American Fine Art – Issue 86 MarchApril 2026 – American Fine Art (1)

We have a good idea of what Nefertiti and King Tutankhamun looked like because of ancient paintings and sculptures made in their likeness. The enduring images of Marilyn Monroe and John F. Kennedy by Andy Warhol have long outlived the novelty of his soup cans. If one had to name the most famous painting in the world, it would likely be Leonardo da Vinci’s Mona Lisa over Vincent van Gogh’s Sunflowers.

Grant Wood’s wonderful study of his sister and dentist in American Gothic remains among the most recognizable paintings in American art. For a time, it was fashionable to denigrate portrait art as conservative, commercial or secondary. When Andrea Ericson, long-time gallery director of Portraits, Inc. in New York, encountered such criticism, she famously replied with two words: “Oh, nonsense!” For years, the gallery’s motto was drawn from Dr. Samuel Johnson: “Portrait painting is a reasonable and natural consequence of affection.” It is difficult to imagine a more enduring motivation for art.

Portraits are created to express admiration, memory and esteem. For both sitter and collector, commissioning a portrait is an act of recognition and legacy. The face and figure remain among the most demanding subjects in all of art. Drawing and painting from the human model have always formed the backbone of serious artistic training. From antiquity to the present, portrait artists have occupied a central role in recording history, power, culture and identity. Portraiture offers not abstraction, but presence. Diego Velázquez (1599-1660) spent most of his life painting at the court of King Philip IV of Spain, chronicling both moments of grandeur and periods of hardship.

Philip IV’s legacy is inseparable from Velázquez’s vision, and while the artist devoted much of his career to a single royal family, his influence would extend far beyond it, shaping the work of Goya, Sargent and even Picasso. These works endure not merely because of royal association but because a great patron allowed a great artist sustained freedom to observe and interpret. Similarly, King Charles I of England, Enduring Value Introduction by Christine Egnoski, CEO, Portrait Society of America Alice Neel (1900-1984), Nancy and Olivia, 1967.

Oil on canvas, 39 × 36 in. © The Estate of Alice Neel. Portraiture though a flawed ruler, proved a discerning collector. By bringing Anthony van Dyck (1599-1641) to England, he helped define the visual language of English aristocracy. Van Dyck’s portraits of Charles I remain among the most compelling examples of how art can construct and preserve authority long after political power has faded.

William Gropper’s most recognizable works came out of the 1930s, as he was painting contemporary social commentary. In this painting from 1932, the artist depicts the figure of the banker during a period when bank failures and distrust in financial institutions were seen as responsible for the Great Depression. INVITING CONSIGNMENTS LEFT TO RIGHT: Milton Avery Oxcart SOLD FOR $203,700 Albert York Girl in Rowboat SOLD FOR $102,100 Will Barnet Ona, 1965 SOLD FOR $57,600 Adam Veil | 267.414.1221 [email protected] FREEMANSAUCTION.COM We are welcoming fine art consignments for our spring auction season.

1421 East Aloha Street ■ Seattle, WA 98112 ■ (206) 323-2156 ■ www.ajkollar.com Member of The Art and Antique Dealers League of America, Inc. Contact us to receive our catalog of American paintings Four Decades of Art Advisory Services ■ Working with Private Collections and Museums Specializing in American paintings from 1840-1940 EDWARD CUCUEL (American 1875-1954) Jeune Femme dans le Parc Signed lower left Oil on canvas 31.5 x 31.5 inches 4 LETTER FROM THE PUBLISHERS On the Cover Charles Courtney Curran (1861-1942), On the Cliff, 1910.

Oil on canvas. Berg Family Collection. Image Courtesy of Albany Institute of History & Art. See our coverage on Page 54. Historic Reminders Welcome to the March/April issue of American Fine Art Magazine! In this issue we are reminded why historic American art continues to endure, evolve and inspire. In a world that moves quickly, these works ask us to slow down—to look closely, to consider craftsmanship, and to reflect on the stories that shaped American culture.

You are sure to enjoy this issue immensely. Inside we showcase exceptional art from respected specialists that include Debra Force Fine Art, Questroyal Fine Art, J. Kenneth Fine Art, Vallarino Fine Art, A.J. Kollar Fine Paintings, Godel & Co., Rachael Cozad Fine Art, Hawthorne Fine Art and others.

Each piece has strong provenance and reaffirms the importance of thoughtful curation when choosing works to build your collection. Find the artworks that pique your interest and contact the gallery that is showcasing them. You will find their depth of knowledge of the artist exceptional. Collecting historical art sparks an insatiable desire for knowledge that keeps us hungry for more.

We are immersed in this world of art, so we understand!

This is a short excerpt from the opening of “” by Unknown, quoted for review and introduction purposes. All rights belong to the copyright holders.

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