evening sale commences at 4 p.m. on January 22, and is followed by a day sale on January 23 at 11 a.m. The evening sale will showcase roughly 30 lots that represent the top and most highly valued examples from each category Berry collected. Leading the sale, with an estimate of $1.5 to $2.5 million, is Winslow Homer’s Mountain Climber Resting from 1869. “The scene depicts a contemplative moment overlooking…

As anticipated, Georgia O’Keeffe’s The Red Maple at Lake George (featured on the cover of last month’s issue) led Christie’s November 20th Century Evening Sale which, with the 21st Century Evening Sale, anchor of grouping of international art auctions billed under the umbrella Marquee Week. The O’Keeffe commanded just under the mid-point between its high and low estimates when it achieved $12 million. Three works by John Singer Sargent landed among the top 10 lots in the 20th Century Evening Sale, including his Gondolier’s Siesta, which smashed the record for a work on paper by the artist when it more than doubled its high estimate of $3 million to close just shy of $7.4 million. Sargent’s oil Capri from 1878 also nearly doubled its high estimate when it went to the highest bidder…

Santa Fe Art Auction recorded more than $3.3 million in sales for its 31st Annual Signature Sale in New Mexico on November 7 and 8. Not only were sales high, but sales were consistent with a 95 percent sellthrough rate across 350 lots over two days of sales. Reflecting the broadening focus of the auction house, the sale’s top lot was not from the West, or even Southwest, but from Europe: Pablo Picasso’s 1961 graphite on paper, Les déjeuners IV (d’après Manet), sold for $184,000, far surpassing a $100,000 high estimate. Other top lots were Albert Bierstadt’s Study for the Great Trees (Mariposa, California) (est. $30/50,000) that sold for $135,000, Robert Daughters’ View of Valdez (est. $15/25,000) that sold for $40,000, and two Fritz Scholder paintings that sold for a combined…

Works by Gustav Klimt, Frida Kahlo, Vincent van Gogh and (mostly) other European artists dominated Sotheby’s November Marquee Week of art sales, which collectively tallied almost $1.2 billion, a close second to the highest total in Sotheby’s history. Five works sold for more than $50 million during Marquee Week, including Klimt’s Portrait of Elisabeth Lederer, which realized $236 million, the highest price paid for a piece of art in Sotheby’s history, and second highest price achieved at any auction. Kahlo’s El sueño (La cama) sold for $54 million, the highest price realized by a woman artist at auction, and Sotheby’s set a record for a still life byVan Gogh when Romans Parisiens went home with a bidder for more than $62 million. American art sales were humbled by such figures…

Through September 26, 2026 Colby College Museum of Art 5600 Mayflower Hill Drive Waterville, ME 04901 t: (207) 859-5600 museum.colby.edu In 2013, Paula and Peter Lunder donated more than 500 works of American art to Colby College. In September of this year, the 11 galleries of the LunderWing of the college’s museum of art reopened with an extraordinary reinstallation of the museum’s collection. The exhibition, titled Some American Stories, will showcase a variety of artworks, including paintings, sculpture, decorative arts and works on paper, drawn from the museum’s collection. Collectively, the new installation will span artworks created before the founding of the United States to current times, reflecting the great diversity of the American experience. Each gallery contains works on a theme with an introductory wall text by members of…

ONGOING Nicolai Fechin: An Artistic Journey FRED JONES JR. MUSEUM OF ART - UNIVERSITY OF OKLAHOMA • NORMAN, OK This exhibition focuses on how a lifetime of travel, as well as his family, friends and training influenced Fechin’s work. www.ou.edu/fjjma ONGOING Jazz Age Illustration NORMAN ROCKWELL MUSEUM • STOCKBRIDGE, MA Featuring more than 120 original works by the era’s most influential illustrators, this exhibition captures the sights, sounds and spirit of a nation in transition. www.nrm.org ONGOING Some American Stories COLBY COLLEGE MUSEUM OF ART • WATERVILLE, DE This exhibition showcases paintings, sculpture, decorative arts and works on paper created before the founding of the U.S. through current times. museum.colby.edu OPENS DECEMBER 13, 2025 Marina Stern: Light CW AMERICAN MODERNISM & BEL AMI GALLERY • LOS ANGELES, CA Stern will…

What event (gallery show, museum exhibit, etc.) in the next few months are you looking forward to, and why? We are thrilled to present our original exhibition, Shattered Glass: The Women Who Elevated American Art, which will be on display through March 1, 2026. This exhibition is the culmination of over six years of intensive research, development and organization by myself, permanent collection curator Kaleigh Pisani and curatorial assistant Kate Hatcher. It feels surreal that the opening date is finally upon us! The exhibition will spotlight both well-known figures in American art, and those women who have historically been overlooked or omitted from history books. What are you reading? My strong interest in history, particularly as it relates to my current exhibit projects, has heavily influenced my recent reading selections,…

