Brooklyn Museum Advances Collecting of African-American Art

In the October 21st edition of the New York Times, art writer, Carol Vogel, announces that the Brooklyn Museum will advance the scope of its African-American art collection to pre-1945 works.

The museum is known for more than handful of exhibitions featuring African-American artists such as Jacob Lawrence, Martin Puryear, and Romare Bearden, among others. However, this new initiative will add to the museum's rich collection of mid-nineteenth to mid-twentieth century works. This is a smart move on the museum's part as public momentum grows and deepens in the area of collecting and studying African-American art.

Earlier this year, the museum hosted a panel discussion on Collecting African-American Art featuring gallery owners, Corinne Jennings (Kenkeleba Gallery) and Michael Rosenfeld (Michael Rosenfeld Gallery), and African-American art auction specialist, Nigel Freeman (Swann Galleries Auction).

Top Five Results of Swann's African-American Fine Art Auction

Of the 145 lots available for sale at the Thursday, October 7th African-American Fine Art auction at Swann Auction Galleries the following were the top five sales, including buyer's premium:

1. Lot #122: Robert Colescott's A Legend Dimly Told, 1992, sold for 132,000 USD;
2. Lot #8: Sargent Claude Johnson's Mask, 1933 and Lot # 23: Jacob Lawrence, Two Card Players, c. 1942, each sold for 67,200 USD;
3. Lot #72: Alvin Loving's 9 Septehedrons, 1969, sold for 36,000 USD;
4. Lot #18: William Edmondson's Squirrel, sold for 31, 200 USD; and
5. Lot #62: Bob Thompson's Echo and Narcissus, 1965 tied with Lot #103: Hale Woodruff's Yellow Landscape, 1970s, sold for 26,400 USD.