Summer Modern + Contemporary Art Highlights

Auction
Modern + Contemporary

This June 15th at Clars Auction Gallery, we are excited to offer a number of excellent pieces by esteemed artists throughout the Modern and Contemporary periods.

First featured is a photo-collage by influential English artist, David Hockney. Titled Gregory Watching the Snowfall, Kyoto, February 21st, 1983, the arrangement of violet-toned photographs depicts Hockney’s partner, assistant, and frequent model, Gregory Evans, lying in bed and looking out the window of a Japanese washitsu at the garden outside.

David Hockney, Gregory Watching the Snowfall, Kyoto, Feb. 21st 1983 — David Hockney (British, b. 1937), *Gregory Watching the Snowfall, Kyoto, Feb. 21st 1983*, 1983, photograph collage on paper, 46.6″ x 43.6″.
**Estimate: $25,000–$35,000**

Louis Valtat Fraises — Louis Valtat (French, 1869–1952), *Fraises*, circa 1902, oil on board, 10.75″ x 13.5″.
**Estimate: $20,000–$30,000**

Another highlight in the June sale is an oil on board painting by French Fauve artist, Louis Valtat. The work, titled Fraises, depicts a cluster of bright red strawberries on a deep green lettuce leaf. Valtat’s technique blends the color-forward elements of Fauvism with the expressive brushwork of Impressionism to create a sense of movement in a traditional still-life composition.

Jasper Johns, Flag (Moratorium). — Jasper Johns (American, b. 1930), *Flag (Moratorium)*, 1969, offset lithograph in colors, edition 97/300, 17″ x 26″.
**Estimate: $15,000–$20,000**

Lastly, we are presenting a signed multiple by American Neo-Dadaist, Jasper Johns. Titled Flag (Moratorium), the print is a rendering of perhaps Johns’ most well-known subject: the American flag. This work was made to commemorate the anti-Vietnam War demonstrations that took place in 1969. The symbolic use of orange and camouflage-green tones, along with a white “bullet hole” in the center of the image, is meant to highlight the violence that occurred throughout the controversial war.

Paul Klee, Fragment einer Wandmalerei. — Paul Klee (German, 1879–1940), *Fragment einer Wandmalerei (Fragment of a Mural Painting)*, 1933, watercolor and titanium white glue on paper laid down on cardboard, 7.5″ x 9.75″.
**Estimate: $50,000–$70,000**

Alecos Fassianos, Figure in Blue. — Alecos Fassianos (Greek, 1935–2022), *Figure in Blue*, 1963, oil on canvas, 39″ x 51.75″.
**Estimate: $15,000–$20,000**

This sale will also offer additional important works by renowned artists such as Rafael Coronel, Brett Weston, Milton Reskin, Wayne Thiebaud, and Hunt Slonem.

Brett Weston, White Sands, 1949. — Brett Weston (American, 1911–1993), *White Sands*, 1949, portfolio of twelve (12) gelatin silver prints, 7.75″ x 9.5″.
**Estimate: $15,000–$20,000**

Gunther Gerzso, Eleysis III. — Gunther Gerzso (Mexican, 1915–2000), *Eleysis III*, 1961, oil on canvas affixed to board, 17″ x 12.75″.
**Estimate: $12,000–$18,000**

Rafael Coronel, <em>Gudelia</em>. — Rafael Coronel (Mexican, 1932–2019), *Gudelia*, 1961, oil on board, 40.5″ x 30.5″.
**Estimate: $10,000–$15,000**

March Avery, Resting Nude. — March Avery (American, b. 1932), *Resting Nude*, 1989, oil on canvas, 18.25″ x 42.25″.
**Estimate: $10,000–$15,000**

Brett Weston, Abstractions II. — Brett Weston (American, 1911–1993), *Abstractions II*, 1927–1980, portfolio of twenty (20) gelatin silver prints, 10.75″ x 13.75″.
**Estimate: $10,000–$15,000**