We don’t typically associate the idea of humanism with the rise of abstraction and the modernist movement in the 20th century. The very nature of the word“abstraction” suggests an art form that is, at least at first, removed and at a distance from our perception of reality—abstract in the sense of theoretical, subjective, conceptual and philosophical. Somehow this has translated into a notion of abstract art as brittle or unformed: shards of glass that might have been a window; swirls of liquid without a vessel to contain them. Looking at the artworks and other objects in Architects of Being: Louise Nevelson and Esphyr Slobodkina, an exhibition opening at the Chrysler Museum of Art in February, one can readily see the many congruencies in their facture and forms. Yet, there is…

January 23, 2026 Christie’s 20 Rockefeller Plaza New York, NY 10020 t: (212) 636-2000 www.christies.com During a jam-packed week of American art sales, Christie’s will also present an auction dedicated to 19th-century American andWestern-themed paintings and sculpture. Kicking off at 2 p.m. on January 23, 19th Century American and Western Art will feature 100 lots that span the Civil War-era through the turn-of-the-century, with a few examples of early 20th-century impressionism. The sale will lean more heavily toward traditional American art, including Hudson River School, genre paintings, still life and more, with about 20 percent in the Western category. “The sale brings the finest examples of historic American art to market from the best collections ever assembled,” says associate specialist and head of sale, Quincie Dixon. “This season we are thrilled…

Among the top five paintings in Shannon’s Fine Art Auctioneers’ October sale were historic works byWilliamTrost Richards, Irving Ramsay Wiles, Jasper Francis Cropsey, William Harnett and Walter Launt Palmer. The top lot, Richards’ 1876 oil Mother and Child in an Autumn Landscape bested its $250,000 high estimate when it sold for $300,000. In total, the Fine Art Auction achieved $2.1 million and sold 82 percent of the 159 lots that were on offer. “The sale was a success with notable prices achieved for 19th-century art, proving this market is still active for quality works,” says Shannon’s owner Sandra Germain. Wiles’ 1907 marinescape The White Sloop (Peconic Bay) attracted significant interest, reaching $106,250 against a $75,000 high estimate. Another highlight of American impressionist paintings was Palmer’s Off the Public Gardens (Venice),…

In mid-November of last year, Heritage Auctions brought in just over $14.7 million during its American Art Signature Auction. The sale was led by Rockwell’s So You Want to See the President!—the artist’s only known suite of four interrelated paintings—when it was acquired by theWhite House Historical Association for $7.25 million. Created in 1943 at the height ofWorldWar II, the work was commissioned by President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s press secretary Stephen T. Early, and its imagery of American soldiers, senators, Secret Service agents and citizens hung prominently in theWhite House from 1978 through 2022. “This moment feels truly historic,” says Aviva Lehmann, Heritage Auctions’ senior vice president and director of American art. “This result honors not only Rockwell’s enduring vision of American democracy, but also Heritage’s commitment to preserving our…

Through January 31, 2026 CW American Modernism Los Angeles, CA By appointment cwamericanmodernism@gmail.com www.cwamericanmodernism.com Bel Ami 709 N. Hill Street Upstairs Suites 103 & 105 Los Angeles, CA 90012 www.belami.info From her early expressionist works in the 1950s, to her “Talking Pop” and op-surrealist creations of the 1960s, NewYork-based expressionist Marina Stern has made an indelible impact on the world of modern art. At 89 years old, Stern will be having her first solo exhibition since 2007, and the first-ever presentation of her works on theWest Coast. Collectors can explore the artist’s works at both CW American Modernism (by appointment and online) and in person at Bel Ami gallery, each based in Los Angeles. “Collectors should pay attention to Marina Stern’s work because she forged her own unique path, sometimes…

January 9-11, 2026 Washington Winter Show Katzen Arts Center American University 4400 Massachusetts Avenue, NW Washington, D.C. 20016 t: (202) 248-7159 www.washingtonwintershow.org The 71st annual Washington Winter Show returns to American University’s Katzen Arts Center in Washington, D.C. from January 9 through 11 with an impressive array of fine art and antiques from more than 40 dealers from across the country. As the nation’s second oldest charity antique show, each year the Washington Winter Show attracts crowds by the thousands to explore the treasures on display, and take advantage of special programming led by some of the most prominent figures in interior design and historic preservation. This year’s theme, A Place to Call Home, Celebrating 250 Years of the American Home Here & Abroad, explores the rich cultural influences and diverse…