Past Auction

20th Century Abstraction

Tue, Apr 05, 2022 at 11am EDT |

New York

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A 2003 Work by Ed Clark Achieved $113,400 as the Sale Total Surpassed Expectations!

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Successful Auction of 20th Century Abstraction on April 5, 2022
A 2003 Work by Ed Clark Achieved $113,400 as the Sale Total Surpassed Expectations!
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NEW YORK, NY -- Doyle held a successful auction of 20th Century Abstraction on April 5, 2022 showcasing abstract art spanning the 1940s through the end of the century and will include paintings, drawings, sculpture and prints. From the American Abstract Expressionists, as well as several prototypical artists that predated them, the auction documented the global evolution of abstraction within and beyond the fabled New York School; including Color Field artists, hard-edge abstraction, Minimalism and much more.

With competitive international bidding, the sale totaled a successful $695,172, far surpassing the pre-sale estimate of $325,400-538,300, and every lot except one sold at the auction.

Ed Clark
Arriving in New York in the late 1950s, Ed Clark quickly gained prominence as an innovative abstract artist. Helping to establish the Brata Gallery on 10th Street, as well as being one of the first artists to employ a shaped canvas, Clark would continue to challenge and expand upon the notions of abstract painting for decades. Created in 2003, this untitled work finds Clark using his action painting technique of employing a push broom, painting directly on the floor and moving the medium across the canvas. The work doubled its pre-sale estimate of $50,000-70,000, selling for $113,400. Lot 47

Tamara de Lempicka
Fleeing Poland with her family during the 1917 Russian revolution, Tamara de Lempicka would arrive in Paris, studying under Andre Lhote, and rise to prominence as one of the great artists of her day. Known as “The Baroness with the Brush,” de Lempicka was renowned for her Art Deco portraiture of affluent, stylish ladies of the 1920s. Abstract Composition in Blue finds de Lempicka creating a new body of abstract works during a renewed interest in her work during the 1960s. Decidedly different than her stylized portraiture from the early 20th Century, Abstract Composition in Blue showcases de Lempicka’s unique approach to color and form, even when stepping away from representational images. Copetitive bidding drove the work soaring over its $3,000-5,000 estimate to achieve a stunning $63,000. Lot 19

Syd Solomon
World War II veteran Syd Solomon designed camouflage for the military, and ran reconnaissance flights, both of which influenced his abstract painting techniques. A masterful triptych from 1982, Lowtide Patterns at Midnight Pass evokes the environment of Solomon’s native Sarasota locale. Solomon was fascinated by the ecology of the nearby Gulf of Mexico, drawing inspiration from the famed white sands of Midnight Pass. The work performed strongly for $47,250, surpassing its $20,000-40,000 estimate. Lot 38

Elaine de Kooning
A work from Elaine de Kooning’s famed Cave Walls series, Cave #17 (Orange Grotto) from 1984, depicts a bull within a vivid orange field. De Kooning received a rare invitation to tour the Paleolithic cave paintings in Lascaux, France in 1983, and created this series inspired by what she saw. The bull had been an oft-returned to form appearing in de Kooning’s work going back to at least the 1950s, and while in this painting she is again depicting a bull – but appearing here as an image sourced from ancient times. The work realized $47,250, at the top end of its $30,000-50,000 estimate. Lot 39

Pratuang Emjaroean -- A U.S. Auction Record for the Artist
Self-taught painter Pratuang Emjaroean fought against misconceptions and societal constraints in his native Thailand, becoming one of the nation’s most beloved painters. This untitled canvas evokes Emjaroean’s Buddhist mindset, employing natural forms in his lushly colored abstract composition. The painting achieved $37,800 -- A U.S. Auction Record for the Artist. Lot 10

Alma Thomas
A key member of the pioneering Washington Color School, Thomas was the first Black woman to show at the Whitney Museum. Like many of her most accomplished works, Thomas employs color in a dramatic, rhythmic pattern, with rivers of deep reds punctuated with flashes of sparking blues. The sale offered two works by Thomas, both of which exceeded their estimates. Lot 28 and Lot 29

A Walkabout with the Specialist

Specialist Angelo Madrigale led a tour of the 20th Century Abstraction exhibition livestreamed on Instagram @doylenewyork.
View the Video

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