Franz Hagenauer, Male and Female Busts. — (lot of 2) Franz Hagenauer (Austrian, 1906–1986), *Male and Female Busts*, circa 1935, stainless steel sculptures.
**Estimate: $8,000–$12,000**

Wayne Thiebaud, Portrait of Jean Lee Porter. — Wayne Thiebaud (American, 1920–2011), *Portrait of Jean Lee Porter*, 1951/52, oil on canvas/board, 16″ x 12″.
**Estimate: $8,000–$12,000**

Hunt Slonem, <em>Untitled</em>. — Hunt Slonem (American, b. 1951), *Untitled*, 2014, oil on wood panel, 24″ x 20″.
**Estimate: $8,000–$12,000**

Marcel Dyf, Untitled (Still Life with Flowers). — Marcel Dyf (French, 1899–1985), *Untitled (Still Life with Flowers)*, 1969, oil on canvas, 28.75″ x 23.5″.
**Estimate: $7,000–$10,000**

Salvador Dali, Le Decameron. — Salvador Dali (Spanish/1904–1989), *Le Decameron*, 1972, portfolio of ten (10) drypoint etchings, 18.5″ x 13.5″.
**Estimate: $7,000–$10,000**

Bill Brandt, London (Nude with Bent Elbow). — Bill Brandt (British, 1904–1983), *London (Nude with Bent Elbow)*, 1952, gelatin silver print, 13.5″ x 11.5″.
**Estimate: $6,000–$9,000**

Nathan Oliveira, Angel Rocker. — Nathan Oliveira (American, 1928–2010), *Angel Rocker*, 2005, color sugar lift aquatint and drypoint etching, 44.5″ x 35.25″.
**Estimate: $6,000–$9,000**

Elizabeth Catlett, Betye Saar, Erique Chagoya, Rupert Garcia, Raymond Saunders, Freedom or Slavery: The Paul Robeson Portfolio. — *Freedom or Slavery: The Paul Robeson Portfolio*, 1998, a portfolio of fourteen (14) screenprints, including works by Elizabeth Catlett, Betye Saar, Erique Chagoya, Rupert Garcia, Raymond Saunders, 25.25″ x 20″.
**Estimate: $5,000–$7,000**

Squeak Carnwath, Not Fact. — Squeak Carnwath (American, b. 1947), *Not Fact*, 1996, oil and alkyd on canvas, 55″ x 55″.
**Estimate: $5,000–$7,000**

Bidding for Clars’ June 15th, 2023 auction is available by phone, absentee bid, live online at Live.Clars.com and through Liveauctioneers.com and Invaluable.com. For more information about this auction, please contact [email protected].

Artist Spotlight: Joseph Raphael

Artist Spotlight
Modern + Contemporary

Joseph Raphael, a California native, studied at the California School of Design.

He saved money during the 1890s, first as a newspaper illustrator and later as a sign painter, to continue his artistic studies overseas. He spent most of his life aboard, living 36 years in Paris and the Netherlands.

Joseph Raphael, <em>Portrait of a Young Lady</em>. — Joseph Raphael (American, 1869–1950), *Portrait of a Young Lady*, oil on canvas (laid down on board), 16″ x 12.25″.
**Sold: $3,780**

Keeping strong ties to San Francisco, he exhibited his paintings regularly in local shows and through Albert Bender, a patron of early works of Ansel Adams and Diego Rivera. Before World War II, he returned to San Francisco and maintained a studio on 345 Sutter Street until his death on December 11, 1950.

Artist Spotlight: Anthony Liggins

Artist Spotlight
Modern + Contemporary

This May at Clars, we are pleased to offer two acrylic on canvas paintings by Atlanta-Miami-based artist, Anthony Liggins.

Liggins, born in 1965, is a leading figure in the American abstract expressionist resurgence, as well as a prominent African American artist with an international presence.

