We will be featuring an unpretentious painting by Willie Earl Robinson in our worldwide auction next month. We purchased it for $600. We’ve estimated it at a modest $700 to $1,000. (a) We thought we would also like to highlight a
few African American artists who are well-known and whose artwork is highly valued. While we have sold numerous Highwayman paintings over the years and continue to lead the nation in this area, there are many other African American artists who are highly valued and work in various styles.
For instance, Norman Lewis was a Harlem abstract impressionist whose artwork ranges in value from $1,000 to
$1,000,000. This large, colorful work sold for over $300,000. (b)
Faith Ringgold, another Harlem artist, works with a variety of media. Her earlier works were more conservative, while her later works became quite political. Her 76” x 82” acrylic on canvas painting, Two Jemimas, fetched $150,000. (c) Sam Gilliam’s 72” x 72” acrylic painting Orion sold for $1.1 million 2 years ago. (d)
Collecting The Works Of Black Artists
One of my personal favorites is Augusta Savage, who, according to SINGULART Magazine, was the first Black artist to join the National Association of Women Painters and Sculptors. We have been fortunate enough to be familiar with her work, but we haven’t owned anything as good as the example here – a small 5” x 9” plaster sculpture called Gamin, named after her nephew who lived with her briefly when his Florida home was destroyed in a hurricane. (e)
We make house calls statewide. Always buying expensive fine art. Go ahead. Google us. Three former sothebyscom associates and two art historians
on staff. You read about us in the Wall Street Journal, The New York Times and Fortune
magazine. Do you have valuable fine art for sale or an estate to settle? Contact us!
We have sold the contents of museums and collections for USF. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
Always buying rare and valuable items. Cash or auction.
This is an archival article formerly written and is for informational purposes only. The valuations in this article have likely changed since it was first written.
