"Prospect Point, Niagra Falls in Winter"
Oil on Canvas
"Autumn in America"
Oil on Canvas
Today I paid a visit to a well established auction gallery in Westchester County by the name of Clarke Auctions. I had heard from a friend and former colleague that in their May 15th auction there would be a pair of paintings that had been causing quite a stir and could potentially bring a hefty price. Upon viewing the pair of paintings and seeing the estimate of $40-60,000 per work of art, I was finding myself intrigued by the possibilities and decided to make the half hour journey to see firsthand the results of this sale.
The two oil on canvas paintings were created by an artist named Jasper F. Cropsey. Named accordingly for their subject matter, the two pieces are titled "Prospect Point, Niagra Falls in Winter" and "Autumn in America".Cropsey was a 19th century Hudson River School artist and was known for his vibrant landscapes. The Hudson River School was an art movement created by landscape artists located in the Hudson River Valley that were influenced by romanticism. Romanticism encouraged individual expression and also focused on the presentation of various emotions through the imagery created.
Upon my arrival at the Clarke gallery, I purchased a catalog which showcased the 427 lots or item(s) that were up for auction this evening."Prospect Point" came in at 234, with "Autumn in America" following immediately after at lot 235. The excitement in the air began to grow at the arrival of page 13, which encompassed lots 218-234, "Prospect Point". The room fell to a hush when it finally came time for the presentation of these high ticket items. A group of Clarke Auction employees established which audience members intended on bidding and then appointed a few extra pairs of eyes to ensure no bid was missed. The floor activity (in-house audience) stole the show and blew the estimate out of the water! The final selling price of "Prospect Point" was a whopping $460,000, while "Autumn in America" was slightly less at $240,000!! These two items alone brought in a total of $700,000 and at the commencement of these two lots the crowd broke in to applause!
If you have never taken the opportunity to visit an auction gallery, I highly suggest you do so. Attending the event is free and you are given the chance to view fantastic works of art, furniture, pottery, chandeliers, jewelry, sterling, sculpture, etc., etc. There's no obligation to buy and if you're lucky you may learn a thing or two, purchase a great quality piece at significantly less than current retail prices, or even catch a bidding extravaganza!
Please check out the video below to see the excitement and bidding frenzy that took place for Cropsey's "Prospect Point"!
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