May, Making Soap, Washing Sheep, one of the landscape paintings by Grandma Moses goes on sale. Image: Bonhams Skinner

Two paintings by Grandma Moses and artworks by other famous artists, including Jane Peterson, Thomas Moran, Andrew Wyeth, and Andy Warhol, are generating excitement among art collectors as they go on auction..

BY KAZEEM ADELEKE

MARLBOROUGH, MA — Two folk paintings by Grandma Moses (American, 1860-1961) from the mid-1940s will highlight Bonhams Skinner fall Fine Art auctions on September 21. From the collection of Miss Porter’s School in Farmington, Connecticut, these works have been in private hands since the 1940s.

Formally known as Mary Robertson Moses, Grandma Moses was famous for her delightful depictions of old-fashioned scenes of rural life. They are full of anecdotal details set in the rolling landscapes of farm country. May, Making Soap, Washing Sheep, 1870, painting is one of the finest examples of the artist’s work. It provides a snapshot of farm life—sheep being scrubbed in a pond, a barking dog, children collecting eggs, squabbling geese, and a bonneted woman making soap in a boiling cauldron.

Paintings by Grandma Moses on Sale

May, Making Soap, Washing Sheep has an estimate of $70,000-90,000. However, there are expectations that the painting will surpass its estimate. In addition to being the work of a famous artist, the piece also has great provenance.  It has been featured in several exhibitions, most recently in Grandma Moses: A Retrospective Exhibition Celebrating the 160th Anniversary of Her Birth.  The exhibition was put together by The Galerie St. Etienne, New York. The show toured five museums in Japan.

Beyond the Lake, the second painting by Grandma Moses continues in the tradition of the artist. It portrays a tranquil view from an elevated perspective, showing a serpentine lake in front of undulating hills. It has an estimate of $50,000-70,000.

About Mary Robertson Moses, Grandma Moses

Grandma Moses’ paintings reflect her background and upbringing. Raised on a farm, she was no stranger to the rigors and rhythm of farm life. The mother of ten children taught herself how to paint in her 70s and had her first show at 80. She was painting and exhibiting her work even at 100.

The sale of the two paintings by Grandma Moses will benefit Miss Porter’s School. The school was founded in 1843 by Sarah Porter and educates young women from around the country and the world to become informed, bold, resourceful, and ethical global citizens. Proceeds from the sale of Grandma Moses’ paintings will further support the school’s mission to educate young women.

Dramatic Landscape Paintings by Thomas Moran

Besides the paintings by Grandma Moses, an important work by Thomas Moran will also be on sale.  His Long Island painting, Three Mile Harbor, has an estimate of $40,000-60,000. The painting reflects Moran’s dynamic, large, light-filled depictions of the landscape of the American West that made him very popular. This style of painting earned him the nickname “The American Turner.”

Two of Moran’s dramatic paintings helped lay the foundation for the establishment of the two National parks. His paintings of The Grand Canyon of Yellowstone and The Chasm of the Colorado were purchased by Congress for display in the U.S. Capitol and inspired lawmakers to make the region a national park in 1872.

In 1872, Moran moved to New York City, and during a trip to Long Island, he fell in love with the landscape and bought a property in East Hampton in 1882. Many of the paintings from that era are generally smaller in scale and pastoral in spirit. An important example is Three Mile Harbor. The serene painting gets its name from geography: the harbor is three miles from the village of East Hampton. Three Mile Harbor depicts figures quietly fishing from a dock. There is also a sailboat in the marsh at low tide and cattle watering in the distance.

Joseph Francis Kernan

Continuing on the theme of fishing is Joseph Francis Kernan (American, 1878-1958). Two of his more modern takes on fishing will feature prominently in this art sale. These brightly colored, spirited illustrations capture the moment when a single fisherman attempts to land a fish with plenty of fight. Both works have values of between $30,000-50,000 each.

Kernan studied and taught at the Eric Pape School of Art. He later went on to enjoy a very successful career as an illustrator. His works are humorous and carry an air of authenticity emanating from Kernan’s love of sports. His illustrations have appeared on magazine covers for Collier’s, The Saturday Evening Post, and many others.

Jane Peterson

Harbor at Istanbul, a painting by Jane Peterson, is another work that will feature prominently in the art sale. The painting is the result of the Impressionist and Expressionist painter’s visit to Istanbul (then Constantinople) in 1924, following World War I. Despite the turbulence in Turkey during that period, the artist managed to paint a luminous landscape in her typical en Plein air fashion. Harbor at Istanbul has an estimate of between $70,000-90,000.

Online Sale of Prints, Multiples & Photographs

In addition to the in-person auction, there will also be an online sale of Prints, Multiples & Photographs that runs from September 12 through September 22. The online auction will include works from old masters to contemporary artists. Of special note are three silkscreens by Andy Warhol from the mid-1980s. Lovers of “Casablanca” will instantly recognize Ingrid Bergman with Hat, from the series Three Portraits of Ingrid Bergman. It has an estimate of between $45,000-65,000. Equally iconic are General Custer, one of ten prints from Warhol’s 1986 Cowboys and Indians series (est. $40,000-60,000), and Mao (est. $50,000-70,000).

What do you think about paintings by Grandma Moses and using art for philanthropy? Share your thoughts. Leave a comment.