The artists known to us today as American Modernists comprise an exceptionally talented and visionary group of painters and draftsmen. Varied in inspiration and style, they propelled American art into the early twentieth century avant-garde. With examples ranging from Avery to Zorach, Heather James Fine Art is pleased to display a distinguished selection of such material. Niccolo Brooker, Director
Milton Avery (1885-1965) Cows and Thistle signed and dated lower left Milton Avery 1943 watercolor over traces of pencil on paper 20 x 30 in. Painted in 1943
Provenance: Alpha Gallery, Boston. Private Collection, Albuquerque.
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Thomas Hart Benton (1889-1975) Tree in Landscape signed bottom right Benton -signed again, titled and dated on a piece of cardboard affixed to the reverse Tree painted in late ‘20. Thomas H. Benton watercolor and gouache over pencil on paper 14 1/2 x 11 3/8 in. Painted circa 1920 Provenance: Hollis Taggart Galleries, New York Private Collection, Orange County, California (acquired directly from the above, circa 2005)
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Oscar Bluemner (1867-1938) Harlem River #3 signed with initials, dated and titled lower right Aug 24-13 OFB Harlem River #3 watercolor over charcoal on paper 5 x 8 in. Painted along the Harlem River, New York, in 1913
Provenance: Salander O’Reilly Galleries, New York. Kraushaar Galleries, Inc., New York. Private Collection, Connecticut. Private Collection, Massachusetts.
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Oscar Bluemner (1867-1938) La Delaware signed with initials lower left OFB and titled lower center La Delaware watercolor and gouache on paper 3 1/2 x 5 in. Painted circa 1918
Provenance: Gerald Melberg Gallery, Charlotte, North Carolina. Forum Gallery, Inc., New York. Forum Gallery, LLC, Los Angeles. Private Collection, Orange County, California (acquired directly from the above, 2004).
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Oscar Bluemner (1867-1938) The Plane Canal, North Bloomfield, New Jersey signed with initials lower right OFB— dated lower center Bloomfield 24 31-21 watercolor, gouache, pastel and charcoal on paper 6 3/4 x 4 1/4 in. Painted in North Bloomfield, New Jersey, on July 31, 1921
Provenance: Lillian Bluemner, Manchester, New Hampshire (the artist’s daughter-in-law). Sale; Sotheby, Park-Bernet, New York, January 29, 1981. Ben Ali Haggin, New York (acquired directly from the above). Hollis Taggart Galleries, New York. Private Collection, Orange County, California (acquired directly from the above, circa 2005).
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Oscar Bluemner (1867-1938) Autumn Landscape gouache on buff paper 6 3/4 x 5 in. Painted circa 1920
Provenance: Estate of the artist James Graham & Sons, New York. Hollis Taggart Galleries, New York. Private Collection, Orange County, California (acquired directly from the above, circa 2005).
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Oscar Bluemner (1867-1938) Open Hills at Loch Boonton, New Jersey signed with initials and dated lower right OFB Feb-19 charcoal on paper 4 1/4 x 5 1/2 in. Drawn in Boonton, New Jersey, in February, 1919
Provenance: Gerald Melberg Gallery, Charlotte, North Carolina. Forum Gallery, Inc., New York. Forum Gallery, LLC, Los Angeles. Private Collection, Orange County, California (acquired directly from the above, 2004).
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Oscar Bluemner (1867-1938) Covered Bridge, Downpour signed with initials lower left OFB watercolor, gouache, charcoal and black ink on paper 4 x 5 3/4 in. Painted in New Jersey in 1924
Provenance: J.B. Neumann, New York (acquired directly from the artist). Hirschl & Adler Galleries, New York. Jeffrey R. Hayes, Wisconsin. Monique Knowlton Gallery, New York. Hollis Taggart Galleries, New York. Private Collection, Orange County, California (acquired directly from the above, circa 2005). Exhibited: Mahwah, New Jersey, Ramapo College Art Gallery, Oscar Bluemner: The New Jersey Years, Drawings and Watercolors 1916-1926, October - November, 1982, no. 43
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Ilya Bolotowski (1907-1981) Golden Horizontal oil on canvas signed and dated lower right Ilya Bolotowsky/59 14 x 32 in. Painted in 1959
Provenance: Andrew Bolotowsky, New York (the artist’s son). Exhibited: New York, D.C. Moore Gallery, A Tribute to Grace Borgenicht Gallery, The 1950s: The First Decade, 1997. Literature: E. Kinsella, Wise Buys, Art News, vol. 101, no. 7, Summer, 2002, pg. 151 (illustrated).
