artnet Launches Abstract Paintings Sale Featuring Works by Renowned New York School Artists from 1940-1970

NEW YORK and BERLIN - 60 abstract paintings by 50 New York School artists from 1940-1970

- Estimates from US$1,000 to US$50,000

- April 20-30, 2009

From April 20-30 artnet Online Auctions will feature a special sale of 60 abstract paintings by 50 New York School artists including Mary Abbott, Elaine de Kooning, Franz Kline, Michael Goldberg and Robert Motherwell.

(Photo: www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20090420/NY01657 )

The New York School artists painted and frequently socialized together at the Artists’ Club in lower Manhattan during the 1940s and 1950s; exhibiting for the first time at the ground-breaking “Ninth Street” Exhibition in 1951. From this School emerged the pivotal art historical movement, American Abstract Expressionism. The works offered in this sale are prime examples by renowned New York School artists.

Artists of the “Ninth Street” Exhibition

Leading the sale is a group of works by ten artists who participated in the “Ninth Street” Exhibition including Peter Busa, Friedel Dzubas, Jimmy Ernst, Michael Goldberg, Robert Motherwell and Melville Price. Michael Goldberg, one of the youngest participants, exhibited in the “Ninth Street” show at the age of 27. Untitled, 1960, executed just nine years later, is a vibrant painting with color harmonies that foreshadow the artist’s mature works (estimate: US$40,000-US$50,000). Also offered in this section is Untitled, circa 1985 by Friedel

Dzubas (estimate: US$7,000-US$12,000). Early on in his career Dzubas executed a series of “black” works. This work, executed in scarlet against a background of lapis exemplifies the brilliant palette characteristic of the artist’s later work. This section also includes two paintings by Melville Price, Portrait, 1959 (estimate: US$5,500-US$7,500) and Study for Black Warrior, 1961 (estimate: US$6,000-US$7,500).

Women Artists of the New York School

Other sale highlights include a collection of ten paintings by women artists including Mary Abbott, Perle Fine, Elaine de Kooning and Michael Corinne West. The Bombash, 1950 is one of three works by Mary Abbott offered in the sale (estimate: US$15,000-US$20,000).

Abbott associated with Jackson Pollock at the Artists’ Club a decade earlier and this work reflects Pollock’s influence. The subject matter, however, owes to the artist’s travels to Haiti. Winter Landscape Collage Painting, 1966, by Elaine de Kooning, is a mixed media work in oil and found newspaper on panel in which the artist evokes a winter scene with evergreen brushstrokes over a field of white (estimate: US$15,000-20,000). Also offered in this section are two rare works by Michael Corinne West, Quick Poem Summer, 1965 (estimate: US$14,000-18,000) and White Writing, 1966 (estimate: US$12,000-15,000).

Other highlights

Among the other sale highlights are two exceptional action paintings by Norman Bluhm, Untitled, 1961 (estimate: US$18,000-US$22,000) and Untitled, 1962 (estimate: US$20,000-25,000); Untitled, 1960 a luminous work by Hans Burkhardt which has rarely appeared at auction (estimate: US$22,000-28,000); and Untitled, 1957, a rare work in brilliant, contrasting colors by John von Wicht (estimate: US$7,500-12,500).

Browse the Sale at www.artnetonlineauctions.com/abstractpaintings

Sale Contact: Lori Yarotsky Senior Specialist, Modern & Contemporary Art +1-212-497-9700 Ext. 175 lyarotsky@artnet.com

About artnet

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Source: artnet

Sarah Bradley, artnet Worldwide Inc., +1-212-497-9700 ext: 197, sbradley at artnet.com. Photo: https://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20090420/NY01657