Back in April, I wrote about a tug-of-war within the family of the late Philadelphia artist Louis B. Sloan over his artwork.
At age 75, the artist died in 2008 on his way out to paint, and members of his family descended on his home to remove his paintings, according to an article in the Philadelphia Daily News. Also missing were his sketchbooks, paintbrushes, palettes and more. One family member told the reporter that Sloan, an African American artist, wanted his works donated to the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts, where he was a teacher for about 35 years and had been taught as a student. His works are in the Philadelphia Museum of Art (where he had been a conservator), the academy, the Woodmere Art Museum in Philadelphia and other private collections.
When I wrote the post, I also mentioned that some of his artwork would be auctioned off at Alderfer Auction and Appraiser in Hatfield, Pa. in June, and that I’d be there. Well, it was but I wasn’t. I was out of town, driving with a friend to pick up her daughter from college.
I finally got a chance to view the paintings on the auction house’s website and to see what prices they brought. Eight paintings, all oil on masonite, were sold – their subjects scenic (most are landscapes, his love) and their style a bit impressionistic. (Photos of the paintings are from the Alderfer website.)
In the newspaper article, students of Sloan’s recalled him taking them to the Catskills, the Delaware River Water Gap, the Poconos and the Adirondacks to paint. This tale from a friend of Sloan’s who watched him paint Catskills’ landscapes was posted on the blog Al’s Frost Valley alumni blog in 2009.
Here are the paintings that sold at Alderfer – at pretty reasonable prices, which include a 10-13 percent premium. You can see the paintings on the website, first by searching for the June 11, 2010, auction and then checking pages 7 and 8.
Floral sketch, $840.
Creek landscape, $390.
Sunset landscape, $900.
Winter landscape, $390.
Sunset landscape, $468.
Shade trees, $877.50.
Seaside landscape $360.
Countryside landscape, $480.