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Arthur Dove (1880-1946) Leaning Silo signed lower center Dove watercolor, pen and black ink on paper 5 x 7 in. Painted in 1937
Provenance: An American Place (Alfred Stieglitz), New York. Cline Fine Art, Santa Fe. Forum Gallery, LLC, Los Angeles. Private Collection, Orange County, California (acquired directly from the above, 2004).
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Marsden Hartley (1877-1943) Flower in Vase, Dogwood signed lower right MH oil on canvas 27 x 14 1/4 in. Painted circa 1917-19
Provenance: Alfredo Valente, New York. Irvin Brenner Fine Paintings, Pelham Manor, New York. Private Collection, Florida. Exhibited: New York, The Gallery of Modern Art, American Paintings (as Flowers and Vase).
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Stanton Macdonald-Wright (1890-1973) La Gaité signed lower center S.Wright -signed again, titled and date on the reverse La gaîté 1958 S.Wright. oil on canvas 50 x 36 in. Painted in 1958
Provenance: Rose Fried Gallery, New York. Forum Gallery, Inc., New York. Joseph Chowning Gallery, San Francisco. Private Collection, San Francisco. Exhibited: Washington, DC, Smithsonian Institution, National Collection of Fine Arts, Stanton Macdonald-Wright, May - June, 1967, no. S.L.1967.2.76
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John Marin Taos Canyon No. 2 signed and dated lower right Marin 30 watercolor over charcoal on paper 15 3/4 x 21 3/4 in. Painted in Taos, New Mexico, in 1930
Provenance: Estate of the artist. Private Collection, Orange County, California (since 2004). Exhibited: New York, The Downtown Gallery, New Mexico Watercolors, March, 1957. Literature: S. Reich, John Marin: A Stylistic Analysis and Catalogue Raisonne, Tucson, Arizona, vol. II, 1970, no. 30.63 (illustrated).
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Reginald Marsh (1898-1954) Continuous Performance signed lower left Reginald Marsh watercolor and gouache, pen and black ink, brush and gray wash on paper 26 x 36 in. Painted in 1940
Provenance: ACA Galleries, New York. Sid Deutsch Gallery, New York. Harry Litwin, Wichita, Kansas. Eaton Fine Art, Inc., West Palm Beach. Private Collection, Albuquerque. Exhibited: New York, Barbara Mathes Gallery, Bohemian Night Life, April - June, 1989. Roslyn, New York, Nassau County Museum of Art, Reginald Marsh, Feb. May, 2006.
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Carl Sprinchorn (1887-1931) Landscape signed with initials lower right C.S. watercolor and gouache on paper 4 5/8 x 3 1/2 in.
Provenance: Hollis Taggart Galleries, New York. Private Collection, Orange County, California (acquired directly from the above, circa 2005).
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Joseph Stella (1877-1946) Gladiolas pencil and colored pencils on paper 25 x 18 1/2 in. Drawn circa 1935
Provenance: Bubose Gallery, Inc., Houston. Vared Gallery, East Hampton, New York. Matthew Marks Gallery, New York. Forum Gallery, Inc., New York. Forum Gallery, LLC, Los Angeles. Private Collection, Los Angeles (acquired directly from the above, 2006).
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Max Weber (1881-1961) Abstract signed and dated lower right Max Weber ‘14 gouache on board 8 1/2 x 5 1/2 in. Painted in 1914
Provenance: Estate of the artist. Forum Gallery, Inc., New York (former representative of the artist’s estate). William Dean, New York. ACA Galleries, New York (acquired directly from the above).
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William Zorach (1887-1966) Yosemite Valley signed and dated lower left William Zorach 1920 watercolor over pencil on paper 13 1/2 x 20 in. Painted in Yosemite, California, in 1920
Provenance: Marguerite Zorach (artist’s widow), Maine. Estate of the artist. Private Collection, Orange County, California (since 2008).
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