Anthony Liggins, <em>Blue Angel</em>. — Anthony Liggins (American, b. 1965), *Blue Angel*, acrylic on canvas, 36″ x 36″.
**Estimate $4,000–$6,000**

Liggins names music and dance as two of his major inspirations. In the two pieces offered at Clars this month, titled Blue Angel and Sacred Oasis, the impacts of rhythm and movement are apparent. Melting streaks of color echo sonic waves, which are interspersed with repetitive, grid-like dot work, and bold swaths of color play between rigid lines to create a dynamic interaction of the geometric and organic. The two paintings by Anthony Liggins are each estimated at $4,000–$6,000.

Anthony Liggins, Sacred Oasis. — Anthony Liggins (American, b. 1965), *Sacred Oasis*, acrylic on canvas, 36″ x 36″.
**Estimate: $4,000–$6,000**

Artist Spotlight: Red Grooms

Artist Spotlight
Modern + Contemporary

Known for the absurdist humor in his Pop Art compositions, Red Grooms has worked as a painter, sculptor, and printmaker, taking the latter method to a new level in the work being offered in Clars’ Fine Interiors & Design Auction.

Red (Charles Rogers) Grooms, De Kooning Breaks Through. — Red (Charles Rogers) Grooms (American, b. 1937), *De Kooning Breaks Out*, 1986, three-dimensional lithograph and collage in colors, 43″ x 28.75″ x 7″.
**Sold: $2,520**

The collaged lithograph, titled De Kooning Breaks Out, depicts famed Dutch-American artist Willem de Kooning pedaling a bicycle with a female figure, taken from one of his many Woman paintings, riding on the handlebars. The figures quite literally “break out” in this instance, with the printed paper folding and layered to create a three-dimensional composition. This piece is estimated at $4,000–$6,000.

Artist Spotlight: Joan Miró

Artist Spotlight
Modern + Contemporary

“You can look at a picture for a week and never think of it again. You can also look at a picture for a second and think of it all your life,” Joan Miro (Spanish, 1893–1983).

Joan Miró, Makemono — Joan Miró (Spanish, 1893–1983), *Makemono*, 1956, color lithographic scroll in colors on silk with wooden batons (accompanied with original carved and painted wood box), 16.13″ x 382″ (41 x 970 cm).
**Sold: $16,250**

Disrupting the visual elements of established style, Joan Miró was a painter who combined abstract art with surrealist fantasy. He was a leading light of the Surrealist movement, and his work had a significant impact on a wide range of artists — earning Miró recognition as one of the most influential artists of the 20th century.

Joan Miró, <em>Sculptures (M. 950)</em>. — Joan Miró (Spanish, 1893–1983), *Sculptures (M. 950)*, 1974, lithograph in colors on BFK Rives France, 20″ x 29.5″.
**Sold: $441**

Artist Spotlight: Norman Rockwell

Artist Spotlight
Modern + Contemporary

Norman Rockwell was a prolific American painter and illustrator, best known for depicting everyday American life.

Norman Rockwell, The Conniosseur — Norman Rockwell (American, 1894–1978), *The Conniosseur*, color collotype, 27″h x 21.5″w.
**Sold: $2,000**

He was commissioned to illustrate over 40 books, including Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn. Rockwell is probably best known for his cover illustration for the Saturday Evening Post.

works on paper appraisal bay area — Norman Rockwell (American, 1894–1978), *Study – Crestwood Commuter Station* (for Cover Illustration, Saturday Evening Post, November 16, 1946) *& Portrait of an Equestrian Gentleman* (verso), circa 1946, charcoal on paper (double-sided), 21.5″ x 20″.
**Sold: $242,000**

Rockwell’s career with the Saturday Evening Post spanned 47 years, from his first cover illustration in 1916, to his last in 1963 — a Portrait of John F. Kennedy.

Artist Spotlight: Andy Warhol

Artist Spotlight
Modern + Contemporary

Published in 1979, Andy Warhol’s bizarre take on the classic traditional subject of fruit still lifes, titled Space Fruit: Still Life Series, underscores his evolving interest in abstract art in the late 1970s.

