This January, Sotheby’s has announced Visions of America, a celebration of American craftsmanship and culture filled with auctions, events, and experiences. Spanning three floors of gallery space at its New York headquarters, Visions of America presents “unparalleled examples of American art and objects spanning the 17th century to today”.
The auctions include a diverse array of superlative fine art, furniture, fashion, decorative arts, folk art, historic maps, books, whiskey, manuscripts, and more. Thom Browne, the American fashion designer, avid collector and Chairman of the Council of Fashion Designers of America, is the curatorial partner of Visions of America, and has selected his favorite art and objects from the sales.
AD 100 and ELLE Decor A-list interior designer, Corey Damen Jenkins, has transformed 1,000 square-feet of gallery space into a pied-à-terre using his bold design aesthetic and incorporating pieces from the sales.
Exhibitions will be open to the public from 12th-19th January, with auctions running from 19th-29th January.
As the Visions of America exhibition opens in New York, Brooke M. Lampley, Global Chairman, Head of Global Fine Art, shares some of his highlights.
Charles Willson Peale
George Washington
Live auction begins on:
January 19, 06:00 PM GMT
Estimate
2,000,000 – 3,000,000 USD
“Nothing could be more American than a portrait of George Washington. Charles Willson Peale is recognized as the leading American portraitist of the 18th Century, and this piece represents the only occasion in which Peale illustrated Washington from life during his presidency. The original painting from this 1795 sitting resides in the New-York Historical Society’s illustrious permanent collection, while the present work is one of three known replicas in existence. It is far more common to see Washington in military attire, making this rendition an extremely noble and virtuous representation of our first president.”
Thomas Moran
Green River, Wyoming
Live auction begins on:
January 19, 04:00 PM GMT
Estimate
800,000 – 1,200,000 USD
“Green River, Wyoming depicts the majestic buttes adjacent the Green River in southwestern Wyoming. Moran first became enamored with the site during an expedition to the region in 1871, in which he was tasked with illustrating the American West in an effort to promote westward expansion. Bold in color and rich with texture to capture the commanding presence of the nearby rock formations, the present work juxtaposes the strength of the monumental buttes with the delicate surface of the river as it reflects the surrounding landscape.”
Frederic Edwin Church
Andean Sketch
Lot closes
January 20, 07:18 PM GMT
Estimate
200,000 – 300,000 USD
“Here’s a reminder that “America” means more than the USA. Andean Sketch recalls Church’s travels throughout South America in the 1850s, and specifically relates to a major oil painting in the Brooklyn Museum’s permanent collection (Tropical Scenery, dated one year later in 1873). Inspired by naturalist Alexander von Humboldt, Church explored the Andes to capture the natural beauty of this awe-inspiring area through numerous drawings and oil sketches. His Ecuadorian landscapes are among his most celebrated, highlighting the region’s tropical flora and dynamic topography. This work features the radiant light and abundant vegetation that characterize his most iconic South American subjects.”
“Visions of America comprises more than 500 additional examples of American art and objects from the 17th Century to today, complete with guest curation from American fashion designer Thom Browne and a showcase designed by Corey Damen Jenkins. Please have a look around, visit our New York galleries to experience the exhibitions and programs, and register to bid. And join me in celebrating craftsmanship through the centuries.”
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