He placed many pieces of fruit against a white background and cast harsh light upon them to create exaggerated shadows and light-based contrast.

Andy Warhol, Peaches — Andy Warhol (American, 1928–1987), *Peaches* from *Space Fruit: Still Life Series*, 1979, screenprint, 30″ x 40″.
**Sold: $17,500**

Peaches, a work from the series, gives Warhol space to experiment with colors and compositions, showcasing his interest in vibrant unrealistic colors and exaggerated shadows. Presenting an original view of a peach, this work pushed boundaries between the depiction of nature and consumer products. This series is highly sought after by the collectors and Peaches will be offered on March 18th at Clars Auction Gallery.

Designer Spotlight: Toshiko Takaezu

Designer Spotlight
Modern + Contemporary

Toshiko Takaezu, renowned abstract Hawaiian ceramicist from the twentieth century, drew inspiration from her own cultural background as well as contemporary painting and sculpture.

Toshiko Takaezu (American/Japanese, 1922–2011) is best know for her ‘Closed forms’ which can be described as both sculptures and paintings all in one. Each form is unique and varies in shape, size, color and texture and captures a spirit that mirrors work of other postwar expressionist artists, like Joan Mitchell and Mark Rothko.

Artist Spotlight: Pablo Picasso

Artist Spotlight
Modern + Contemporary

Pablo Picasso, known globally as one of the most important artists of the 20th century, was a Spanish painter, sculptor, printmaker, ceramicist and theatre designer.

In our February 2023 Important Modern + Contemporary Art Auction, Clars offered a rare ceramic plate by Picasso which caught the attention of many phone bidders.

Pablo Picasso, Visage Masque, ceramic plate. — Pablo Picasso (Spanish, 1881–1973), *Visage Masque*, 1947, ceramic plate, 12.5″ x 15″ (31.75 x 38.1 cm).
**Sold: $68,750**

During the 1940s, Picasso attended a pottery exhibition in the commune of Vallauris in the south of France. He was inspired by his experience to stay in the area, working at the Galerie Madoura as a prolific potter, creating over three thousand vases, plates, tiles, and other objects. Common themes in these ceramics are animals including bulls, birds, and fish, Roman and Greek mythology, and the human form.

The plate sold at Clars follows Picasso’s tradition of working with simplified lines and shapes to create a human face, or Visage as the ceramics are known, similar to the paintings made during his synthetic cubism and African-inspired periods. Picasso’s Madoura ceramics continue to grow in popularity due to their accessibility as well as their versatility as decorative objects.

Picasso pitchers — **Left:** Pablo Picasso (Spanish, 1881–1973), *Visage (A. R. 288)*, 1955, terre de faience pitcher, painted in colors and partially glazed, 12″ x 4″ x 5″. **Right:** Pablo Picasso (Spanish, 1881–1973), *Quatre visages (A.R. 436)*, 1959, white terre de faience pitcher with colored engobe and glaze, 9″ x 5.5″ x 7.5″.
**Sold: $14,437.50**

Other Picasso Madoura ceramics that Clars has offered include two ceramic pitchers, titled Visage and Quatre Visage. Both pieces were both produced at the Madoura de Vallauris workshop in the 1950’s and have Picasso and Madoura stamped beneath.

Pablo Picasso (Spanish, 1881–1973), Études VII (d'après Manet), 1961, graphite on les Annonay (watermarked) paper, 17.75" x 23.5". Provenance: Alex Maguy, Paris; Estate of Liselotte Weber (Burlingame, CA). Exhibited: Alex Maguy Galerie de L’Élysée, Hommage à Picasso, November 19–December 25, 1966. Reference: Zervos XX:50.Sold: $150,000. — Pablo Picasso (Spanish, 1881–1973), *Études VII (d’après Manet)*, 1961, graphite on les Annonay (watermarked) paper, 17.75″ x 23.5″. Provenance: Alex Maguy, Paris; Estate of Liselotte Weber (Burlingame, CA). Exhibited: Alex Maguy Galerie de L’Élysée, *Hommage à Picasso*, November 19–December 25, 1966. Reference: Zervos XX:50.
**Sold: $150,000.**

The second highest selling lot from Clars’ March 2022 Modern + Contemporary Art + Design Auction, selling at $150,000, was a rare drawing by Picasso titled, Études VII (d’après Manet), from 1961. Well-documented in the artist’s catalogue raisonné, the lot had multiple international bidders, but in the end sold to a buyer in San Francisco.

At the same sale, a linocut by Picasso, titled Le Déjeuner Sur l’Herbe, d’après Manet II, achieved $16,250.

Pablo Picasso (Spanish, 1881–1973), Le Dejeuner Sur l’Herbe, d’apres Manet II, 1962, linocut in black and white, 20.75” x 25”. Esimate: $15,000–$20,000. — Pablo Picasso (Spanish, 1881–1973), *Le Déjeuner Sur l’Herbe, d’après Manet II*, 1962, linocut in black and white, 20.75” x 25”.
**Sold: $16,250**

Artist Spotlight: Chiura Obata

Artist Spotlight
Modern + Contemporary

While attending the Nihon Bijutsuin art school in Tokyo, Japan, Okayama-born artist, Chiura Obata, was trained in both Japanese and Western painting techniques — a unique education that would influence his style over the years.

Chiura Obata, Storm on Lyell Mountain. — Chiura Obata (American/Japanese, 1885–1975), *Storm on Lyell Mountain* (from the World Landscape Series), 1930, woodcut print in colors, 10.75″ x 15.5″.
**Sold: $13,000**

As a young man entering the United States, Obata settled in California and focused his talents on depicting the landscapes he saw, ranging from deserts and treeless plains to the cliffs and lakes of Yosemite. Obata found success with these subjects, working in both painting and woodblock printing, and began his teaching career at the University of California, Berkeley in 1932. During the second World War, Obata experienced discrimination due to his Japanese identity and was interned at the Topaz War Relocation Center in Utah, where he painted some of his darkest and most emotionally resounding works.

**Left:** Chiura Obata (American/Japanese, 1885–1975), *Evening at Clark Inn* (from the World Landscape Series), 1930, woodcut print in colors, 15.5″ x 10.75″. **Sold: $7,150**
**Right:** Chiura Obata (American/Japanese, 1885–1975), *Upper Lyell Fork* (from the World Landscape Series), 1930, woodcut print in colors 15.5″ x 10.75″. **Sold: $9,100**

Chiara Obata, Mountain Mist — Chiara Obata (American/Japanese, 1885–1975), *Mountain Mist*, watercolor, 15.5″ x 19.75″.
**Sold: $20,000**

Throughout his career, the marriage of Japanese and Western approaches to visual language set Obata apart from his peers both in Japan and in the United States. Using Japanese techniques, like woodblock printing and sumi ink-and-brush painting, while portraying distinctly American landscapes earned him a glowing reputation in and around his chosen home of California. Obata’s work resonates within the blended cultures of the San Francisco Bay Area, where his art, whether in subject or technique, feels familiar to so many residents. Obata’s resiliency during and after confronting the horrors of war, with his continued commitment to cultural collaboration, feels just as inspirational and relevant today as it surely was during his lifetime.

Obata highlights — **Left:** Chiura Obata (American/Japanese, 1885–1975), *Shower, Point Lobos*, 1933, watercolor and gouache on silk, 19.5″ x 14″. **Sold: $15,000**
**Right:** Chiura Obata (Japanese/American, 1885–1975), *Deer Dance (Folk Dance), Scare Crow, Northeastern Prefecture, Japan*, circa 1960, watercolor, gouache, and gold leaf on silk, 33.5″ x 21″. **Sold: $18,750**

This June 15th at Clars Auction Gallery, we are excited to offer a number of excellent pieces by esteemed artists throughout the Modern and Contemporary periods.

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